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This a thousand times. My son's 1st grade class this past year talked about the different ways cultures celebrated the holidays. I didn't see it as the school trying to convert my son to a different religion but rather just teaching factual information.
This, to me, is a very good analogy. OP, this would have been an EXCELLENT way for you to frame it for your daughter, and for yourself and your wife.
Like many have said, you can keep it factual regardless of your personal beliefs: "yes, some families don't celebrate christmas, they celebrate Hanukkah, they celebrate Hanukkah instead?" "yes, some families have two daddies, instead of a daddy and a mommy like you have"
School should be about teaching things like Reading, Writing, Math, Science, History. I really don't think most reasonable parents would expect the kindergarten class to be introducing this kind of information. And there was a time, when parents actually were made aware of controversial things and allowed to opt their children out which should be the parent's right.
cd :O)
Quote:
Originally Posted by maciesmom
To understand history, it's imperative to understand the construct of communities. This begins by teaching about the family as a community the child is part of and understands. It expands dynamically as the child grows and can understand. It eventually becomes history and geography. Even literature. There is actually a point to having an age appropriate curriculum.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kibbiekat
It's science and social studies. It is a fact that there are all kinds of different families. Facts are facts. They aren't controversial.
Yes, and I'll add: Go ahead and attempt to teach History or Social Studies or even Science with NO basis of understanding how the world works AND with no bias whatsoever. Let me know how that goes.
I just looked at the book the poster is so offended by, it's completely innocent. If the poster is offended by this book, he might as well move his child into non public school environment because this is absolutely nothing compared to what that child is going to be exposed to.
Marriage is a contract entered into by consenting adults and frequently witnessed to show it wasn't entered under duress.
This contract establishes a variety of rights and responsibilities to both parties, how they can legally interact on and fit each other's behalf, property rights, asset management and the remedies available if the event of the dissolution of the contract.
Marriage is an agreement and legal framework for all the complicated and messy bits when two individuals merge their lives.
There are many motives for why people would want to pair up and merge their lives.
Okay, I'm not going to contribute to the discussion, other than by saying that this is an ADORABLE book. Soo cute!
I just looked at it, too! It is adorable!!
And so not offensive! At all!
I'll have to tell my sister and her wife about it. When their new baby starts school in a few years, they will probably have the expectation that their teacher and chosen school would be inclusive and welcoming of all types of families.
This book is a sweet way to make all children feel included and that their family is just as valid as anyone else's.
Not sure if I already posted this, but I tutor a second grader for an hour a week, and I always bring a book out of the library for him to practice reading. One time, I had not carefully read the book, but only skimmed it to make sure he could read it.
A part of the book was about parents hugging their child goodbye as he went off to school, and one set of parents was two mommies. My student, an African America boy, stopped cold and said, "What is THAT about?" It really caught me off guard, so I said it was probably his mother and auntie, and moved along. I thought it was surprising that he had such a strong reaction, as though his family might have talked about gay marriage in a negative way. Since I do not feel it is my place to have any part of social engineering, I typically stay to the old classic books, but then those tend to be anti PC sometimes also.
It's a mine field out there. Hard for teachers, I bet.
With kids, most times the shortest answer is the best answer. If I were asked that question I'd probably just say, "Yes."
If she asked for more info, I'd still keep the answers short.
Going into a long explanation usually adds more confusion.
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