[Jackie]

And now we have a more 'balanced' view of that poem. 

I suggest all those who really take exception to that poem being taught should look up on the 'net why it is being taught and what value it has as an academic piece of work, just to say that you don't like it and don't want it taught to your child is a very narrow and idealistic view.

BTW kids have been imbibing violent information and scenes of violence since they first watched classic cartoons in babyhood or listened to Mums telling them nursery rhymes, it is nothing new.

Oh and remember to rush the kids out of the front room when the news comes on the TV because thats very violent usually.

[Hilarysmum]

I stand by my opinion, although I do appreciate yours.

[Hardfeather]

*Shrugs*As a friend of mine said after the Columbine Massacre (which at the time was blamed by some on their exposure to video games where shooting things was a theme) . . . "You have two psychopaths, a load of guns and a video game . . . and you take away the video game . . . what difference does that make?"

Actually, that amounts to three psychopaths.....one is responsible for the content of the video game.

[Jackie]

Hilarysmum I dont like that poem at all but a knee jerk reaction to anything isnt good.

 We first assumed here that the kids were going to be studying The Hitcher film, which is a psychological thriller designed to scare anyone which would scare 11 yr olds, but it turns out to be a poem by a modern classic poet. So the initial knee jerk reaction was wrong.

The point Im trying to make, rather badly it seems, is that you/we MUST find out BEFORE you/we form an opinion, then by all means state your/our informed opinion.

Jackie
Playing Devils Advocate today.

[jameslindsay]

I remember Tom and Jerry and The Roadrunner as only 2 examples of cartoons I grew up watching as being violent and vicious. Any one watched an episode of Emmerdale, Eastenders or Coronation Street with their young kids they are equally as violent and misleading to impressionable kids??? Me playing devils advocate this morning too!


PS remember Punch and Judy this made domestic violence and violence to the police as being funny and acceptable? And that was intended for pre school children!!!!

[Wizard]

Hey up James Wot abhat T.C. and Brain not to mention Officer Dibble ?

[sagehen]

AengusOg:

I'm not sure if the people who create those video games could be described as psychopaths? Having a good imagination, and knowing what sells in terms of games does not constitute psychopathic tendencies surely?

I also agree with Jackie. I think that media created moral panic is designed to make us fearful, and more prone to knee jerk reactions. At what age should our children be released from their fluffy cocoons and introduced to the vagaries of human nature, and in what way should they be introduced - personally I'd much rather discuss certain topics with my kids in an educational or intellectual way, rather than in an emotionally wrought one.

Also, I'm sure most of us have introduced violence in our little ones lives - anyone remember the story of two little children abandoned by their parents in the woods, only to be kept prisoner by a witch who wanted to eat them, or the story of the stepmother who was so overwhelmed by sexul jealousy she wanted to kill her own stepdaughter, who went to live with seven men - the fairytales we feed our little kids are pretty sordid, even if we give them the saccharined version by Disney. Of course this doesn't give us licence to show the them the goriest, scariest films available; I'm just pointing out that we tend to conveniently ignore the stuff that isn't overtly deviant, and allow the 'acceptable ones' even though their content is just as bad.

[Jackie]

James funnily enough I was thinking of Tom and Jerry when I wrote about classic cartoons. lol

George if I remember right officer Dibble never did catch TC lol Do you remember Captain Pugwash? Now that was violent and aimed at pre schoolers too!

Sagehen you have echoed my thoughts exactly!
I too preferred to discuss life issuses and vagries of human nature in general terms (sometimes in detail dependant on what they had heard etc) with my kids in a sensible and structured way so that they felt safe whilst exploring things they had heard or seen or read.

We cannot, and should not, cucoon our children as it makes them vulnerable to anything bad. What we should do is explain about life and risks (age appropriately) in a calm manner and that each of us is responsible for ourselves and our actions.

Did you know that in the 40' & 50's when children were kept in ignorance that there were more child sex attacks because no one had told the kids about 'wrong touches' and to tell.

Children are not stupid they do pick up on whats right or wrong if we, ouselves, know what is right or wrong. In other words WE as parents set the standards by which our children live.

[Hardfeather]

Knowing what sells to kids is one thing.....creating computer games based on greed and gratuitous violence, and selling it to kids is another.

[little blue]

certainly, my reaction was to the information that 11 year olds were being shown 18 rated films!  I believe others' were too?
Now, if you'd like a debate on violence on screen, bring it on!!

[sagehen]

AengusOg:


Knowing what sells to kids is one thing.....creating computer games based on greed and gratuitous violence, and selling it to kids is another.

Well, yes, I do agree that there are games out there that is purely gratuitous violence, but my point was that you can't just call someone a psychopath because they create those games.

[sagehen]

Go on then, Little Blue  Start a debate on violence on screen 

[LockerbiteReiver]

Knowing what sells to kids is one thing.....creating computer games based on greed and gratuitous violence, and selling it to kids is another.

You are aware Video Games come with age restrictions and have for years aren't you?

[Jackie]

Yes Little Blue my reaction was intially exactly the same as yours and based on the thought that the kids were being shown an 18 rated film BUT I then thought that the school couldn't be so stupid as to show the kids a film that would inevitably get the school into trouble so I did a little research and found the truth of the matter.

That was the point of my posts, we reacted to something that was wrong in a knee jerk way.

With a little common sense light was shed on the matter and all became clear.

All this has been a very much 'them and us' situation. We don't trust 'them', the schools but we do trust 'us' the other posters. 

[r+lchick]

It was the movie that they watched.   When ever I did Shakespeare at school, we only read it and it was in play form, so no fill in bits, which does sanitise it.  I know it is different now and they are shown the plays, but it is still not tying up a girl between two trucks and taking off.  However, I will run off the poem for him.  It would make a good comparison for the film.