My little sister gets suspended for conspiracy theorizing...?

Originally posted by Annee

Originally posted by XxNightAngelusxX
Her teacher sometimes tells her "You're too young to know that stuff yet" (and yes, that's an exact quote. Apparently, learning is bad).

I agree with her teacher.

She is not really old enough to comprehend. She is just repeating what she is told.

Right, keep that kid in church so you can forcefeed zombie jesus and the not so benevolent man in the sky who will smite her if she doesn't toe the line.

The stupidity of the human race never ceases to amaze me

reply to post by ChaoticOrder


Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.

His little sister was the culprit for the flu.

Sorry about your sister. Seems childish to suspend her for just trying to learn new things. Now if she was being a preacher about it, then I would understand.

Originally posted by XxNightAngelusxX


What the hell do you call that?

edit on 9-6-2012 by XxNightAngelusxX because: I wanted to add something. Get off my back.

A good start...

10 is not too young to know a lot of things. Does anyone remember being 10-12 and look back now and think "why didn't someone tell me that"? I agree it does depend on the child, there are things I tell my 10 yr old daughter that I wouldn't tell her friends that are 12-13 because they wouldn't understand. She's smart, has studied Latin, knows more chemistry than a lot of HS grads, taught herself piano and just recently started formal lessons to polish up her playing. She's also very artistic so I push that to relax her mind and not have that little calculator running in the background constantly, summer Art School is coming up with "Stomp" & Stained Glass classes.

I tell her to keep some things to herself and not confront the teacher, that it is good enough for her to know. It works for us, all of her teachers love her and think the world of her. A week does not go by that she comes home with "you won't believe what this teacher told us" though. I wish I could think of a good example right now. I send her to school with a bunch of sheep so I make my little wolfie wear a sheep suit to blend in, go along, you won't change the teacher. Think for yourself and if they tell you something incorrect you don't have to accept it. If you have a question ask me and I 'll tell you the truth or say I don't know but I'll find out for you, I don't lie to her and that is why she always comes to me for answers.

Use appropriate levels of information and details depending on the child, but don't lie to your kids. The "little white lies" are worse than the big ones because people think "no harm done" but that is not the case. If your kids know you routinely lie about little inconsequential things why would they think you don't lie about the big stuff?

That is absolutely ridiculous.

But - forgive me - I think you'll find that a lot of Christian custom is based off traditional paganism. Does that make it evil? No.

Easter = Spring Equinox
Christmas = Winter Solstice

It's really just to do with the movement of the sun rather than anything magic or mystical about it, and certainly not evil. It's about nature. You know -- real stuff.

reply to post by XxNightAngelusxX


First I want to say that the creator of the thread is doing a good thing teaching about things that is outside the normal school curriculum. What I feel most of the people answering is that they don't take into consideration the finer nuances of the situation.

Its not as simple as: Bhlarg the world is run by lizard men, do you UNDERSTAND!! # BOOKS!!
little sister with a dazed gaze: Liiizzzard meeen woooo *drool* Books bad....

Kids at that age NEED to learn critical thinking skills, not after school. They need to know that the books they read are not set in stone, that there is a "expiring date" for them so to say. They are after all thoughts, ideas and observations set on paper.

A good idea would be to remind the kids going to school that the books includes knowledge of what we know of the world as of now. That old ideas and theories will get replaced with new ones.

What I feel is sad though about schools in general is that they are against learning. Its all about indoctrination.
No original thoughts, no mind of their own.

Originally posted by Unity_99
My kids are all being taught the truth too.

There are a lot of parents who teach their kids "the truth". It can be the religious nut case-neighbors teaching their kids right from the cradle how everyone who doesn't believe in God is bad....or how homosexuals wont go "to heaven"....or how the Aliens abduct people en masse...or how the gvt lies to us and flies holographic planes into the pentagon.

What is this "Truth"? You know the truth? Congratulation, because i don't!

Regardless, i think it's wrong to put such thoughts into a kid's head. All you do is raise kids sharing your own belief, un-critical of other views or beliefs.

At some point, later on, someone might ask the kid why it believes this or that, eg. some debate with someone else who has another viewpoint..and the kid will have no means to even back up its BELIEF since all it does is echoing your belief, it hasn't formed its own opinion - because such usually comes at a much later age by using their reasoning.

btw, your sister got suspended for giving the teacher a sarcasm rasperry on a get well card, not "conspiracy theorizing"

I wont applaud your indoctrinating your younger, impressionable sister into bizarre anti-american/anti-christian propaganda.

reply to post by lucid eyes


Would you consider the following video anti-christian?

reply to post by Vorlon128


Where does one draw the line though?

