Hi - yesterday I sent a query suggesting that we teach about Democracy in Schools.

Well I spoke to soon. I have since found out that these days they have a curriculum called - Discovering Democracy for primary & secondary students. I apolgise for my mistake. But it was a happy discovery for me.

NHJ! (JR): Mate, as JWH would say, never apologise for anything! Still, we say 'curses'! Because there's nothing worse for a JH-basher than to have to (grumble, grumble) give a grumpy nod to the bad guys. Here's Brezza Nelson's Ministerial Opener for the DD website:

'Introduction - Ministerial Statement

Dr Brendan Nelson Commonwealth Minister of Education, Science and Training

Civics and citizenship education is an important national priority. Our democracy depends on informed participation. Schools play a crucial role in helping to foster such participation. Young people need to understand the workings of our political and legal system and our history as a democratic nation so they can take their place as confident and open-minded citizens in a twenty-first century Australia.

The Commonwealth Government has committed some $32 million to preparing our young people to become effective and responsible citizens through the Discovering Democracy programme. I am delighted that the high quality Discovering Democracy curriculum resources already provided free of charge to all schools have won such widespread acclaim in the education community. I am also pleased that the extensive Discovering Democracy professional development activities in States and Territories are helping teachers become increasingly more confident in handling civics and citizenship education.

Discovering Democracy has helped to revitalise what had become a neglected part of the school curriculum. Civics and citizenship education is now winning increased recognition throughout Australia, both in State/Territory curriculum documents and in school practices. All education authorities agree that effective civics and citizenship education is central to contemporary schooling...

Harrumph, mutter. The theory is mighty fine - I guess you can be your own judge viz. the government's example-setting on civics-in-action thus far. (And we still thought you were cuter when ya had the earring, Brend!)

Mark's 'school curriculum required reading' idea still sounds good to us, though (obviously the Penguin Sales Dept. thinks so, too!). So since we can't grump so loudly at JH on the (non-)absence of Civics Classes anymore, let's us Sydneysiders at least write to Bob Carr for a bulk order for the NSW Dept. The Prem's issued a Reading Challenge to our kids lately, after all. Oh, and of course Mark Latham is the original 'Read to Your Kids' fiend from hell, too. (Oops, sorry kids, we meant 'heck'...)