Schools forcing kids to view Inauguration & schools that are not (teachers, educational)

[RebeccaLeigh]

Will you pull your child out of school when they learn about it from the history books?

Would you pull your child out of school if they were watched a movie about George Washington becoming the 1st President? I doubt it.

The argument that race doesn't matter makes no since either, does that mean that the civil rights movement was insignicant? or the Sufferage movement for women.

History is History no matter the avenue that you learn it.

[TouchOfWhimsy]

I can't imagine being upset about the kids watching ANY inaugeration. Is it better for them to not watch it now, but to read about it in a few years? Why?

[Momma_bear]

Originally Posted by KarlaT2

Agree to disagree. I just don't see it as any more historic than any other new President. Sorry.
We talk about politics in our house, and encourage watching this kind of event in general. I think it would be good for all kids to watch, but not to act like it's anything different than the last inuaguration was.

Whenever something happens for the first time it is special. History is a string of "firsts".

[KarlaT2]

Originally Posted by Momma_bear

Whenever something happens for the first time it is special. History is a string of "firsts".

Don't you think though that by making it so "special" it might be putting the first seed of racism into some of the kids heads? My daughter was asking why everyone was making such a big deal about the fact that a black man won the Presidency. It never entered her head it was in any way unusual until all the uproar about it. I wish it would tone down a bit, that's all. I would have felt the same about a woman.
Oh, well.

[Momma_bear]

Originally Posted by KarlaT2

Don't you think though that by making it so "special" it might be putting the first seed of racism into some of the kids heads? My daughter was asking why everyone was making such a big deal about the fact that a black man won the Presidency. It never entered her head it was in any way unusual until all the uproar about it. I wish it would tone down a bit, that's all. I would have felt the same about a woman.
Oh, well.

Well the thing is that you said its not more historic than any other inauguration but that really is not true. The first time something happens it is historical. We may wish it wasn't a big deal, but it is a big deal just like it would have been a big deal if Hillary had been elected, or Sarah Palin.

Maybe your daughter needs to learn WHY some people think it's a big deal that a black man was elected. There are many good books on the civil rights movement that are appropriate for children of all ages. Children should understand history even if there are bits of it that make them uncomfortable. It's ok to feel uncomfortable about the past but it is important to learn about past wrongs so that we do not repeat them.

[onwardandupward]

Originally Posted by Momma_bear

Well the thing is that you said its not more historic than any other inauguration but that really is not true. The first time something happens it is historical. We may wish it wasn't a big deal, but it is a big deal just like it would have been a big deal if Hillary had been elected, or Sarah Palin.

Maybe your daughter needs to learn WHY some people think it's a big deal that a black man was elected. There are many good books on the civil rights movement that are appropriate for children of all ages. Children should understand history even if there are bits of it that make them uncomfortable. It's ok to feel uncomfortable about the past but it is important to learn about past wrongs so that we do not repeat them.

Excellent points.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by KH02

I agree KarlaT and thats what upsets me too.
I dont give him special treatment because of his color.
All presidents are the same...and equally historical.

Last things first. I completely disagree with your last statement. How many peole remember presidents like Millard Fillmore or Franklin Pierce? Gimme a break! In a completely color-blind world, your first statement would be correct, but you can't seriously think that's how it is in the US today?

Originally Posted by KarlaT2

The only problem I have with forcing them to watch it is why didn't they force them to watch when other Presidents were inaugerated? If they want to watch, that's great, but this acting like this is such a "historical" thing is driving me nuts. He's another President, no more, no less.

There have been many posts on here from many people who watched many inaugurations. It's the peaceful transfer of power. For ele. kids, this is probably the first inauguration they will remember.

Originally Posted by KarlaT2

Don't you think though that by making it so "special" it might be putting the first seed of racism into some of the kids heads? My daughter was asking why everyone was making such a big deal about the fact that a black man won the Presidency. It never entered her head it was in any way unusual until all the uproar about it. I wish it would tone down a bit, that's all. I would have felt the same about a woman.
Oh, well.

In a word, no. Your daughter does not have first hand experience with racism in the US the way some of us older people do. I saw plenty of it growing up in Pennsylvania, no less. It is great that the color of the president's skin is irrelevant to her, but that's not how it is for a lot of people.

[KarlaT2]

Originally Posted by Momma_bear

Well the thing is that you said its not more historic than any other inauguration but that really is not true. The first time something happens it is historical. We may wish it wasn't a big deal, but it is a big deal just like it would have been a big deal if Hillary had been elected, or Sarah Palin.

Maybe your daughter needs to learn WHY some people think it's a big deal that a black man was elected. There are many good books on the civil rights movement that are appropriate for children of all ages. Children should understand history even if there are bits of it that make them uncomfortable. It's ok to feel uncomfortable about the past but it is important to learn about past wrongs so that we do not repeat them.

They have covered all the civil rights, and Martin Luther King stuff in school for years now. It's not lack of education, as seriously not understanding the big deal. My daughter goes to a very diverse school, where everyone is the same.
That said, I still say it's no more or less historical to me than any other, but have explained to her why to some it is. I always encourage her to watch or learn about politics, but still say being forced to watch at school may not be what some parents would like. Maybe they want to watch with their kids.

[toobusytoday]

Originally Posted by KarlaT2

They have covered all the civil rights, and Martin Luther King stuff in school for years now. It's not lack of education, as seriously not understanding the big deal. My daughter goes to a very diverse school, where everyone is the same.
That said, I still say it's no more or less historical to me than any other, but have explained to her why to some it is. I always encourage her to watch or learn about politics, but still say being forced to watch at school may not be what some parents would like. Maybe they want to watch with their kids.

This is not sex ed. I think it's quite strange to feel the need to take the inauguration out of context- it's history. You learn history in school.

[thatguy1]

Originally Posted by KarlaT2

Agree to disagree. I just don't see it as any more historic than any other new President. Sorry.
We talk about politics in our house, and encourage watching this kind of event in general. I think it would be good for all kids to watch, but not to act like it's anything different than the last inuaguration was.

It's much more historic and I wouldn’t even base that on the grounds that he's HALF black. His color is an arbitrary factor compared to the issues he will face.

He’s being sworn in as the Commander in Chief of the most powerful country on Earth. This "most powerful country on Earth" is a point in time where it's very close to becoming Un-recoverable economically and socially.

So yes, this is as historic as it gets. If he can’t begin to fix our current problems, the US as you know it, will no longer exist. Simple numbers and facts spell it out for us in black and white.

I'm not sure what your definition of 'historic' is.