The ugly face of democracy – fascism on the rise?
The Failure of Education
Having had a lifetime of education – first as a student, then a teacher, then a teacher trainer and now an education specialist, always working towards the ideal ‘democratic’ classroom and for basic human rights, it dismays me to see the situation in the UK. The situation I am talking about is the election of two members of the british fascist party , the BNP, as members of the European Parliament. It is a failure of the electoral system in that although these candidates received fewer votes than in earlier elections, they won because other potential voters could not be bothered to turn out and freely express their opinion. Most of all, it is a failure of the education system of which I was a part.
We have failed to educate people in the importance of voting (people have died to gain this vote for others) and to understand (and read) the policy platform on which a candidate is standing.
We have failed to provide media education so that people can understand the bias and prejudice in reporting and electioneering, the strategies used to sell newspapers and magazines, and to understand the need for evidence to back up argument.
We have failed to provide education that enlightens, broadens the mind, reduces prejudice, increases tolerance and provides the skills for fighting for rights without using violence.
The main political parties are taking ordinary voters for granted and deserve the shame that should be heaped upon them for allowing facsists to gain some ‘respectability’ even though their policies are not respectable.
Quoting ‘ education that enlightens, broadens the mind, reduces prejudice …’ certainly failed somewhere.
Even if universal education since 1870 in the country has made the country ranking among the world’s top universities, the freedom of rights have backfired in this recent election. We can only have a grim view of what the people who a country which constantly shapes the opinion of the world … is going. Scary !