One thing that I only realized last year was the extent to which a negative impression of the United States is reflected in the text books used in Irish schools. Of course, the individual teacher can make a big difference, but it's also true that for many teachers, what it says in the text book is "right" - particularly at primary level where teachers are generalists rather than specialists.
My children are tuned into this reality, but my problem is that most Irish school children are not. I'm not sure what the source of this anti-Americanism is, but I plan to highlight it as it surfaces during the school year.
