To be shocked & astounded that DD's teacher has told the class that some penguins can fly :o

[ignoranceisntbliss]

On the way home yesterday DD told me that her teacher had told the class at carpet time that some penguins can fly. I thought that perhaps the teacher had made a joke and DD took it literally, so put a little note in the reading record asking her to assure DD that penguins can't fly.

Today I read the response, which explains that Adèlie penguins can fly, and that was the penguin being discussed. This is rare and unusual but is documented by the BBC.

Well yes, the BBC's 2008 April Fool's Day hoax, which shows a 'newly discovered' colony of Adèlie penguins flying 1000 of miles to a warm tropical rain forest to get away from the snow & ice.

Penguins wings are vestigial & they have solid rather than hollow bones because they are adapted to swimming and can not fly.

So just to put my mind at rest, I'm right about ALL penguins being flightless birds and it's not that unreasonable to be utterly gob-smacked is it?

Oh and I have so changed my nickname for this - I will feel mortified if I'm wrong and will feel mortified for her if I'm right!

Adelie penguins can, kind of, fly. They leap 2-3m out of the sea onto shore, which could, technically, be classed as flying.

Just send another message saying...ha ha, yes I fell for that at first

Go on, I dare you

Teachers a fuck wit.

Unsure I'd leave it at emailing head. Governors too. Jus for kicks!

If a teacher tells the class something blatantly wrong then they need telling.

You've said that the teacher is bright and lovely, so I really don't think there's any need to be mortified for her that she'd remembered the documentary from 2008 and not known it was a hoax. If it came up at carpet time I assume it was in relation to a book they were looking at or came up in conversation, rather than because they are doing a project on penguins and she hasn't bothered to research it? She thought there was a rare species of penguin that could fly, not all penguins.

Flying penguins can't be any worse than teaching creationism. Also blatantly wrong, but try telling its believers.

of course they need telling, but I am less convinced of the need for all this hand wringing. She is going to feel such a fool anyway. But, you know, I bet she didn't do in out of some conviction of innate, misplaced superiority. She got a note, thought 'Oh that parent hasn't seen the documentary' and wrote the reply. Probably.

It is like the marking errors in red pen, people just LOVE to get one over on the teacher. Perhaps a hang over from when we were all at their mercy?

Tented teaching creationism as scientific fact is not allowed in UK schools though.

Love the penguin documentary! The penguins in that are swimming, aren't they?

I should hope not, Myrtle, but it is elsewhere.

It is like the marking errors in red pen, people just LOVE to get one over on the teacher. Perhaps a hang over from when we were all at their mercy?

DS1's school report featured comments by his English teacher about the need to proof-read his work to ensure accuracy. The effect of this was somewhat mitigated by the teacher having pasted the paragraph about proof-reading in twice. It was an absolute joy. (I didn't say anything, obviously, because i totally understand why the teacher hadn't proof-read the hundreds of reports he'd had to write that week and that DS most definitely does have time to proof read his work).

I wonder if she's told them about polar bears eating penguins

jassy of course they don't - everyone knows they would eat penguins, but they can't get the wrappers off

I wonder if this teacher has ever seen "Dumbo" ?

I have two SIL's who are teachers both have zero knowledge of the world around them.

Adelie penguins are my favourites.

They are also thieves, necrophiliacs and all-around sexually deviant. (This is not why I love them)

Proof of sexually deviant penguins

This reminds me of when ds's teacher (y1), had a word with me about ds's 'imagination'. Apparently he had been telling the class about tuna jumping back up the river.

"Ds", I said, "mrs E says you been telling her that tuna jump back up the river?"
"No, it's Salmon" he said.
"Well, it doesn't really matter about the type of fish does it", says mrs E, looking at ds " there aren't any fish that can jump back up the river like that are there? "

Go figure.

Hope the teacher isn't a Mumsnetter.

, phantom

Hibiscus, maybe better if she were, and could correct herself without OP having to try for a second time!

Tell her that Penguins can't fly and I KNOW an actual Penguinologist so am the font of all knowledge on these things

Lesshaste: that is utterly brilliant. Belligerent and wrong.

Wrt penguins: may I politely inform you that it is also NOT TRUE that they are only found (in the wild) in the Southern Hemisphere?

The Galapagos penguin lives - gasp! - on the Galapagos Islands, which straddle the equator. They have colonies on specific islands, and a few of these colonies are indeed just north of the equator.

You're welcome.

Is your dc child's school in South Wales by any chance? My ds got told the same in reception with the BBC hoax doc being the evidence.

No not in South Wales - but I feel better knowing others have been fooled by the hoax.

Penguinologist