My 11 year child has been asked to re write a Disney story of his choice but without the sexist/racist aspects. AIBU to write back..

[SecretsInSpitalfield]

That I will not have the teacher pushing her views on my child?

As far as he (and his younger DB) Disney has always been a POSITIVE thing! Fun films , cinema days and even a dream once in a lifetime trip to World Disney World.

I wouldn't have minded if they said 'do you think any Disney films are racist or sexist? If so, please elaborate why. But this has been set as if it's FACTUAL that they are and my child is just 11.

Please give me your honest opinions

Thank you 😊

Look, I get it. You clearly love Disney. This must be the same kick in the nuts I got when I read that Die Hard was a backlash movie and couldn't argue otherwise. I still watch it every Christmas by the way - you can move forward with this.

I just read this:
metro.co.uk/2019/11/14/mums-anger-children-told-read-racist-language-mice-men-11125186/

Some time ago the Laura Ingalls Wilder books (Little House on the Prairie) were withdrawn from a school in America because of racial stereotypes and language.

To the poster who said Dickens was racist, yes there is discrimination in his work - I'm thinking of Fagin in Oliver Twist. Shakespeare too - Shylock.

Young children are likely to latch on to words and phrases and 'play' stories at break times. Older children (teenagers) are less likely to do that.

they are just CARTOONS

You are missing the point entirely. Where the wind blows is a cartoon about nuclear war. Charlie the cat is a cartoon about child abduction. Did you watch spitting image and literally just think “oh don’t the puppies look funny?”

I am also glad my kids were at school in a time where the Nativity Play was not banned for 'offending minorities' (when it actually didn't, it was the precious PC brigade who said it was 'offensive!')

So weird when people trot this one out, I’ve worked in 4 schools and have 3 dc and there’s always been a nativity. None of our atheist/Muslim/Hindu students or their parents opposed it. Yet you’re wringing your hands at your projection that potentially they could, theoretically not want to watch a nativity

Tell your kid to discuss beauty and the beast. Kidnapping and beastiality. Hopefully they’re easier concepts for you to process as wrong, so your precious baby will be able to write his half page of A4.

Puppets obviously

Name change fail at 18.11!

Sash I don’t think anyone else has noticed!

Reporting.

I bet his teacher is one of those who agrees with the lyrics to ‘baby it’s cold outside’ being rewrote too 🙄

OP - you asked about appropriateness of homework. 99% of people feel it is appropriate for an 11 year old to consider that some Disney films have racist/sexist overtones that were of an era and to write something more positive.

Why wouldn't you want your son to do this? It is not your teachers' view or belief. It is fact - they were. That is why we have laws about this type of thing now....

What a wonderful piece of homework.
Really intellectual challenge to see how something you love deeply and is part of your childhood furniture can be problematic. A fantastic was to move the kids away from thinking that everyone is either good or bad.

@EL2019

Name change fail at 18.11!

Sash I don’t think anyone else has noticed!

Reporting.

^
Assuming you have got the wrong page?! If not what a ridiculous thing to say?! I have not 'name changed' I've had this username for years!

MN's 'HATE' Disney .. say and state factually that it's racist but they still let their little darlings WATCH Disney!

It's important to allow children to see examples of racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination. It's also important to have developmentally appropriate discussions from a much younger age than 11 about the attitudes portrayed in those examples and other media to help them to develop an understanding of tolerance, equality and diversity.

EL2019 I don’t think it’s a name change fail, I just don’t think the OP has quite gotten to grips with bold

Shame you had to give yourself that username though isn't it ?

It's ironic. I don't use my DH's name IRL.

Nice try OP
Nice try

It’s a shame because I think there’s really an interesting discussion to be had here - for example how criticising a victim of abuse (Cinderella) and a victim of crime (Snow White) is not really as feminist as people thing it is...

But it turns out you’re one of the “PC gone mad” brigade and seem to think that no piece of writing or cinema should ever be analysed for deeper meaning. Which rather puts most English teachers out of a job...

Disney is well aware that having been a studio for nearly 100 years of course the earlier films could be racist/sexist (look at song of the south which did not make it to Disney + and the editing of Dumbo. They are aware that the culture of the 30/40/50s is different to now.

The problem is culturally we are still sexist - look at Captain Marvel and how she was handled in Avengers Endgame

It is FACTUAL and Disney admit that it is true certainly of past movies look at it as they try to change with the times.

As an aside DS went through a Brer Rabbit obsession and he was desperate to watch Song of the South (the new Brer Rabbit movie wouldnt cut it). He was 6 at the time and I got a copy. He noticed the racism in it and asked questions and it was a really good learning experience for him. But NO ONE could ever watch it and try to claim it wasnt in todays terms racist. It arguably even slightly was when the movie was made in the 40s. But when the books were written in 1880 it was life - th writer lived on a plantation! For the ride Splash Mountain it has been santised by removing the Uncle Remus part just leaving the animals

Surely no one could actually be a Disney fan and not recognise this aspect in some movies?

She hasn't taught them which film to pick. It's a good task because there are a lot of films to choose from and it can be applicable to boys and girls experiences of watching movies.

Personally I think that the teacher is mainly going to end up with stories where the princess saves the prince, saves herself or has another female friend save her because that's more realistic.

Disney have said themselves that their old films contain racist and sexist content. Yes, no child notices these or will grow up with these views, but it's still not okay. I think it's good homework that'll make them really think about it.

Addressing yourself in an epic sock puppet fail, how embarrassing.

Any attempt at teaching critical thinking, historic and modern perspectives and gender inequality gets the double thumbs up from me.

I'll not bother saying anything else because OP is a GF.

MN's 'HATE' Disney .. say and state factually that it's racist but they still let their little darlings WATCH Disney

Err, yes - because we don't have some weird polarized approach to the world. There are shades of grey besides the 50, you know...

Your son is 11. He's probably more interested in tits/pecs than he is Disney. Is your car powered by fairy dust by any chance?

He's 11, not 4. Perfectly acceptable homework at that age. Most Disney films perpetuate a while load of unpleasant views, it's a useful way of letting young people develop an understanding of how all-pervading sexism and racism is and how many people accept it without thinking.

Good for his teacher for getting him to read critically. It's not "pushing her views on him" - if anything, it's the pervasiveness of Disney that is pushing a particular, and arguably archaic agenda on him and millions of children over the world.

They've only seen films made in the past twenty years. The films were 'escapism' were never anything 'political' and why would they be?

Does something have to be ‘political’ to have racist or sexist undertones or depictions? The most damaging of these are probably those we don’t even notice in light entertainment.

Your 8 year old is no longer 8. He is 11 and critical thinking and evaluation are really important and useful skills. Such as ‘hey, I wonder why the only human toys Andy has are white? Was it an unconscious choice his mum made, or more likely because that’s all the shops sold?’

This is called critical thinking.

Fantastic teaching using resources relevant to the target group.

Most 11 year olds will have watched but probably not thought about the different perspectives.

Unfortunately looks like parents have complained and teacher has been asked to amend the task.