Talking Points #4 Quotes

                       Unlearning the Myths That Blind Us

                               By Linda Christensen

   Dose the content of children's books and movies instruct young people to accept the world as it is portrayed in these stories and media? Are they giving our children a distorted secret education?

   

"True death equals a generation living by rules and attitudes they never questioned and producing more children who do the same." (p.129)

“if the race of the character is the only thing changing, injustices may still remain”. (P.132) 

  
   Both of Cinderella and Snow white these tales leave young women with two myths- Happiness means getting a man, and transformation from wretched conditions can be achieved through conforming to the pressure of consumption-in their case, through new clothes and a new hairstyle. In Peter Pan the representation of men, women, people of color, and poor people are very up front, even with a boys club and changing a girl to look like a boy to fit in. Another story that comes to mind is Little Red Riding Hood. The girl in the story in is depicted as dumb and naive, I mean how many times is she going to let the wolf in the house? No one in their right mind would let a stranger in the once but in the story she dose over and over, and who mistakes a wolf for their grandmother…C’mon!

   I am uncomfortable with those messages. I don't want students to believe that change can be bought at a store, also i don't want them thinking that the goal of a woman's life is an "I do" that supposedly leads them to a "happily ever after." A man should not be the answer to a happy life or success. Also our Female students should not see their "sister’s" as competition like in Cinderella, but as part of their support team in life.

   We as educators need to find new ways in challenging the servant/master relationships or the materialism that makes women appealing to their men or the men appealing to their women. Maybe by having our students dissect these texts and write about the good and the bad that may come from  them as innocent as they may seem.

   I have watched all these children’s movies and have read many children’s books. Having two children of my own that have done the same, It is our job as parents to convey that these stories and media are forms of entertainment not a blueprint for life by any means.

An té a bhíonn ag magadh, bíonn a leath faoi féin. (When a person mocks other people, half of the mockery is towards himself.) Ghaeilge 

Starts with us!

http://www.stopbullying.gov/educators/

Talking Points #3 Hyperlinks: GLESN

    A Day of Silence is the largest student-led action towards creating a safer school for all, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression of gender. On April 15, 2011, students across the country took a vow of silence to call attention to the "silencing effect" of anti-LGBT bullying in schools.

     No matter what sexual orientation or expression of a gender one may have, they do have equal rights to the education in this country. So why is it that anti-LGBT bullying is so high? The victims of this abuse do not feel comfortable in school when they do attend. A main problem is children that are being harassed are not going to their classes where they are being bullied or not going to school at all. This is a huge problem. The education environment should be conducive for all students, not just the jocks, or the so-called straight, good kids. It should be for everyone. Children are not raising their hands when a question arises because of the way their speech may sound. Sometimes the teacher will not call on a child specifically because of this reason. I think this is ridiculous! As a future educator it is and will be my job to embrace all types of people I have in my classroom. Everyone has the power and privilege of free speech. Unfortunately some are not using theirs because of the way they may sound. Some children fear that they may offend someone or get harassed.

     On this day of silence students around the country are giving up their voices for all of the voices that are not heard at all because of harassment. The first step is to end this practice. So as future educators it is our job to embrace the voice that they do have. This needs to occur no matter what it may sound like. I completely support A Day of Silence. This I hope to have a full day implemented during the curriculum where the classes participate in completing the activities using another way to communicate with their peers.

You can download GLSEN’s Safe Space Kit at     

http://www.glsen.org/cgibin/iowa/all/library/record/1641.html

Here are some links for more information on this interesting method.

http://www.dayofsilence.org/ 

http://www.studentorganizing.org/