Daycare and 9-11

[Davros]

Today my wife and I got a newsletter from my son's daycare facility. He goes to one which is known for their "jump start in learning" curriculum. On the newsletter it mentioned that for September 11 , all of the children are asked to wear red / white / blue. Mind you my son is 15 months old and the rest of the kids vary in age from 3 months - 4 years. Do you think the school is correct in asking the toddlers to do this in honor of 9-11? I can see if it was the week of Independence Day but 9-11?

By coincidence we will be on vacation that week so he won't have to participate anyway. I know he is young but if the school wanted the kids to dress up in our flag colors, how about a day celebrating the flag instead of 9-11. Perhaps I'm just overreacting.

[NYCGirl]

1. That's just plain ol' silly. NT

[havocmom]

3. Worse than silly - plain ol jingoism / propaganda

What comes next? Pre-school Hitler Youths?

I'd be looking for new day care solutions. This bunch has shown questionable judgment.

[Love Bug]

2. That's just a silly feel-good gesture for the parents/staff

Babies and toddlers don't care what they wear. This sounds like a lame "patriotic" gesture designed to help the parents and staff feel like they are contributing to AmericaTM by dressing little Snotleigh in flag colors. Big deal. I wonder how many of those same parents will vote in the next election?

[treestar]

4. Somebody trying to use 911 for a gesture is nothing new but

if this is a private facility, you pay for it and you shouldn't have to participate if you don't want to. If it is public, you don't have to participate, as they cannot try to shove their political views onto the kids.

If it were kids old enough to make fun of the child for being different, I'd use that as a lesson to the kid in nonconformity. The first thing we all need to learn is guts to go against the crowd. The RW has used peoples' natural desire to belong to the hilt.

[whiterabbit76]

5. They are just...

... indoctrinating them younger and younger. I think I'd be shopping for a new day care.

[fortyfeetunder]

6. 9/11 is also Patriot Day

created after 9/11

I wouldn't go out of my way in a preschool to dress a kid in any particular color on any given day.

Knowing little ones that age, one puke, drool, or diaper accident, there are only so many red/white/blue changeovers one could have....

[ScreamingMeemie]

8. It's not Patriot Day at my house...

I blacked that silly reminder out on our calendar. Here at the Grumpy house it's plain old Sept. 11, 2006...and my son's soccer game! :hi:

[Fierce]

7. Eh, I wouldn't worry about it.

If it's a good day care, I certainly wouldn't worry about finding a new one -- that's hard enough already. There's nothing wrong with saying "Oops, I forgot!" or "I wasn't interested in participating, thanks."

[Davros]

9. Thanks for the responses

It is nice to hear what others have to say since our town is 85% republican and the mayor (who also is republican) created a 9-11 memorial and put his own name on it as if we had to thank him for it in the first place. If my son was going to school that day, my wife and I were going to dress him in his tied-dyed(sp) shirt along with his Peace bib :)

[aikoaiko]

10. I guess it depends on how you frame it and what you think 9/11 was.

If you think 9/11 was an attack on America (albeit for a number of different possible reasons), then it would be appropriate.

[SheilaT]

11. You should not even be thinking

as being connected to 9/11 and what is an appropriate way to remember it. Rather, you should be thinking about this as a representation of forced participation in all sorts of things.

In a lot of cities with pro football teams, it's expected to wear that team's colors on Friday during football season. Or on the Monday of a Monday night game.

Everyone is expected to say the Pledge of Allegiance. Everyone is expected to show mindless support for the school's own sports teams.

It subtle and insidious, and while you probably don't want to encourage your child to root against his own school, start paying attention to the indoctrination that goes on all around us. It's everywhere and it's scary. It can be very difficult to truly think for oneself. We are surrounded all the time by exhortations to go along with the group.

[renate]

12. window-dressing

:puke:

How stupid. It might be well-meaning, but the kids couldn't possibly grasp what it's all about, and it's just to make the parents feel all good about themselves. Look how fabulous I am, I'm honoring 3000 dead and doing my patriotic duty by... putting my kid in red, white, and blue clothes.

:eyes: