So my 4th grader got into trouble today

[steppinthrax]

So my daughter came home from school with a warning from her guidance counselor. Evidently my daughter asked a student "Do you believe in God?". The parents of that child came to school and complained about it. The guidance counselor told my daughter that this was harassment. So now we have to meet the teacher next week????

I partially agree with this since this is public school and those type of discussions are generally not allowed. However, my daughter was asking innocently (she is in church school as well) and wasn't trying to harass.

At the same time I'm trying to figure out what type of "oversensitive" parents are these.

 

[Platypus]

teach your daughter not to talk about religion, money or politics.

 

[BudAshes]

teach your daughter not to talk about religion, money or politics.

Yeah, those are topics for men only. Just guide her gently to the kitchen and tell her this is where girls belong.

 

[steppinthrax]

Yeah, those are topics for men only. Just guide her gently to the kitchen and tell her this is where girls belong.

Fuck You LOL....

 

[Printer Bandit]

the primary responsibility of a parent is to make your child God conscious.

 

[lxskllr]

AFAIC, they're infringing on her speech rights. Meet with the teacher, nod and smile, then tell your daughter they're fuckwits, but to play by the rules, cause life is easier when you play by the rules, and others rule over you.

 

[steppinthrax]

The rest of the story was the kid answered "No" to my daughter. Another kid heard that and asked her "You don't believe in God!!!!!".

My daughter didn't say anything.

 

[CPA]

So my daughter came home from school with a warning from her guidance counselor. Evidently my daughter asked a student "Do you believe in God?". The parents of that child came to school and complained about it. The guidance counselor told my daughter that this was harassment. So now we have to meet the teacher next week????

I partially agree with this since this is public school and those type of discussions are generally not allowed. However, my daughter was asking innocently (she is in church school as well) and wasn't trying to harass.

At the same time I'm trying to figure out what type of "oversensitive" parents are these.

"Public" school and something is not allowed. Smh.

 

[HN]

AFAIC, they're infringing on her speech rights. Meet with the teacher, nod and smile, then tell your daughter they're fuckwits, but to play by the rules, cause life is easier when you play by the rules, and others rule over you.

that might not fly since it would seem like you're criticizing their intelligence which would open a whole new can of worms.

i suggest the more general 'fuckwads'

 

[Thebobo]

What was the students answer?

 

[moonbogg]

the primary responsibility of a parent is to make your child God conscious.

God damn it, Printer.

 

[jagec]

Teach her that the correct way to "harass" other kids is by shoving them, stealing their lunches, spitting in their drinks etc. Public schools won't do anything about actual bullying.

 

[waggy]

AFAIC, they're infringing on her speech rights. Meet with the teacher, nod and smile, then tell your daughter they're fuckwits, but to play by the rules, cause life is easier when you play by the rules, and others rule over you.

/THIS

she can ask. its not harassment or anything. Though i would also talk to her on how some things you don't ask others.

 

[poofyhairguy]

However, my daughter was asking innocently (she is in church school as well) and wasn't trying to harass.

That is the angle I would stick with. I bet you these parents are expecting you to fight for her right or something. Don't and the situation will fix itself.

 

[dougp]

Doesn't matter if it's a public school or not, your daughter is free to ask what she pleases, the kid doesn't have to respond. You should ask the kid's parents if they allow him to say the word God in the Pledge of Allegiance. I mean, jesus, your kid is 8 years old - they're going to say a lot of things with out any intent to offend.

 

[SlitheryDee]

What precipitated this conversation? Does your daughter typically go around asking people if they believe in God, or was there some previous discussion about it?

 

[irishScott]

What's the bet her parents attend one of those Atheist "churches"? They sound like the type.

I agree with others, just make it clear that your daughter had no intent to harass anyone and just asked an honest question, apologize for any offense given, and then on the way home tell your daughter how stupid those oversensitive morons are and to just avoid asking that specific student religious questions.

When I was a kid the subject of God would occasionally come up at the lunch table. I don't remember anyone taking any offense.

 

[SlowSpyder]

Pushing your opinion on someone at school is wrong. I can't get behind public schools pushing religion, I think that is wrong too. But a kid asking another kid about religion or god, that shouldn't be a problem. Kind of stupid that you have to meet with the teacher over something like that.

 

[Ruptga]

Zomg, off with their heads!

Dumb crap happens at schools all the time. I'd be more interested in hearing about the resolution than the incident.

 

[T9D]

Those kids are going to be complete incompetent retards when they grow up if they can't even deal with being asked a question that might make them think or at the very least give a decent reply back. It's getting even more bleak for future generations because the lamer the parents are getting every day.

 

[zinfamous]

Yeah, those are topics for men only. Just guide her gently to the kitchen and tell her this is where girls belong.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS37SNYjg8w

 

[dank69]

No way this is the whole story. No way.

 

[T9D]

No way this is the whole story. No way.

The real story:

Daughter: Do you believe in god? You better start praying cause I'm going to *bleep* you up *bleep*

Other Child: D:

 

[mizzou]

It was a warning from the guidance counselor? Probably just a 'FYI sir, your daughter is thumping the bible on other students' Talks with the teacher over EVERYTHING are commonplace because of helicopter parents who worry about every little thing their angelic children do.

Principal is the one you need to worry about

 

[Atomic Playboy]

The rest of the story was the kid answered "No" to my daughter. Another kid heard that and asked her "You don't believe in God!!!!!".

My daughter didn't say anything.

This is why they want to avoid the question being asked in the first place. Obviously it's not your daughter's intent to harass anyone, and it's a seemingly harmless question to ask. But when the other child responds that they don't believe in God and other students start expressing incredulity, your daughter inadvertently kicked off a conversation that has no business in a public school. What if that incredulity about a lack of faith becomes teasing? Yes, that's not your daughter doing it, but it's an offshoot of something your daughter started, and the school has a responsibility to nip that in the bud before it has the chance to become anything serious. I would hope that the trouble was nothing serious, just a friendly reminder that some topics aren't appropriate to bring up in that setting.