Viral Ignorance

It is less that 'those who do not learn from
the lessons of history 'are doomed repeat them'',
and more that that those who are uninterested
in what the lessons of history has to teach
make sure that those around them, who could learn,
are never exposed to such learning, making sure
that others can't learn from history either.  

File Under Absurd Suggestions

Recently I heard it suggested
that schools should teach pupils
about how to engage with politics
the same way that pupils get taught
about the many and varied religions.

The idea being that politics
needs an injection of new blood,
new young people to take it up
-people who will imbue the country
with a fresher energy and idealism. 

So far, so fine, so idealistic.
But I can't stop seeing
how civics and politics 
will get kicked around the syllabus
and used as a make weight subject
by an exam system that denies it is failing.

And just as teaching children about religion
when they are least able to focus clearly
on what it might have been supposed to mean
which often results in faith and culture
becoming a no go area for far too long,
so, far from refreshing politics,
teaching what politics and civics are
could put children off voting for life.