School 'bully book' outrage

18 March 2013 - 02:39 By POPPY LOUW
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An illustration in a national primary school book for Grade 4 pupils promoting violence as a solution to bullying has left a Bloemfontein mother enraged, the department red-faced and child rights groups calling for heads to roll.

Gillian van der Merwe was helping her 10-year-old daughter with her homework on Thursday night when she came across the illustration, which shows a boy fighting an older girl.

The book, English Home Language Book 1, is published and endorsed by the Department of Basic Education and shows a young boy retaliating after two girls decide to steal his toy car, making him cry.

He retaliates and pushes one of the girls to the ground as the other escapes.

Van der Merwe said: "I have raised my children with the principle that boys should never hit girls. Imagine my surprise when I saw what my daughter was being exposed to in her school workbook," she said.

The workbook, used for the first two terms of Grade 4 English home language, teaches pupils about their responsibilities as members of the community.

In chapter two, the reader is introduced to Sipho, a little boy who is a karate champion. Sipho uses his karate skills to fight off the two girls who try to steal the wire car his mother bought him.

"While checking her work, I realised what the picture was about. She did not know what was happening in the picture. She thought Sipho was helping the girl off the ground," Van der Merwe said.

She complained to her daughter's school. The principal, shocked by the image, promised to raise the matter with the department.

Concerned about gender violence, Van der Merwe said the book could give children the wrong impression.

"Think about the number of children who have already seen these images and now think it is okay for boys to hit girls.

"The book should advise children to tell someone older or in authority when they are bullied - not fight," she said.

Basic Education Department spokesman Panyaza Lesufi defended the images, saying "it cannot be that we are encouraging violence amongst children".

"Bullying is very serious. The purpose of the illustration is to paint a picture of what happens in the real world and what the ideal world looks like.

"The department rejects any promotion of violence from its side."

Lesufi said he had alerted the departmental curriculum team, who would investigate the matter.

Childline national coordinator Joan van Niekerk said the illustration was "an absolute disgrace".

She said: "I am shocked. In a country like ours, where levels of violence in all contexts is so high, it is an appalling indictment on the level and content of teaching."

National Professional Teachers Organisation of SA acting president Ancia Cereseto suggested a different illustration should have been used for the story.

"The error reflects the entrenched culture of violence, hurt and power play.

"To counteract the negative message of the exercise, I would encourage teachers to use this exercise to discuss this kind of behaviour and what its effects are," Cereseto said.

Teacher and martial arts instructor Jason Milbank said the main principle of the combat practice of karate may have been misrepresented in the workbook.

"It all depends on the coach and what he teaches his students but martial arts usually encourages students to stay away from fighting," he said.

Jackie Branfield of Operation Bobbie Bear asked: "What is the department teaching children?"

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