Black History Lessons Part of PM’s Push for Compulsory History in Schools?
A group of 23 eminent scholars gathered at the national history summit last week, six months after PM John Howard made a noted statement on Australia Day about today’s students not knowing enough about their own national history. While a variety of groups have waged into the debate, one question is certain for Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities – will this finally see Indigenous history, pre- and post-settlement taught in mainstream schools? And if this history was taught, will it be a fair and accurate account of all that has taken place? For Aboriginal lawyer and land rights campaigner, Michael Mansell, this summit is furthering the PM’s agenda to further glorify events in white Australian history such as the Vietnam War and Australia Day.