My Ds has brought this poem home from school and been told to learn it. Please come and give me your thoughts on wether I should speak to the school.

[MTPurse]

As the title says, Ds has came home from school today with a Poem to learn, He has to learn it to be read out between a group of them(apparently he was chosen to read it as he is good at drama/being dramatic).

This is all I know, I have no other info on what it is about and why he has to learn it yet

Now I am not into poetry at all so maybe I just don't 'get it' but I really think this is completely unsuitable for Children due to the context. I am not a strict parent at all but Guns , Knives, Swords and Violence have no part in my family life and I will not allow my ds to play cod and stuff like that, in fact we have had numerous arguments about this.

Personally, I get the humour in it and think it would be fine on a staffroom wall but aibu to think it is not suitable for children?

Here is the poem:

The Lesson

Chaos ruled OK in the classroom
as bravely the teacher walked in
the nooligans ignored him
his voice was lost in the din

'The theme for today is violence
and homework will be set
I'm going to teach you a lesson
one that you'll never forget'

He picked on a boy who was shouting
and throttled him then and there
then garrotted the girl behind him
(the one with grotty hair)

Then sword in hand he hacked his way
between the chattering rows
'First come, first severed' he declared
'fingers, feet or toes'

He threw the sword at a latecomer
it struck with deadly aim
then pulling out a shotgun
he continued with his game

The first blast cleared the backrow
(where those who skive hang out)
they collapsed like rubber dinghies
when the plug's pulled out

'Please may I leave the room sir? '
a trembling vandal enquired
'Of course you may' said teacher
put the gun to his temple and fired

The Head popped a head round the doorway
to see why a din was being made
nodded understandingly
then tossed in a grenade

And when the ammo was well spent
with blood on every chair
Silence shuffled forward
with its hands up in the air

The teacher surveyed the carnage
the dying and the dead
He waggled a finger severely
'Now let that be a lesson' he said

Roger McGough :

I'm amazed people would find this unacceptable. I'd have thought it was just the sort of dark humour kids enjoy. Ronald Dahl-sequel. Roger McGough's stuff is widely used in schools. If be more worried about the length of it - memorising something that long would be a feat!

The only part I'd be worried about is the term 'garrotted' as I don't think all pupils would be familiar with it and it would need to be explained sensitively. Apart from that I wouldn't have a problem with it. It's a great poem IMO.

Ah, I knew it was Roger McGough straightaway, my mum bought me a book of his poetry - aimed at kids for my 9th birthday. I think it's fine for yr5!

The boy is 10, not 8.

As I said, ds is 10 and also in year 5. He enjoyed the poem, was able to see the satire and themes. Is not traumatised.

Golly. Awkward. Hmmmm.

I think I might have given it to the students....but it would definitely depend on the child. It is a quite well-known poem and, depending on the context, could be a brilliant learning tool. I would have thought boys of that age would love it and think it hilarious. I'm probably a bit dubious about giving it to him to learn off by heart, though....just because that makes it more significant. A quick activity though? Yes. It would work particularly well with boys who might be edging towards becoming a little disaffected.

Meh. It's the kind of dark humour lots of kids love. Assuming the teacher knows the class well and is aware of any issues I don't think it's a problem.

Why does he have to learn it by heart?? What possible benefit could he get from that?
It's obviously satire but maybe more appropriate for slightly older kids but it depends on the context in which it's being taught. I don't think I'd complain about it.

I did this poem at school, loved this blast from the past :)

You Tell Me written with Michael Rosen, definitely a book of kids' poems and I'm sure that one's in it

Woops, misread the age.

Still think inappropriate for a ten year old though.

Ah yes, I used to teach this to y7. Great introduction to alliteration, simile, personification. It's on a very common scheme of learning which has been doing the rounds online for years.

Eventually we dropped it (every year one parent complained).

No one ever picked us up on 'The Wall' by Pink Floyd mind you...same poetry unit, much creepier & less funny.

Wow the most up to date we got was Wordsworths daffodils

I don't like it. I find all the bits about shooting pupils particularly disturbing given how much of that has gone on in schools in the U.S. recently.

My class recited this at our y6 leaving assembly. It was quite a long time ago (1990) but I just remember it as being quite funny.
If you're not happy though you should speak to the school.

I'm not quite sure about any of the reasons behind it yet, I will find out tomorrow.

I have been at school all evening helping out at the disco and spoke to his teacher and the head, I haven't got a bee in my bonnet about it or anything, I have just never heard/seen this poem before and wondered if it was suitable.

Obviously if I am being unreasonable about it I won't say a word but I will find out tomorrow why he has to learn it and who he is going to have to read it out to.

I find this poem to be in very poor taste in light of school killings that have taken place throughout the years.

I received this in a The Mersey Sound for my 9th birthday:I thought it was a brilliant book, and great poetry- and it's still in my office over 30 years later. I don't think 9 - or 10 - is too early to learn about satire

That is really horrible. Im shocked that anybody should have to learn it, a
adult or child!

Oh - and I was also very taken with "At Lunchtime: a story of love": but I suspect that MN would also be about a 9 year old child reading that too

Safeguarding issue that a pupil of that age has had access and been encouraged to read this. Tread carefully as, and this is not a slight on your son at all, but some kids when asked to pick poems out of anthologies etc do check out the controversial ones. Just perhaps check with class teacher first . Bit off age rating wise. Safeguarding should be all over this.

YABU Does DS think it's funny? Presumably yes - humour is a great way of getting kids to take an interest and poetry is a wonderful thing to be interested in.
Proof of whether the poem is a good choice will be if he manages to learn it and if he's keen to perform it for you. The violence is obviously cartoon violence, so not something to worry about. Speak to DS about it if it worries you.

Oh lord I can't imagine what the teachers of the precious little flowers in the school I teach would say to that poem.

Probably why the little nuggets only get Shakespeare and War poetry. I introduced them to spoken word poetry about racism and got complaints for days.

Good luck to that teacher I say!

But McGough wrote it in a different context back then. A good discussion to be had - but not really for Year 5?