Is this attachment a sign of things to come - any clues from 'this government'?
On Tue, 25 Nov 1997 14:59:00 EST jw188 <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>The following message is from the Canadian history group. It concerns the
>question of the place of history (AND GEOGRAPHY) in the universities/societies.
Although
>this appears to be a regional issue, I believe it easily applies to all of
>us.
>
>>Subject: Value of History
>To: Multiple recipients of list H-CANADA <[log in to unmask]>
>
>This message is specifically directed to academics in Ontario, but its
>simple and eloquently phrased request ought to be of interest to all
>teachers of the humanities, and particularly historians, whose
>discipline is being attacked here.
>
>Germaine Warkentin // [log in to unmask]
>English, Victoria College, University of Toronto
>
>-----------------------
>Dear colleagues, students, alumni, others:
>
>This past Wednesday, Premier Harris addressed a summit on
>the future of the universities. On that occasion he said
>that he sees little value in academic degrees in the
>humanities, geography (NOTE), and sociology, in which "The
>graduates have very little hope of contributing to society
>in any meaningful way." (Globe & Mail, Nov. 21, Toronto
>Star, Nov. 20)
>
>I am writing to ask you to take a little time out of your
>day to consider this remark, especially in the context of
>this government's other actions on education, and to make a
>public response. I have tried to keep this note brief,
>because I hope that reading it takes only the first minute
>of that time.
>
>At the least, Harris's remark is extremely offensive. And at
>the worst it is phenomenally stupid and dangerous. For those
>of us who have been educated in these fields, and especially
>for those of us who teach in them, we are being told that we
>are unlikely to contributing anything meaningful. (When I
>think of Harris's contributions to society I find myself
>thinking of Arlo Guthrie, in "Alice's Restaurant," being
>told that as a litterbug he wasn't moral enough to join the
>army.)
>
>I wish I could say that I don't understand what Harris means
>by "meaningful," but unfortunately I suspect I understand
>all too well. Reflection, education, and research on
>anything to do with the human world are deemed meaningless
>unless they immediately make money. It's interesting that
>the humanities and social sciences are the traditional home
>of meaning, but Harris sees none there. From John Snobelin's
>early plans to create a crisis in education to Bill 160,
>his government has attacked education. But now the
>principle guiding its moves are clear: This is an attack on
>THINKING.
>
>The Harris government would like to create an Ontario in
>which "unproductive" thinking is strongly discouraged.
>Critical reflection may be good for democracy, for justice,
>for a virtuous society, for a vibrant culture, but these are
>not the goals of this government. And Harris is
>short-sighted enough to believe that he can neglect those
>goals in favour of business, that business can flourish
>without any broad education.
>
>I would like to ask you to write a letter, long or short,
>about the importance of education. For most of you who
>receive this message this is an easy and congenial form of
>protest, and one for which you can draw on your own thoughts
>on and experiences of education. If we each write a letter,
>and send or fax those letters to local and national
>newspapers, with copies to our MPPs and to Harris, the
>effect could be overwhelming.
>
>In addition, I would like to ask you to circulate this
>message as widely as you can, to use the formal and informal
>networks that e-mail creates to send this request to
>friends, colleagues, and students across the province.
>
>Thank you very much,
>
>Sergio Sismondo
>Assistant Professor
>Philosophy and Sociology
>Queen's University, Kingston
>------------ End Forwarded Message -------------
>John Wong
>email: [log in to unmask]
>College of Health and Human Performance
>University of Maryland at College Park
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Department of Education
Keele University
Keele
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from UK - (01782) 583117
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