Nov 25 2002
Protecting children?
Somehow, these two stories seem related. Parents expect schools to “protect” their children.
Protect them from what? The real world? Aren’t kids supposed to be going to school to get an education? Why not expose them to some of what they are going to be faced with in the real world?
I will agree that schools need to protect children from snipers, sexual predators and the like, especially these days. I will also agree that the father who chaperoned his son’s fourth grade class while dressed in women’s clothing was perhaps carrying things a bit far. However, I do not think schools should be protecting children from reality. They need to be exposed to some of the things they are going to be faced with when they are finally forced out into the cold, cruel world. How many times during your day do you use (x + y)/3.2 = b*(a/c)? Unless you are a math teacher, I’d bet not often.
