Parents of third graders outraged at diversity tape

[IrishMist]

He doesn't have to explain himself to you.

No, he doesn't. I'm just trying to clarify. I'm not sure what he is referring to, so I thought I would ask.

Peter Hamilton, if you don't want to answer my question, that's fine!!

 

[Amraann]

It was my impression by the initial post on this thread that the tape was not about sex.. but about teaching that there are all kinds of families...

I do not think it would bring up questions about sex to all but maybe a small percent of 3rd graders. Seriously how many 8 year olds do you think are even aware that their different sex parents have sex?

I disagree that the schools should not teach this ... mainly because those same parents that are opposed to it are not teaching tolerance to their children.
Its very likely there are children in those 3rd grade classes that have gay parents.

 

[JBean]

Me three! Mine even witnessed...gasp! A real live baby being born...more than once before they were 8.

Oh I only wish mine had seen that! So cool. I talked to my kids about sex, drugs and rock and roll from the crib.
It's funny we start our drug and smoking outreach at an early age, but people are shocked when some of us discuss sex,love and marriage at that same early age.

 

[IrishMist]

Oh I only wish mine had seen that! So cool. I talked to my kids about sex, drugs and rock and roll from the crib.
It's funny we start our drug and smoking outreach at an early age, but people are shocked when some of us discuss sex,love and marriage at that same early age.

Exactly. Kids are so much smarter than people want to give them credit for. I was always age-appropriately honest with my kids, and wouldn't change a thhing about that.

 

[Dark Knight]

Didn't you know that teaching children to respect other people's lifestyles is crap?:doh:

Yes it is. We can make that decision ourselves, we don't need someone else 'teaching' it to us. Moral decisions should not be based on popular opinion.

 

[JBean]

Exactly. Kids are so much smarter than people want to give them credit for. I was always age-appropriately honest with my kids, and wouldn't change a thhing about that.

Agree 100%.
Funny story. i told my kids whenever they had any questions about anything they may hear, to ask me what it means before they go repeating it. Often they would pick up a tid bit from a friend and run with it as gospel.
So one day my precious little son, who was in about 3rd or 4th grade, came running in the house. MOM! What does this mean?
"Bend over rover and I'll give you a blow"
lmao! Welll I started to explain blow to him and that was all he wanted to hear GROSS!
It was hilarious. he never repated that phrase.

 

[IrishMist]

Yes it is. We can make that decision ourselves, we don't need someone else 'teaching' it to us. Moral decisions should not be based on popular opinion.

In a way, I agree with you. But what we try to teach our kids doesn't always take, that's the kicker! I know what I was taught didn't take. (Thank God)

 

[IrishMist]

Agree 100%.
Funny story. i told my kids whenever they had any questions about anything they may hear, to ask me what it means before they go repeating it. Often they would pick up a tid bit from a friend and run with it as gospel.
So one day my precious little son, who was in about 3rd or 4th grade, came running in the house. MOM! What does this mean?
"Bend over rover and I'll give you a blow"
lmao! Welll I started to explain blow to him and that was all he wanted to hear GROSS!
It was hilarious. he never repated that phrase.

That's too funny, but that's what I would have done, too!

I have one along those lines, but nothing to do with sex. It's when I learned to find out what they were really asking, and keeping things age appropriate.

My daughter was about five when she said "Mom, what's thunder?" And I went into this long explaination about air temperature, vacuum, blah blah blah... and when I get done, she goes "no, I mean is thunder the one that lights up, or the one that makes the noise?" :doh:

 

[csds703]

Yes it is. We can make that decision ourselves, we don't need someone else 'teaching' it to us. Moral decisions should not be based on popular opinion.

That's funny DK because I have taught my daughter to respect your beliefs even though I don't agree with you.
There is a difference between respect and agreement.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Me three! Mine even witnessed...gasp! A real live baby being born...more than once before they were 8.

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

 

[JBean]

That's too funny, but that's what I would have done, too!

I have one along those lines, but nothing to do with sex. It's when I learned to find out what they were really asking, and keeping things age appropriate.

My daughter was about five when she said "Mom, what's thunder?" And I went into this long explaination about air temperature, vacuum, blah blah blah... and when I get done, she goes "no, I mean is thunder the one that lights up, or the one that makes the noise?" :doh:

Oh I know exaclty what you mean. I learned what age appropriate was real fast.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

That's funny DK because I have taught my daughter to respect your beliefs even though I don't agree with you.
There is a difference between respect and agreement.

Bravo! :clap: Well said!

 

[IrishMist]

That's funny DK because I have taught my daughter to respect your beliefs even though I don't agree with you.
There is a difference between respect and agreement.

Gotta agree here. Well said, csds.

 

[Dark Knight]

That's funny DK because I have taught my daughter to respect your beliefs even though I don't agree with you.
There is a difference between respect and agreement.

I wasn't talking parents to children. Parents are the ones who SHOULD be teaching. But schools shouldn't teach us what to think, only how to think, otherwise it's social engineering.

 

[narlacat]

Didn't you know that teaching children to respect other people's lifestyles is crap?:doh:

I like your little quips csds, they make me chuckle.

I have to say I agree a bit with Peter, I don't think it's the schools job to teach kids this stuff, I think it's the parent's job.
I wouldnt jump up and down about it though if that film was shown at my childs school, I just don't think its the school's job to do that.

