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Not Gove himself, per se, but the Seacole debate is interesting. She had nowhere near the affect on history that Florence Nightingale had, and to try and build her into a black equivalent is silly.

 

Florence Nightingale is interesting because I was taught in school how much of a heroine she was and how many lives she saved. Today we know that she killed more soldiers than she saved due to bad medical procedures. Her part in history was embellished although I won't be laying the blame at Gove's door.

Seacole probably did as much good as Nightingale and to omit her is wrong imo.

 

One has only to involve oneself in some of the debates on this forum and see the ignorance spewed forth by the legion of racist claptrap posted about anyone not considered English enough or coming here from elsewhere to understand how important these omissions can become.

 

---------- Post added 11-02-2013 at 15:43 ----------

 

And like I said, she wasn't taught when I was at school.

 

That's my point. See my reply to Chris.

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Florence Nightingale is interesting because I was taught in school how much of a heroine she was and how many lives she saved. Today we know that she killed more soldiers than she saved due to bad medical procedures. Her part in history was embellished although I won't be laying the blame at Gove's door.

Then use history to take her down, and not to build up a coloured equivalent. Nightingale's work goes beyond Crimea. I was never taught the Lady of the Lamp stuff, somehow my schoolboy history skipped that. I first learnt about her in History of Maths.

 

If I am honest about looking around now - it's quite hard to research Florence Nightingale without getting romanticised history aimed at 9 year olds actually. I shall have to do more research. :)

 

Mary Seacole however, did not even work in a hospital in Crimea. She ran a "British Hotel" which also provided certain medical services. She is not the equivalent of Nightingale.

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Then use history to take her down, and not to build up a coloured equivalent. Nightingale's work goes beyond Crimea. I was never taught the Lady of the Lamp stuff, somehow my schoolboy history skipped that. I first learnt about her in History of Maths.

 

If I am honest about looking around now - it's quite hard to research Florence Nightingale without getting romanticised history aimed at 9 year olds actually. I shall have to do more research. :)

 

Mary Seacole however, did not even work in a hospital in Crimea. She ran a "British Hotel" which also provided certain medical services. She is not the equivalent of Nightingale.

 

I'm not trying to make her an equivalent in any way, shape or form Chris. I'm making the point that she should not be airbrushed out of history, that's all.

The Yemeni contribution is just as valid, as are the other examples in the article.

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I'm not trying to make her an equivalent in any way, shape or form Chris. I'm making the point that she should not be airbrushed out of history, that's all.

The Yemeni contribution is just as valid, as are the other examples in the article.

Of course. I'll agree with you all the way with that. :)

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The history syllabus is no doubt being dumbed down to a narrow series of 'facts' that are not open to interpretation and designed to be learned by rote.

 

It's exactly the opposite of what learning history should be about. I bet the article in the OP surprised and challenged a lot of people and that is a fantastic thing.

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