The random political thoughts thread (Part Deux)

[BarTopDancer]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

What the hell are you talking about? Am I speaking a different language? What part of understanding they might not think the same way I do when they're older didn't you understand? Did I say it was a bad thing?

I do understand that you don't want them to be exposed to any views that aren't yours until they are older. It seems that you think that children shouldn't be exposed to different views until they are old enough to have the critical thinking skills to understand people believe differently then you do.

Problem (or not) is, by the time they reach that age your views will be so ingrained in them that they will think the other views are wrong and they won't have the tools to be able to understand that people do have different views because they won't be exposed to anyone with different views.



And now I feel like we've gone beyond discussing politics in general to criticizing your parenting skills. That, I don't think is cool.

I will apologize for the directness of this to your personal, off-board life. I say what I say about anyone who doesn't expose their kids to different views (general ewe, in a way). The topic is good, the subject direction is a poor choice.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by BarTopDancer

Problem (or not) is, by the time they reach that age your views will be so ingrained in them that they will think the other views are wrong and they won't have the tools to be able to understand that people do have different views because they won't be exposed to anyone with different views.

To the complete contrary!

I was completely immersed in certain philosophies until I went to college. I certainly do NOT share much in common with my dad.

And guiding them through different views does expose them to the fact that there are other views. We don't pretend there aren't any.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

Honestly, I find these questions from you and MBC.....scary, for lack of a better word.

I must have missed a page, didn't see the back and forth with MBC (though you never answered when I asked the same thing a few pages back).

You shouldn't be scared by me. I'm not saying you're wrong necessarily and of course parents tend to pass on their view of the world to their children (it is no accident that while everybody feels their religion is obviously and intellectually the obvious one the most reliable indicator of religious belief in an adult is to see what the religious beliefs of the parents were). I just think you're dishonest in how you frame the objection. Your issue is not with young children being exposed to ideas they can't understand (what you said), your issue is the idea that the teacher would intrude on your territory in taking advantage of them being too young to understand to try and ensure that by the time they are old enough to understand they've already been taught your point of view as the correct one (and thus, are much less likely to question it even once capable).

You also moved the goalposts. Initially you said you didn't trust Obama. Then you shifted that distrust to the teachers. As has been pointed out, if that is the concern it exists independently of whatever the president is doing. But I'm sure you've done your best to make sure your children are in an academic environment least likely to challenge your personal views.

===

In third grade we a required class activity was to read one article from the local newspaper and write one paragraph summarizing it and develop a scrapbook through the year. Am I correct that you would object to such an exercise since it exposed our young minds to all kinds of news and ideas (I can't remember if the oped page was included but I know everything else was)?

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Alex

I must have missed a page, didn't see the back and forth with MBC (though you never answered when I asked the same thing a few pages back).

...

I just think you're dishonest in how you frame the objection. Your issue is not with young children being exposed to ideas they can't understand (what you said), your issue is the idea that the teacher would intrude on your territory in taking advantage of them ...

You also moved the goalposts. Initially you said you didn't trust Obama. Then you shifted that distrust to the teachers.

...

In third grade we a required class activity was to read one article from the local newspaper and write one paragraph summarizing it and develop a scrapbook through the year. Am I correct that you would object to such an exercise since it exposed our young minds to all kinds of news and ideas (I can't remember if the oped page was included but I know everything else was)?

I wasn't trying to dodge your earlier question of me. In all likelihood I missed it as there has been a lot posted here in a short period of time.

I suppose i can't really disagree with your second point. Yes, at a young age, I am concerned about a teacher directly contradicting my moral leanings. Even political leanings. I don't see that as problematic. Once they get to a point of being able to debate and defend and reconsider abstract thought, I do not have a problem with it. I don't see that as unreasonable.

I do not think I moved the goal posts. I think early on (perhaps not my first post on the subject after someone else brought his school speech into the thread) I mentioned my problem with both. After I read the speech, I clearly stated I no longer had a problem with the speech in and of itself.

New thoughts an new ideas in a newspaper article? I'm not sure why you think I would object to that. What you described would be reading facts and summarizing. Even if it were an op ed, I would suspect my child would be doing such as homework and would be discussing it with me (I help my kids with their homework and review it every night).