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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Teacher showing photos of dead people! Surely this is a bit too much!?

77 replies

Memoo · 12/01/2011 15:39

Ds is in year 5 and in geography the class has been learning about tsunamis and other natural disasters. The teacher showed them a video and some photos but two of the photos were of dead people. From the way DS described it to me it sounds as if the photos were close ups. Am I being a bit over sensitive or is this is bit off? I don?t want to wrap ds in cotton wool but I think showing 9 and 10 year olds photos of dead bodies is a step too far.

OP posts:
ApocalypseCheeseToastie · 12/01/2011 16:59

I wouldn't have a problem with it tbh.

When we were in year 10 our biology teacher plonked a jar containing a 16 week old feotus on the table (without warning) turned out he had lots of them, right up to full term, at the time my mother was outraged and can't say I enjoyed the experience but I got over it.

scurryfunge · 12/01/2011 17:01

I do not see a problem with it provided the issue is explored. If we give out the message that death is a topic to be avoided, how could a child ever cope with bereavement?

Original poster
Memoo · 12/01/2011 17:35

Ok, having had time to think about it for a while I can see that ds seeing the pictures wouldn't have been a bad thing had it been handled it the right way.

I have spoken to the teacher and it seems that the photos were shown as part of a slide show. she didn't actually discuss these particular images with the class. So the children have seen two close up images of dead bodies without any opportunity to talk about them or discuss how they made them feel.

While I have now come to the conclusion that the teacher intentions were good I think she has handled it very insensitively and without considering how the children may feel.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 12/01/2011 17:37

did you tell her that, memoo and did she accept it ?

if that is the case, she should schedule some time to talk with the class about how the pictures made hem feel

Original poster
Memoo · 12/01/2011 17:43

Yes I did Af, we actually had quite a long talk about it. She did say that she sees how it could have been done better. She is going to have a chat to the children tomorrow and said that ds can talk to her first thing if it is still worrying him. To be fair she is a young teacher and has just been a bit naive. I've had a lovely little chat with ds and he is fine now.

OP posts:
pointydog · 12/01/2011 17:43

I would talk about it to my child but wouldn't feel anything wrong had taken place.

AnyFucker · 12/01/2011 18:07

ah, then good result Smile

nzshar · 12/01/2011 18:42

ds is 6 and watches the news with me, whenever a issue such as people dying we discuss....it's called education and being aware that the world does not stop at the end of our own streets.

Original poster
Memoo · 12/01/2011 18:45

Nzshar, so you would be happy for your child to view such images without also having the opportunity to discuss them and how they made him feel?

OP posts:
Deaddei · 12/01/2011 18:52

I would not have a problem with it at all.
And yes, I too agree with AnyFucker.

tomhardyismydh · 12/01/2011 19:06

I would not have a problem with it tbh. death is as natural as living.

EdgarAleNPie · 12/01/2011 19:30

Fucked up atmospheric pressures, mixed with rising temperatures increase the danger of and likelihood of ' severe weather events'; hurricanes, tidal waves, floods, tsunamis.

what? tsunamis aren't to do with climate - they're usally caused by volcanic/tectonic activity - or meteorites! One of the worse was cause by Kratatoa.....

and the 'extreme weather' thesis is very dodgy - even if you believe anthropogenic global climate change has been proved.

expatinscotland · 12/01/2011 19:37

Oh, there was an even better one on a thread last night, Edgar, from a different ignoramus, saying that it's a scientific fact that 99% of all pain is fear and that people only need hypnosis to get through surgery.

Someone should tell the NHS, they're wasting a lot of money on anaesthetists :o.

harpsichordcarrier · 12/01/2011 19:47

Per Blu: 'Bodies are siply the bodies of people who have died. I would rather DS saw factual footage in an educational context than endless fictional deaths in the interests of entertainment and exciting films.'

Yes, I agree very much with that comment.
I think it is entirely appropriate to expose children to a variety of experiences at school.

charliesmommy · 12/01/2011 20:26

were there a lot of carbon emissions in Italy round about the time of Pompeii? must have been the american tourists...

Poor Americans get blamed for everything...

charliesmommy · 12/01/2011 20:26

were there a lot of carbon emissions in Italy round about the time of Pompeii? must have been the american tourists...

Poor Americans get blamed for everything...

EdgarAleNPie · 12/01/2011 21:09

yers..obviously all that pain people feel is really fear. even when they're not afraid...

expatinscotland · 12/01/2011 21:49

They never quite got round to explaining how a body still goes into shock when it's hypnotised and someone attempts to operate on it without anaesthesia.

I mean if it's all in your mind, why does your brain still decide to switch into self-destruct mode? Those pesky pain receptors and nerves! Silly evolution!

prettyone · 12/01/2011 22:04

Does he watch the news?

angrymommy · 12/01/2011 22:05

My son's teacher took her students on a field trip to a cemetery. My husband and I were appalled when we found out about it. Our son keeps talking about graves, flowers and crosses now. He's all deathed out.LOL We're afraid he might get all schooled out now... What do you think?

nzshar · 12/01/2011 22:06

Memoo in answer to your question no by year 5 I would have no problem with seeing such images and would hope that if ds did feel the need to discuss that he would bring it up with either his teacher or me in a rational way. Maybe I am living in a fantasy world though because as I said ds is only 6 at the moment.

pointydog · 12/01/2011 22:15

Children, just like adults, will often see or hear things that they don't quite understand or that worry them or intrigue them. Most of the time, there will not be a discussion immediately afterwards to discuss feelings and I really don't think this is essential. Your child has raised it with you, naturally enough. I'd enjoy the chance to talk over it with my child.

A similar sort of thing happened at school when my child was 5 and the twin towers were destroyed.

SmethwickBelle · 12/01/2011 22:18

When I was seven my primary school teacher read us Roots in all the gory details, we registered that it was nasty but not in a way that kept us up at night if memory serves, although every year I did remember it with increasing compassion/horror. Rightly so. I might not have educated myself about this as an adult so I am pleased that it was taught to me..

I think children can cope with a bit of grim reality actually. I wouldn't consider it to be unreasonable of the school to broaden her perspective on the world in this way, as long as there were lots of opportunities for their worries and questions to be addressed.

angrymommy · 12/01/2011 22:27

Right... now he's afraid of his teacher...that's why I wrote "all schooled out"

troisgarcons · 12/01/2011 23:16

Memoo Wed 12-Jan-11 15:39:00
Ds is in year 5 and in geography the class has been learning about tsunamis and other natural disasters. The teacher showed them a video and some photos but two of the photos were of dead people. From the way DS described it to me it sounds as if the photos were close ups. Am I being a bit over sensitive or is this is bit off? I don?t want to wrap ds in cotton wool but I think showing 9 and 10 year olds photos of dead bodies is a step too far.

Dont peple die when you are at primary shcool? is is disgusting to be dead? Do the dead hurt you or spook you/

grow up, get a grip and realise that death is a part of life.

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