To think this is inappropriate homework for an 11 year old? **MNHQ adding content warning for CSA**

Correct! I actually voted YABU as I only read the first paragraph. I went back to read the rest and changed my vote.

The story about Mellisa, 26 is in the same area of, erm, interest.

Interesting username, OP. How did you come up with it?

Yeah that's awful.

You need to tell the child's parents so that they can speak to school.

I would hit the fucking roof if mine came home with that and be at the school the very next day to discuss it.

This is a foul thing to give an 11 year old.
I had a similar experience with my son who was given a book (whole class) to read about a child losing their dad and then write about it. My son lost his dad when he was 4 and it triggered trauma reaction. I hauled the school and the teacher over the coals !
I would have a word with the parents first, not everyone has the same morals unfortunately

Just skimmed read and all the stories under that title are on the same subject. Including Damien being mentioned later on too.

That's horrific. Please tell us that's a wind-up.

I started reading the next couple of stories and they aren't much better.

What is the point of this book? It's styled as easy to read for children but the content is adult. It's sickening if this is being promoted for schools by Amnesty.

It's a bit of a weird book to be discussing in class. But it does happen in real life it happened to me. It might actually help some children realise it's wrong and to open up to someone about it. Also empathy discussing how you could help someone in that situation and what might happen. Like it or not child abuse happens and sadly some of the children reading will have experienced a lot worse.

Dreadfully inappropriate for that age group. Possibly the teacher handed out Y11/12 sheet for homework by mistake?

I've just skim read them all, as not really my cup of tea. I guess the gist at the end is the victim becomes the hero stands up and everything is ok. But even that is not done well, it doesn't portray at all the long lasting damage that has been done.

Good luck tomorrow OP and do let us know the response. I would not be happy with this at all.

Sickening. Heads should roll over this. Please report this quickly OP. Save some other poor child from reading this disturbing story.

Hang on, maybe I'm not seeing this right.

1. What homework was this subject? English, RSE?

2. We don't know how this is being followed up, do we? Is there going to be a lesson on how the subject matter is interpreted?

3. However much we don't want our children to be subjected to this subversivess, is it not (within a responsible, safe, educational environment), something that SHOULD be explored? ie, hidden messages, secrets?

I would hit the roof if my 11 year old came home with this. It is not age appropriate at all! I even feel traumatized reading and I'm 30!

makes me wonder about the teacher to be honest that they think this is ok. Has it been used as some warped grooming exercise.*

This.* Any info on the teacher OP?

Whoever set this homework for an 11yo is a safeguarding risk themselves. They may mean well but it's totally inappropriate and traumatising for so young a child to be expected to grapple with these kinds of complexities, and they may have done some serious psychological harm already. It's important that this is reported to their employers, don't just complain to the person responsible themselves.

This is a teacher.

We don't give predators the benefit of the doubt- report report report

You can't just accidentally fuck up and give eleven year olds homework on sexual abuse as a teacher

This

The way abusers manipulate is very insidious. I think it’s important for children to be taught how to recognise abuse and ask for help but the text should be discussed as part of a lesson and with the appropriate age group.

Im also not a teacher so no idea if this is appropriate for 11yo. I can remember when I was 11 (back in the dark ages) reading An Inspector Calls which is pretty brutal while top set read Of Mice and Men. At 12 or 13 we read Tess of the D’ubervilles, which I still occasionally think about as some of the themes in that were quite hard going.

I wouldn't be happy with my 13 year old reading this without some discussion from the school first at 11 I'd be furious.

I think I need more of the story to make a call - what happens next in Damien's story. For example, does he learn that the abuse is wrong and have a supportive adult to report to. That could be a good modelling experience.

I think at 11 I was very gullible and would not have understood the implications shared in these 3 pages and wanted to know more about what this amazing game is that can save people.

It's from a collection of YAshort stories published by Amnesty International. I suspect whoever set it hasn't read it-just thought Oh yes- the Boy in the Striped Pyjamas writer-that'll be OK. I'm very liberal in my approach to children's reading, but I think that is entirely unsuitable for an 11 year old.

It's not being promoted to schools by Amnesty. It's a YA short story compilation.