The UK’s Department for Education(DfE), through its statutory relationships and sex education (RSE) guidelines, has directed teachers to warn students about the negative impacts of cancel culture and no platforming, citing them as harmful and dangerous in society.
The DfE also called on teachers to teach students the importance of freedom in a society. Teachers were guided by the RSE to teach students that censorship had no place in a free society.
The teaching material released by the government warned that cancel culture and no platforming were harmful to the society. It also went ahead to explain how freedom of speech and freedom of association led to a much freer and tolerant society. This section was featured on the RSE’s “respectful relationships teacher training module”.
Cancel culture curtails freedom of Speech
The department indicated that the document was to be used as a guide by teachers in understanding how they must proceed with their teaching. They indicated that the document contained facts that will be helpful to teachers during their teaching. They, however, gave teachers flexibility on what to include in their teaching material, by indicating that content can be added or removed from the material to ensure that it suits the context of the schools.
The secondary school guidelines continue from where the primary RSE guidelines left on cancel culture and censorship. It advises teachers to teach students about respecting others regardless of the differences they may be having. It also emphasizes why cancel culture in a society is harmful and why students should be more tolerant to each other.
The document also teachers the damaging effect of the cancel culture and non platforming, explaining that having people canceled, that is lose their jobs e.t.c because one disagrees with what they believe in is a form of bullying.
This document is aimed at helping in child development, where kids will grow knowing how to respect others, according to the department’s agenda. It also adds that it will create a more tolerant society.
Featured image by Pexels
