Parents of third graders outraged at diversity tape

[BhamMama]

They see my husband and I sleep in the same bed, but are completely naiive to the nature of what happens behind our bedroom door as well.

Why do 8 year olds have to be prematurely sexualized with regard to the alternative lifestyles when they're not aware of any sexuality?

The school should teach respect for individuals period. You don't have to endorse private bedroom behavior to be respectful of individuals and their rights to do as they choose.

You'd like to think that. But I promise, on some level, they know. They may have the wrong ideas even. Or heard something from a friend or a church mate, or even from an overheard conversation between adults. But they have some little idea.

I'm not sure they are teaching sexual anything in that movie. They are showing that people can love...which doesn't even have to be sexual, in many forms.

8 year olds def have some idea of sexuality. Unless you've never talked to them about stranger danger, don't let someone touch you there, seeing body differences between themselves and others and even the fact that mothers have breasts and boys dont...life is sexual!

Babies even know the difference between a mothers soft chest and a fathers not as soft one. They also smell bodies differently and will choose their mothers over their fathers! They touch themselves and know what feels good. It's not bad, it's an awareness of themselves in all aspects. And very normal!

It's when they are not taught to be respectful of that awareness that things get skewed as abnormal. A healthy person is also a sexual being from birth. Not meaning of course they should see sex or have it shoved in their faces or even that they are ready to have talks about it.

 

[Masterj]

I think the problem comes in with educating 8 year olds about sexual relationships. If my kids met two women, they would assume they were roommates. There would be no discrimination because they are completely naiive as to the nature of the relationship. They see my husband and I sleep in the same bed, but are completely naiive to the nature of what happens behind our bedroom door as well.

Why do 8 year olds have to be prematurely sexualized with regard to the alternative lifestyles when they're not aware of any sexuality?

The school should teach respect for individuals period. You don't have to endorse private bedroom behavior to be respectful of individuals and their rights to do as they choose.[/QUOTE]

So by showing 8 year old a video explaining different types of families, we are sexualizing them? Nobody is saying "Lisa has two mommies b/c her mommies like to have sex with each other instead of men." They are simply illustrating that some people have 2 mommies, some have 2 daddies. These kids are NOT being taught about what goes on behind closed doors. By this way of thinking, those who are heterosexual are endorsing their private bedroom behavior also.

And for those who don't believe diversity should be taught in our schools - are you kidding me????? Many kids struggle everyday at schools and are ridiculed for their dress, their weight, their skin color, their music taste, their sexuality etc. Are we instead supposed to encourage our children to conform so they can fit in rather than teach them to celebrate their differences and teach them how to be loving, and tolerant? The sooner we help the children of our world to be comfortable with themselves and accepting of those different than us, the better our future world would be. There is so much hatred and intolerance in many adults which is unfortunately passed down to children. IMO, no age is too young for children to learn tolerance.

 

[angarella]

Brilliant MasterJ! Well said.

 

[kcksum]

It shouldn't even have to be a class. It should be something families talk about from birth onward. The only true way to teach tolerance and compassion for our fellow beings is to instill it in them from birth. That way they have no memories of NOT being a person who is capable of feeling any of those emotions.

Sadly, many by pass that and instead teach them that others are wrong, or sinful, or backwards...or, or, or. You get it...anything different than what they think is just too out there to be taught to a young mind. Believe you me, children are capable of making up their own minds about facts and if presented to them in an unbiased way, have remarkable abilities of making sense of a world gone nuts...unlike the adults who want to contrain it to a form that they can cope with.

Yet they wonder why our kids are killing each other, why they think life is expendable, why they think making fun and being bullies of others who are different is right.

eta, I still don't think schools should teach it. That falls squarely on a parents shoulders. Maybe they should be showing this film to parents only?

great post. I agree, moral issues should be done at home. I also believe that children can be taught something is wrong without being taught to hate. That is where the media likes to scew things. Me teaching my children to see homosexuality as a sin, does not mean I am teaching them to hate all homosexuals or bully or degrade them. I teach them alcohol abuse and stealing is wrong and is a sin as well, but they certaintly don't make fun of their uncle who is an alcoholic....they pray for him and treat him as any other human being.
I think parents are objecting because the video presents same sex marriages as something good and acceptable, many of us do not believe that. I would not want the school teaching my children their version of morality on any subject period.

 

[BhamMama]

That is excellent! WTG, BhamMama!

When my youngest daughter and her best friend were 15yo with encouragement from my oldest daughter (the one having the baby) watched from the beginning of labor including the birth. (The OB educated them along the way and insisted they stay right there by him, too!) They got a crash course for a lesson on abstinence and birth control! LOL

I had a female cousin in the next room and she told her mother, upon hearing me crying....10 lb baby boy no less, that she was NEVER having sex rofl.

