Imagine if an Australian university decided to no longer describe or talk about the age of the universe because it might upset those folk who think the universe was created 6000 or 10000 years ago.

Ridicule would be the least of their problems. Forests would felled to get enough paper to criticise the decision. Law suits would probably fly. The leaders of the protected group would be interviewed and held up for disdain.

Well.............

The University of NSW has issued a guide for the correct terminology to be used when addressing aboriginals and discussing issues to do with aboriginal matters.

Among many egregious and, at times, funny instructions, staff have been advised that they shouldn't suggest that aboriginals have been here for 40000 years because "the beliefs of many Indigenous Australians [is] that they have always been in Australia, from the beginning of time, and came from the land". Therefore teachers and staff should talk of aboriginals being here "... since the beginning of the Dreaming/s".

Get it? Don't talk about facts when they might upset the sensibilities of this or that aboriginal or aboriginal group. Instead pander to their notions that they grew out of the dirt and have always been here.

I guess the out-of-Africa theory of human evolution isn't going to get too much support at the university any more.

Read the thing here... http://teaching.unsw.edu.au/indigenous-terminology

There's lots of laugh out loud instructions about how to lie to protect the sensibilities of the natives.

Oh, and weep for education in this country.

I wonder how many people were actually asked how long they thought their ancestors had been here. About .... none would be my guess. It's more likely to be the brain storm of some nutty academic.

the whole evolution and big bang theories are nothing but fantasy by those to blind to accept the obvious. You need much irrational faith to believe we evolved from chimps or that the wonderfully designed creation does not require a Creator. Lies told over and over don't make it true. Uni's have been lying ever since they denied the very obvious. All they can do is mock the truth as their own explantions are so much fancy dressed in pseudo science.

It's more likely to be the brain storm of some nutty academic.
ttbn,
I aways wondered if an un-educated person could ever be so stupid ?

I must be missing something here. I don't understand
what all the fuss is about.

It appears that the University of New South Wales
as part of their Indigenous Australian Studies for
Primary Pre-Service Teacher Education has adapted
a list of correct terminology in teaching
the teachers for Indigenous Australian Studies.
And you guys are having a problem with that?

This is not anything new.
This is common practice involved in teacher training
in a variety of faculties in training teacher staff
to make suggestions
about appropriate terminology to be used.

It's part and parcel of teacher training. Whether you're
studying Indigenous studies or astrophysics or a PhD
or Masters in English. Appropriate language and
terminology is part of the course.

The University of Sydney staff and students provide help
to develop academic and professional writing skills.
For example, the Learning Centre is part of the
University's Student Services and assists students to
develop the generic skills which are necessary for
learning and communicating knowledge and ideas at
University.

The Law - legal writing and exams require clear and
precise writing skills and terminology for today's
lawyers. This resource is produced by the Law School and
aims to being together an array of knowledge advice tips
and resources about legal writing and skills. It includes
information about legal essays and case notes.