Reasons to Homeschool, #2511453214589

[TitanTiger 20,708]

Your Middle Schooler will never be told by the teacher, without your knowledge or permission, to ask somebody of the same sex to kiss them in an anti-bullying seminar.

Actually they claim it was to learn to say "no" to unwanted advances. Of course, to do that they needed to get a 14-year old girl to ask for a lesbian kiss.

And here I thought it was the right-wing social conservatives trying to cram morality down everyone's throats.

[TitanTiger 20,708]

In addition to the kissing exercise...

"They also picked two girls to stand in front of the class and pretend they were lesbians on a date," Coon said. She described herself as "furious" for not being given advance warning about the workshop.

http://www.edgenewyork.com/news/family//143834/right_wing_rages_over_reports_a_school_forced_same-sex_kiss_

[homersapien 11,812]

Your Middle Schooler will never be told by the teacher, without your knowledge or permission, to ask somebody of the same sex to kiss them in an anti-bullying seminar.

Actually they claim it was to learn to say "no" to unwanted advances. Of course, to do that they needed to get a 14-year old girl to ask for a lesbian kiss.

And here I thought it was the right-wing social conservatives trying to cram morality down everyone's throats.

Sounds like a role-playing exercise to me. In fact, the whole point was to demonstrate how to reject such a request.

I think you are over reacting. No suggested they actually kiss.

[TitanTiger 20,708]

It smacks of indoctrination. They shouldn't have to role play a same sex kiss, or act like they are lesbians on a date. At the very least the school should have given the parents a heads up about what this curriculum would involve and allow them to opt out if they wanted to.

Would you be so cavalier if a Christian teacher, without parental permission, asked an atheist student to come up and "pretend" to sincerely pray to Jesus Christ for salvation?

[telling tiger 156]

The school system needed to do a better job on two fronts minimally. They do not need to let a college student lead a course of this nature. The system also simply needs to do a better job of communicating with parents and it needed to include an option to remove the child from the class. Even our local Alabama system can do that. I do however agree with homeschooling more by the day, if not by the hour. No way in hades would I want my children educated by the local majority outlook and preferences.

[TitanTiger 20,708]

I'm fortunate that in Montgomery we have an excellent magnet school program that my children are in and the schools don't do things that actively undermine our family's values. But people in other areas of the country are not so fortunate. If I had to live in the Northeast or the West Coast, I'd probably homeschool.

[homersapien 11,812]

It smacks of indoctrination. They shouldn't have to role play a same sex kiss, or act like they are lesbians on a date. At the very least the school should have given the parents a heads up about what this curriculum would involve and allow them to opt out if they wanted to.

Would you be so cavalier if a Christian teacher, without parental permission, asked an atheist student to come up and "pretend" to sincerely pray to Jesus Christ for salvation?

Well, I am not sure what sort of scenario you are proposing, but if it were a role-playing exercise to demonstrate suitable ways to refuse religious proselytization (for example) I wouldn't have a problem with it. (Also assuming such an issue was as relevant as how to treat gay kids.)

But I would think that a teacher would not use religion as a subject in role playing unless really necessary.

Have we become so sensitive as to be unable to distinguish role-playing from reality?

[TitanTiger 20,708]

I think there are far more reasonable ways to "role play" how to decline romantic advances than this.

[homersapien 11,812]

I think there are far more reasonable ways to "role play" how to decline romantic advances than this.

Probably. But if the point was to demonstrate a civil way to tell a lesbian that you are not also a lesbian it's not an outrageous scenario. Certainly not "indoctrination" (unless you feel being polite toward others - even if they are lesbians - is inappropriate).

[Barney 10]

Are we to a point where we have to have public schools teach our kids how to say no to certain advances? Wether gay or straight? If I were a parent, Either scenario would leave me scratching my head.

[alexava 6,974]

We are teaching kids to say no and you folks have a problem with it? Dont we teach them to be aware of adult predators too? Is that offensive?

[Aufan59 101]

Are we to a point where we have to have public schools teach our kids how to say no to certain advances?

I was told to say no to drugs, and we even practiced. Some students "offered drugs" to the other students.

OH THE INDOCTRINATION!

Social conservatives overact thread #293102382905489978789372148210482134

[Barney 10]

I said its sad schools are having to teach that to kids. Didn't say anything about we as parents teaching it.

[homersapien 11,812]

Are we to a point where we have to have public schools teach our kids how to say no to certain advances? Wether gay or straight? If I were a parent, Either scenario would leave me scratching my head.

I don't know. But it's possible someone reacted to a homosexual advance with violence. It's happened.

[Aufan59 101]

And here I thought it was the right-wing social conservatives trying to cram morality down everyone's throats.

