Gotta love them schools..........NOT
So yesterday was an important day in American History, though you would never think that if you are a lefty.
It was so important, that my oldest boy, who is 8, and I sat down and watched the video that I posted yesterday on the memorial tribute. Before starting I explained to him that it was a tragic day and lots of people died. He asked, How many dad?. I said over 3000. He is 8, that is a number he can not comprehend.
So we watched the video with me stopping it in parts to explain to him what he was seeing.
Some examples...this is the the towers after they fell. This is a person who is covered in dust from the buildings, these are people who got out before the collapse. Etc.
I cried in parts as I explained to him just how pissed off Americans were that day.
And I tried my best, in his way, to get him to comprehend what he just saw.
All he could say was, Dad, that was a sad day.
Yes son, it was.
When he got home from school, I asked him if any mention was made in school of this day and its importance to Americans. He said noone talked about it. I asked my oldest daughter, who is 9, was anything said today in school about today and its importance to America.
Want to know the answer?
No....there was no mention made, no lessons ... No talking about it.
This really makes me mad. On 9/11/2001 terrorists brought their war to us...on our soil..the attacked the United States of America. Just like the Japanese at Pearl Harbor. But was anything said? No
And what kills me is a good percentage of those kids have relatives who are either serving in the Armed Forces or have served.
Its important that we never forget, but for all intents and purposes, the schools don't seem to understand that.
I am attending the next PTO meeting at the schools my kids attend. And my outrage at them not teaching our children what happened will be heard. If your kids attend school, make it a point to do the same.
WE WILL NEVER FORGET
UPDATE 3:55 PM
Just got of the phone with the elementary school principal who was responding personally to an email I sent.
She told me that the district doesnt want to "scare" kids that young, the reason...there are some kids parents who would rather forget it. She related to me and we had a conversation as to what she was doing that day and how she felt. She told me that she has a first grader that will never forget as well, but she would rather not deal with a school full of scared children.
Fair enough, some parents want to hide their heads in the sand...the principal sounded irritated when she talked about that, she said she wishes that every kid could understand and have it drilled into them every year, but she is held back by district policy.
The upshot? In the 4th and 5th grade they talk about it during social studies.
I guess there is hope yet
Labels: 9/11, School districts that suck, Stupid school administrators
posted by LiberalismIsAMentalDisorder @ 09:14
10 Comments:
I can fully understand NOT teaching kids that young about ANY war or violent action, at least not in detail. The fourth and fifth grades are a good place to start discussing the bad parts of American and world history. They can understand it better at that age anyway.
IDK....I was in the 1st grade when I learned about Pearl Harbor...didnt affect me any...KILL..>DIE...SHOOT
See?
LOL
My son is in 3rd grade and his class had a moment of silence for 9/11. The kids all seem just fine.
Yes, Dennis, that seems to be the case with it, my kids are fine, and he knows it about it now, my 9 and 6 year old as well as he told them about it.
I am not so convinced that kids can not take this information.
Mine did with no problem.
I wonder how many parents try to hide 9/11 from their kids while letting them play games like Grand Theft Auto. Please remind me...what we are protecting our children from?
Sometimes Dennis I wonder the same question.
And some parents are trying to protect their kids from themselves...ie the truth.
Makes you wonder doesn't it? I know I do
I think a moment of silence is fine. I'm talking about graphic details. Maybe I'm just being overprotective Mommy, of course, my son is only 2.
Realistically, I would wait until my child is old enough to understand what happened without being frightened of it. Does that make sense to you?
It makes sense, but as a father of 5 I would never practice it. Kids are more resilient than we give them credit for. I have learned that the best policy for dealing with kids is brutal honesty...but there is always those who disagree :)
I think there are age appropriate details we can give children. I also think it is important that we plan how to deal with the issues of 9/11 in a way that helps children deal with their feelings instead of trying to hide from them.
My 8 year old has seen footage of the second plane hitting the towers. If I had left it at that he probably would have been left with nothing but fear. But I was able to talk with him and help him to deal with his fear.
Running from the truth does not protect children. I believe dealing with the truth in an age appropriate way, meeting each child where they are emotionally, helps prepare them for the future.
I think the world needs more parents like you Dennis.
Everyone has their own way of dealing with it though, I can understand vets position.
What I can not deal with is running from it entirely, its important to know that there are things going on in the world that affects us, and finding an age appropriate way to let the kids know is of the utmost paramount importance.
Kids deserve nothing but the truth, we owe it to them
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