I don’t usually peruse the so-called local newspaper, especially since it reports so little of local (to me) news, unless it’s sensational and negative. However, after having just finished my second novel in two weeks (an avid reader am I), I wanted something quick and lightweight to read as I sipped on my iced green tea.

I happened upon an article in which the author described his visit to a local school to share career day with a group of fourth graders. Further, he went on to describe how well the day was going until a counselor asked him to stop distributing newspapers to these fourth graders (important) because of article on the front page which concerned a sexual assault on a 14 year old girl. And of course, you know the headline was lurid and eye-catching. Apparently, he was welcome to distribute the papers without the front page, but instead of either ceasing to distribute the papers or removing the front page of the paper, he chose instead to leave the career day and not continue giving his presentation. How very adult – because you are asked not to do something for what school officials perceive as detrimental to the children, you decide to deprive the other children of your presentation. According to what he wrote, he felt that he was censored and being told what to say and what not to say.

According to the author, he was told that the principal did not want the children to see or have a newspaper with “such a story in it”, i.e. “Sex Assault of girl, 14, alleged”. He also wrote that he was “irritated” (his words) that the school would not use the news story as a teaching tool – teaching “youths” that there are predators out there. He then goes on to write that the school administrators chose to “bury the issue”.

As a parent, former educator and well familiar with the inner workings of a school system, I have to shake my head at this author’s naïveté about this issue. First of all, I totally understand the school’s position. As a mother, I would not want my fourth grade child reading an article about a sex assault on a 14 year old girl without me being right there to explain and clarify if needed. Second, as a parent, it is my understanding that my child will not be exposed to news stories of a sexual nature without my knowledge or permission. We as parents raise our children in different ways – it’s not that we are hiding the “bad things” of the world from our children or, as the author wrote, “bury the issue”, we want to be able to guide and advise our children through these events.

As for the teachers not using this as a teaching tool – the purpose of the author’s visit to the school was not to influence curriculum and lesson plans but to expose children to his chosen career in journalism in a non partisan, rated G type of way. Passing out a newspaper where the leading headline is “Sex Assault of girl, 14, alleged” to fourth graders (ages 9-11) is not exactly what you would call a best educational practice.

Schools do not bury the issue of sexual assault and predators from children, nor do they try to pretend that sexual predators do not target children. Rather, trained counselors teach these issues to our children and support teachers in their teaching of this subject.

Do you know what I think happened? I think that this person brought the papers to the school and didn’t even look at the headline. It just happened that the day’s headline was a little too much (in my opinion as a teacher) for 9-11 year olds. When this was pointed out to him, instead of thinking, gee, this may not be the best headline/story for children to read w/out parental or teacher guidance. Instead, he decided to become angry and walk out.

I commend the school for having the insight to take the newspapers from the fourth graders. Believe me, if those papers had gone home, many parents would have had a definite issue with that leading story. And, for the record, it’s because if our children are going to be exposed to such a touchy subject, let us as parents be the one to expose and guide them through.

Link to article: http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009905260307

Tell me – what would you think if your 9-10 year old came home with a newspaper with a lurid headline? Do you think this person was right in simply walking out of a career day because the school imposed a guideline on the content being distributed?