I can’t say that I really have a firm opinion on this because I feel like I don’t know how much kids should be exposed to at particular ages. Who am I to say that a kid isn’t mature enough to see or read about something?
What is an appropriate age to expose children to death in literature? I feel as though whatever age a child (at least reading age) is, he or she would be told if someone in his or her family died. So death definitely shouldn’t be censored, but what about other things like murder, torture? Where should the line be drawn? And when should kids be exposed to sex? All of these things are a part of life so kids shouldn’t be denied the right to read about these things, right? But then again you don’t want kids to do these things that they read about. So I guess I would have to say that kids can be exposed to violence and sex and whatever else when they learn that they shouldn’t imitate everything they read. It has to be individual to each child because every child develops at a different rate. So then the parents should decide? Maybe I am over thinking this, but it is really confusing.
I grew up going to only private, catholic schools from 1st grade through 12th grade. With regards to information about sex in reading, we were exposed to a sexual education class during 6th grade. I think that this was a great thing at the time because all of us were beginning to change sexually and it was important to learn some information about sexuality. When speaking of violence, I think it is going to be a unique situation at every grade and every school. All parents think differently about what their children are exposed to and some parents will definitely oppose violence in books of earlier age students. I do think that some violence should be a part of the reading. Some violence for example, about slavery and Native Americans being forced off their own land, should be shared in the classroom. This is a part of our history and should not be dulled down. This is a part of our country and kids should be able to read about what went on. What grades this information should be presented in will always be debated on and should be evaluated in every situation.
ReplyDeleteI think that exposing kids to death is ok, because it is a natural part of life. But, the amount of violence and detail given should increase slowly over time, almost like to prep them that it's going to get worse. You could argue that since death is a natural part of life then why can't we expose them to sex? Well, I don't think kids need to be educated about anything that might strike curiosity. We don't need people having sex at an age any younger than they already do. I think sex should be left out of all books in schools and left to the parents discretion if they would like to expose their kids to it. When I was reading the fourth Twilight book, I was a little surprised at the detail in the sex scene. Twilight is the type of series that could be aimed toward a younger or older audience, so it could be one of those books that is left up to the parents discretion if they think it is appropriate for their kid, but I don't think that type of thing should be the teacher's decision.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jessica, exposing kids to death is okay, if anything it is helpful. Providing kids that have lost parents, siblings, or other family members to death with books that they can relate to is a great way to help them deal with the loss. Reading can be an outlet, and learning how to deal with the loss of a family member through reading a book could cause really positive feedback. However, I think other types of violence should be presented in moderation. Some parents are very protective over their children and would prefer they don't have access to such horrific things. I think teachers, schools, and other administration need to be careful when choosing books that are allowed in classrooms and libraries because if they are too lenient they risk getting a lot of complaints. Although I think violence in moderation is acceptable, I don't think books involving sex should be present in schools. I think topic of sex and when it is talked/read about should be completely up to parents. We live in a society were the topic of sex is practically tip toed around (in some families). So, it just seems easiest to leave books involving sex completely out of schools. Allowing parents to provide their children with books involving sex when they feel it is the right time and when they believe they are mature enough for it, would result in the most positive feedback possible.
ReplyDeleteI can see where your confusion comes from because violence is definitely a stick subject in education. But, as teachers we are taught to confront "sticky" issues instead of ignore them. The unfortunate truth is that there are so many horrible things that can happen to a child so I think having literature that brings those issues foreword could actually be really helpful. Literature is such a cool way for children to feel and express emotions and all children should be given the opportunity to do just that. Whether a child is looking for a book that features gay or lesbian parents like their own, or a book that talks about a father who was shot and killed, we should never deny them the opportunity to find a book that they can relate to. However, I think if violence is going to be featured in literature that is in the classroom, it needs to be confronted and discussed so that children don't use it inappropriately.
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