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AIBU?

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Original poster

To wish my DCs' primary school would stop putting on Newsround every day?

188 replies

minkfondant · 16/11/2021 18:20

Every class at my DCs' school seems to watch Newsround on a daily basis. Today my 8yo came home excitedly saying "A taxi blew up! It was so cool."

On previous occasions, they've come home telling me about things like George Floyd's murder including graphic details of how he was killed and North Korea possibly having nuclear weapons. 10yo asked if I think we'll have WW3 caused by North Korea.

We deliberately avoid watching news with them around, because so much of it is alarming for people who haven't yet got adult perspective on things. News TV is deliberately curated to make it as arresting and attention-grabbing as possible, and obviously concentrates more on the bad stuff than anything else.

Can't they just have a childhood before they're confronted with the dark sides of human nature?

AIBU to wish the school would leave Newsround out of the lesson plans?

OP posts:
daisypond · 16/11/2021 19:56

@coconutmonkey

I agree with you by the way. There are many ways to discuss events happening in the world with children without showing them the BBC view of it. Essentially, all Newsround shows them is the agenda and issues which the BBC/British government want shown. I teach Reception/Year 1 and my OH teaches Year 5/Year 6 (different schools). We both encourage and believe in open and judgement-free discussion of current affairs in our classrooms and neither of us believe that Newsround fulfills that.
Wow. I wouldn’t want you teaching my children.
Bellfor · 16/11/2021 19:58

@coconutmonkey

I agree with you by the way. There are many ways to discuss events happening in the world with children without showing them the BBC view of it. Essentially, all Newsround shows them is the agenda and issues which the BBC/British government want shown. I teach Reception/Year 1 and my OH teaches Year 5/Year 6 (different schools). We both encourage and believe in open and judgement-free discussion of current affairs in our classrooms and neither of us believe that Newsround fulfills that.

Well this is worrying!

Tilltheend99 · 16/11/2021 19:59

@ADreadedSunnyDay the irony is that at public schools kids will be learning about public affairs, politics, art, and culture. They don’t want state kids learning anything outside core numeracy and literacy so that they can’t think critically about the world around them incase they start to wonder why the Oxbridge set get all the jobs and wealth.

Tillymintpolo · 16/11/2021 20:01

You’re being utterly ridiculous

plinkplinkfizzer · 16/11/2021 20:05

Can you imagine if parents in 1939 had this attitude of keeping their children sheltered from current affairs . Then trying to explain why bombs are currently raining down on them🤔 .

BoredZelda · 16/11/2021 20:05

Today my 8yo came home excitedly saying "A taxi blew up! It was so cool."

If this was the response to the story from an 8 year old, then you might want to consider actually watching and discussing the news with them more.

BoredZelda · 16/11/2021 20:06

Well this is worrying!

Yep.

Flowers500 · 16/11/2021 20:12

Wow I didn’t think anybody would take pride in raising their child to be an ignoramus with no conception of the world beyond the school gates. It’s good the school want the children to become informed and responsible citizens, and are doing this in an age-appropriate way. I would seriously question my concept of “education” if I were you, and think about the difference between what you’re providing and what the private school equivalents are doing. This kind of failing on soft skills, understanding of the world and general knowledge are what hold a person back for life.

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 16/11/2021 20:17

@Porcupineintherough

8 and 10 is old enough to start learning about the world in n age appropriate way. If your 10 year old thinks that taxis blowing up is "cool" it sounds like he could do with a little more exposure to real life, not less.
Couldn't agree more with this comment. Year 5 or 6 children should understand that life isn't like an action movie.
plinkplinkfizzer · 16/11/2021 20:19

I wonder if there is a connection to sheltering children and conspiracy theorists .

HadEnoughOfBears · 16/11/2021 20:21

Our school does this too. And included it in their home learning plan during lockdown. I liked it a lot. It opened up lots of opportunities to talk about news items with my 10yr old.

If your child has come saying that a taxi blowing up was 'cool' that's not the message newsround would have been giving out...

