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View Full Version : Banning nursery rhymes?


razz
5-8-12, 8:41pm
A friend has told us that a move is underway to ban nursery rhymes use in schools. When we asked for the rationale, she told us that she has been advised that it is the impression created in children - i.e., Jack and Jill continually fail to succeed which is bad for motivation, Jack Sprat and wife are being harshly judged, the old woman in the shoe means that children are unwanted, blind mice and cutting off their tails is cruelty...

She was absolutely serious.

Sounds crazy and so politically correct as to be insane. Pretty soon, we won't be able to say anything that is the slightest bit culturally slanted or from folk tales as Grimms tales are unacceptable as well.
Is this kind of thinking pervasive in education? Over protection of children?
treehugger
5-8-12, 9:46pm
That sounds like a joke email going around on the internet.

Kara
Wildflower
5-8-12, 9:49pm
That is really just over the top!
bae
5-8-12, 10:01pm
Our local high school recently tried to eliminate participation in the National Honor Society because they were concerned it would cause self-esteem issues for the kids who didn't qualify....
Mrs-M
5-8-12, 10:01pm
The direction society is going nowadays, nothing surprises me anymore. The whole political-correctness (and all) gags me.
Sad Eyed Lady
5-8-12, 10:11pm
Oh, give me a break!
creaker
5-8-12, 10:19pm
Next thing you know they'll be banning cute little books like "In the Night Kitchen" - oh yeah, they did (some places, anyway). RIP Maurice Sendak.
iris lily
5-9-12, 1:45am
That sounds like a joke email going around on the internet.

Kara

That was my first thought, too. But that said, Mark Steyn's bad time in Canada left me with the impression that free speech isn't valued there quite so much as here and perhaps even classic Mother Goose is now subject to government silencing for the good of all.
Gregg
5-9-12, 9:42am
“The quickest way to end political correctness would be to start calling woman vaginal Americans.” Unknown.
peggy
5-9-12, 1:29pm
"Or we can call men American dicks" me
Mighty Frugal
5-9-12, 1:50pm
"Or we can call men American dicks" me

:D
redfox
5-9-12, 1:53pm
I hate the phrase "politically correct". It was deployed, successfully, to sink the real efforts at naming how language and labels can marginalize people... Like the pejoritve use of these words: queer, fag, dyke, bitch, c*nt, coon, spic, and countless other harmful words.

Saying something is "politically correct" is an umbrella way to dismiss any consideration of the impact language has on others. And conveniently, this umbrella has given shelter for crazy ideas, like banning nursery rhymes.
loosechickens
5-9-12, 2:27pm
+1 redfox......
Alan
5-9-12, 2:56pm
I hate the phrase "politically correct".
It seems that a lot of people do object to the term since it pretty accurately describes attempts to eliminate "politically incorrect" thoughts, words or phrases. I think it's kinda goofy since the phrase "politically incorrect" is generally seen as a positive while "politically correct" is seen as negative.

Speaking of politically incorrect. Has anyone heard about England banning it's police IT staff usage of the common IT terms "blacklist" and "whitelist" for fear of appearing racist? http://www.weirdcrime.net/2012/05/08/police-department-bans-word-blacklist-in-case-it-is-deemed-racist

What a world, huh?
treehugger
5-9-12, 2:57pm
I hate the phrase "politically correct". It was deployed, successfully, to sink the real efforts at naming how language and labels can marginalize people... Like the pejoritve use of these words: queer, fag, dyke, bitch, c*nt, coon, spic, and countless other harmful words.

Saying something is "politically correct" is an umbrella way to dismiss any consideration of the impact language has on others. And conveniently, this umbrella has given shelter for crazy ideas, like banning nursery rhymes.

Redfox, I completely agree with you. PC is said with a sneer so often these days, when really the original general idea is simply to thoughtfully consider our language so as not to be needlessly hurtful. Obviously, things can be taken too far into the realm of the ridiculous. But that doesn't mean that it's a bad thing to try to avoid causing offense, when feasible.

The expression Politically Correct is now completely meaningless, and I would love to see it die.

Kara