Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The 370 children at Southway Junior School, in Burgess Hill, west Sussex, saw a 'spaceship' crash near their school and then aliens grabbed a member of staff as part of the performance.
The 'alien invasion' show, which was supported by Sussex Police, took place without parents being informed, leaving some furious that they had to comfort their terrified children.
Bad judgment but what an awesome experience for the kids old enough to appreciate it! So much of my elementary education was made up of things such as this (including listening to the War of the Worlds broadcast in 3rd grade not knowing what it was) and other ways of actively taking part. However, while so much planning went into this event no one stopped to think that the youngest kids would witness it as well.
Bad judgment but what an awesome experience for the kids old enough to appreciate it! So much of my elementary education was made up of things such as this (including listening to the War of the Worlds broadcast in 3rd grade not knowing what it was) and other ways of actively taking part. However, while so much planning went into this event no one stopped to think that the youngest kids would witness it as well.
Even WotW issued a disclaimer at the beginning of the show. A disclaimer unheard by many, obviously, given the panic that surrounded it.
Seems like the school personnel missed that lesson. If they'd managed their disclaimers better, they could have shown up the radio media. Instead, they illustrated the wisdom of "those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it".
Quote: Pupils as young as seven were left traumatised after a school staged a 'War of the Worlds' style production during which a teacher was abducted by aliens." Unquote.
As the parent of younger children (with vivid imaginations) I'd have to say that I'd file that right up there with the "epitome of stupidity." I'd venture to guess that the main players in this characterization have no young children.
I'd have to spend at least half of the year dealing with sleep issues. Yeesh. Don't they already grow up too soon?
While I disagree with terrifying children, I must question why a play, where children have been told it is not real, are still fearful? Why do parents make their kids this way? Our 7 year old, and 5 year old for that matter, would have had a blast with this. Our 3 year old would not have been fearful, unless someone had told him he should be afraid. We don't let our kids watch shows or movies that are scary, have any nudity, sexual content, or swearing, although I must admit that we did allow them to watch War of the Worlds, but that has been the only scary movie as of date they've seen. Yet they are not fearful of it because we do not baby them when they are two and scared of the dark by handing them a flashlight or by plugging in a night light. Instead we are confident and tell them with confidence that there is nothing to be afraid of and tell them fear of the dark is irrational. Everytime this came up even, it was time for lights off games, with lots of pretending, growling, and laughing. I seems foreign to me that a 7 year would be terrified. Maybe preschoolers, and that is the age group I thought they'd be talking about.
While I disagree with terrifying children, I must question why a play, where children have been told it is not real, are still fearful? Why do parents make their kids this way? Our 7 year old, and 5 year old for that matter, would have had a blast with this. Our 3 year old would not have been fearful, unless someone had told him he should be afraid. We don't let our kids watch shows or movies that are scary, have any nudity, sexual content, or swearing, although I must admit that we did allow them to watch War of the Worlds, but that has been the only scary movie as of date they've seen. Yet they are not fearful of it because we do not baby them when they are two and scared of the dark by handing them a flashlight or by plugging in a night light. Instead we are confident and tell them with confidence that there is nothing to be afraid of and tell them fear of the dark is irrational. Everytime this came up even, it was time for lights off games, with lots of pretending, growling, and laughing. I seems foreign to me that a 7 year would be terrified. Maybe preschoolers, and that is the age group I thought they'd be talking about.
Context, Becky. This was not staged on a platform in an auditorium. The "spaceship" crashed outside the school building, and local police took part in the event.
From the article: Diana Goss, the headteacher, informed pupils that an alien craft had crashed near the school and pupils were encouraged to "follow a trail of debris" before stumbling across the UFO.
Aging hippies and crack moms aside, most of us teach our children to assume police are honest and competent. Kids are taught to trust LEOs and school administrators-- and now they're a farce? That's a pretty big disconnect for a second grader.
Context, Becky. This was not staged on a platform in an auditorium. The "spaceship" crashed outside the school building, and local police took part in the event.
From the article: Diana Goss, the headteacher, informed pupils that an alien craft had crashed near the school and pupils were encouraged to "follow a trail of debris" before stumbling across the UFO.
Aging hippies and crack moms aside, most of us teach our children to assume police are honest and competent. Kids are taught to trust LEOs and school administrators-- and now they're a farce? That's a pretty big disconnect for a second grader.
I didn't mean on a stage. I was speaking in general. It was a staged act. Ok I suppose in general but they did make a disclaimer to start with, and I doubt it was very quiet, they did know the history and what could happen. I am sure they did enough, but regardless, the kids were fearful of an abrupt change in their day. Some kids live in marshmallows and perfectly executed routines so an abrupt change, even a fire drill, is terrifing to them. They still stand around and look for the smoke regardless of all fuzzy feel good words beforehand.
