I COULD not agree more with Professor Biggar et al that the nationalist propaganda should be removed from the history taught in Scottish schools (Row over paper urging action on ‘pro-indy bias’ in classrooms, June 11).
That was virtually all the history that I was taught in my own school days and was still the case many years later for my family. Apart from the “legend” of Bruce and the spider and the “deservedly” sticky end of the upstart William Wallace, the only other event was the glorious victory of the English over the rebels at Culloden, and Mary was just a devious woman with delusions of grandeur.
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“Real” history was Magna Carta, Henry VIII, Cromwell, England’s multitude of wars with disobliging continental neighbours or internal power-hungry factions and troublesome natives on their borders, who needed put in their place and shown who was top dog. In particular, we were instilled with the necessary pride in the ever- enlarging Empire that was teaching those in far-off countries, with long cultural traditions of their own, how to live a proper, civilised life like the English and speak a civilised language, for which they were expected to be grateful.
No mention of the fact that Scotland was a sovereign nation with a monarchy long before England, nor of Scotland’s centuries of friendship and trade with European countries while England was still picking fights with them, nor of the years of military suppression and attempted destruction of our language, culture and customs, Highland Clearances, and repeated radical risings, such as the battle of Bonnymuir. Nor even, for light relief, the dalliance in Falkirk of a certain John Cope, which occasioned his late arrival at Prestonpans!
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History, after all, is a study of facts and events in a timeline of progress that links our lives today with our past. For my generation and the next, this has been presented entirely from an English nationalist view, as if nothing in Scotland’s timeline were of any importance in shaping our lives here in Scotland.
So it is long past time that this nationalist propaganda was removed from the curriculum and given only its proper level of coverage as the history of a neighbouring country, with our own nation’s history being in prime position, as is normal in countries around the world. After all, Scottish education has never been subsumed into the English system, but is as independent as our legal system, Church etc.
So butt out, professor, and take your English nationalist propaganda with you!
L McGregor
Falkirk
I HAVE to disagree with Douglas Graham’s letter “Discussing a post-indy constitution is a waste of time and energy” (June 11).
There are important issues for a democratic constitution that need to be settled by the time independence is achieved so that the new constitution comes into force on day one.
The question of who the head of state should be – a monarch or an elected president – is not an issue that needs to be addressed until after independence, when steps can be taken to amend the constitution after a referendum on the matter of head of state.
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Debating other issues is most certainly not a “waste of time and energy”. One of them is the fundamental constitutional rights of citizens. Basic human rights such as a right to food, water, housing, energy, education, health, work, pensions, privacy, justice, freedom of expression etc are fundamental principles that should be enshrined in a future Scottish constitution, as are the principles of democratic government and accountability of public institutions.
The participatory constitutional project being run by the Constitution for Scotland group (constitutionforscotland.scot/constitution/) is an important initiative to prepare Scotland in advance for independence and it is neither a waste of time nor of energy for people to participate in a process of choosing the principles to be enshrined in their own future constitution.
Jim Osborne
Convenor, Scottish Banking & Finance Group
I WAS disappointed to read Thomas L Inglis’s views on the RMT members going on strike (Letters, Jun 12) and would like to remind him that the members do not take strike action lightly and it would be wise of him to realise that Caledonian Sleeper management also have a duty to the public to engage with its workforce correctly and that their actions adversely affect the public also.
READ MORE: Strike by RMT union will impact on Caledonian Sleeper service
There are two sides to a story and to put all the blame on the RMT members is totally wrong and I hope that The National prints this to remind Mr Inglis that RMT members also like to go on holiday and his one-sided reply is not helpful.
Scott Walker
Erskine
DAN Wood’s long letter in The National on Saturday was very much to the point and shows us the way forward. Now is not the time for petty internal squabbling – it is time to move forward united towards our main objective. Those who want to play a leading role should pay attention.
Andy Anderson
Saltcoats
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