Is 1st grade too young to learn about slavery? UPDATE original post

[CEDmom]

My DD cried herself to sleep last night after seeing a video in school about slavery as part of Black History Month . There wasn't much DH or I could do to consol her.

She learned all about Harriet Tubman and the underground railroad which I think is fine but then they started learning specific details about slavery which I think is way over the top. She's a little girl and doesn't need to know at this point about horrors in history. I'm worried next up will be Hitler.

I have a really good relationship with her teacher and plan to e-mail her just to let her know the lesson while well intentioned may have been over the top for many of the children. BTW, she's a young teacher w/o children of her own or in her family so I just don't think it occured to her that this might be upsetting.

Is this type of lesson common, am I just being overprotective, what do you think?

UPDATE:

I saw my DD's teacher when I picked her up so I was able to speak with her. As I expected she felt really badly about what happened. She explained that because our district is very ethnically diverse there is a strong emphasis on Black History Month. I told her I think that's great and that my DD was really interested in Harriet Tubman and Pres. Lincoln etc but the images of slaves in shackles and especially child slaves was just way more than she could handle. She explained that while my DD understands things explained verbally other children need visuals. She said she was glad I told her and she would be more aware of this issue when teaching other lessons. She again said she was so sorry my DD was upset. I was happy with how it went and DD seems ok today with what she saw.

An aside, somehow the topic of the Holocaust came up and my DD's teacher told me that it's a NJ state mandate that this be taught is 1st grade - WTH !!!!!!!!! Luckily, she said the school will not be teaching about this because it isn't appropriate for 6yo - ya think . I told her that's good because I didn't think the BOE had enough $ to pay for my child's therapy - stupid bureaucrats .

 

[DawnCt1]

I remember reading about Harriett Tubman and the unground railroad in first grade years ago but I think any part of history or reality that is frightening and graphic, no matter how well intentioned, is too intense for a first grader. Heck, Bambi is often too intense and sad for first graders. The teacher didn't show the best judgement.

 

[mickeyboat]

My DD cried herself to sleep last night after seeing a video in school about slavery as part of Black History Month . There wasn't much DH or I could do to consol her.

She learned all about Harriet Tubman and the underground railroad which I think is fine but then they started learning specific details about slavery which I think is way over the top. She's a little girl and doesn't need to know at this point about horrors in history. I'm worried next up will be Hitler.

I have a really good relationship with her teacher and plan to e-mail her just to let her know the lesson while well intentioned may have been over the top for many of the children. BTW, she's a young teacher w/o children of her own or in her family so I just don't think it occured to her that this might be upsetting.

Is this type of lesson common, am I just being overprotective, what do you think?

I don't know if this is common, but it does sound over the top to me. I think it's o.k. to teach that bad things have happened in our history, but 1st grade is a little young to teach the details.

My kids learned about MLK in January (they are in K). But they only learned that he worked so all of us could be free to be ourselves, not much beyond that.

I wonder if your daughter is inquisitive and sensitive enough to ask about the details, where other kids might not. I would be curious to know how other children and parents have reacted. It's definitely worth a carefully worded e-mail to the teacher.

Denae

 

[Belle for President]

At that age, I think they are still trying to grasp the basic concepts of history; they don't have the same skills we do of studying history objectively...for them there's less distance. And, they're just beginning to understand the difference between fictional stories and historical stories...knowing that "something really happened" makes it more scary, and they wonder if it could happen again.

There's a way to do it, I think, but probably a video is not the way to go. Visual images can be too graphic.

 

[luvflorida]

Is this type of lesson common, am I just being overprotective, what do you think?

Unfortunately, this probably won't be the last time that something like this will happen. My youngest daughter is 15 and this can STILL be a problem.

There have been numerous incidents, similar to the one you describe, throughout her school years that I've questioned, (not necessarily to the school, but to myself), and that have upset my daughter. She has always been a very sensitive and perceptive child. Her feelings and emotions are always right at the surface. Perhaps your daughter is sensitive, also.

I've found over the years, as a teacher and parent, that there are many things that most kids can handle with no problem, but the sensitive children are the ones who will have a hard time dealing with emotional issues.

I remember my daughter being upset about slavery issues when that teaching unit was taught, but I'm not sure it was at the first grade level. I DO remember, however, fourth grade being a hard time because that's when the school district does a big unit on the Holocaust. Some of the books that were required reading were very intense and very disturbing, and I remember my daughter crying while reading them. I also remember in fifth grade when she had to read Island of the Blue Dolphins and she cried. She had, and still has, a hard time with anything that involves animals dying. As a Sophomore this year, we are dealing with Biology and dissection, which is coming up shortly. There is no way she will dissect anything. I'm hoping she has an understanding Biology teacher and that the school will allow for alternative instruction.

