British Lunacy about Latin

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1

I came upon this article (“This lunacy about Latin makes me want to weep with rage”) in the UK Telegraph online. Apparently the UK Schools Minister isn’t a big Latin fan.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/borisjohnson/7445850/This-lunacy-about-Latin-makes-me-want-to-weep-with-rage.html

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But there are times when a minister says something so maddening, so death-defyingly stupid, that I am glad not to be in the same room in case I should reach out, grab his tie, and end what is left of my political career with one almighty head-butt.

Such were my feelings on reading Mr Ed Balls on the subject of teaching Latin in schools. Speaking on the radio, Spheroids dismissed the idea that Latin could inspire or motivate pupils. Head teachers often took him to see the benefits of dance, or technology, or sport, said this intergalactic ass, and continued: “No one has ever taken me to a Latin lesson to make the same point. Very few parents are pushing for it, very few pupils want to study it.”
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As a Briton and a student reading Classics I have a few things to say. First off that man (Ed Balls, not the Mayor who is an absolutely legend) is a complete moron. I shan’t even bother explaining the idiocy behind a statement like “Latin doesn’t inspire” but merely point out that at eve Classics dept across the country you won’t find a seat to spare in a beginners Latin class…Believe me there are many, many, more people who would like to study Latin than are able to.