Apparently "multiculturalism" has failed. Does anyone really know what they mean by it ? It's been described as the concensus of the last 20 years, in which case it corrals the beginning of my own education/experience in those matters almost exactly. In my last year of primary school (1982), an Indian and a Chinese boy joined my class (bear in mind this is an East of Scotland fishing town, not Brixton). Any racism they experienced at first was just pure childish ignorance. We asked them if they could speak to each other in "their" language. We couldn't pronounce the Indian boy's name (Ranvir). I'm not exactly glowing to admit these things, nor that I went with the herd when it did get malicious later (though Ranvir did tell me that he knew I didn't mean it after a bunch of us were given a group telling-off for it). He went on to study medicine (I think) and now no doubt has an income and grown-up staus that would put me to shame. A few years ago it was a national news story that Tony, the Chinese guy, had been abducted by a racist sadist and tortured. It made me especially sick when I thought about how much I'd frozen him out in later school years- I just found conversation with him really awkward.

I remained fairly good mates with Ranvir throughout secondary school, and we worked together on a project about vivisection in what became "Social Education". In my first year it was still of the plain old-fashioned "Religious" variety. It was taught by a guy known as "Bomber", who used a Scots dialect version of the New Testament and had a reputation for throwing classroom furniture around. The new "S.E" teacher was an attractive young woman who'd recently graduated from teacher training college. I can't remember the initial curriculum, as it rapidly descended into chaos- I sat in the corner and read various kiddy introductions to world religions, which still form the basis of most of my knowledge of Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism etc. She later exerted a bit of authority, and we worked on various "social" projects like the one me and Ranvir did. Religion didn't feature at all.

I've no idea what is taught in those kinds of classes these days, in Scotland or England. I sincerely hope it isn't some nebulous, happy-clappy attempt to water down the identities of those in the class. I actually think the melting pot is a fairly cringeworthy idea if it is "taught", rather than just happening. If someone has clearly defined religious beliefs and cultural tenets then I'm happy to leave them be unless, and here's the crucial bit, they impinge upon me. I "respect" those who live by strict religious precepts until it dictates what plays I can go and see, which cartoons I can look at etc. Present generations of immigrant communities may feel victimised in that respect, but I would extend the same attitude to any Christian who tried the same. The notion of basically secular education seems to have ruled since Bomber hung up his cane- to what extent it's allowed different social groups to fall into mutual mistrust and non-communication I don't know.