Problems with British Education | Peter Hitchens #CLIP

Peter Hitchens describes the importance of teaching the correct techniques in education, while also noting how leftist ideologies are being taught in all levels of education.

Peter Hitchens is a British journalist, author, and broadcaster. He currently writes for the Mail on Sunday, where he is a columnist and occasional foreign correspondent. He regularly engages with a great many topics in public debate on major television & radio networks and at universities around the world.

Peter has just completed his tenth book, a critique of the modern British education system. His past works include The Abolition of Britain and The Rage Against God.

A former Trotskyist, he partly attributes his return to Christian faith to his experience of socialism in practice, which he witnessed during his years reporting in Eastern Europe and later from Moscow during the collapse of the Soviet Union.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Conversations feature John Anderson, former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, interviewing the world's foremost thought leaders about today's pressing social, cultural and political issues.

John believes proper, robust dialogue is necessary if we are to maintain our social strength and cohesion. As he puts it; "You cannot get good public policy out of a bad public debate."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peter Hitchens:

[PapaSmurf]

The problem is fairly simple. We’ve teamed up children from single parent households with teachers that never learn how to behaviour manage. A generation of poorly behaved kids, with parents who didn’t learn a thing, taught by 25 year olds who are scared of them.

[burtingtune]

The biggest problem that faces any reform in education is that of the teaching staff. I am a teacher in his late fifties and I can say with confidence that the majority of my colleagues under the age of forty are so indoctrinated in left-wing ideology that even if you reformed the system, those within it would not only fail to implement it, but would also do everything to undermine it.

[ianarn]

It’s because we constantly have to deal with ‘the message’ in school. People don’t even learn how to pronounce English correctly and the popular culture doesn’t help matters by celebrating people who likewise cannot pronounce many English words correctly and have appalling grammar and diction even those from private schools now.

[paulmorgancollings]

I'm convinced that the dumbing down in our education system, and almost everywhere in culture /entertainment is by design. I may be wrong, but it's what I truly believe.

[billhesford]

Taught what to think, not how to think. Or brainwash.

[barryday]

The biggest problem in education isn't the shutting of grammar schools it is the acceptance of poor attitudes and behaviour.

[rowanaforrest]

This is a very interesting conversation. I know that schools (especially the public schools) in the USA have been increasingly dumbed down for the past 5 or 6 decades at least, and now they don't teach many facts, mostly opinions and feelings and how to be a socio-political activist. Dissenting opinions are systematically and vigorously punished and silenced at all levels of school now (including colleges and universities). I wasn't aware that this is also happening in England. That's a shame. Which countries still have academically rigorous classical education for the masses?

[davidphilips]

It's my firm opinion that good teachers teach students HOW to think, not WHAT to think. As we all know, that is a big part of the problem in not just the UK but in many Western Countries.

[royleon]

Totally agree with Mr. Hutchins. This dumbing down is everywhere not just the U.K. The question is…. WHO exactly is orchestrating this decline and WHY ????

[uingaeoc]

The closing of the Grammars was the destruction of meritocracy.

[johnhaynes]

I am no fan of Hitchens but I totally agree with his view on the current state of secondry education however, it goes beyond that to the vast expansion in university education which has also led to a complete devaluation of the value of degees generally. When 50% of young people have a degree (however trivial the subject) then an employer who wants people to flip burgers is going to demand that candidates have a degree which strangely has the effect of worsening the circumstances of those who don't have one. I suspect that this situation is all too common across the Western economies.

With regard to British Grammar Schools, which I attended, yes they were a brilliant thing of their time and social environment. However, what made them work back then was working class parents saw them as a route by which their children would have a better life than them through education and opportunities and as a result pushed their children to achieve. That probably illuminates the main problem that teachers will tell you about in education today, an almost total lack of parental involvement in their childrens education and behaviour both in and outside school.

[DC-jkts]

I home school my daughter and she is THRIVING. I would never put my child in school. Prehistoric system, at best.

[randalljackson]

Mr. Hitchens' recollection of a moment of pure joy at 5:05 is just wonderful.
I read and watch as many of his works as I can find the time to and always find then insightful. He may very well disagree with this, and I may be well off the mark, but he increasingly reminds me of an Old Testament prophet - speaking a truth that most, to their peril, ignore. If he ever came to my area of Canada for any speaking engagement, I would love to attend.

[leonardgibney]

There's an old rule you don't discuss religion or politics. Well why not? Dissenters are thought to be rocking the boat. But if you can't discuss something it suggests freedom of speech is being shut down. Only those with something to hide would do this.

[alanmarr]

Peter Hitchesn should talk about Technical education which in Britain compaares badly with other European countries ! He needs to look at this enormous failure in Britain!

[SeriousMcnegative]

I saw these attitudes at University. Modern students eschew classical standards and only want to argue, assert and avoid when it comes to their socio-political ideas and their 'opponents' views. Truth, beauty, knowledge and discipline are virtues the modern student must deny because they cannot surmount the challenge of their own intellectual awakening. Rather than try to climb any one of these mountains, the modern 'academic' makes a project out of smashing the mountain, therefore justifying their vandalism as some form of emancipation from classical ideals and goals they deem 'regressive', 'classist', 'patriarchal' or 'bourgeois'.

[Musicienne-DAB]

Can't wait for Peter Hitchens' new book! Also, he is absolutely correct about foreign languages. I remember teaching myself French conjugations, for example, and it has stood me in good stead for any other language I have pursued.

[ibnrawandi]

The education system, media, government policy and even companies are going hand in hand. Hopeless situation. I believe Hitchens lost all hope and he is right because there isn't any. I predicted this since the 1990s (Blair era) but everybody seemed happy with the changes taking place. Sad .. and now hopeless

[roby]

Just walk around a school and see the drivel of pupil’s work the teachers put up on the walls to see how far standards have fallen.

[castelodeossos]

Write a dissenting comment on Facebook and here on YouTube and get evidence for Mr Hitchens's hypothesis literally spelt out before your eyes.