Teaching Kids About Electric Chairs
I thought I'd share and get opinions on what you think about this. A couple nights ago I was driving home with me 11-year old son in the car. He goes to a very good charter school. It's Montessori-based, which I really like. Note that Montessori prides itself on promoting peace. Well, he starts asking me about how electric chairs work in executing people, "Do they twitch?" I asked him where he heard of this and he reported to me that he read about the US executing two spies for espionage (you know the story, I'm sure) and how they were killed via electric chair. I asked how he got that paper and he said, "It wasn't my teacher. It was from the school, though." So, I followed up with the teacher and, sure enough, it was a document given to these kids to cover history. They are teaching little kids about people getting executed via electric chair for spying on Ingsoc (my editorial there). This irks me. I find it pretty sick. My next step is bringing it up with the principal. Somebody needs to explain to me why this is good curricula. My buddy said, "Teaching them not to cross Big Brother at a young age..."
Truth is truth and our history is our history.
Execution by electric chair is part of our history.
The reality of our system of government is that traitors and spies sometimes die for their crimes. This is not unique to America. It happens in most countries. So, should our children be shielded for this reality? I don't think so.
I think back about something an old colleague of mine once said. He was a very bright guy. "Abaco. You only get one childhood. And, when it's gone it's gone."
So, if 11 years old is too young to learn about the history of electric chair executions or the other brutal realities of life in America, what age would you suggest?
Being a charter school, I find it hard to believe that there is a political cause behind this, but it does bear close inspection by caring parents.
Can't recall what the discussion was about but a class clown named Stewart something tells the female middle-aged teacher that he's been reading his" big brother's book about torture."
Stewart tells the teacher that American Indians "would strip you naked and stake you down over an ant bed."
Meanwhile the teacher looks at Stewart with an appalled will you please just disappear look on her face.
I recall holding my breath, wondering what the teacher would do and what Stewart would say next.
Best I can recall Stewart piped down and the teacher just ignored him.
I still wonder if the teacher called Stewart's parents, since I'm doing that right now once again after many years have gone by. .
And why am I laughing about this for the first time ever? Well, I never told anyone this story before.
I remember a bible study I used to attend when I was about 12. It was on Wednesday afternoons at my friend's house - him mom would be the teacher. I'm still in touch with him and his mother passed about a year ago - great lady. Anyway, the teacher asked the group what a sin was. A little guy about 5 or 6 years old pipes up "playing with your penis in the bathtub!" and we all started laughing, even the teacher.
Man, those were simpler times. No cell phones. All of our parents drove big steel cars from Detroit. We all could afford the annual family vacation. The good old days.
I like Addams family cartoons, the TV show, the movies . . .
I would not want them teaching that to my 8 y/o. At some point they have to learn the facts, but 8 y/o feels too young. I only have experience with kids up to age 8, so I don't have a feel for what an 11 y/o can handle.
Am I correct that you're saying the school provided factually correct information, but perhaps at too young an age?
I had a talk, again, with my son last night about my approach to navigating education. In short - know the truth but know when to act stupid. Haha....