Itsjustrenee · 16/11/2021 20:24

Newsround is totally age appropriate. He’s old enough to know a little bit about what’s going on in the world, in an age appropriate way.

Would you rather he went on to high school totally clueless. You can’t protect him from everything, nor should you try to. This is how children build resilience in life.

rrhuth · 16/11/2021 20:35

I have no problem with Newsround itself, it is aimed at children, but in a school it is problematic to show things that could set off a bad response in a child, and you never know which thing would set off which child.

So I am surprised by it being shown daily and think it is a poor approach by the school.

If you are unhappy - make your views known to the Head in a calm way. They may or may not take your views on board.

BoredZelda · 16/11/2021 20:38

I have no problem with Newsround itself, it is aimed at children, but in a school it is problematic to show things that could set off a bad response in a child, and you never know which thing would set off which child.

But that is true of everything they do in schools. The best course of action is to be aware it could be a problem and manage any consequence.

In primary one my daughter was terrified of a specific nursery rhyme character. Had been for a couple of years. They did an exercise on it in class and she had a total meltdown. Her teacher apologised and said they were finishing it off the next day but they would find a fun reason to take her out of class whilst it was happening. Should schools avoid nursery rhymes?

Saracen · 16/11/2021 20:40

Have you seen Newsround, OP?

My eldest was very sensitive and we avoided TV news as it tended to be traumatic. I understand where you are coming from there. Some kids can handle it much younger than others.

However, even my sensitive kid was okay with Newsround from about the age of six. Newsround was about the only form of news which they could handle. It was really well done and I would recommend it.

rrhuth · 16/11/2021 20:43

Should schools avoid nursery rhymes?

Oh

Yes, yes they should. They should sit in silence.

Cam77 · 16/11/2021 20:43

Wouldn’t be too happy with my child being subjected to BBC worldview/propaganda on a daily basis.

2389Champ · 16/11/2021 20:45

Interesting post.

My friend’s 9 YO is currently suffering from acute anxiety about climate change. She is struggling to sleep at night, convinced the world is about to die and take all her family with it, and has become obsessed with all things related to global warming. No previous behavioural issues; this has come on in the last six months.

MrsSkylerWhite · 16/11/2021 20:46

SpinsForGin

I think it's fabulous that schools do this. It's great to get young people interested in current affairs.“

This.

BoredZelda · 16/11/2021 21:00

Yes, yes they should. They should sit in silence.

😆😆😆

ShaneTheThird · 16/11/2021 21:00

@rrhuth

I have no problem with Newsround itself, it is aimed at children, but in a school it is problematic to show things that could set off a bad response in a child, and you never know which thing would set off which child.

So I am surprised by it being shown daily and think it is a poor approach by the school.

If you are unhappy - make your views known to the Head in a calm way. They may or may not take your views on board.

This is ridiculous. So should schools avoid teaching history as some kids might get upset? Should they avoid geography because there's a lot of upsetting facts about nature? Or English as some books even aimed at children can be upsetting?

Children need to know what's happening in the world. It's best they get taught it early on rather than giving them a fantasy view of the world and they then grow up and find out actually the world is a scary and dangerous place.

rrhuth · 16/11/2021 21:02

@ShaneTheThird

The difference is that teachers plan the history lessons, so they prep the materials.

If they are putting on Newsround without pre-viewing, that is poor practice.

If they are putting it on after pre-viewing, it may be OK - but I doubt they are.

rrhuth · 16/11/2021 21:03

Of course kids should learn about the world and deal with upsetting things - but just putting on the Newsround every day is not, IMO, good practice and it is not teaching.

moita · 16/11/2021 21:05

I loved Newsround as a youngster.

Kids are living in war zones and under other appalling conditions. Let's educate our privileged children in an age apporiate way

ADreadedSunnyDay · 16/11/2021 21:09

@Tilltheend99
I have no problem kids learning about current affairs but private schools do this in a more structured way through projects etc not by sticking on newsround. My other problem is that the school day is so limited anyway this is time away from core literacy and numeracy skills. over a third of kids in DS class are needing extra support with reading and i would much prefer all the kids got more supported time than watched newsround.