As a teacher, I can’t support this ‘One Britain One Nation’ nonsense

I want Britain to be inclusive and tolerant and many other things the song and the day seem to support – but I don’t think we get there by brainwashing children or adults

‘Is the day and the song actually just a form of propaganda designed to deflect any criticism?’ (Getty Images)

Rows of adorable, smiley school children; images of happily diverse folk doing lovely, wholesome things; a song that is supposed to celebrate tolerance and pride. How could anyone suggest that the Department of Education’s invitation to schools to participate in One Britain One Nation Day (and to sing the One Britain One Nation song) has sinister overtones?

Well, there’s the hypocrisy for starters. Woe betide educators ever discuss “white privilege”, or the murky history of slavery and its entanglement with building modern Britain. But a bit of cheerful nationalism? Apparently, this is the kind of political bias that does belong in the classroom.

For the sake of accuracy, I should point out that the initial idea for the One Britain One Nation Day seems to have been around for a while. But by throwing their backing behind it, and encouraging schools to do the same, the government inevitably becomes a front for the complexities and undercurrents involved.

Speaking of which, best not to examine too closely the validity of claims that Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England can all be subsumed into this catchy “One Nation” slogan. (Please, nobody mention the drive for Scottish independence, or the fact that the schools of various devolved nations will have broken up before the day itself even rolls around.)

Most tellingly of all, despite verses that speak of us all being one lovely team, the accompanying song reaches its climax with the kind of robotically catchy slogan that really marks out the modern Conservative party: “Strong Britain, Great Nation”. FOUR TIMES. Don’t be surprised if you’re still hearing it in your nightmares days later.

Just like “strong and stable” before it, you might be forgiven for pondering the accuracy of such an assertion. Are we strong? Are we great? Is it helpful or truthful to teach children this, without teaching them to meaningfully engage with what these platitudes mean? Are these lyrics really so uncontentiously bland that it’s fine for tiny children to lisp along to them?

Or is this actually just a form of propaganda designed to deflect any criticism? Britain is obviously strong and great! Just look at those five year olds singing it into truth!

This matters because it’s a kind of damaging papering over of the cracks. What kind of non team player might dare to imply that this isn’t their personal experience of Britain? How do we suggest that maybe there are things we need to do better as a country when this is the unquestioned narrative?

As a teacher – and a human – I’m not sure I’m comfortable supporting this. As it happens, I do love where I live. I want Britain to be inclusive and tolerant and many other things the song and the day seem to support. But I don’t think we get there by brainwashing children or adults.

I find it bizarre that “loving your country” seems to be being pushed as an absolute moral value – regardless of whether or not that country has done anything to be deserving of it. Unthinking, uncritical devotion to the idea that Britain is great is not, and should not, be a key British value, however fluffily it’s dressed up.