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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think this was inappropriate

78 replies

vanillabananashake · 20/04/2015 16:05

DD is in y7 and the teacher taught them to remember a science experiment using words they know in an order.

She used Jimmy savile and said you will all remember that as its funny.

Aibu to be annoyed at this?

OP posts:
DixieNormas · 20/04/2015 22:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sparklingbrook · 20/04/2015 22:54

I feel harassed now.

SpinDoctorOfAethelred · 20/04/2015 22:56

I'm asking what the procedure might be, because

  1. if you specified, there's always the possibility this might be a great misunderstanding that luvverly mumsnetters can clear all up, and
  2. if you really, really, really what to know, the level of prevarication an OP twists herself through in responses to simple questions helps me discreetly work out whether I'm happy committing myself to attempting to help any particular internet sprite in MN AIB AT U section.

MNHQ don't like it if you ask outright. Wink

DixieNormas · 20/04/2015 22:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
vanillabananashake · 20/04/2015 22:56

That makes two of us. I'm not trying to be rude, but just suppose your child had learned today that rape was a joke, that being hurt and frightened and scared and alone by someone big and powerful was funny, and people said "Oh, what was the lesson about?"

Would you not feel that slightly missed the point? It's like saying someone has died and someone saying 'hmm, lovely day isn't it?' I guess it made me feel like my post itself was being ignored but I apologise for being rude. I am just quite wound up and stressed about this.

OP posts:
HoneyDragon · 20/04/2015 22:57

Well the context is somewhat relavant. The sentence could have been 'Jimmy Saville was an evil fucker'

Still not appropriate, but at least correct.

Original poster
vanillabananashake · 20/04/2015 22:59

I am so sorry but I don't understand what you mean by "procedure." If you mean at the school, I am afraid I just don't know. I haven't complained before.

No, I'm not a troll, I'm upset.

I am going to ask MNHQ to pull the thread as I have given more detail than I wanted to anyway and it is in danger of turning into a bun fight, I accept my part in this but really - I did say very early on that I didn't feel the content of the lesson made a difference to the overall message and I'm upset some seem to think it does.

OP posts:
DixieNormas · 20/04/2015 23:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Koalafications · 20/04/2015 23:01

This thread is really weird...

I seem to be saying this a lot lately

DixieNormas · 20/04/2015 23:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
vanillabananashake · 20/04/2015 23:01

No - it's written on the worksheet. It says "this is a serious way to remember ... this is a funny way to remember."

Then they have to think of their own example.

OP posts:
SpinDoctorOfAethelred · 20/04/2015 23:03

Procedure as in science experiment. Sorry that wasn't clear.

Original poster
vanillabananashake · 20/04/2015 23:04

I don't know and as I've said a few times now Smile it isn't the point of the thread.

I mean, raping little girls isn't acceptable - no matter what the experiment - surely?

OP posts:
HoneyDragon · 20/04/2015 23:05

I don't think a Jim'll fix ref would be out of order either.

It's an ingrained parlance.

Much like the difficulty over Gary glitter songs.

Or Rolf Harris ones.

Bad people yes, but what they produced have become ingrained in modern culture.

Sheitgeist · 20/04/2015 23:05

Despite the misunderstandings and upset here, OP, I think everyone agrees with you that it is at the very least inappropriate, regardless of what the mnemonic sentence is, or is about.
I, for one, would be furious if this happened in my DCs school. Please do send that email or make that call.

Original poster
vanillabananashake · 20/04/2015 23:11

No, it honestly isn't like that honey. It is a sentence about JS that is designed to be rude and naughty and according to the worksheet 'funny.'

I certainly wouldn't object to a jim'll fix it reference and I will confess to dancing to another rock n roll Christmas with glee when it comes on - with some guilt - but there is a massive difference to that and the reference here that is effectively that JS is 'funny' not because of his past before his sexual preferences were revealed, but because of his sexual preferences. In other words, that rape and abuse are funny.

I am wondering now if it's just my DCs school :) but references to JS/GG/RH are used as insults - as is 'paedophile' and 'rape.' So someone knocking into someone else on the corridor will induce hoofs of laughter and 'rape! Rape!' They might say to (say) a y9 boy who kisses a y7 'you are JS.'

So - the teacher seems to be playing into this rather than telling them how inappropriate it is.

It's something that cuts very close to the bone for my family, and i obviously apologise for getting irate but I still don't understand why what the kids were doing makes any difference!

OP posts:
ToffeePenny · 20/04/2015 23:14

If it's the Pluto-less planets mnemonic then the teacher got it from a competition that was run in a scientific journal a few years back when the meaning of planet was changed - 'Mount Vesuvious' eruptions make Jimmy Saville unusually nervous'.

There are plenty other mnemonics out there and the teacher should have picked something else given the age group.

Original poster
vanillabananashake · 20/04/2015 23:17

It wasn't, but I would be incredibly appreciative if the speculations and the questions about the content of the lesson could be held back as I am very concerned about identifying detail and repercussions as a result, I have asked MN to pull the thread, hopefully they will :)

OP posts:
DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 20/04/2015 23:27

Actually Sparkling, I've just seen the OP's dd is in yr 7 which is a bit young, my ds is year 9Smile

Koalafications · 21/04/2015 00:24

We were taught My Very Easy Method Just So U No Planets

I don't think it improved our English but it was really easy to remember!

JessesGirl · 21/04/2015 07:37

OP did the teacher actually read out the worksheet and make reference to JS or just hand it out to pupils? I'm just wondering whether it's an old worksheet and the teacher didn't pick up on the JS reference? Either way I still think the school needs to be made aware that it is incredibly inappropriate.
Also the 'rape rape' thing I think is just teenagers attempting to be funny... It was the same when I was at school Hmm

Icimoi · 21/04/2015 07:46

OP, with every respect, children do the planets as a topic all over the country. If that is what this is about, then telling us the topic is not what would out you. Obviously, what is much more likely to out you is the reference to JS which is in your very first post. If you didn't want to be identifiable via that you shouldn't have raised the issue at all.

Original poster
vanillabananashake · 21/04/2015 07:49

I have asked Mumsnet to pull it.

Jesses, the worksheet references JS's sexual past using 'mild' language but it certainly isn't an old worksheet. I agree the 'rape' thing is one thing coming from a teenager who finds it funny (there was a spate of shouting 'Ebola' when somebody was off ill too) but it should not be coming from a teacher, should it?

OP posts:
lostincumbria · 21/04/2015 07:51

Was it a planets order mnemonic? My sons learned, "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Nine Pizzas". Of course, the Pizza bit is constantly debated.

maudpringles · 21/04/2015 08:06

I can totally understand why you are upset and would complain to the school straight away.
I can't see why we need to know what context it was used in....It makes no difference.
That awful man Angry Angry