Just when you thought political teacher-bashing could not become any more ridiculous, along comes the double act of Matt Canavan and Angus Taylor.
Canavan blames the rise of the toxic online “manosphere” partly on the supposed “feminisation of our curriculum”, claiming boys are tired of being lectured about “how bad men are”. Taylor then jumps aboard, warning ominously about “political agendas” in schools. Asked for an example, the Leader of the Opposition could apparently offer little more than the observation that his own children had occasionally come home from school saying things that concerned him.
Seriously?
These are senior politicians making accusations about an education system staffed by highly trained professionals teaching approved curricula and accountable to schools, systems, parents and professional standards. If Canavan can identify where this mysterious “feminisation” lurks in the Australian Curriculum, let him point it out. If Taylor has evidence of political indoctrination, let him produce it. Name the curriculum content. Identify the syllabus outcome. Tell us precisely what teachers are supposedly doing.
Otherwise, enough.
Teachers are already expected to respond to seemingly every social problem confronting young people — bullying, violence, vaping, mental health, online abuse, consent and respectful relationships. Now they are apparently responsible for misogynistic online subcultures and unspecified political indoctrination as well.
The manosphere was not created in Australian classrooms, and teaching respect, equality and healthy relationships is not an attack on boys.
Before Canavan and Taylor lecture teachers about what is happening in schools, perhaps they might try something radical: read the curriculum.
Until then, spare teachers the evidence-free culture-war nonsense and let them get on with doing their jobs. And frankly, just shut up!
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