Or is school out of order

[mazu]

Dd8 (yr3) while sat at the table spied a box of Nestlé cereal on the table and announced she would not be touching any of it (it wasn't hers and wasn't offered to her). She then goes of to say she would not be buying anything from them as they are horrible people and goes on full blown attack on the brand and palm oil and orangutans. I'm sat there stunned at are very strong beliefs and thought perhaps she's seen an advert on YouTube kids about it.
On the contrary it turns out her at school they were taught about the evil that Nestlé is and that they were told to write letters to the president Mr Schneider to tell him they hate nestle because they damage forests and kill orangutans.

She then spent the entire weekend feeling guilty anytime she has eaten anything with palm oil chocolate, Nutella , bread, crisps I mean everything! She pretty much stopped eating by last night.

While I am up for teaching children about environmental and ethical responsibility at a young age AIBU to feel the school went too far? I made me feel quite angry that they could pretty much teach my child the politics that could shape her entire life and little ones are quite vulnerable and without a balanced view of the facts I do not want this to be the way my child is taught about issues. I want her to read and form her own opinions not spew garbage based on someone else's agenda. Bear in mind the issue here is now the Nestlé as I'm fully aware of the atrocities they have committed in the past.

Firstly the Nestlé was mine (personal choice as a grown up and all that)
I think the take away from a lesson is what's important. She didn't come away thinking palm oil was bad but just the company. I used it as a teaching opportunity to inform her what palm oil was and that led to the discussion on which products it's found in. I wanted the take home to be about the environment. All she walked away having grasped is that the company is bad which is a bit pointless as palm oil is not just used by Nestle. Unfortunately yes I'm one of those parents that would rather have my children read an form their own opinions about stuff not being shown a video or given a singular talk then asked to write a letter. Nothing says propaganda like that. If they had been given an opportunity to go away for the weekend and read and look up stuff then write what their views were I'd have been jolly. I'd also have been happy had she taken away lessons on the use of palm oil. It was only after I pointed out to her that Nestlé has done some awful things however they aren't the only ones who use palm oil (as her concern was the primates), and went on to list the stuff it's found in. She was quite stunned at this revelation.

PS I’d be very proud of my daughter if she said something like this.
We do try to avoid Nestle products and also those containing palm oil as much as possible. But the problem is that these products are often cheap and not everyone can afford to eat ethically.

Nestle is a terrible company and no one with half a brain buys their products anyway. It's great that the school has used this as a stimulus for persuasive writing. Maybe think about buying quality food that isn't made by nestle or that doesn't contain palm oil.

I think I'm more miffed about the letter writing to a large corporation without consent to be honest and they were told to put their school names on the letter.

The letters probably won't actually get sent to Nestle and if they did they'd only have first names and the school name which is already known outside of school anyway. Nobody is going to be outed because of a Hannah at Broad Street Primary School. It sounds like a good hook for persuasive letter writing to me.

I think it is great that they are being taught this. I suspect you are feeling uncomfortable because you didn't really care too much about this, and also because you will now have to shop more carefully. If the address of the school is on the letter, surely that is better than if dd's private address is on there? What is your real issue? The beliefs themselves, or the fact that they are being encouraged to do something about the whole palm oil situation?

My dd will ot eat palm oil since a zoo visit with a display about the orangutans. I now try to buy palm oil free.

Your daughter has been made aware of a global company’s impact and doesn’t want to support it? They’ve taught her to care, about cause and effect, ethics, and you’re annoyed? My school have recently shown the Iceland video and it has inspired my children to write to their local supermarkets and make posters, in their own time. I couldn’t be prouder of them or their teacher. They are the future leaders.

I want her to read and form her own opinions not spew garbage based on someone else's agenda.

So, is your parenting ensuring this is happening at home then?

I imagine they didn’t have the time in a lesson to teach the ins and outs of palm oil production. Maybe there is going to be a follow up. You’ve followed up at home... fab. That’s one of the jobs of a parent.

I used it as a teaching opportunity to inform her what palm oil was and that led to the discussion on which products it's found in.

they are horrible people and goes on full blown attack on the brand and palm oil and orangutans. I'm sat there stunned at are very strong beliefs and thought perhaps she's seen an advert on YouTube kids about it.

So which was it? You say all she took away from the discussion and writing exercise at school was that Nestle was bad. So you discussed palm oil, and orangutans, however you originally said her comments shocked you, which wouldn't be the case if you had discussed them with her.