I had my last babies at home with a midwife. My kids never saw 'bits' but they saw from a vantage point from by my head. When the last one was born my youngest then patted my head and said Good job Mama! lol

 

[Masterj]

I agree wholeheartedly. School is not where diversity training should be taught. That is why we rank way behind other countries in education. We are so worried about teaching tolerance, that we aren't teaching our kids math,science,history,and english. My kids used to go to the public schools and much of their day was wasted teaching anger management and diversity and self esteem and all that other crappola. It is not the job of the state to teach children morals, that should be done at home. I am forking out over 10,000 dollars a year at private schools to ensure no one elses liberal aganda is forced down the throat of my children. Bi-racial couples are diverse, because they exhibit diversity in culture.......where gay couples fit into that is beyond me. Since when did your choice of who to roll in the sack with make you diverse? Homosexuality is not a lifestyle or ethnic minority, it is a sexual preference. I wouldn't want my kids to learn about sado masichist households or swinger households.....why does the state feel its necessary to educate them about homosexual households? There are kids in third grade who can't read or do long division, but thank goodness they'll no how to socialize with a child from a same sex marriage. Doesn't make sense to me.:razz: :razz: :razz: :razz:

OH MY GOD - I don't even know where to begin. Well praise the lord that I am okay and TOLERATED b/c I am in an interracial relationship while my best friend can take comfort in the fact that since she is gay she is going to hell with all of the sado masichists and swingers. Being gay is not a choice. But being ignorant sure is.

 

[twinkiesmom]

If the purpose is teaching respect and not social engineering, why don't they start the 8 year olds educating them on differences they can see with their own eyes and understand: racial differences, ethnic differences (headscarves, saris, etc.), disabilities (dwarfism, missing limbs, etc), etc?

Why must it be pointed out to 8 year olds that two women or two men may choose to live together as a couple?

The next step I suppose is to educate them about polygamy and swingers. :doh:

 

[Masterj]

And by the way, if you think the reason we lag behind other countries in education is because we are busy teaching tolerance, than you don't really understand a lot about the sad state of our education system.

 

[twinkiesmom]

<<IMO, no age is too young for children to learn tolerance.>>


I don't think the liberal viewpoint is happy with tolerance. If we're not cheering the parade, we're haters. :furious:

 

[BhamMama]

If the purpose is teaching respect and not social engineering, why don't they start the 8 year olds educating them on differences they can see with their own eyes and understand: racial differences, ethnic differences (headscarves, saris, etc.), disabilities (dwarfism, missing limbs, etc), etc?

Why must it be pointed out to 8 year olds that two women or two men may choose to live together as a couple?

The next step I suppose is to educate them about polygamy and swingers. :doh:

Because if we leave the 'difference' out of it from the beginning, children won't know it's different. It will be acceptable as LIFE.

And it must be pointed out because it's true. Not made up, not going away, not catching, not enough of a bother to make little Johnny go blind from seeing it. Familes are what you make them.

Teaching that people can love is so not the same as teaching about a sexual preference or act. Two different body parts there.

 

[Masterj]

The next step I suppose is to educate them about polygamy and swingers.

Riiiiiight. And then after that it will inevitably lead to Beastiality 101 and How to Be A Child Molester. :doh:

 

[Masterj]

<<IMO, no age is too young for children to learn tolerance.>>


I don't think the liberal viewpoint is happy with tolerance. If we're not cheering the parade, we're haters. :furious:

Who is asking you to cheer the parade? I don't recall anyone asking you to do that.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

I agree wholeheartedly. School is not where diversity training should be taught. That is why we rank way behind other countries in education. We are so worried about teaching tolerance, that we aren't teaching our kids math,science,history,and english. My kids used to go to the public schools and much of their day was wasted teaching anger management and diversity and self esteem and all that other crappola. It is not the job of the state to teach children morals, that should be done at home. I am forking out over 10,000 dollars a year at private schools to ensure no one elses liberal aganda is forced down the throat of my children. Bi-racial couples are diverse, because they exhibit diversity in culture.......where gay couples fit into that is beyond me. Since when did your choice of who to roll in the sack with make you diverse? Homosexuality is not a lifestyle or ethnic minority, it is a sexual preference. I wouldn't want my kids to learn about sado masichist households or swinger households.....why does the state feel its necessary to educate them about homosexual households? There are kids in third grade who can't read or do long division, but thank goodness they'll no how to socialize with a child from a same sex marriage. Doesn't make sense to me.:razz: :razz: :razz: :razz:

Being gay isn't a sex act. You can be gay and be celibate. Being homosexual is determined while the fetus is still in the womb. So, by that logic, households made up of homosexual parents are diverse. How on God's green earth you can equate sado masichists or swingers into this discussion is beyond my comprehension. Why not slip outside your protective bubble and go to a gay household. I think you'll be surprised at what you would find there. I think its child abuse to allow hatred of those who are different from you to sink into your kids. Its a sad, shameful thing some parents do.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

great post. I agree, moral issues should be done at home. I also believe that children can be taught something is wrong without being taught to hate. That is where the media likes to scew things. Me teaching my children to see homosexuality as a sin, does not mean I am teaching them to hate all homosexuals or bully or degrade them. I teach them alcohol abuse and stealing is wrong and is a sin as well, but they certaintly don't make fun of their uncle who is an alcoholic....they pray for him and treat him as any other human being.
I think parents are objecting because the video presents same sex marriages as something good and acceptable, many of us do not believe that. I would not want the school teaching my children their version of morality on any subject period.

