Outrage at plan to force Aboriginal children to learn English (fwd)

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Outrage at plan to force Aboriginal children to learn English

Barbara McMahon in Sydney
Friday May 25, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
http://www.guardian.co.uk/australia/story/0,,2088237,00.html

[photo inset - Aborigines watch television at an outstation in the Utopia
community, Australia. There are 200 different Aborginal dialects across
Australia, with about 20 in constant use. Photograph: Ian Waldie/Getty
Images]

A plan by the Australian government to force Aboriginal children to learn
English ignited fierce debate today, with some activists calling the plan
racist and insulting.

The initiative was put forward by Australia's indigenous affairs minister,
Mal Brough, who said the compulsory teaching of English would help
Aboriginal children living in remote and economically deprived communities
to escape poverty and inequality and find jobs.

He also revealed that the government was considering a plan to require
Aboriginal parents to ensure that their children attend school or risk
losing welfare payments.

"If you don't have maths and English and a basic education ... then you
can't be employed," Mr Brough said. Referring to children living in some of
Australia's most inaccessible communities, he added: "Most of the children
don't speak any semblance of English. So what chance have they got?"

He said he was not suggesting that Aboriginal people should give up their
own language but that they should follow the example of migrants to
Australia, such as Greeks and Italians, who are bilingual.

His comments, made at a particularly sensitive time as Australia marks the
40th anniversary of the 1967 referendum that allowed Aborigines to be
counted as citizens, infuriated some indigenous leaders.

Tauto Sansbury of the Aboriginal justice advocacy committee said the idea
was insulting and would reinforce old-fashioned stereotypes. "They still
want to treat Aboriginal people the way it was back in the 30s and 40s,
where they're the master and we're the servant and our attitude is 'yes
boss, we'll do what you want'," he said.

Another activist Sam Watson said the government seemed to be "inventing new
ways of showing Aboriginal people cultural disrespect".

Federal opposition education spokesman, Stephen Smith, however, said he
agreed in principle with the government's push for indigenous children to
be compelled to learn English.

"As a general proposition, we have to improve the standards of Aboriginal
literacy and numeracy," he said. "We have to go right back to basics. We
have to sit down frankly and say, 'All of the things we've done in the
past, where have we ended up?'"

Indigenous MP Linda Burney agreed that speaking English would help lift
indigenous children out of poverty and inequality. "Aboriginal kids do need
to be bilingual but it's a bit rich coming from a person who actually is
part of a government that took away funding for bilingual programs in the
Northern Territory," she said. "It is important for Aboriginal children to
speak English but it can't be at the expense of your mother tongue."

Australia's 460,000 Aborigines make up 2% of the population and are the
country's most disadvantaged group, with far higher rates of unemployment,
alcohol and drug abuse, domestic violence and health problems.

The number of Aboriginal languages that existed in Australia prior to
colonisation is estimated to be about 600. Currently there are 200
different Aborginal dialects across Australia, with about 20 in constant
use. Many Aborigines speak dialects mixed with English that may be
incomprehensible to an inexperienced listener.