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 😊

So I take it everyone who has replied saying that it's FACTUAL and they are racist and sexist .. I'm assuming your DH has NEVER seen a Disney film? You've never been to Disney world ? Just wondering ...

No one is saying they don't watch Disney. They are saying they watch with an understanding of what they are seeing.

I would imagine that the teacher read about the Disney+ decision, discussed it with her pupils, and encouraged them to think about why Disney decided to put the disclaimer up.
That's good teaching. Using contemporary events and news to spark a task.

YABcompletelyU.

I think it's an excellent assignment and wish I had had more like it at school. I kind of want to do it myself. He's 11, not 4; he can enjoy a Disney product and critically evaluate it at the same time.

^^ hallelujah for some common sense 👏🏻

Sorry, let me just correct that for you,

^^ hallelujah for someone who agrees with me when no one else does 👏🏻

I'm sorry but I loll'd at Frozen used as an example of Disney making changes.

Kids cannot relate to them (obviously cartoon etc) when their own environment is often racially and culturally diversified.

The lack of diversion has been talked about for a long time, and Disney is no stranger to that.

Didn't they do Pocahontas, or maybe characters in other films, could have been both? Simply because they were getting asked were's the diversity. They did a couple of token things and look at a lot of the films since.

We had an interesting conversation about books to films especially Disney. Every now and then, we go back to it.
It started off as an observation about Disney especially creating the race, colour etc of the characters. A lot, if any of the original stories didn't mention these things.
Other companies looked up and took notice, and are continuing to notice and we see differences that weren't there a decade ago.
But Disney.

Once you have your eyes opened, and then into a bit further. Not rumours. Facts. Then you start to see how fucked up Disney is. And I don't just mean the films. Going all the way to beginning to present day.

Ok. Here you go.
This is my drawing but I tried to show the original drawing a 6 yo showed me.
I asked her to tell me the story.
The girl on the left is sad, she has dirty and broken clothes and is ugly.

Then she becomes the girl on the right, who is beautiful, has cake and beautiful clothes and is happy.

This girl was of Afro Caribbean background.

It has been 6 years gone and it probably worst the saddest moment of my teaching career.

Yes, lots of non Disney fairy tales are like this too. And I am not making excuses for them.

I watched Disney films and probably will with my children. But if I do I would want them to realise and see what is wrong with a lot of the stories.

How or why would be negative to your children? Don’t you want them to grow into aware and informed adults?

GrumpyHoonMain
Black panther is a racist, ethno state protectionist fanfare

Do we have a Disney troll now? Have Disney paid for a Russian troll on Mumsnet? WTF am I reading!

Drawing hopefully will attach

This is the best way to enjoy media. Watch it, enjoy it, but where there are troubling elements acknowledge and criticise these without writing the whole thing off.

If you want a bit of a mind fuck with regards to the fairy tale characters.
You should watch Once Upon a Time on Netflix.
Even though none are real, believe that version a whole lot more than Disneys.

They’re bloody cartoons with no racist intent.
So what exactly would you say the intent was when the writers of Dumbo named a character Jim Crow?

@Autumntoowet that is heartbreaking. That poor girl.

It is highly likely that the teacher chose Disney films as a way to engage the children since most 11-year-olds already know and like these films. The assignment gives them an opportunity to view familiar material from another angle, to challenge scenes/characters/images they may have never thought twice about. I think it's an excellent exercise for children of this age.

And it is entirely possible to recognize the racism and sexism in a work of art and still appreciate that it may have other fine qualities. It really isn't an all or nothing proposition.

Keep you’d child’s innocence instead of him believing he’s racist for enjoying a Disney film

NOBODY has said this.

Does ‘innocence’ depend on not being able to recognise racism???? Pretending it doesn’t exist?

Black kids don’t have that luxury.

don't think watching Aristocats or Lady and the Tramp is going to damage my child. FFS we all grew up watching it and am assuming we've turned out ok Well, ask some victims / targets of racism.

I don’t think watching Disney will turn people racist, it isn’t that simple. But what stops people adopting racist assumptions is having the ability to be analytical / critical about what we see and hear.

My kids are not white. From what I often see on MN I wish more people had experienced this teacher at an early age.

“Why are all the hero's American and all the villans British?

Aladdin /Jafar
Simba / Scar

Even in the new remakes.”

Colonialism?

@itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted actually My friend did explain to her son about the setting/ context, and that was why etc. The point remains that children do notice these things, and that it can be hurtful.

I will admit, and probably get kicked for it. However I have never noticed any sexism, or racism in Disney

@WaitrosescheapestvodkaI might have just shed a tear just drawing from memory

He’s presumably in year 11, not four. Don’t be that parent.

Especially when it’s part of a common pattern.

My DD (11) has never liked Disney and now will not watch any of the films, because they are racist and sexist. She just has NO interest. I have never expressed a view either way.

Lots of 11 year olds feel the same.

11 is not 'little'.

Disney is cheesy crap.

marvellousnightforamooncup
I had an extremely inspiring history teacher at school. Her lessons telling us to examine the reliability of our sources, check for bias and use critical thinking were the most useful I've ever had (short of actually learning to read).

So did I! I still remember the critical thinking lessons. We had to review propaganda from both German and British governments issued during WW2. It really opened my eyes.

I'd love to do this piece of homework.

Thanks for everyone that replied that they were (more child unfriendly)fairy tales before they were disney-fied. I remember a few of them being in a book of fairy tales when I was a kid but they must have been made more suitable for children in that as well.

As an adult you can see sexism / racism in films but obviously to children it goes over their heads. I would personally prefer to keep it this way as long as possible. But I understand the idea of why is teaching is doing this