Openly indoctrinating children in school

is apparently now more important than teaching them to read, write and think for themselves.

I am old enough to remember something we called "religious instruction".  It was a once a week session taught by well meaning people who came into the schools as volunteers. In the most junior areas of the schools they tried to teach a simple Bible story and talk to the children about being kind to one another. 

For the most part these sessions were not a success because of discipline problems. It is odd how even the most well behaved of children could play up for these people. 

Eventually of course this religious instruction was done away with as our society became more and more "multi-cultural". Schools could not cater for Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Sikhs and so on. Instead teachers were expected to teach "something about the various religions". 

That hasn't worked either. Any teaching about Christianity was considered to be wrong - unless you went to a fee paying church school. Christian ideals about "love one another" have given away to "respect" for this or that. Even "gender fluidity" is now taught in preschool - and woe betide the parent who objects to that. 

And now teachers are being told they must teach their students about "the Voice" to parliament. The referendum has not yet been held but the Federal government is so determined to push ahead with the issue they want it taught in school. The statement that these sessions will just be "information" sessions is of course ridiculous. What will be taught is the "yes" side of the campaign. There will be no room for the "no" side, indeed no room for debate at all. It would be a very brave teacher who did actually allow any sort of debate. 

There are very few issues, if any, which are not worthy of debate. The "I am right and you are wrong" approach is not one we were ever permitted to have in this family. As mere kittens we would find ourselves involved in debates around the meal table. It was often because one of us had made a statement and the Senior Cat had challenged it. He would show us that there was another way of thinking about it - even when he agreed with what we were saying. Surely that was a good thing? 

Simply teaching children something is "right" or "correct" is not enough. There is more than one side to the "Voice" debate, indeed there are many sides. The Prime Minister's "it's the right thing to do" needs to be challenged because it is future generations who will live with the consequences of the decision which is made.