Yesterday I picked up 'The White Australia Policy' by Keith Windschuttle. It offers the perspective that modern historians have exaggerated without credibility the shamefully racist nature of the immigration policy.
Some background on why I find it interesting: Though I was required to learn about Australian History & Civics (thus the policy) during high school, not much was taught in regard of how we should actually judge and view the policy itself. The lack of encouragement to assess, judge, and evaluate, can somewhat be shifted onto the former New South Wales labor government leader Bob Carr, who in so desiring every student in NSW learn about Australia's role in WW1 at Gallipoli, also limited what we would learn about it unless we took it up at a tertiary level.
When the bill was passed to the Board Of Studies to place a Government written Civics syllabus [extended to cover from WW1 to the late 80] as the marking criteria of the Year 10 School Certificate, this meant every high school state wide had to teach a specific rendition of facts as directed by the Government. By placing the course below Senior High School level, he inadvertently eliminated teaching the content through higher order learning skills (such as evaluation, assessment, judgment), and ensured the course wouldn't be overlapped again at any stage in Senior High School because the BOS has a rule that was has already been covered should not be assessable twice.
I always thought there was something wrong with that picture; even if their motive was earnest in teaching as many students as possible, as opposed to intentionally limiting what we could learn - I came away with what I perceive as a very limited view about a good chunk of Australian history.
My current position on the White Australia Policy is that it was harsh, racist and discriminative, and intentionally selective. I hope to put my ideas up against something which says otherwise (Windschuttle's book) and see if I can still stand on that or if I'm forced to revise my position.
What is your current view on the White Australian Policy? What influences your views on Australian History? For the non-Australians, do your education systems (before University level, of course) offer a broad understanding in Civics? Any other opinions, comments etc are welcome.
Edited 15th February: So far, I hate the book, and everything I've read in it PASSIONATELY!
Some background on why I find it interesting: Though I was required to learn about Australian History & Civics (thus the policy) during high school, not much was taught in regard of how we should actually judge and view the policy itself. The lack of encouragement to assess, judge, and evaluate, can somewhat be shifted onto the former New South Wales labor government leader Bob Carr, who in so desiring every student in NSW learn about Australia's role in WW1 at Gallipoli, also limited what we would learn about it unless we took it up at a tertiary level.
When the bill was passed to the Board Of Studies to place a Government written Civics syllabus [extended to cover from WW1 to the late 80] as the marking criteria of the Year 10 School Certificate, this meant every high school state wide had to teach a specific rendition of facts as directed by the Government. By placing the course below Senior High School level, he inadvertently eliminated teaching the content through higher order learning skills (such as evaluation, assessment, judgment), and ensured the course wouldn't be overlapped again at any stage in Senior High School because the BOS has a rule that was has already been covered should not be assessable twice.
I always thought there was something wrong with that picture; even if their motive was earnest in teaching as many students as possible, as opposed to intentionally limiting what we could learn - I came away with what I perceive as a very limited view about a good chunk of Australian history.
My current position on the White Australia Policy is that it was harsh, racist and discriminative, and intentionally selective. I hope to put my ideas up against something which says otherwise (Windschuttle's book) and see if I can still stand on that or if I'm forced to revise my position.What is your current view on the White Australian Policy? What influences your views on Australian History? For the non-Australians, do your education systems (before University level, of course) offer a broad understanding in Civics? Any other opinions, comments etc are welcome.
Edited 15th February: So far, I hate the book, and everything I've read in it PASSIONATELY!
