Kevin Rudd's Australia: Paedophilia of the Mind

Racism lessons planned for the under-5s

By Susie O'Brien and Gemma Jones
The Daily Telegraph
April 14, 2009 12:00am

CHILDCARE centres could be forced to fly the Aboriginal flag and use "persona dolls" to teach youngsters about exclusion and ethical issues.

The guidelines are contained in a draft Federal Government program designed to help teachers deal with children aged under five.

Under the Early Years Learning Framework, childcare workers would be encouraged to teach the children in their care about a raft of social and ethical issues including reconciliation and racism.

Critics of the initiative, which claimed to make children socially responsibly for a "future world", yesterday said youngsters should be left alone to play.

"It is unnecessary and will cause enormous angst in the community," Opposition community services spokeswoman Pru Goward said yesterday.

"Let children be children. I have never heard of racism or discrimination (at a childcare centre).

"For goodness sake, they are three and four years old."

Ms Goward said most centres were good at teaching social inclusion and about Aboriginal heritage to peers at centres attended by indigenous children.

Psychologist, author and speaker Evelyn Field yesterday questioned the need for role modelling using puppets and dolls, instead preferring teachers "keep it simple through encouraging children to play together".

The political emphasis of the guidelines had divided early-learning experts.

Some, such as educational consultant Kathy Walker, yesterday questioned the merits of such issues being "rammed down the throats" of youngsters.

"Although I welcome the emphasis on play-based learning, there is an air of political correctness about the document overall," Ms Walker said.

Others, such as Kindergarten Parents CEO Victoria Meredith Carter, believed it was merely an attempt to "include and welcome all families to join in preschool and kinder".

In less controversial sections, the guidelines focused strongly on play-based learning, the importance of communication and language, the role of family in children's lives and social and emotional development.