If you believe that morals should be taught at home, then the government better make it mandatory and ensure that its done because from what I've seen here lately, there ain't a lot of it being taught.

 

[Masterj]

If you believe that morals should be taught at home, then the government better make it mandatory and ensure that its done because from what I've seen here lately, there ain't a lot of it being taught.

:clap::clap::clap:

 

[Nova]

If you believe that morals should be taught at home, then the government better make it mandatory and ensure that its done because from what I've seen here lately, there ain't a lot of it being taught.

Amen! And the notion that a same-sex relationship is exclusively about sexuality is an adult view that should not be imposed on children.

My grandchildren (age 1, 3, 6) don't think about their gay grandfathers' sex life, any more than they think about their parents' sex life.

From the description provided, the video simply acknowledges that families come in all kinds and I fail to see how children can be harmed by learning that truth.

IrishMist, I hope this thread has shown you why diversity must be taught in public schools. Too many parents simply can't be trusted.

 

[Kitty5001]

Being gay isn't a sex act. You can be gay and be celibate. Being homosexual is determined while the fetus is still in the womb. So, by that logic, households made up of homosexual parents are diverse. How on God's green earth you can equate sado masichists or swingers into this discussion is beyond my comprehension. Why not slip outside your protective bubble and go to a gay household. I think you'll be surprised at what you would find there. I think its child abuse to allow hatred of those who are different from you to sink into your kids. Its a sad, shameful thing some parents do.

I don't think that KCKSUM is hating anyone -you can not agree with a lifestyle that does not mean that you HATE anyone. And you can bring swingers etc. in the discussion because according to the bible which many people still believe in, homosexuality is a deviant act and swingers and masochists are in the same catagory when you are looking at it from a religious perspective- When we are teaching our kids morals and values, most of us incorporate that religious perspective into our own morals and values and thus what we pass along to our children. We have gotten so far away from that as a society that pretty soon other deviancies will start becoming acceptable more and more and all values that we were raised with that our parents were raised with will no longer exist-unless people start standing up as KCKSUM did to show that we WILL teach our children based on morals and values and Christian perspectives and not 'go with the flow' of societies liberalism. THAT is NOT child abuse. That is love.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

Being gay isn't a sex act. You can be gay and be celibate. Being homosexual is determined while the fetus is still in the womb. So, by that logic, households made up of homosexual parents are diverse. How on God's green earth you can equate sado masichists or swingers into this discussion is beyond my comprehension. Why not slip outside your protective bubble and go to a gay household. I think you'll be surprised at what you would find there. I think its child abuse to allow hatred of those who are different from you to sink into your kids. Its a sad, shameful thing some parents do.

I don't think that KCKSUM is hating anyone -you can not agree with a lifestyle that does not mean that you HATE anyone. And you can bring swingers etc. in the discussion because according to the bible which many people still believe in, homosexuality is a deviant act and swingers and masochists are in the same catagory when you are looking at it from a religious perspective- When we are teaching our kids morals and values, most of us incorporate that religious perspective into our own morals and values and thus what we pass along to our children. We have gotten so far away from that as a society that pretty soon other deviancies will start becoming acceptable more and more and all values that we were raised with that our parents were raised with will no longer exist-unless people start standing up as KCKSUM did to show that we WILL teach our children based on morals and values and Christian perspectives and not 'go with the flow' of societies liberalism. THAT is NOT child abuse. That is love.

We're not talking about the bible honey because there's no "bible talk" allowed in school. We're simply talking about what IS allowed in school and how it can be introduced to a third grader without that third grader needing prozac and 28 years of therapy. After all, its very very possible that a great many of those third graders are . . . yes, I'm going to say it . . . GAY~!~~~ :woohoo:

Isn't that hysterical~! You're afraid of talking about gay families to young homosexuals in the making. They'll most likely have to teach you all about it when they meet their life partner. Hope you can handle it. Maybe you should check out one of those videos.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

Amen! And the notion that a same-sex relationship is exclusively about sexuality is an adult view that should not be imposed on children.

My grandchildren (age 1, 3, 6) don't think about their gay grandfathers' sex life, any more than they think about their parents' sex life.

From the description provided, the video simply acknowledges that families come in all kinds and I fail to see how children can be harmed by learning that truth.

IrishMist, I hope this thread has shown you why diversity must be taught in public schools. Too many parents simply can't be trusted.

I'm going to have to take a break now, because Kathy Griffin is on BRAVO, but I'll be back.

 

[angarella]

:clap::clap::clap:

I'll second that!