I saw Alan Bennett’s play The History Boys at the National last night. Twas exceptional – very funny, great characters and a thoughtful message. And I kept seeing my own History teachers mixed into the different characters which was interesting\disturbing.
However.
I think Bennett is wrong.
Well not ‘wrong’ as such. But I don’t agree with his mouthpiece in the play, the lovable (if mild child-abuser) Hector. He is contrasted against Irwin, the sophist, the liar, the government aide of the future who twists and spins our liberties away and then presents Simon Schamaish TV programmes with sensation over fact. He gears the students towards passing exams and getting into Oxbridge by trying to ‘stand out’ and be special instead of nice and truthful and scholarly. And of course he’s a fake – he lied about going to Oxbridge! Oh the shame! What a bastard. He’s a journalist!
Except the trouble is that his history lessons were much more interesting that Hector’s versions. I actually wanted to be in them. He would take an argument and turn it on its head – trying to find a new angle. But I like that. Our perspective on historical events changes and there’s nothing wrong with arguing something novel because you might end up with a deeper truth.
And then there’s the obvious critique of the education system. Oh, to have gone from the days when slightly mad teachers could be free to inspire their students with French and Latin and memorising poetry instead of trying to pass ghastly exams. When you didn’t need to coach people on how to present themselves in university interviews because that was somehow beneath you. Where did it all go wrong?
This is where it all went wrong: Bennett’s idealised classroom (and it was certainly idealised) was built on a lie itself. It was built on the grammar school model of discarding 90% of the population because they couldn’t pass a test at age 11. That’s right, a test! Hector didn’t need to exam-school his students because it had already been done, only in a bitter, divisive way. I simply can’t get nostalgic about a system which preached ‘education for education’s sake’ and then denied that education to the masses because they couldn’t jump through a hoop.
But the most important thing to take away from The History Boys is that it’s the biggest advert for mixed-sex education I’ve ever seen 
However, certainly a great play. I’d give it a grade A for achievement but I think Hector would disapprove.
Hope everyone had a good one!
We spent the morning plundering stockings as usual and then a traditional and delicious Christmas lunch complete with turkey, roast potatoes and those wonderful mini-sausages wrapped in bacon. Mmmmm! My Secret Santa present is worth special mention – it was a babbleblog group thing between Pingu, GG, Mr X, Dan, Nathan, Nic and myself – and mine turned out to be from Pingu. Not one but three gifts! A McFly calendar (which went straight to Tash), some splatter egg things and the real heart of the present – a Doctor Who sonic screwdriver!
This thing is super cool. It extends, makes noises and flashes just like you’d expect, but it’s also fitted with a special UV pen and light for writing secret messages. You can run around the house all day with this thing feeling six years old and loving every minute! Thanks Pingu! As a matter of fact he was my Secret Santee too so I got him a talking Dalek mug which yells “EXTERMINATE!” if you try to pick it up. 
Trusty sonic screwdriver faces Maths homework
Well it took a few days 
but eventually I did it – I won Captain Suave. Phew… now you try it! 
Fittingly (you’ll see why after you play the game) I also saw King Kong today. Not a bad film, not bad at all. I personally didn’t get all emotional at the end (no, seriously) although many in our party did. The rest just enjoyed the comedic moments – some very funny running-away-from-dinosaur-action to enjoy. And the whole thing is, of course, fantastically well made as you’d expect from Peter Jackson.
The Wasp Factory
Got lots and lots of work to do over the holidays sadly. It’s all planned in Outlook and as long as I stick roughly to schedule I’ll be OK… got thrown off course by the long film today though
Oh and finally – a personal pledge to Josie: new nickname each day. And that’s a promise.
On Monday, the first gay weddings (OK, ‘civil partnerships’ – but that’s not going to last long) were performed in Belfast. Already, it actually seems a bit silly to mention it. Was it really just 20 years ago that Thatcher declared “children … need to be taught to respect traditional moral values” versus being gay? (And she was relatively liberal compared to some in her party, believe it or not!) Well yes it was, but in the meantime there’s a new generation who don’t have time for moral values of any description (we’ve got coursework to do people!) and would rather get all this civil rights stuff over and done with before supper time.
About 40 people staged a protest, which is a rather pathetically sad thing to do. Just because you weren’t invited doesn’t mean you have to be a prick. Thankfully two comedians infiltrated the gang holding “BRING BACK SLAVERY” and “EARTH IS FLAT” placards. Good job! (And was I the only one to wonder what on earth an anti-sodomy sign is doing at a lesbian wedding in the first place?)
So yes anyway, now that God is staggering around drunk after a gay wedding reception, it’s the perfect opportunity to push him out of the science classroom. And in America too! I’m so proud 
Of course, ‘intelligent design’ will be back. The challenge now is to recognise the new name creationism will take (I recommend ‘Supper Happy Funtime Theory’ or ‘Amazing Magical Smiley Hour’) and then fight it again. Perhaps get a Supreme Court decision or two just to make things clear.
In the meantime – the zealots might want to start looking out for the Rapture. Oh look, there it is! Oh no, sorry, that’s just your President in a bit of trouble with fulfilling the law (Romans, 13:10)
I still think it was a bit stupid to have to come into school Monday and Tuesday this week, but hey, tomorrow will be the last day of term! Hoorayality! (That’s my new word for the day.) And it’s not like we’re doing much work in the last two days either… although we did face a particularly exciting pub quiz in Mr. Drummond’s history lesson. Exciting because we (Sophie, Lawrence and myself) triumphed over impossible odds (Fabio) thanks mainly to highly specialist knowledge (the members of Take That – thanks Sophie).
12Q also practised our highly informative assembly on Islam that we must give in the first PSHE lesson back. (Yes, we still have PSHE, yes, it’s still worthless.) I was told not to make jokes, but I’ll probably ignore that, because otherwise reading out a list of Arabic contributions to science and culture is rather dull. And if there’s one thing that assemblies don’t need any more of, it’s dullness.
Selfless act of the day – walking into a lamp-post on the way home. Selfless because it made Rishal and Clare laugh no end. 
Oh and I really must mention that Tim Berners-Lee, the father of the World Wide Web, is now blogging. Just… subscribe.
Helen on It’s (waiting) time.: “Fabulous news, congratulations to you both! X” Jun 8, 21:51
