Schools to Teach 'Britishness'

It seems my article of a few weeks ago has found an audience - the government. You seem incredulous of my ability to dictate policy...well have a look at these:

http://education.independent.co.uk/news/article2186513.ece
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23382957-details/All%20pupils%20must%20study%20modern%20British%20history/article.do
http://www.gnn.gov.uk/content/detail.asp?NewsAreaID=2&ReleaseID=259434
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2567073,00.html

So the government is to introduce more 'Britishness' into history and what has the voice of the discerning British public got to say? Well, the papers have divided along party lines. Whilst the Left leaners produced fairly non-descript articles (a tacit nod almost) The Telegraph responded with a tongue-in-cheek quiz 'How British are you?', with questions about history, geography and the like, 0 points meaning you are French and 100 meaning you are the Queen (minus the German bits?). Plus the standard piece about how standards are falling, noone knows the basics about history etc etc.

In my opinion both sides of this debate come out rather badly, the government becoming rather dictatorial (I mean, do we need 'citizenship' lessons?) and those who object sounding at best snobbish and at worst almost xenophobic. Of course one needs to decide what is to be taught in schools but noone considers those who are being taught. My solution - a bit of 'Kings and Battles', a bit of 'Social', but also let the teachers pick the ones they are best at (within reason of course). At that stage in children's lives it is more the quality and enthusiasm of the teachers that has a lasting effect than some ideological mandate from on high. Well, that's something for the government to bear in mind next time they get their agenda from this website...