ROFL you will have to try a lot harder than that. Teaching kids to say "NO" is cramming morality down everyone's throat? ROFL!

[AUloggerhead 2,356]

Are we to a point where we have to have public schools teach our kids how to say no to certain advances? Wether gay or straight? If I were a parent, Either scenario would leave me scratching my head.

I don't know. But it's possible someone reacted to a homosexual advance with violence. It's happened.

Like with an AR-15? They could have role played that and gotten in two lessons of what not to do. C'mon now, school resources for teaching these social lessons have to be scarce. We need to get smart about doubling up the lessons when we can ... ... Just trying to help.

[alexava 6,974]

do any of you object to aids awareness education? we had that in the 8th grade (25years ago). is that offensive?

[TitanTiger 20,708]

do any of you object to aids awareness education? we had that in the 8th grade (25years ago). is that offensive?

Should we teach them about it by getting kids to role play asking for anonymous gay sex in a public bathroom?

I think what takes it over the top for people is, first, no parental notification or opt out and second, stuff like making a young teen role play being gay, acting like they're on a lesbian date and such. They had to know that would be a problem but didnt bother to give anyone a heads up on it. That's where it comes off as sneaky and as trying to unduly influence kids (indoctrination).

[alexava 6,974]

do any of you object to aids awareness education? we had that in the 8th grade (25years ago). is that offensive?

Should we teach them about it by getting kids to role play asking for anonymous gay sex in a public bathroom?

I think what takes it over the top for people is, first, no parental notification or opt out and second, stuff like making a young teen role play being gay, acting like they're on a lesbian date and such. They had to know that would be a problem but didnt bother to give anyone a heads up on it. That's where it comes off as sneaky and as trying to unduly influence kids (indoctrination).

please explain this.

[TitanTiger 20,708]

do any of you object to aids awareness education? we had that in the 8th grade (25years ago). is that offensive?

Should we teach them about it by getting kids to role play asking for anonymous gay sex in a public bathroom?

I think what takes it over the top for people is, first, no parental notification or opt out and second, stuff like making a young teen role play being gay, acting like they're on a lesbian date and such. They had to know that would be a problem but didnt bother to give anyone a heads up on it. That's where it comes off as sneaky and as trying to unduly influence kids (indoctrination).

please explain this.

What I'm getting at is that I don't sense that parents were upset that their kids were being taught how to say "no" to unwanted advances. It was the manner in which the lesson was being taught.

As far as the underlined part, when you do something that anyone with the brain power of a gnat knows is going to be controversial and that parents will have some issue with, yet you don't give them any advance warning of the methods you will use in the lesson and don't give them a chance to opt-out, it comes off as something you want to hide...something you want to use for more than just the reasons that you claim to be doing it.

[Aufan59 101]

Titan, would you be upset if your child pretended to offer someone drugs in a role-playing exercise on how to say no to drugs?

[TitanTiger 20,708]

Titan, would you be upset if your child pretended to offer someone drugs in a role-playing exercise on how to say no to drugs?

Not necessarily. And not all of these situations are equal in my mind.

[alexava 6,974]

titan, I am curious as to what fault or harm this role play could potentially have on a child(adolescence I assume). I get you want the option to opt out but why. I am for any and all education of this type. Im not sure role playing is the best approach but it doesn't anger me. maybe a video of professional actors being narrated.

[Aufan59 101]

Titan, would you be upset if your child pretended to offer someone drugs in a role-playing exercise on how to say no to drugs?

Not necessarily. And not all of these situations are equal in my mind.

So a teacher having a student pretend to offer drugs is fine.

But a teacher having a student to pretend to offer a kiss is off limits?

I don't understand social conservatism....

[TitanTiger 20,708]

Titan, would you be upset if your child pretended to offer someone drugs in a role-playing exercise on how to say no to drugs?

Not necessarily. And not all of these situations are equal in my mind.

So a teacher having a student pretend to offer drugs is fine.

But a teacher having a student to pretend to offer a kiss is off limits?

I don't understand social conservatism....

I would say that some subjects are more sensitive in nature than others. Some are more age appropriate than others. Some are more nuanced than others.

For instance, a drug dealers pushing illegal and dangerous drugs is easier for a child to see clearly as good/bad. Such role playing isn't going to confuse them much at all. You simply tell the drug dealer "no", every time, without exception.

When it comes to sexual advances, it's not so clear. The details matter. And putting a kid into the role of having to do something they don't feel comfortable with (like asking for a same sex kiss or acting like they are on a lesbian date), that is filled with far more questions and nuanced particulars is more problematic, especially if you didn't bother to give the parents a heads up.

For someone who views themselves as progressive, you sure do think in rather simplistic terms.