But we are the ones that ran a chain saw in the woods after dark on halloween complete with loud evil laugh and the operator yelling out that he was looking for dinner to the delite of our kids. Yes, the youngest was two at the time. He laughed the hardest. No tears or fear from any one of them. When DH turned off the chainsaw the 2 year old says..."DAD! You're funny!" They all thought it was great fun and wanted him to do it again. Well at least we tried.
My kids would have freaked if there was someone laying bloody on the ground, gurgling and spiting blood but considering what really did happen, at the most, they would have asked if it was real and would have been very skeptical looking for evidence that it was not. Since they have actually seen the movie, they would have made the connection. We've always been very strong about what is and isn't real and not to be afraid of anything really. They also have their little plays were they copy movies or TV shows all the time so it would make perfect sense to them. They are in general very skeptical kids and everything is met with a "Yeah right Mom/Dad."
While the school may have had poor judgement in executing it without possibly more prep for the kids, it may have helped to let the parents in on it so they could also talk to their kids about it.
I didn't mean on a stage. I was speaking in general. It was a staged act. Ok I suppose in general but they did make a disclaimer to start with, and I doubt it was very quiet, they did know the history and what could happen. I am sure they did enough, but regardless, the kids were fearful of an abrupt change in their day. Some kids live in marshmallows and perfectly executed routines so an abrupt change, even a fire drill, is terrifing to them. They still stand around and look for the smoke regardless of all fuzzy feel good words beforehand.
But we are the ones that ran a chain saw in the woods after dark on halloween complete with loud evil laugh and the operator yelling out that he was looking for dinner to the delite of our kids. Yes, the youngest was two at the time. He laughed the hardest. No tears or fear from any one of them. When DH turned off the chainsaw the 2 year old says..."DAD! You're funny!" They all thought it was great fun and wanted him to do it again. Well at least we tried.
My kids would have freaked if there was someone laying bloody on the ground, gurgling and spiting blood but considering what really did happen, at the most, they would have asked if it was real and would have been very skeptical looking for evidence that it was not. Since they have actually seen the movie, they would have made the connection. We've always been very strong about what is and isn't real and not to be afraid of anything really. They also have their little plays were they copy movies or TV shows all the time so it would make perfect sense to them. They are in general very skeptical kids and everything is met with a "Yeah right Mom/Dad."
While the school may have had poor judgement in executing it without possibly more prep for the kids, it may have helped to let the parents in on it so they could also talk to their kids about it.
The article doesn't specify what sort of, or even whether, preparation was provided the schoolchildren. For children to be traumatized to the point of newsworthiness, I would expect it to have gone very, very badly.
And though I assure you she has not been wrapped in cotton wool (some folks' ideas of homeschoolers notwithstanding ), my youngest daughter would have been horrified at the chainsaw thing at the age of nine or ten. She's just that kind of kid. (Her sisters probably would have been demanding to know if you were holding out on the Halloween candy.)
The article doesn't specify what sort of, or even whether, preparation was provided the schoolchildren. For children to be traumatized to the point of newsworthiness, I would expect it to have gone very, very badly.
And though I assure you she has not been wrapped in cotton wool (some folks' ideas of homeschoolers notwithstanding ), my youngest daughter would have been horrified at the chainsaw thing at the age of nine or ten. She's just that kind of kid. (Her sisters probably would have been demanding to know if you were holding out on the Halloween candy.)
yeah, I admit, my children were born with high thrill genes. I wonder where they got that from? To be fair, they got a choice, trick or treating or make your own candy, decorate a path in the woods, and go out to find little brown bags of candy in the woods hidden on either side of the path. They chose the spookier option and we added the chainsaw bit.
There was mention that there was a disclaimer before hand. I'm also saying that there are just too many kids who are afraid of their own shadow because the parents do not properly address fears at a young age and rather justify their fears with things like nighlights, bedtime routines to scare away the monsters, ect. vs teaching confidence and reenforcing that there is nothing to be afraid of. Now there are just some kids that are more jumpy or more easily scared. Others might have had a traumatizing experience that made this really bad. If the school had taken the time to develop better relationships with the parents, they would have known they probably would be better off letting the parents prep their children, withhold them from it, or whatever. Regardless, the 7 year olds at least in my family would not have believed it for a second, but would have had fun.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'd venture to guess that the main players in this characterization have no young children. 
), my youngest daughter would have been horrified at the chainsaw thing at the age of nine or ten. She's just that kind of kid. (Her sisters probably would have been demanding to know if you were holding out on the Halloween candy.)
To be fair, they got a choice, trick or treating or make your own candy, decorate a path in the woods, and go out to find little brown bags of candy in the woods hidden on either side of the path. They chose the spookier option and we added the chainsaw bit.
