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AIBU?

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Original poster

Need to know before Parents Evening next week

22 replies

hannahsaunt · 29/04/2009 10:26

Ds1, aged 8.5, P4.

Came home from school commenting that the newspaper they had been using during art had had naked ladies on it - one can only assume p3. He was laughing about how she must have been cold with only her pants on then wondered why that would be in the paper, how it could have been news etc etc. I steered the conversation elsewhere as I really didn't want to get into the whys and wherefores of p3 (esp with ds2 in the car as well).

So - should I complain to the teacher?

And just how would you explain the concept of soft porn to an 8yo? And the 'need' for it in a newspaper?

OP posts:
foofi · 29/04/2009 10:30

It's not a nice thing to happen, but you can't expect a teacher to check each newspaper that's brought in. By all means mention it to her (and offer to bring in papers you approve of, obviously) but I think 'complain' is a bit strong.

KingCanuteIAm · 29/04/2009 10:35

I think it is perfectly reasonable to expect the teacher to have some control over the papers that are bought in, she should know the sort of things that are in some papers. It would not have been hard to collect in all the papers that were bought in and then either dole out relevant stories or remove Pg3 from them.

I wouldn't complain as such, I think I would just express my dissapointment that this was allowed to happen and ask her if there was a reason she felt it was appropriate. If she does not then ask her what she is going to do next time to ensure the problem does nto arise again, if she does think it was appropriate then you have to listen to her reasons and decide for yourself if they are good enough and take it from there I suppose.

FrankMustard · 29/04/2009 10:38

I'd mention it, definitely, but more for the teacher's benefit -she may genuinely not have realised and might be grateful that it's been brought to her attention.
Definitely express your unhappiness that you then had to explain things to your ds but I agree with other posters that bringing it to her attention rather than actually "complaining" is the way to go.

MeMySonAndI · 29/04/2009 10:40

Just mention it. But don't complain.

SoupDragon · 29/04/2009 10:41

Perhaps as part of the art lesson they could draw nice warm cardigans on all the pictures.

Seriously though, I don't think it's difficult to ensure that P3 is removed or at least placed face down.

hanaflower · 29/04/2009 10:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
hannahsaunt · 29/04/2009 10:46

You're right - complain is too strong; I merely want to raise my eyebrows with enough emphasis to stop it happening again

OP posts:
FrankMustard · 29/04/2009 10:48

good idea
wondr which teacher likes looking at p3 then...?

catwalker · 29/04/2009 11:13

hannasaunt - when my eldest was in Y7 I remember him saying that they'd been looking at tabloid newspapers in English (to make comparisons with broadsheets if we can still call them that) and the teacher said something like, "don't bother looking - I've taken page 3 out of them all..." My son told me this because he was intrigued to know what might have been on page 3. If a teacher can do this for a class of 11/12 year old boys, I'm sure they should do it for 8 year olds. I would be unhappy in your shoes and think it deserves a mention to the teacher in charge of the class.

corriefan · 29/04/2009 11:32

If you were doing a lesson about newspapers then yes definitely expect them to remove sensitive material, but when they are put down to protect tables from paint (probably in a rush with the teacher having billions of other things to prepare) it's a clumsy oversight. Not compaining material. Funny how excited our society is about a pair of tits

heartmoonshadow · 29/04/2009 11:49

Well,

I have to say I am a teacher and I teach 4/5 year old's I most certainly do check that I do not put out inappropriate materials on the art table - in fact if anyone brings in a tabloid the first thing I do is take out the pictures that are not suitable. It is not that I am a prude and I realise that at that age they may not understand why these pictures exist (although some of my street wise kids are very aware) I just think school is not the place to expose them to it.

madwomanintheattic · 29/04/2009 11:52

lol catwalker - the english teacher obviously hadn't liaised with the yr 7 biology teacher. she'd never have bothered taking them out lol.

i'm still traumatised by the six feet wide fanjo/ childbirth scenes. it shut them up though.

madwomanintheattic · 29/04/2009 11:54

ooooh, my yr4 gets the first official sex education next month, are p4 the same? (assume it will be p5 for you?) not sure what the scottish system is. might be worth checking though - you'd look a bit daft mentioning a woman in her pants if he's just sat through nuderama.

ShauntheSheep · 29/04/2009 11:56

I was a teacher and one of the first things we did was make sure that the papers put down for art did not contain page 3 stuff. I thought this was standard as was mentioned in every school I taught or did teaching practice in. I'd def mention it

corriefan · 29/04/2009 13:53

I'm a teacher too and we were never told to take them out but I did anyway but there were quite a few other images I would have to take out that could have been upsetting for them.
As a parent though it would not bother me if my children were exposed to the pictures, I'd be more bothered about images of brutality. They're probably more likely to remember what they were learning at the time because of it anyway!

madwomanintheattic · 29/04/2009 13:56

oh corriefan, that's hilarious - subconscious images of schoolchildren, tissue paper, mosaics and tesselation every time you see a semi-clad woman for the rest of your life

Original poster
hannahsaunt · 29/04/2009 14:02

Pretty sure they haven't had any sex ed yet - it's not the kind of thing ds1 would have kept quiet about! Though am now wondering ... he is in a 4/5 composite. Think school would have warned us in advance though.

Don't mind discussing the state of the economy with him or wars across the globe but not quite ready for a full and frank dialogue about the (mis) representation of women in the media.

Sadly, however, bare naked ladies is at the bottom of the discussion list with said teacher; there are many other issues over what has been a waste of a year for the poor boy.

OP posts:
Homebird8 · 29/04/2009 14:07

I was page 3 monitor at school. Perhaps this should be given a comeback?

corriefan · 29/04/2009 14:08

Luckily I rarely cast eyes on page 3, thus avoiding bad memories of out of control glitter and overenthusiastic cutting!

No I meant if the children got all over-excited about a pair of boobs the whole lesson might become more memorable but yes a rather random thought I grant you!

madwomanintheattic · 29/04/2009 14:11

i know what you meant lol - it was the world of subconscious possibilities for the future it opened up...

it could work the other way too of course, and involve an unhealthy obsession with said glitter and safety scissors...

corriefan · 29/04/2009 14:15

Hey maybe that's where glittery nipple tassles started!

madwomanintheattic · 29/04/2009 14:19

primary4 art has a lot to answer for...

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