colonialism and slavery in our schools. so, i think most people are ok with it. but there s a fringe number of people who are very against it and hence this culture war. yeah, but there s also interesting statistics which show that british kids who study history are perfectly free to choose modules which focus on imperial history, for example, and the slave trade and all of that, and actually it seems only about 10% of those children choose those modules. they re, it seems, on the whole much keener to choose the second world war or even henry viii and the tudors. so, whether you feel this has to be forced down kids throats is one question. well, the thing is, during my lifetime, there have been two massive racist scandals, the stephen lawrence murder and windrush. both inquiries said the solution to racism was to teach the history of empire. and i believe that. i think empire is the biggest thing this country ever did. it explains why we are multicultural, explains our particular bran
yeah, i mean, i can t say it s particularly pleasant, and they accuse each other of starting it. i mean, people say the black lives matter movement started the culture war on empire. some people accuse the right wing part of the conservative party for egging it on, but it s an issue that young people really care about, i think. there was a yougov survey done recently which found that 75% of british people think it s a good idea to teach colonialism and slavery in our schools. so, i think most people are ok with it. but there s a fringe number of people who are very against it and hence this culture war. yeah, but there s also interesting statistics which show that british kids who study history are perfectly free to choose modules which focus on imperial history, for example, and the slave trade and all of that, and actually it seems only about 10% of those children choose those modules. they re, it seems, on the whole much keener to choose the second world war or even henry viii and t
henry viii and the tudors. so, whether you feel this has to be forced down kids throats is one question. well, the thing is, during my lifetime, there have been two massive racist scandals, the stephen lawrence murder and windrush. both inquiries said the solution to racism was to teach the history of empire. and i believe that. i think empire is the biggest thing this country ever did. it explains why we are multicultural, explains our particular brand of racism in this country. and i think until we teach it, we re going to keep on having these kind of circular scandals about racism. i ve just come back from the united states, where i interviewed a really interesting activist on the right of politics in the us called ryan girdusky. now, he s founded a political movement which is dedicated to stopping what he calls critical race theory being taught in american public schools. he says all it does. and it s contentious, even the notion that it s being taught, because some
of british people think it s a good idea to teach colonialism and slavery in our schools. so, i think most people are ok with it. but there s a fringe number of people who are very against it and hence this culture war. yeah, but there s also interesting statistics which show that british kids who study history are perfectly free to choose modules which focus on imperial history, for example, and the slave trade and all of that, and actually it seems only about 10% of those children choose those modules. they re, it seems, on the whole much keener to choose the second world war or even henry viii and the tudors. so, whether you feel this has to be forced down kids throats is one question. well, the thing is, during my lifetime, there have been two massive racist scandals, the stephen lawrence murder and windrush. both inquiries said the solution to racism was to teach the history of empire. and i believe that. i think empire is the biggest thing this country ever did.