First published in the Daily Mail, 22 September 2001
IMAGINE! CHILDREN AGED NINE TO GET LESSONS IN LENNON
By Sarah Harris
Primary school teachers who do not wish to discuss World War II in history lessons are being given an unexpected alternative.
They can talk about John Lennon instead.
The drug-taking rebel and his fellow Beatles have been introduced into the National Curriculum in an attempt to recognise popular culture.
Teachers of children between nine and 11 can choose to focus on Lennon's life and the lyrics of his songs among more mainstream topics instead of a debate on the devastating conflict.
However, they are warned about danger areas including drugs, moral issues and 'unsuitable vocabulary' in his work.
The move has outraged education experts who accuse the Government of dumbing down the Curriculum.
Unit 20 of the National Curriculum's optional history schemes says that an examination of Lennon's life may provide starting points to discuss social and cultural change.
It suggests classes listen to his song Imagine and discuss the lyrics. Youngsters are expected to develop their vocabulary using words associated with Lennon such as "Peace Movement" and "Flower Power".
Dr John Marks, director of the London-based Educational Research Trust, said, "Substituting the Beatles for World War II is turning history into a farce.
"There is already such a limited amount of actual content in the National Curriculum. There are a number of major events in English and British history that aren't there."
A Qualifications and Curriculum Authority spokesman said that schools could choose between studying the impact of World War II or social and technological changes since 1930.
Lennon is included in this topic along with other famous figures, as well as the Depression and the introduction of the Health Service.
"It's a way of bringing history more up-to-date and studying more recent history," she said. "Children can incorporate art and popular culture by studying John Lennon."
A Department for Education and Skills spokesman said: "It's just an example of a person. Teachers can choose to use John Lennon if they see fit or they can use other figures who have made a significant contribution to the history of Britain or their local area."
Lennon, who was murdered in 1980, had failed to shine at school. He flunked his O levels and declared he was more interested in "fags and girls". [cigarettes!]
He sparked an uproar in 1965 when he announced the Beatles were more popular than Jesus.
To promote world peace, he and his wife Yoko Ono stayed in bed for seven days at the Hilton Hotel in Amsterdam. And he claimed that the Beatles smoked marijuana in the Buckingham Palace lavatories.