I have friends who put their kids in those 'love and light' kind of schools, human value type stuff....which is all well and good, but again, I don't think it's the schools job to teach that stuff, it's the parents.
And in schools like that, they tend to focus on that stuff and the school work falls behind.
We have a whole generation of kids coming out of systems like Kangar Steiner who can barely read and write..

Sorry got o/t then but wanted to illustrate a point.

 

[IrishMist]

I like your little quips csds, they make me chuckle.

I have to say I agree a bit with Peter, I don't think it's the schools job to teach kids this stuff, I think it's the parent's job.
I wouldnt jump up and down about it though if that film was shown at my childs school, I just don't think its the school's job to do that.

I have friends who put their kids in those 'love and light' kind of schools, human value type stuff....which is all well and good, but again, I don't think it's the schools job to teach that stuff, it's the parents.
And in schools like that, they tend to focus on that stuff and the school work falls behind.
We have a whole generation of kids coming out of systems like Kangar Steiner who can barely read and write..

Sorry got o/t then but wanted to illustrate a point.

I agree. Our kids today are going to have to compete on a global level as adults. There's alot to learn, and should be enough to keep them busy without this.

 

[Linda7NJ]

You wouldn't, and don't, see the same level of outrage about teaching interracial marriage.

I agree totally with the posters who said this isn't the school's job to begin with, especially in 3rd grade! This is the parents job alone. Schools are to teach you HOW to think, not WHAT to think.

The way I see it, the school must do it because many of the parents don't. It has nothing to do with religion. If anything that was to be discussed was against your personal morals fine. Have something against homosexuals, good for you...don't be one. I am sick of people belittling other people for what they may do behind closed doors in their own houses. No one was explaining the intricacies of homosexual sex to these 3rd graders. They were simply explaining that families come in many forms. You and everyone else needs to respect that even if you don't share in the belief that it's ok.

I very recently had a disturbing interaction with a neighbor & mother of one of my son's friends. The boys were wrestling around while we were talking when her son called mine a "" my son returned the comment. I spoke up and said if you don't know what a word means you shouldn't use it. Knowing my son had absolutely no idea what it meant, I was comfortable with leaving it at that.
Then my neighbor, being the "good" Christian woman that she, is proceeded to tell them that's what you call those freaks. They will all burn in hell. Blah Blah Blah....I was shocked and stunned. I had to loudly interrupt her and inform her that not everyone was that hateful and small minded or shared her opinions. I cautioned her not to talk like that in front of my son. I don't care what she tells hers. That's her business. But at least her son should have the opportunity to hear a rational film explaining that yes it happens and they are no less because of it.
Due to her inappropriate comments in front of my son I was forced to have a conversation with him not only explaining that families come in different forms, but that some people simply can't handle that. They don't have respect for others who may be different than themselves. I also explained just how dangerous that way of thinking is.
I had to be sure and elaborate fully as our familiy also looks different. I wouldn't want him to EVER feel less because of it.
If children aren't being beaten, abused or neglected and are simply being loved by "unconventional" parents they have EVERY right to be proud of their family.

 

[JanetElaine]

But schools shouldn't teach us what to think, only how to think, otherwise it's social engineering.

From what I read about the film, they didn't. It was just a showing the kids of what's all 'out there'. Just because kids know what's out there doesn't mean they will agree with everything! Give them a little more credit please... it will only help them make up their mind about what they want to believe is right or wrong.

IMO people being afraid of kids learning about 'what's all out there' at school are the ones that do the social engineering... they don't want their kids to know about certain things, or if they do (=can't avoid it) only mom and dad's opinion on it....

I found the phrase 'schools shouldn't teach us what to think' pretty odd, but I guess it can be explained when people confuse educating kids about all possibilities with brainwashing.

 

[JanetElaine]

To be honest, I'm having trouble deciding what class this would be shown in at the third grade level.

To me that's simple - social studies. This is society, this is what is out there, whether you agree with it or not. I am not saying I agree or disagree with the film being shown in 3rd grade - I haven't gave this a thought before, and I can't concentrate well enough right now to form an opinion about it.

But I don't understand why people get so upset about the film... or is it the combination with 3rd grade.... if so, then what age is appropriate for kids to find out that there are families of all compositions in this world?

I have a 3rd grader and she has seen enough of the world (literally) to know about diversity. Just for chits and giggles I just asked her how she would feel about a film like that - after she got over the confusion a bit she just shrugged and said kids live in different familes and she didn't think a film about that would be all that cool and it would be boring.

 

[southcitymom]

I like your little quips csds, they make me chuckle.

I have to say I agree a bit with Peter, I don't think it's the schools job to teach kids this stuff, I think it's the parent's job.
I wouldnt jump up and down about it though if that film was shown at my childs school, I just don't think its the school's job to do that.

I have friends who put their kids in those 'love and light' kind of schools, human value type stuff....which is all well and good, but again, I don't think it's the schools job to teach that stuff, it's the parents.
And in schools like that, they tend to focus on that stuff and the school work falls behind.
We have a whole generation of kids coming out of systems like Kangar Steiner who can barely read and write..

Sorry got o/t then but wanted to illustrate a point.

What's this world coming to - DK and narlacat agree on the issue!