9-11 through the eyes of an 8-year old

[Horse with no Name]

that wasn't even fucking there.
I wrote the other day that the teacher of a 3rd grade class showed a class full of 7 and 8-year olds a 911 video that was severely disturbing to these kids. They were crying and upset.

To top it off, on Friday, this same teacher told the kids that we were going to have another terrorist attack today.

I am livid. I was unable to do anything about this last week but will be taking care of this tomorrow.

My sweet 8 year old has been upset all weekend. She was doing homework and brought me this and wanted to read it to me:

"There was little kids were crying in the background and there was people who was waving there jackets and shirts to get people's attention so someone would get them out of the burning building but no one would get them out of the building so they jumped out of the building then they died and it made me sad."

I have nothing left to say. This video was so inappropriate to these kids that I cannot understand WHY it was shown. When I saw it live, I avoided the people jumping out of the buildings.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. What the hell kind of idiot is that teacher?

Who would show those videos to little kids? Worse, what kind of a lunatic would tell them there was going to be another attack? If that were my kid I would be so furious (as you obviously are) - damn, I'd be at that principal's office tomorrow morning demanding that teacher's hide to tack on my living room wall.

[MrSlayer]

2. Get the kids early.

Put them on the hate wagon right away. Isn't that what they always say about us? That we want to teach the children our "hateful" liberal ideals like tolerance, social safety and multiculturalism? Projection is an art form with fascists.

[lillypaddle]

7. Why does it have to be the "hate wagon"?

I think you are really stretching. 9/11 HAPPENED. What the hell? Is this like sex education and you wait until they are 15 years old before you tell them the reality?

[MrSlayer]

24. Because it's a good way to introduce irrational hatred of muslims.

Get the kids all scared and upset and then tell them whom they should hate because of it. Pretty simple really.

[joshcryer]

28. +1

Hating Muslims has been the West's "Two Minute Hate" for a decade now. It's repulsive.

[Horse with no Name]

8. yeah. Because Friday I had to sit her and a friend down because they were upset

because they were told that "those people hate us". Her mother was here with me too.

Sigh.

They were both told that it was a lie...that their teacher lied to them.

They were told that many people over there were just as sad at what happened as we were. That they love their kids like we love ours and that they even loved our kids, like we love their kids.

Apparently this teacher lost friends in the WTC. I am sorry for that but that still doesn't excuse this behavior.

[lillypaddle]

19. Then that's a different story

You didn't bring that up in your OP. You only complained about the content of the reality of 9/11. I hope you aren't embellishing it for effect.

[Horse with no Name]

23. Fuck off. n/t

[demmiblue]

27. +1

[Blue_In_AK]

39. I might not have been so blunt,

but I concur.

[lillypaddle]

3. To tell you the truth

I have mixed feelings about this. Not what the teacher said, about going to have another terrorist attack today. That was highly inappropriate.

But do I think 8 year olds should know what happened. Just my personal and humble opinion.

[tammywammy]

5. They can know in an age appropriate way

They do not need to see video of people jumping out of the towers.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

41. Shall we show them pictures of Holocaust victims ? How about

slaughtered Native Americans ? How about the rotting corpses of Civil War soldiers ?

There is a big difference between an age appropriate explanation of the occurrence of an event - and showing disturbing images to children. Any parent would understand that.

[tammywammy]

4. WTF?

That is all kinds of messed up. I'm 31 and I didn't like seeing people jumping 10 years ago, let alone today. That's just messed up to show to a child.

[Horse with no Name]

12. When she had an entire room of kids crying and upset

and some of them having to go to the bathroom to collect themselves...the video should have been stopped.

I don't mind them being taught, I do mind them being shown videos that they aren't mature enough to handle.

I taught her about being careful about going with strangers too--but didn't reinforce it with pictures of mutilated and sodomized children.

[tammywammy]

16. I totally agree

There's an age appropriate way to discuss 9/11. Showing that video wasn't it.

I watched 102 Minutes that Changed America on the History Channel this morning. There's one family that has a clear view of the towers. You never see the actual family filming what they see, but you can hear they have a child - old enough to talk and be told "go into the other room." That's the point that sticks out to me. After the first Tower fell, you can hear the child, he/she knows something's going on, but the mom is calm (well, as calm as can be expected) and tells them to go into the other room...shielding them from what was right out their window.

