Celebrity culture 'harms pupils'
 Add caption  David Beckham was the most popular celebrity among pupils Children's educational aspirations risk being damaged by the cult of celebrity, teachers' leaders have warned. Teachers fear their pupils' obsessions with footballers, pop stars and actors are affecting their progress in school, and limiting their career aspirations. Some 60% of teachers said their pupils most aspired to be David Beckham, in a survey for the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL). More than a third said pupils wanted to be famous for the sake of being famous. Some 32% of the 304 teachers quizzed said their pupils modelled themselves on heiress Paris Hilton. They believe that they are much more likely to achieve financial well-being through celebrity Elizabeth Farrar Primary school teacher from Scunthorpe The findings were released ahead of the ATL conference in Torquay which starts on Monday. 'Hard work' Delegates will debate a motion that argues the "decline in this country into the cult of celebrity" is "perverting children's aspirations". If it is passed the teaching union will call on the government and other agencies to promote positive role models of "ordinary people across the media". ATL general secretary Mary Bousted said celebrities could raise pupils' aspirations and ambitions for the future. But she warned: "We are deeply concerned that many pupils believe celebrity status is available to everyone. "They do not understand the hard work it takes to achieve such status and do not think it is important to be actively engaged in school work as education is not needed for a celebrity status." Elizabeth Farrar, from a primary school near Scunthorpe, said too many pupils believed academic success was "unnecessary" because they thought they would be able to make their fame and fortune quite easily on a reality TV show. "They believe that they are much more likely to achieve financial well-being through celebrity than through progression to higher education and a 'proper' career." 'Lurid headlines' A secondary teacher from Colchester, Essex, quizzed in the survey said the media focus on celebrities' "negative behaviour" encouraged underage drinking and anti-social behaviour "Those celebs who are excellent sportsmen or excellent actors are often overlooked and not shown as desirable to kids." But nearly three-quarters of teachers said they thought a focus on celebrity culture could have a positive effect as well as a negative one. Julie Gilligan, from a primary school in Salford, said: "The racism issue raised by celebrity Big Brother created a useful platform for class discussion. "On the other hand, I have seen and heard negative emulation of celebrity footballer/pop star language and behaviour in the playground and in school - including disturbingly age-inappropriate 'acts' by young girls in school talent shows." A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families said schools already promoted positive professions such as nursing and teaching. He added: "While the worst excesses of celebrity culture may lend themselves to lurid headlines, it is worth remembering that there are many more celebrities who set a good example on a local and national level. "They help in schools and community projects, promote sport and healthy lifestyles, take part in anti drug campaigns and encourage children to stay on in education and to stay safe Tasks 1.  Do you agree or disagree with this article?  Discuss in pairs and feedback.  2.  Conduct a class debate where one side argues that the article is right, and another side that it is wrong. 3.  Pick out three quotations from the author and argue back against them, giving reason for your opinion eg:  I believe that....because....also..... Another reason is..... 4.  What celebrities do you admire and why? 5.  Write 100 words in response to this article.  It must be EXACTLY 100 words though!  No more or less. 6.  Summarise the article in 100 words.  eg:  The article is about.....it writes about....

Read the article below and then discuss and answer the questions below.

Why idolise footballers?

It's like living in a world where half of us worship shire horses

Society rewards athletes with astronomical sums. It's wonky and demented, but that's the way it is

The worst thing about this ongoing kerfuffle over superinjunctions is that it keeps forcing me to contemplate the extra- curricular activity of men who kick balls around lawns for a living. Since I'm not into sport, I simply don't "get" the deification of footballers. I can see they've got a demanding physical task to do, and I can appreciate that some do it better than others – but that's the extent of my understanding. When they're not at work, what's so interesting about them? Seriously, what?

It's like living in a world in which half the population has inexplicably decided to worship shire horses. But as if that wasn't strange enough, they're not content to simply admire the animals' ability to pull brewery wagons: they also want to know what the horses get up to back at the stables. And when Dobbin goes on a hay-eating binge, or tries to mount a donkey, not only will they voraciously read all about it, they'll judge him for it. They'll phone HoofTalk FM to pontificate on air about what a bad horse he is. In behaving like a simple horse, Dobbin, who is richly rewarded with nosebags and thoroughbred fillies, has committed the ultimate crime: he's set a bad example to their children.

Athletes earn astronomical sums because that's how society has chosen to reward them. It's wonky and demented, and I don't understand it, but that's the way it is.

Ah, yes, right, yes, right, but . . . footballers aren't content to rake in obscene amounts of money just by kicking balls around. They sign lucrative sponsorship deals and advertise soft drinks and razorblades. And in those commercials they're depicted as nice guys. But now we know they're not nice guys! They traded off their image! It's a lie! They owe us! They owe us!

What is the indignation about footballers' private lives really all about? Either an outlet for envy and resentment – they're paid too much and celebrated too keenly – or perhaps just a subconsciously adopted psychological position used to excuse our own basic prurience. Let's be honest: we're judgmental and nosy. We want to hear all the juicy details so we can experience the cathartic rush of being enraged by them, like a cuckolded boyfriend demanding a second-by-second account of his girlfriend's infidelity.

Given the alternating streams of adulation and rage flung in their direction, I'm amazed footballers retain their sanity. They exist in a bizarre dimension of banknotes, naked girls and furious mobs. And all they're supposed to do is kick balls into nets. It's impossible to pity them – but to actively resent them? That's madness. Like shaking your fist at a shire horse.

1.  What do you think the words in bold mean?  Try to work it out using your brain and not a dictionary!!

2.  In pairs discuss:  'Do Footballers deserve to be idolised?'

3. Summarise the article's main points in your pairs, write it onto mini whiteboards or onto paper and put it into your PSHCE folders. 

4. Re write the Heading of the article:  can you use a pun or make it funny?

5.  Imagine that you are a footballer and write a post card in response to the article giving your views on what it says..