Sorry, I didn't mean to go and on, but this is a sensitive subject with me. I hate to see kids struggle with their feelings and emotions when these topics come up at school. It's hard on the child AND the parent. You want so badly to protect them from all this. I'm not saying they don't need to know about history, because obviously they do. It's just that you want it done at the appropriate age and as sensitively as possible.

First grade is much too young, in my opinion, for children to hear unnecessarily harsh facts about anything. It should be a time to introduce topics, but at their level. As they get older, the topics can be expanded upon and more ideas and facts introduced. I know reality can't be avoided, but I can't tell you how many times someone has told me that my daughter needs to toughen up. Easier said than done and a continual process.

I would definitely talk to the teacher and get a better sense of exactly what your daughter heard and saw, and explain how it affected her. It would also give you a better idea on how to discuss it further with your daughter.

to your little girl.

edited to add: No, I don't think you're being overprotective. It's just so hard to see a child so upset about things that you would like to have more control over.

 

[laurie31]

Oooh, I think that's too much information! My dd is in 4th grade and they are going on a field trip to the Civil Rights museum here this month. I am concerned about HER finding out about such things. She has no idea about segregation. I know racism still exists now of course, but I want her to grow up thinking that race is not an issue, then when she's confronted with it (racism), all she will think is that it's backward and stupid. DD2 is in 1st grade and all they did was sing happy songs about MLK. She would be VERY upset to learn about racial injustice, much less slavery, and I can't see the point of telling her about it at this age.

I don't think kids should be kept in the dark forever, but there's no need to tell them more than they are capable of understanding. No one would teach calculus in 1st grade, why try to teach stuff that even adults find upsetting? (and omgosh, I would find out if they're going to touch on the world wars. That is material for older kids.)

Laurie

 

[punkin]

It depends on the child really. My oldest is in 8th grade and still can't handle it. My youngest is in second grade and stuff like this just doesn't affect her at all.

 

[salmoneous]

I don't know if the lesson was appropriate for 1st grade or not, but I'd still email the teacher to let her what happened with your child. If nothing else, it gives her something to watch for with future lessons.

 

[Saphire]

This was one of my biggest problems with the school system...giving information that was not age appropriate. Six year olds are known for their sensitivity and learning about such things can be traumatic to many children. For my first-grade daughter it was learning about the Titanic. How many nights did I sit with her as she went over and over how those poor people drown? The teacher was just ignorant, and it shocked me as she had been teaching for years. I calmly explained that it was really inappropriate to be telling the kids about this disaster. I don't think you are being over-protective at all and I think the teacher needs to know the fallout of teaching such lessons and showing upseting videos.

 

[CEDmom]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to e-mail the teacher. I'll have to work on what I say because I know it'll bother her that my DD got upset. She is a very sensitive child especially about people being mean to eachother or animals.

She does know about segregation and racism to a certain extent. Since she's asian and we're not we feel she needs to be aware of these things to some extent because chances are she will experience some at some point no matter how much we try to protect her.

Even when she started telling me about learning about Harriet Tubman I wasn't too concerned. I even shared that my ancestors farmhouse was the last stop in upstate NY before the Canadian border and she seemed really interested in that. She saved the worst for bedtime and just lost it .

 

[Hannathy]

When my DD was in 5th gr. they had to write a childrens book and illustrate it aiming it toward younger children and her topic was the African slave trade.
I don't think it is wrong to introduce the idea of slavery to 1rst graders. There are bad people in the world and they need to begin to find that out. I also don't think it needs to be horribly graphic either. Was the video graphic or was she just upset that people made other people their slaves. Blood and gore no but just showing people in chains that is another thing. You can be proud that the thought of enslaving people makes her so upset. You have taught her to think of others a feeling lacking in many of the me generation. Just wait until 5th and 6th grade when they go into depth about the civil war and the holocaust and read Anne Frank etc. lots more emotions.

 

[Alison Wonderland]

I think if it is done in the right way it would be ok. Sounds like the teacher may have done it in too intense a way. My son learned about Martin Luther King Jr in the first grade and he greatly admires him.

 

[Saffron]

Awww, I think there should have been away to introduce African American history without traumatizing little ones. People that age are moving from the concrete to abstract thinking stages. What we as adults are able to understand as "centuries ago" and as "history", may mean "yesterday" and "last night" to little ones. Even more so, sensitive ones, no matter what age, may have a hard time dealing with the brutal facts of slavery. I know I do as an adult! Expecting a six year old to process information like that is a bit much. I'm sorry that happened to her.

