The 7th standard book is available at http://groups.google.com/group/keralaexchange/files
Anivar damodar prasad wrote: > venugopal, > > I read through the text and I didn't anythng objectionable vis-a-vis > religion and religious practices. > > Whatever the be the "text", I think the way in which the "text" is read > in the class may have some influence on the minds of the young ( am > reminded of an essay by Stanley Fish (Reader-reception Theory), "is > there a text in the class"----- oops, sorry, I was told not to mention > names of any theorist and thinker by an influential person) > > But after I responded to a similar subject in a group discussion, I was > "misssing' soemthing. It is this... > > In a multi-religious or interreligious society, how to frame a > 'curriculum' is a sensitive issue. Few secularists and a few rationalist > cannot sittogether and decide the curriculum and also the text book. > > Let me also say that I dont about the clerical and methodological > procedures regarding the constitution and composition of committe and > the conditon for the states to follow national curriculum framework etc. > (let someone who knows this may enlighten) > > One more point: we need also to closely look at how media treated this > issue. > > thats for now > > regards > > damodar > > > On 6/25/08, *Venugopalan K M* <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> wrote: > > > There's a controversy going on in Kerala in relation to a text book > lesson in Malayalam for 7th std ,State syllabus:- > Let me narrate the content here: > Jeevan is taken to school for enroling in the 1st std by his parents > of two different religions.The Head Master asks Jeevan's parents which > religion is to be entered for the boy. Jeevan's parents request for > leaving the column (related to religion and caste ) blank, which > prompts the HM to ask what would happen to the child as he grows up > without religion/caste appended to his identity. The parents coolly > reply that as he grows up he could chose any of the faiths or no > faith! > This has become a cause for much ire being vent by the parties and > students' unions in the rival camp ,on the Left Democratic Front > govt.in <http://govt.in> Kerala. The opponents demand withdrawal of > the lesson > promoting atheism and anti-religious mentality and even communism!!?? > Though the above text (lesson )appears to be the main focus in the > controversy,much more text portions elsewhere from the current school > texts are being brought under fire by the opposition parties and > student unions. > One thing that significantly eludes focus in the current political > warfare between the two fronts, ie; the LDF, led by the CPI(M) and the > UDF( comprising Congress, Muslim League, Kerala Congress,etc )is that > Caste plus Religion plus most of the Superstitions like jaatakams, > pujas and rituals are seen publicly glorified and practiced everywhere > in Kerala by leaders as well as cadres on both sides of the divide. > Hence,the ideals of secularism that are sought to be promoted in young > minds, unfortunately , do not really match the realms of both the > public and private spheres largely influenced by the left parties > here. > At least as seen contradicted from the point of view of the dismal > track record of many a left politician in promoting real secularism in > private and public life, the present controversy on the text book > portions will not take us the society too far. > The contradictions resulting from promotion of unilateral learning of > ideals by rote without a thought of accentuating them in real lives on > the one hand, and resisting even marginal struggles for social reform > ( the negative attitudes by and large displayed against intercaste > marriages, struggles against casteism etc, for example) on the other, > has come to the fore ,with the present controversy over the above > text. In this aspect, perhaps this can signify a fair deal of self > reflectivity on the part of the 'big' people in the Left > > . > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
