The federal education minister's comments in revealing the new national draft curriculum have been slammed by First Nations educators.
In revealing the new, cut-back, draft curriculum on Friday Alan Tudge said it painted a "negative view of our country, our history, our future".
"Just as Indigenous Australians celebrate and fiercely defend Indigenous culture and heritage, we should all celebrate and fiercely defend our Western liberal culture," he said.
"Students should leave school with a love of country and a sense of optimism and hope that we live in the greatest country on earth."
'About being honest'
The National Indigenous Youth Education Coalition (NIYEC) co-ordinator Hayley McQuire said Mr Tudge's comments were "disappointing".
"We have been talking to young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people about what they want to see in the curriculum and they want to be able to know and see themselves reflected back at them," she told NITV News.
"It's about being honest about our history and how that history has shaped our society today. We can't always think that we can move forward by having rose-tinted glasses on.
"What the federal education minister is saying is that he doesn't actually care about how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people feel when they're learning a history that does not represent the truth of their experiences."
Ms McQuire said the minister needs to "give more credit" to young people's ability to critically think and discuss history.
Aboriginal educators have slammed the Federal Educations Minister's comments on the draft national curriculum. Source: iStockphoto
She said it can be detrimental to First Nations students when Indigenous perspectives are left out of lessons.
"[When] the truth of those experiences are silenced within the classroom, that actually impacts on the way that a young person feels connected to that school community, to that classroom and to that learning experience," she said.
"We want the truth to be told, we want it to be told in a culturally safe way and in a way that local communities can be part of that storytelling, history-telling process on their Country.
"It's a time for us to ask our leaders to be bold and brave and take on the issue of how do we tell that story and how we do it in a way that actually unites people."
'A fairytale version of history'
Ms McQuire's thoughts are echoed by Deakin University's Mark Rose, who is also the chair of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority's (ACARA) Indigenous Advisory Committee.
"This is bigger than politics," he said.
"This is about teachers, who are the greatest judges of education for their kids, have the right tools to equip the kids of tomorrow with the right tools.
"And his comments about positive history and patriotism... well what that's saying is that our kids are a bit dumb and that they need a fairytale version of history."
Mr Tudge's concerns focus particularly on the history curriculum.
Darumbal woman Hayley McQuire said he is disappointed in the education minister's comments. Source: SBS News
"It gave the impression nothing bad happened before 1788 and almost nothing good has happened since," Mr Tudge said
"It almost erased Christianity from our past, despite it being the single most important influence on our modern development."
Instead, he said the revised draft will teach students that “our democracy is based on our Christian and Western origins, with a reference to the importance of the values of patriotism and freedom’’.
'Step in the right direction'
Mr Rose said presenting history with just one viewpoint is "indoctrination".
"History needs interrogation," he said.
"History needs analysis and history needs to be balanced by a variety of viewpoints and that's what our work in carving out the curriculum does.
"I don't think there's anything that will turn people to hating their country, that's a farce, sorry minister."
Mr Tudge said he will continue to push for changes in the curriculum, saying the draft has "gone from an F to a C, but our students deserve an A+."
But Ms McQuire said the curriculum was "a step in the right direction".
"It's a pity that the Education Minister is not being supportive," she said.
