One idea that needs to be
shown the red card |
| | By Christine Skelton | | | | issues here: first, boys are not all | | |
| | | | | | the same and so not all are likely | |
1 | | THIS SUMMER'S GCSE results | | | | to respond to the emphasis on | |
| | showing girls' success generated | | | | football; and second, football | |
| | another flurry of newspaper head- | | | | is not "just a game". | |
| | lines on "failing boys", following | | 7 | | Even a cursory glance at | |
| | as it did hot on the heels of the | | | | studies of boys and education | |
| | news that girls were now getting a | | | | shows the various ways | |
| | higher proportion of A grades at | | | | football is played out. A study | |
| | A-level. | | | | carried out in the North-east | |
2 | | The Government is clearly | | | | in the 1970s of a group of | |
| | taking this matter very seriously, | | | | white, secondary-age, working- | |
| | with David Blunkett announcing | | | | class boys showed that | | 11 | | Then there are the studies of |
| | that local education authorities | | | | although they spent every | | | | both primary and secondary |
| | must take steps to address the | | | | unsupervised moment playing | | | | schools where girls are actively |
| | "laddish culture" which prevents | | | | the game, all attempts by the | | | | excluded. These attempts to |
| | boys from achieving. Mr Blunkett | | | | school to motivate the boys | | | | exclude vary. For example when |
| | believes that laddish attitudes to | | | | through football were strongly | | | | each class is given only one ball |
| | school have arisen because of | | | | resisted. Playing football for | | | | to play with at breaktimes, boys |
| | boys' "lack of self-confidence | | | | the school was seen by them as | | | | adopt strategies to monopolise the |
| | and opportunity", and one means | | | | colluding. | | | | ball. Similarly, girls frequently |
| | of raising their self-esteem and | | 8 | | More recently, in interviews | | | | report how they feel that some |
| | increasing their motivation | | | | with 10-year-old boys regarded as | | | | male teachers collude with the |
| | towards education is through | | | | "star" players in a primary school | | | | boys to keep the game an all-male |
| | giving football a central place. | | | | which gave a high profile to foot- | | | | preserve. |
3 | | The Government has put money | | | | ball, it emerged that the boys | | 12 | | Football is the national sport |
| | into two initiatives: Playing for | | | | were, literally, playing the sys- | | | | and should be included in the cur- |
| | Success is part of the Government's | | | | tem. They regularly received | | | | riculum of schools. But to regard |
| | £200m Study Support strategy and | | | | accolades as part of the school | | | | it simply as the way of tackling |
| | involves clubs providing premises | | | | team and got out of homework by | | | | "the problem of boys and school- |
| | and perks for boys who do one or | | | | playing after-school matches. | | | | ing" is naive. Not all boys have |
| | two sessions a week enhancing | | 9 | | And what about the boys who | | | | the same interests and even those |
| | their literacy, numeracy and IT | | | | are not good at football? Numer- | | | | who do have a passion for foot- |
| | skills. | | | | ous studies of both primary and | | | | ball are not going to allow it to be |
4 | | It is also backing a fantasy | | | | secondary schools report how | | | | appropriated by school. |
| | football league "to make maths | | | | boys are aware that their popula- | | 13 | | Also, far from being inclu- |
| | fun and end the innumeracy of | | | | rity is often reliant on their skill at | | | | sive, football can marginalise |
| | many of Britain's soccer- | | | | football. | | | | entire groups on the grounds of |
| | obsessed children". | | 10 | | Several studies of primary | | | | cultural background, gender and |
5 | | It is ironic then that the | | | | schools have shown how football | | | | sexuality. |
| | Government has just launched a | | | | offers opportunities for racist | | 14 | | If the Government is serious |
| | scheme to combat football hooli- | | | | taunts, where lunch-time football | | | | about addressing the "laddish |
| | gans travelling abroad. On the | | | | games of ethnically mixed teams | | | | culture" it sees as prevalent in our |
| | one hand, there are moves to | | | | of boys play amicably until fights | | | | schools, then utilising a "laddish" |
| | counter the extremes to which | | | | break out due to the vague rules. | | | | game will inevitably be counter- |
| | some football fans will go, while, | | | | These fights usually occur | | | | productive. |
| | on the other, steps are being taken | | | | between boys from different | |
| | to encourage boys to get involved | | | | ethnic groups, and sides are taken | | | | 'The Independent' |
| | more in football. | | | | according to ethnicity. | | |
6 | | There are two fundamental | | | | | | |