Please be careful about what you say....and choose your words carefully....

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Home : 2001 : October : 15

Please be careful about what you say....and choose your words carefully....
By Kathy

My son's art teacher(!) decided that he was going to 'educate' the 4th graders about Islam instead of doing art....and my son 10 year old came home and said to me..'Mom, why do all Muslims want to kill all Americans? Why
do Muslim men think women are too stupid to handle money?' Now, I realize that what a teacher SAYS is not always what my son HEARS There's some kind of filter that twists the translation sometimes SO I called some other parents, not telling them what my son said...and asking them to discuss art class with their kids...and VIOLA...almost verbatim. Needless to say, I went to the principal

and let her know....(no one else complained) and she was appalled. Especially since we live in a WHITEBREAD (totally) community with no variance as to culture, religon, etc...If you're Catholic here it's a big whoop. Just north of us there is a HUGE Muslim community..and my fear is that when these kids encounter a woman in a burqua or chador that they'll be TERRIFIED. I also know that fear breeds hate. So please make sure you're educated and choose your words carefully. I would welcome the chance for my kids to learn about other religons, cultures, etc. But I shudder at the thought of a teacher imparting his/her prejudices on kids...especially the kids who don't go home and TALK to their parents (I'm SO lucky mine does!)...these are ideas that they will carry with them...never having anyone they trust to dispute them and teach them otherwise. Good luck!!!!