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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

8 year old reading grim newspaper article at school

132 replies

Pearlclutching · 26/05/2022 12:28

Name changed but have been hanging out around here for almost a decade.

I don't know if I'm overreacting and would like some advice.

DS8 and I were at the shops at the weekend, and he spotted a headline on the local paper. Something along the lines of Sex Offender Convicted of Taplow Lake Murder. He was immediately interested and said he knew all about it, rattling off accurate, detailed information about the case and the previous offences of the man responsible. He told me he'd read a big article about it on a sheet of newspaper being used to cover the table in an art class. He asked me what a sex offender is and why someone would bind and gag a woman before killing them. We haven't had a talk about sex and I really don't want his first knowledge of it to be violent and negative.

When I told my husband, he was horrified and said I should let the school know. Not so much a complaint as a heads-up.

This morning, I told the head of lower school what happened but didn't make any requests or give any opinion - just stated the facts. He chuckled, said my son will do well on the crime round at pub quizzes in future, and praised his curiosity.

Is it reasonable to expect a school to make some effort to shield lower school pupils from the details of sex crimes and sexually-motivated murder or is the head of lower school right to chuckle and say it's fine? My husband thinks I should go to the headmaster, but I'm not sure.

Really interested to know what people think.

OP posts:
Banoffe · 28/05/2022 07:37

I remember the daily mail/Sun being used in art classes when I was in primary, lots of pictures of half naked females. Boys in my class used to like putting the newspapers out.

Probably an oversight and really they should probably check them at that age but they are so busy. Maybe suggests they use something dull for children like Financial Times.

Pearlclutching · 28/05/2022 12:29

Thedogshouses · 28/05/2022 07:29

Nice drip drip. My kids are not autistic, if my situation was different, the household would be different. Do you seriously think in your position I would force a child to live in an environment that distressed them. Luckily its not something I have had to consider but your arrogance and manipulative posting is something else.

I don't think autism is relevant to my original question, no drip feeding intended. I'm just trying to defend myself against your accusation that I'm somehow forcing my 8 year old to live his parents' lives. You think my approach to TV watching is weird; I think yours is fine, but not for me.

OP posts:
Thedogshouses · 28/05/2022 13:41

Well of course it is fucking relevant or you wouldn't have used it to try and win a disagreement.

youngwildandni · 28/05/2022 15:20

@Pearlclutching wow... not really sure why some people are jumping on you like this!

I wouldn't be happy if my 8yo came home from school having read an article like that. I don't think that makes me precious. As a teacher when I was laying out newspapers k would quickly scan the headlines as I was doing so - it doesn't take long and I managed to find the time to do it. However, slip ups happen and I would accept it with the appropriate response from the teacher you spoke to. A simple 'oh gosh, that's unfortunate. Sorry about that. I'll have a word with the staff and remind them, wherever possible, to scan the papers before laying them out.

I would ignore some of the angrier responses here, I suspect they're feeling the need to defend their own parenting approach rather than actually having a go at you.

ClumpingBambooIsALie · 28/05/2022 15:52

Thedogshouses · 28/05/2022 13:41

Well of course it is fucking relevant or you wouldn't have used it to try and win a disagreement.

It wasn't relevant until it was relevant, i.e. when people started critiquing OP's home multimedia setup. You shouldn't have to declare all the disabilities of everyone involved in a situation upfront just in case they might become relevant to questions someone asks later.

Besides which, it was fairly obvious to me quite early on that the kid was likely that way inclined 🤣 OP wasn't too subtle with the clues.

Oh by the way, in case it becomes relevant later, I have ASD, ADHD, bipolar disorder, coeliac disease, diabetes, asthma, extra-wide feet and a strange tingly feeling in my left nostril.

karmakameleon · 28/05/2022 16:02

Wow, OP is getting a hard time here.

OP, I can see the same thing happening with my son, also autistic and quite an advanced reader for his age but lacking in emotional maturity. He’s also very easily scared so if he read something similar, he wouldn’t sleep for weeks and would be quite upset. I can see how mistakes happen and could forgive an accident but the head of lower school’s attitude leaves a lot to be desired. I personally would escalate.

karmakameleon · 28/05/2022 16:04

Thedogshouses · 28/05/2022 07:25

No I said we have a lot of tvs and it's generally on in the background. I also said that kids are mostly either out with their mates or in the pool and that the tvs seem to be more background noise. I have a live in helper so I don't use screens to babysit. I live in a xompound with great facilities so I don't use screens to make up for outdoor time with friends. We have a pool which is generally full of teenagers the tv is used for music and tiktok. There is literally nothing in our lives that has been damaged by a bit of TV. You do.you and I judge you I do me and you judge me
Leave it at that otherwise you will start to look like a bully.

Honestly, I don’t see anywhere where the OP judges others for having TV etc. Simply she states what tech she has in her home and others judge her.

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