If your primary school child';s class did a display about Pirates would you be bothered

[saltire]

DS2's class (and all the infant classes)have a thing once a month where the parents can go into the class for half an hour, called Soft Start. Iwas in today along with one or two other mother's. In one corner is "Pirates corner", with books about Pirates, maps of the world with the oceans highlighted, boats etc.
The teacher said she had put it up as some of the children - boys and girls - had been talking about Pirates of the carribean film, and asking questions about Pirates, treasure etc. One of the mums complained to the teacher, in front of all the children that
"My children don't get to see films or DVDs or television and why should they be subjected to things like this when they can't join in with the talk, and don't know the characters". The teacher pointed out that the display was "Pirates" in general not the film,the children were taking a genuine interest then she was happy to let them do so.
On the way out the aprent was on her way to see head teacher to complain. Would you
haveoblem with it if it was your Dc's class.

She's a loon. Banning pirate displays and imaginative play which just happens to be based on TV or films??? Completely and utterly barmy.

How are they restricting fantasy games in the playground? I would feel uncomfortable about that and very very surprised that a school would do that.

I bet they're not really. I bet they're just telling her that so that she leaves the reception area and goes home.

pirates are very in at the moment, whether it's because of the films or not - lots of dressing up outfits everywhere of pirates, lego pirate ships, lots and lots of books, duplo sets, that sort of thing, so I can't see it having been done just because of the movie tbh

F&Z, I asked DS2 about this after I read your post, and he said they are allowed to play Star Wars for example as long as they don't "pretend to wave lightsabers around or mention Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader" so I assume they have told her the children aren't allowed to play Star Wars only "space related games".

As hana said, Pirates are the In thing at the minute. DS2 has just sat and drawn a treausre map, which is based on his school playground, and is currently looking through his children's atlas to find out where various seas are. So I'm happy, my school phoibc child is interested in something.

and how do you play star wars without pretending to wave a lightsaber around?

oh yes, my 5 year old is v into treasure maps at the moment too!

After half term dss's school have got "some people in" doing creative writing workshops with each class in school. The theme they have chosen is PIRATES, and they have been invited to "dress up to visit the pirate cave".

Now personally I'm not crazy about pirates per se, as my boys always take it as an excuse to make swords out of anything to hand, and hit people with them

But if it gets boys writing, I'm happy for them to give it a go!

Most of the children at school will have seen Pirates of the Caribbean, mine haven't yet. DS2 won't be seeing it - he's only 8 and not old enough to see a 12A "in principle" in this house. DS1 might get to see it: I haven't decided yet!

I can sort of understand where the mother was coming from, although I don't think complaining to the head is called for. Just something to get used to.

(Presumably Aric Sigman would whole-heartedly approve of her actions, of course!)

Recently a Yr1-2 teacher said that all children in her class are "crazy" about pirates, alluding to recent movie. BUT my DC aren't into pirates, have seen only one of the films, are somehow missing this craze. PTA was even talking about having a home-made pirate ship contest at school fete, and I did feel like my DC would feel clueless what to do (as would I) and unaware why that theme (PTA chose a general "movies" theme instead, only a bit easier to imagine what to do).

I don't want my children's interests to be driven by commercial motives (movies, telly and associated merchandise). You can't even watch Cbeebies without hearing the hype about X movie that may not even be suitable for DC age group.

I think pirates is a perfectly reasonable topic as a generic thing. If there was a large exhibition on Spongebob in the corner I might look askance, but not pirates.

Somehow my ds managed to become 'crazy about' pirates without having seen 'Pirates of the Caribbean'.

I think he sees them as seafaring knights , which he is also very keen on.

poor kids. I feel intensely sorry for them.

So they're not allowed to pick up on games in the playground and play them because their genesis is in TV / Cinema programmes.

She is proud of making them have to survive with no points of cultural reference - well that's her decision but there is no reason I can see that she can't pick up the pirate theme and read a load of books (fictional and historical) so her kids can go in with a different point of reference and round out all the children

control freak!

ooh yes, lots of potential for an Under the Sea topic, tamum

let's dispel the pineapple myth children

Tamum .. we've got a 'Bob L'eponge' Fish Tank and I thought of you when I bought it

what a fruit loop!

Was she just concerned as the kids were talking about a film that they are too young to legally see rather than the general pirates theme ??

Peter Pan comes to mind....
No no problem

I played Tiger Lilly in my Primary School play (no, not a joke)!

Oh god....she sounds lie a classic ' over parenter ' to me...

I don't feel happy about the banning Star Wars games thing, I really don't

I am very anti TV but I think that is a shortsighted and unnervingly controlling move

She would love my kids school then - they actualy WATCH television there

They would have real trouble banning my ds's games - they are such a weird mixture of all his favourite TV programs and his imagination!

saltire, I'm raising a Jolly-Roger-adorned three cornered hat to your son's teacher for such a good idea - it could be the start of a real interest in geography or science for some of the childrn. Needless to say, I think the other mum's being ridiculous.

How strange

Err...no! DD has never seen a pirate film, but she still knows about pirates from books and seeing toys about her sometimes.