Article Contributed on: 10/2/2008 3:11:19 PM
My son came home one day after school and said, "Mom, the kids in school are saying that Obama is going to kill all the babies, change the flag, change the National Anthem, and is a terrorist. What's wrong with this picture? I will tell you what's wrong. The fact that it was said by 5 and 6 graders in a public elementary school in an area that is suppose to be middle class, with so call "educated", hard working, and sensible people. It does not matter whether I am a republican, independent or democratic, whether I am black, white, hispanic, asain, whether I am conservative or liberal. Those comments are hurtful because they are based on ignorance and lies.
I was not really surprised to hear these accusations because I've heard some before, but I was very disappointed that it was coming from 5 and 6 graders who more than likely heard it from a parent or older relative. Why do people insist on spreading their ignorance to kids who are more likely to spread them to other kids and eventually offend, confuse or upset someone ? I am all for the first amendment and freedom of speech. I also support expressing how one feels about politicians, or any prominent figure, but I don't support lies and rumors based on nothing but ignorance, especially when the lies and rumors are told in the presence of children. I don't know how to stop it from happening. What I do know is that the schools should be more aware of what is being said in the halls and the classrooms. Even more so among the very young. Perhaps we can't control what goes on in the home, but we certainly can do our best to minimize it in our schools.
I'm not that naïve or polly anish to think that the schools always teach the truth especially when it comes to history, but I don't think it's intentional. However, I do hope that in this day and age, schools are much more aware of what the students are saying, and responsible enough to take attention when the truth is distorted about people, places or things. Regardless of who, what or where it is.
This kind of behavior should not be accepted, tolerated or ignored. I pay taxes. I expect my son to attend a school that is free from the ignorant and insensitive behavior that we so often see during an election.