[sufrommich]

6. I'd be at the Superintendents bright and early

tomorrow morning if that was my kid, bypass the principal and go straight to the top. Holy shit.

[lillypaddle]

9. Maybe you should home school your kid(s)

That way you can control the history they learn. Don't teach them about the KKK either. It's too upsetting.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

11. No need for snark. There are ways of teaching controversial material

that are age-appropriate. This wasn't.

[sufrommich]

13. That's not appropriate history for an 8 year old. nt

[Horse with no Name]

14. Maybe you should learn what is age appropriate and what is not?

I don't MIND them learning about history...I don't mind them being taught about 911...but this video was NOT age appropriate.

I'd also prefer they not to see the graphic images of the hangings and lynchings by the KKK either--but I have no problem with her learning about what happens when people HATE.

[lillypaddle]

17. my "kid" is 43

He's just fine, thank you very much. A lefty, feminist, well-educated, happily married, went to a Richard Pryor concert at age 8.

[sufrommich]

20. Unless Richard Pryor was on fire on stage, I don't see

how that is relevent. Did you show your 8 year old movies of violent deaths?

[lillypaddle]

22. He was aware of Kent State

I didn't allow violent movies based on fiction.

[Horse with no Name]

21. You equate a Richard Pryor concert--words that he probably didn't quite understand--to visuals of

people jumping to their deaths?

Seriously?

On edit: As far as your son turning out okay, that just puts a point in the column of nature over nurture.

[msanthrope]

15. The kid is 8. You don't show people jumping 100 floors to an 8-year-old.

The teacher is a frackin' moron.

[joshcryer]

18. Yeah, show some lynching pictures to an 8 year old, that'll teach 'em.

:puke:

[uppityperson]

33. Are you enjoying playing this part or do you seriously not understand age appropriate material?

Kids should have an assembly where they get to watch 2 people fucking for sex ed. Right? Good lord you are a real piece of work.

[MsKandice01]

10. As the mother of an 8-year-old,

I would be LIVID. That is completely unacceptable and inappropriate. Sounds like at LEAST a talk with the principal is in order.

[TBF]

29. I have an 8-yr old as well -

my husband and I talked to her briefly about it today (very briefly). As with many topics, there is a way to introduce things, and then add nuance to those topics as they get older and are more able to cognitively digest it. We always try to answer her questions as well, even if we answer generally and know that as she gets older we can give a fuller answer.

This is just common sense. That teacher should be reprimanded at the very least.

[Horse with no Name]

30. Thank you both.

It wasn't the subject matter it was the method.

[JI7]

25. have you complained to the school officials ? how about other parents ?

have you talked to the other parents and what do they think of this ?

[Horse with no Name]

26. Principal was out of the office on Friday.

The parents that I have talked to are incensed. Other teachers in the same school are appalled that she showed that video.

When I say that these kids were crying...they came home sobbing still.

My 8-year old is still tearful. We've not had a REAL TV station on all day.

And tomorrow I plan on meeting with the principal. IF he is still out, will go to the Superintendent's office.

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Horse with no Name]

32. "nead"???Seriously when you insult someone at least learn to spell

I thought that was only a freeper trait...oh wait...

[uppityperson]

34. Seriously. How DARE a parent have any opinion on age appropriate materials?

Just because those little kids were crying doesn't mean it was BAD, just that they OBVIOUSLY had had sheltered lives and needed to see graphic violence and fear mongering rather than age appropriate information about this awful event.

I mean, REALLY!!!!111

[hootinholler]

35. Give them hell! n/t

[aikoaiko]

36. I support you. I don't think you're overreacting. I rec talking to the teacher one on one first.

before going over her head.

[jimlup]

37. Sounds like an overly obsessed teacher

And yes - you should absolutely report this incident. Other parents may be equally concerned. As a teacher (of much older kids) I believe 9/11 should be taught but certainly not like that - not even to HS students - certainly not to 8 year olds.

[Blue_In_AK]

38. I remember when I first saw pictures of the concentration camp

survivors when I was about 14. It was horribly disturbing to me then, even at that age. I think 8 is way too young to be showing footage like this to kids.

[Horse with no Name]

40. I had a really hard time watching Schindler's List

and I was an adult. :(