Learning about Jack the Ripper in year 8

[Lottielou272]

My dd is learning about this in history at the moment. They are looking at graphic photos of the mutilated bodies etc and she seems a bit disturbed by the details.

I suppose there must be a reason why this is on the curriculum but I'm wondering how many schools are doing this? The school is very good generally and I don't have any other concerns.

As long as they are teaching them that JtR was the tip of the iceburg for women who lived in the rookeries and worked on the streets...he was just the publicised face of the violence and the horrors they had to put up with!

When we were in Year 8 (Second Year, it was called then), we had to read a graphic poem about drowning kittens in a bucket - Jack The Ripper would have been a welcome change of text!

From what I remember, the Ripper photos are particularly gruesome, especially the last murder in Miller's Court, althought they are thankfully not in colour. I'm a bit surprised they're showing them to school children.

I teach Jack the Ripper to year 9. It's there end of year treat. They love it and get so excited!! The pics that are available are not really to bad. The one I consider rather awful is that of the final murder. I give the kids a warning and they don't have to look at any. They always look!

siilk shame on you. Have a little think and read what you wrote.

Learnt about jack the ripper in year six here as part of victorion history we were fascinated. No less grim than your brain been removed with a hook (year five ). Does horrible histories cover jack. If so bet most kids know

Yes Zaphod very true. Their lives were full of violence and poverty on a scale we would find hard to imagine now.

I'm genuinely at a loss about comments that the photos aren't that bad and can only think people haven't seen them or are misremembering if they have - which is understandable. I know you see some gruesome stuff on prime time tv now but these are much worse - all the more so for being real.

There is actually a fairly big difference between seeing a graphic crime scene photo of a mutilated female and knowing that egyptians removed the brains of dead people with a hook.

I would question what the photos add to the learning

I teach Jack the Ripper to year 9. It's there end of year treat. They love it and get so excited!!

Fucking hell.

I'm a bit mystified why studying any serial killer would be a good use of school time. It seems much too particular. Time would be better added to what if any is spent on Stalin, Hitler and Genghis Khan.

Jack the Ripper isn't a fucking fairy story. Real women died. Just as real women keep on dying at the hands of men, week in, week out. The ongoing Disneyfication of JtR and the dehumanisation of his victims is a fucking scandal.

Those of you salivating over the gore - would you go on an 'Ian Huntley' tour? Or maybe a ''Fred West reenactment evening'?

It's a valid part of British history. The study of the Holocaust is far more harrowing believe me!!!!

The depressing answer is that some of you probably would, I guess.

It's a valid part of British History

Only if it's taught and studied in the right way, in the right context.

Otherwise it's just more torture porn.

And I know about the Holocaust, thanks.

I'm really upset about what you wrote siilks. Every syllable of it drips with immaturity and thoughtlessness. How dare you come on a parenting website, announce yourself as a teacher and write such illiterate and offensive dribble?
If you taught my children I'd be that parent, and vocally and unashamedly so.

As a PP has said. I went to a catholic school so learnt about the crucifixion. The name of the school was English Martyrs. We were taught all about how and why they died. And it was not pretty. Don't think we suffered any lasting damage!

RawPrawn and Apocalypse - well said. You're both more articulate than me.

Agree with Raw. The glamorisation of a sick, murdering Bastard makes me feel a little ill.

Thanks flippin I don't feel articulate I feel inchoately angry that such a ignorant and silly person is allowed to teach. 😡

If it's being taught in school, I would expect th case to be referred to as the Whitechapel Murders/murderer and not the titilating "Jack the ripper".

As others have said, it's valid social history and fascinating and educational in that context. The mutliation of the women can be glossed over as its incidental.

The photos of Mary Kelly in Millers Court are horrific - I can't bear to see them. They're nightmarish.

If anyone showed those photos to my children, I would go ballistic.

Murder and mutilation of women should not be glamorised or presented as entertainment.

Toddler I too am aware of the various horrible deaths meted out to assorted saints and martyrs and many of them are absolutely awful.

It's really not the same as being shown post-mortem pictures of a serial killer's victims though.

Apocalypse I think anger is an appropriate response to that kind of comment! Part of me is hoping it's a wind up cos the alternative, that a teacher is actually doing this, is really fucking grim.

Hermione - spot on.

RawPrawn - Torture porn'??? You know we're talking about kids being taught history here don't you....!!

This used to be a GCSE coursework topic and is now a popular unit in KS3 History textbooks. The Folens textbook, for example, merrily reproduces the postmortem photographs, which I tend not to show. It would normally be taught in Year 9 - I'd not be comfortable teaching it much earlier. That said, it is a fascinating way into discussing the horrendous poverty and desperation of the women in the East End, and also looking at the police and detective methods. It really does depend on reaching a nice balance between capturing the student's enthusiasm and encouraging more mature reflection. I'd agree that Year 8 was too young.