Last month I hung a picture of Martin Luther King in my preschool classroom and a discussion started about who he was (one of the boys thought it was a picture of his dad ). I told the kids that he was a very nice man, very gentle man, who loved all people, who did great things for many people, who helped people live their dreams. They smiled, said they liked him and moved on. On Martin Luther King Day, at lunch time, one of the little girls pointed at the picture and said she knew who the guy in the picture was ... he was a dead man that someone shot. While true and a very important part of American history, it's too much for three year olds to truly comphrehend. The little girl was unphased by the thought, but other little ones in my class looked frightened after she made her comment. I just repeated what I said days before and that seemed to calm the waters.

 

[padams]

When DS was in preschool, I picked him up one January day and he told me how they learned about MLK that day. Surprised that a preschool curriculum would include MLK, I asked DS what he learned about him. DS said "He got shot dead."

A couple of years later in 1st grade, DS tells his little brother and me about a field trip to the MLK Center. Little brother says "Oh, yeah, MLK, that's the guy that was shot." Obviously, not enough parents had complained to the preschool teacher because the MLK curriculum hadn't changed.

Contact the teacher. Let her know that your DD was upset by the lesson.

 

[Talking Hands]

My DD cried herself to sleep last night after seeing a video in school about slavery as part of Black History Month . There wasn't much DH or I could do to consol her.

She learned all about Harriet Tubman and the underground railroad which I think is fine but then they started learning specific details about slavery which I think is way over the top. She's a little girl and doesn't need to know at this point about horrors in history. I'm worried next up will be Hitler.

I have a really good relationship with her teacher and plan to e-mail her just to let her know the lesson while well intentioned may have been over the top for many of the children. BTW, she's a young teacher w/o children of her own or in her family so I just don't think it occured to her that this might be upsetting.

Is this type of lesson common, am I just being overprotective, what do you think?

Please don't necessarily blame the teacher. Often these lessons are structured by a Black History Committee and the videos shown to the entire school regardless of grade.
I do think it is inappropriate for 1st graders. Basic facts is all the need to know at this age. That Harriet Tubman was an important person in Black History. Details can be filled in as the children learn in higher grades.

 

[Robinrs]

Not only do I remember being traumatized by it in school (I was the only AA in the class and they just glossed over it) the fact that it was only literally 2 generations ago hit me to my soul! My grandmother was born in 1896, I did the math and I was in shock! Somehow if it was in 1492 I think it would've been easier to deal with but all of the info I learned I related to my family and it was very uncomfortable to deal with.

Kids that age are naturally altruistic, it's unnecessary to upset them with what adults consider the "truth". Life is full of truths they will eventually have to deal with, being a child is the only time they should be at least a bit sheltered from it. My parents worked very hard to shield me from the hatred I eventually found out about in the real world in the 50s and 60s America, and I appreciate them for that. Looking back I am amazed at how hard they worked to make me believe that life was just about how much Mommy and Daddy loved me....

 

[missypie]

There is a time and a place for everything and first grade isn't the time to learn about slavery. Besides your daughter's feelings (I assume she is white), what about any African-American kids in the class? I can just see some class with one or two African-American kids and the white kids turning and staring at them.

My kids managed to be color/race blind in early elementary school. When they talked about kids at school, they never mentioned the race or nationality. I hate the idea of introducing negative racial issues at an age when many of them are still so pure.

 

[mommyoeo]

My DD learned about slavery in the 1st grade too. She knew that it was terribly unfair, that people were lazy and forced others to do their work for them, that the people were not free and had no choices, etc. She knows that Lincoln is a hero and still loves to read books about him. She is enraged at the thought of people treating each other like that and making equal men into slaves. She did not know that families were split up and children were sold away from their parents or anything like that. She was upset enough about what she DID know. I have to say though, that it was just the right amount of information for her and I think I did tell her more than her school did. As a parent, I know how much she should be taught and was glad I had the chance to minit what she learned. I was MAD though that a child in her first grade class was allowed to bring in a 9/11 picture book and show it to the class. I'm not sure what on Earth the teacher or parents were thinking, or if the child did it without their knowledge. Anyhow, I homeschool this year and we avoid terrorist stuff but encourage the slavery/Lincoln stuff. I like having total control over those sorts of things.

When I was a high schooler, I learned about the holocaust and saw movies. I cried for a month, night and day. When we saw a Red Cross documentary of families who had been temporarily reunited for the Red Cross visit to "prove" the labor camps were humane and then learned the history that when the RC left, the hole the families had dug together was filled with live children who were then burned and buried, I think I was ready to end my own life, and I'm not kidding! I remember my piano teacher thinking I was faking it every Thursday when I couldn't even play because all I could do was cry and barely get out a few words about the holocaust. After a while, she got fed up and thought I was trying to get out of my work when actually I was deeply disturbed.

I think many facts should be learned in school and even some disturbing ones because we have to make sure that history doesn't repeat itself, but parents should have the right to know ahead of time to decide if their child can handle it or not. It's a fine line and a very hard one for a teacher to make for 20 kids with different hearts and backgrounds.