You accept that Nestle has a pretty terrible history, and you accept that you shouldn't have products with palm oil in it. On what basis, therefore, do you say your daughter was spewing garbage?

DCs do, at that age, form very strong opinions about things(some better formed than others) : this is more often than not a flash in the pan. 8 year olds are the best eco warriers, anti racism campaigners, recyclers, charity campaigners etc etc. Be thankful for a school that awakens these feelings and awareness.

By the time they are 15, most DCs don't give a shit so enjoy your little campaigner while she is at the campaign and care stage.

So how did you explain that you were choosing to buy nestle products despite knowing all the "bad things" they do? Children are very good at spotting hypocrisy.

I think it’s great the school did this and that your DD, having learned about palm oil, is inscensed by Nestle’s practices.

I get you and can see what you mean. No issue at all with the message of deforestation etc. No problem with the link to plan oil. No problem with the mention of large corporations etc. But yes an issue with naming specific companies. Kids can jump too far with an idea. What if a parent works there. Why only mention one company. It does seem to be too polarised and political for that age.

This is great, isn't it? Your daughter isn't going to eat crap anymore. I thought that would be a good thing.

And, like a previous poster, if removing palm oil from her diet results in her eating nothing, then the first priority here is a massive diet rethink.

Did she really just think Nestme was bad? She gave you her reasons for saying that: their use of palm oil in products is causing orang utans to lose their habitat. Sounds like she understood perfectly.

Great that you’ve backed it up with loads more info, but not sure why you’re cross about Big Faceless Corporation being picked on!

Likely this will be part of their topic for a while do get used to looking fir palm oil in products. We changed quite a lot of habits, and I’m quite pleased about it. Good to be challenged and if the DC all give up Nutella I reckon a change will come!

For the food-refusing issue, I’d explain that now it’s been bought it’s wasteful not to eat it but you could stop buying in the future.

I just hope that the OPs DD does not want ever to eat KFC, McDonalds and other fast food chains too.

Good job the school did not show the film 'The Green Lie' which is even more powerful.

I'm always up for a healthy debate. If you go through my posts and subsequent drip feeds (sorry) you will note that I'm fully aware of their sins. I did ponder when putting this thread together whether to out them or not as I know that anything with said company's name quickly loses any objectivity. That said you are all absolutely correct palm oil cultivation is a huge issue. Which is what I wanted DD to have latched on rather than JUST the said company's insidious reputation.

On a different note I laughed at the comments about palm oils being found in cheap products. You are wrong it's pretty much found in a lot of stuff including high end goods and not always labelled as palm oil.

I'll be a little devil here and add did you also know that avocado cultivation is hardly ethical too? But that won't make the front pages because avocados cost more than a loaf of bread :-)

Sorry slightly off the point of Nestle....but I thought Nutella (which is Ferrero) had been changed to sustainable palm oil?

The school aren’t teaching her about the company. They have used a certain information as a stimulus for persuasive writing. They have chosen this subject precisely because it’s emotive and “current”.
My DS once told me to not to leave lights switched on as I would be killing the polar bears. They take things very literally.

for my mini interrogation all she cane away with was that Nestlé is bad. Rather than unethical practices in palm oil farming causes deforestation and habitat loss for a range of animals.

Probably because she's 8, but from your OP she knew why she took a dislike to nestle:

goes on full blown attack on the brand and palm oil and orangutans

That's a better explanation of her views than many adults manage.

YABU

Sounds like a good school.

I thought it would be regarding supporting the arms read or pushing formula in developing countries but no palm oil.... Good enough reason as any.

DS1's class once wrote persuasive letters to Primark and in return were sent a Primark gift voucher which they were very excited about spending, so the whole thing backfired somewhat.

I'm trying to think about some of the other stuff they've had to write about over the years - once they were told the Head teacher was going to build all over the school field, DS2 was giving her evils for months not realising it was just made up for the purpose of the lesson.

Nestle must get tonnes of letters like this - even if the school do send them, then what? They are not the nicest people.

"Then if it genuinely wasn’t balanced"

You just can't balance some issues.

"I'll be a little devil here and add did you also know that avocado cultivation is hardly ethical too?"

There are bodies/organisations that are trying to improve all farming and consumerism. We are constantly being told to cut back and eliminate food waste, which is the starting issue.

But the Supermarkets have to play there part, obviously.