This past week I made the mistake of joining a discussion on a local online page that consists of parents of children that attend my daughter's school. While scrolling through the posts I came across a subject that had a larger than normal laundry list of comments attributed to it. Piquing my curiosity, I started reading the numerous opinions of the parents involved. Most of the posts to this group's page involves a few parents, upward to six or seven discussing a situation. This particular case had twice to three times that many, if not more, debating one another over what a few of them considered a serious problem stemming from a decision that our educators made recently. What could be so bad to cause such an uproar in our small little group? It didn't take long to figure out that the culprits in this matter that had some parents absolutely livid were none other than Tom & Jerry. Yep, my loyal reader, you read that right... Tom the cat and Jerry the mouse.... cartoons.
I can sense that some of you are a little confused, so let me go back a little so you can better understand all this. I felt the same because even though my daughter attends this school, I found myself wondering how all this started to begin with. A few weeks prior while searching for a remedy to quell boisterous lunchtime sessions, administrators and cafeteria personnel decided to offer the children a reward if they showed proper behavior during lunch Monday through Thursday. If they earned it, they would have cartoons shown at lunchtime on Friday for fifteen minutes. As far as I'm concerned, I felt the school staff had come up with a solution that would be effective and make everyone happy. I should have known better. A handful of over-reactionary parents went online berserk over the matter and I'm sure, went well past the point of attaching angry emoticons to their posts by wasting our educators time complaining to them over the practice. All the while justifying their unfounded rage by citing that they don't send their children to school to watch cartoons.
Not being able to remain silent (a trait my wife constantly reminds me that I have to work on) when I decided to put in my two cents, I chose to approach the subject in a sense that we have to consider carefully what we decide to question when it comes to our educators decisions. We must do our best to not waste valuable time and resources on trivial matters. Within the structure of the debate I had brought up an example of what I felt was a decision that administrators had made that I didn't agree with at either end of the process. Original rule as well as modification thereof. I won't bother you with the details, but I will tell you that I thought I had made it clear that although I felt the situation unfair, it wasn't worth kicking my heels up over. It was just a decision that we should accept while addressing more important matters. After a day or so, I only received one reply to my comment. Not to agree or to debate me over what I had written but to correct me on how the example I used as an insignificant matter actually came about. This reply lead me to two possible conclusions. Either I made my statement so pointed that it was impossible to debate or the people that took the time to read it really didn't understand the point of it. Unfortunately, I presume it was the latter.
One of the main concerns raised over the lunchtime cartoons was that children were losing time interacting with one another. Does anyone else besides me actually remember how we interacted in grade school? For those that don't, a recent incident that my wife and I witnessed at my daughter's Daisy Girl Scout meeting may refresh some memories. While doing their weekly craft, some of the girls did indeed interact with one another. Was the topic of choice about scouting, cookie sales, being honest while using resources wisely or taking responsibility for what they say or do? Maybe someone's new sneakers or a new outfit? What their sibling did or what happened in school the other day? Nope. Not one of those subjects was even mentioned. No, my fellow Observers, this weeks discussion focused around our daughter's stuffed dog and how bad he was because he was passing gas and had pooped all over the table they were working on. Oh.... he also had diarrhea.... and there was blood in it. I would also like to point out that this was not just a couple of the girls at the meeting involved in the "interaction". When the subject was broached over half the girls on our daughter's side of the table made comments on the plush pooch's potty problems as well as pictorial demonstrations made with markers on the protective table cloth. This is what parents feel is so much better than Tom & Jerry? I'd rather have them watching cartoons. But these parents shouldn't be worried. If the children are too busy watching Looney Toons during lunch, they will have no problem debating Pup Pup's flatulence and defecation dilemma at recess, the other four days a week at lunch when they are not watching cartoons and even in the classroom. I know... I've been there.... I've heard it.
If you ask me, kids could use a little less interaction. Maybe I'm being too negative though. I personally have fond memories of being shaken down for my lunch money. I did so enjoy watching the smaller kids being picked last for the team and I always had a great time when the more well off kids made fun of the less fortunate one's attire of the day. Let's face it, children interacting with one another is something that most of them would be better off without. Do these people have amnesia or do they really look back on their school careers as "good times"? I for one would not wish the experiences I and some of my friends endured on my worst enemy... well... maybe my worst, but I would assuredly not want any child, especially my own to suffer them. Regrettably, I know deep down they will just the same.
The fact is that most children left unmonitored to interact with each other are cruel, disgusting and conduct themselves in a manner much worse than they could ever emulate from a cartoon. The sadder part is that a lot of the kids that act this way, if not kept in check, never grow out of the behavior. The news isn't all bad though. A lot of the ones I knew went on to find successful careers in politics and on the police force.
I understand the importance as well as the need for parental participation and opinion on the matters of our children's education. I also understand that not all parents will be happy with all the decisions made by educators and sometimes those choices will be scrutinized by malcontents. What we have to comprehend is that we should pick our battles wisely. We must be able to determine realistically which matters are of importance and which are insignificant. We have to let our school officials modify or create rules based on the day to day conditions that we as parents are not privy to and most importantly we have to allow our kids to be kids within that process. If we continue to make our education administrators explain every detail of every decision they make because a handful of parents decide they want to make an issue out of what the majority feels inconsequential, we waste time and resources that would better serve our children. Everyone's opinion does count, but as adults we have an obligation to decide which deserve our voice. Strictly an Observation. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to watch SpongeBob with my daughter.
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Phoenix with Pup-Pup