Political correctness gone mad


Political correctness is a term becoming more prevalent in today's society. But has its meaning been lost in translation. I recently heard something which made me feel like i was having my leg pulled. A Primary School had punished a teaching assistant for signing Ba Ba black sheep to the children. Apparently one the parents objected to this and complained, the teacher was then reprimanded for being politically incorrect and teaching the children an inappropriate song.
Now Ba Ba Black Sheep is an internationally recognised nursery rhyme dating back as far as 1744. Now it is said that its origins and meaning is connected to the slave trade however many scholars agree that it has no basis for fact. Is it just because the sheep is black and this assumes its colour or race?
There have been many references over the years to the use of colours and them having hidden meaning and hence assumed as being racist. I even remember being told at one time you could never again use the word black and you had to say ethnic. Never really understood why?
Now i dont consider myself racist, but it has been known that i have made racist comments. Now the difference being the particular person i was refering to new i was speaking in jest and gave as good as he got. Also things were not said with the intent to upset, and was merely banter between two friends. Now i would not say the same things to someone i didnt know.
I think it comes down to not what is said, but how and to who it is said to.
But going back to the Nursery Rhyme, surely if as much effort was put in childrens education as into being politically correct we would have a far higher educated society.
Posted on 1:30 PM by ECNS and filed under | 1 Comments »

1 comments:

Anonymous said... @ August 31, 2009 at 9:01 AM

this is fucking ridiculous sheep don't have races, a sheep is a sheep, people should get over it, i am not racist but i think that we all need to stop being so sensitive. how can people say that a childrens nursery rhyme is racist? what about ring a ring a rosie? that is about the black plague should that be banned to? NO. kids are only using to be racist because all of the adults are going on about how it is offensive.

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