Cameron and demented dog whistle politics

[youngian]

'Cameron promises competitive sport for all primary pupils'

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/educatio...competitive-sport-for-all-primary-pupils.html


There are many politicians who deserve credit for playing their part in this Olympics and on they whole they have not been indulging in self-promotional show boating (even Boris has been mildly tolerable by his standards).

But step forward Cameron.

Am I reading too much into that article to say it is an utterly pathetic piece of back-of-a-fag packet dog whistle politics-in a world where all the dogs are demented Telegraph readers wanting to clamp down on imaginary 'loony left' teachers banning competitive sport.

“I want to use the example of the Olympics to lead a revival of competitive sport in primary schools. We need to end the 'all must have prizes’ culture and get children playing and enjoying competitive sports from a young age, linking them up with sports clubs so they can pursue their dreams.” He added: “I’m delighted to support the Telegraph’s campaign.”


Hang on its gets worse-


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/educatio...ause-pupils-were-learning-Indian-dancing.html

 

[killer b]

Does he know any children? I know the telegraph don't... Itd be fairly difficult for most kids to be much more obsessed with competitive sports than they are already imo. And those that aren't... Just let em be ffs.

 

[agricola]

Its daft, but it was in response to the criticism of the removal (from the curriculum) of the requirement for a complusory two hours a week of PE rather than something he just came out with at random.

The whole argument is a bit daft anyway, I mean its not as if very many (if any) of those Olympians were inspired to excel in their respective field because of those two hours a week; what politicians should be looking to do is to encourage creation of (and the protection and use of) facilities, clubs and competitions at the school and local level, and ensuring that there are sufficient coaches of sufficient quality.

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

I don't think school is the place for competitive sports; they should foster an enjoyment of sport and make it accessible to all students including those who are not talented and not able bodied.

 

[Teepee]

I was a geeky asthmatic child with bad coordination and a persistent wheeze, whose PE lessons were spent trying to hide from the ball or hide in a bush if it was foggy enough. Once a week was too often as even then, the spectre of Friday PE would haunt me to the extent that I'd be faking symptoms of illness on the Wednedsay prior to try add credence to my inevitable development of some sudden debilitating, excusing malady. I spent far more energy on ruses and dodges than I ever did on the sports field, and eventually my PE teachers gave me euphemistic non-participatory roles out of exasperation with my lack of interest. Such roles were standing at the side of the football field (linesman) or the corner of the cross country track (cone guard). To subject me to two hours of this a day would have broken me. People need to accept that some kids simply hate sports.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

The whole argument is a bit daft anyway, I mean its not as if very many (if any) of those Olympians were inspired to excel in their respective field because of those two hours a week; what politicians should be looking to do is to encourage creation of (and the protection and use of) facilities, clubs and competitions at the school and local level, and ensuring that there are sufficient coaches of sufficient quality.

Yep. And not jut in schools. As Cameron speaks, adult education colleges are stopping sports classes due to budget cuts. Hiring spaces to play sports is really expensive in this country. Facilities are often cramped and oversubscribed. Compared to many other European countries, such as France, the Netherlands and Germany (to name just three that I know something about), our municipal sports facilities are generally poor and expensive.

 

[LLETSA]

They ought to get schools concentrating on how to turn out kids who can write a coherent sentence or two.

 

[agricola]

Yep. And not jut in schools. As Cameron speaks, adult education colleges are stopping sports classes due to budget cuts. Hiring spaces to play sports is really expensive in this country. Facilities are often cramped and oversubscribed. Compared to many other European countries, such as France, the Netherlands and Germany (to name just three that I know something about), our municipal sports facilities are generally poor and expensive.

Indeed. Personally I'd like to see developers made to provide facilities accessible to the public as part of any new building work (especially for new housing), a percentage of council tax being set aside specifically for sporting and recreational facilities, and a couple of pence put on purchases of tobacco and alcohol to pay for maintenance and the staff. Getting the whole lot - sports centres and playing fields especially - taken out of local and national government hands and controlled by a public body that they couldnt easily interfere with would also be a plus.

 

[ericjarvis]

Let's cast our minds back to the early 80s when Thatcher started forcing LEAs to sell off school playing fields. Those of us on the "loonie left" suggested there might be a possibility of such a policy leading to a decline in many sports as well as a serious problem with increasing obesity in children. So. 30 years on do the right look at the results of their policies and say "you know what, we were warned about this, maybe we got it wrong"? Do they fuck. They blame anybody and everybody else and cast about for any old shit they can find to pretend they are doing something useful...

...AND THE FUCKING MEDIA LET THEM GET AWAY WITH IT!

Surely the ONLY reasonable neutral position to take on this is "Cameron is a complete arsehole".

 

[littlebabyjesus]

...AND THE FUCKING MEDIA LET THEM GET AWAY WITH IT!.

The presenters on 5live were a disgrace over this, basically just saying how right the pm was, wasn't he? Fair play to the pundits, though, including Darren Campbell, who lambasted the politicians for the cuts and for jumping on the bandwagon just as the show leaves town.

I have to say that both on the tv and radio, while the presenters have been questionable, the pundits (and the proper commentators) have generally been brilliant.

 

[Quartz]

Fair play to the pundits, though, including Darren Campbell, who lambasted the politicians for the cuts and for jumping on the bandwagon just as the show leaves town.

This bears repeating.

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

School is not the place to foster an ultra-competitive "win at all costs" attitude. Sport isn't for everyone, and there aren't enough hours in the week to properly develop those that do want to.

Schools need to give kids every opportunity to enjoy sport from an early age, and those who want to progress from there need access to good facilities and coaching outside the school system.

 

[Roadkill]

It's not so much 'demented dog-whistle politics' as simple opportunism - or Cameron looking warily at how the Olympics have - if sections of the press are to be believed, at least - given Boris Johnson a popularity boost and trying to cash in as best he can.

 

[SpookyFrank]

Is this the same Cameron who, mere days ago, announced that secondary schools will no longer be obliged to provide two hours per week of physical activity for their students?

 

[FridgeMagnet]

This is going to be what we get over the next few weeks - half-arsed use of the Olympics for assorted political points by graduates on thinktanks, plus many will-this-do articles speculating about Britishness and what sports mean you know for the country and that.

 

[SpookyFrank]

I'm with Cameron on this, I for one don't think we have enough ways to give kids massive self esteem issues.

Mind you, it's a valid tory strategy.

Self hatred leads to hatred of everybody else which leads to voting tory.

 

[likesfish]

What would be ideal would be getting kids and adults actually doing more exercise sports,dancing, whatever.
Competitve sports are fine for some people but not everyones into that.

 

[golightly]

I wonder how good Cameron was at sports while at Eton? He's certainly appears to be good at running around in circles now.

 

[_angel_]

All we ever did at school is competitive sport and I went to a comprehensive that didn't even have a uniform (except for games). I'd love to know what these idiots are going on about when they moan about trendy teaching and no competitive sports. Anyway my school did their job and put me off sport for life.

 

[stavros]

Does he know any children?

He used to, but left them in various licensed premises dotted around the Home Counties.