There are conspiracy theories...then there are conspiracy theories...

Would it be wise to tell a child about shapeshifting reptilians who secretly run the world? Or that on December 21st, the world will end?

There are ADULTS who indulge and believe in this stuff...and they're...adults.

How the hell will a 10 year old kid comprehend this?

You hear the world is gonna end in a few months from a trusted family member and you'd crap yourself.

So in regards to the fear induced, ignorant rubbish that adults (let alone kids) get all worked up about, no, a child shouldn't be taught such things.

Yes they should be taught to question things.
Yes they should be taught to be open minded.

Did your sister do this during the middle of the class, if so the teacher can use that as disrupting the class, Now your sister could confront the teacher after school hours and discuss the and find truth together ( I did this with my daughters history Teacher, and Science

But the public school system is a joke.

A bit on topic and a bit off topic...but here are my thoughts...

The teacher (instructor) is unreasonable at best...but here is the thing bothering me...conspiracies are conspiracies because they have yet to be proved...otherwise they would be factual proof!

I have seen evidence of just about everything you can imagine on ATS...and support to prove and disprove the most horrendous claims...so really my question is....should conspiracies be academically accepted?

Surely free thought and imagination is acceptable...but do conspiracies fit into that criterion?

I don't know...either way...it is a sorry excuse to suspend a child from school!

Its obvious that your little sister is a dis-info agent and the teachers see straight threw her....sneaky little people.

Originally posted by Ittabena
reply to post by Annee

 

She is not really old enough to comprehend. She is just repeating what she is told.

MUST disagree with this idea completely. "They" have always said that children do not understand the concept of death before the age of 7. I was in Kindergarten (5 y.o.) when Kennedy was murdered in Dallas. I understood and cried, even at that early age.

We adults always think we have things all figured out, then we find we are disastrously wrong. This has happened many times in history.

My understanding is that children understand more than we do. Why? Because they understand without ego. Perhaps we should learn from the little ones who have not been corrupted by moronic adults.

What say you?

edit on 10-6-2012 by Ittabena because: (no reason given)

I agree. I have never looked at it from a perspective of ego though. I work with kids, mostly girls between the ages of 4 and 18. They understand everything, with the more complex situations maybe not with the same depth as an adult but they will understand the basis. And nine times out of ten they will offer the most simple straight forward solution to fixing the problem. And their solution is almost always perfect if it weren't for red tape established by other factors.

This is where people are mistaken about a child's ability to understand. It's not that they're incapable of understanding why the issue is more complex, it's they have no experience to know otherwise. Upon explanation most kids will understand the issue and most of its complexities. The reason they have no experience dealing with complexities is because they have no use for them in their lives. We call it innocence.

reply to post by Chadwickus


It is a problem when you think about it. Is the situation about the child who learns from its parents that people will go to hell and be tortured for eternity the same as the child who learns that 21 Dec is the day of doom?

For me the situation is kind of the same, but with some differences.

What is the origin of the idea of shape changing reptilian demons/aliens/spirits?
What is the origin of the idea of 21 of dec being a doomsday/new cykle?
What is the origin of the idea of the government being in cahoots with aliens?

For me the whole thing depends on if the child is capable of critical thinking and aware that the conspiracy theories are just ideas that "might" be true. If the child is branwashed and cant think of its own it do become a problem.

How did the child get exposed to the idea? Was it with a conversation and exchange of ideas?
Or was it with a stick and brainwashing?

I am fine with it as long as the child in question is aware of the elusive nature of conspiracy theories.

Also good to teach them the difference between conspiracies and conspiracy theories. Like in this LINK

Originally posted by XxNightAngelusxX
reply to post by eriktheawful

 

Excuse me, my brother and sister ARE my responsibility. I don't care how many kids you have, or who you THINK you are, but my step mother is a manic-depressive bi-polar psychopath who has fits of abusing her own children, along with my brother and sister, just as she did to me when I lived with them. THAT is why I don't get along with her. Not because I'm playing the parent. I have a stepmother who is tweaked beyond repair and a father who is a pill head.

So, keep in mind that you don't need to be trying to educate me on who the responsible adult figures are in my brother and sister's lives, because you know nothing about them, or the situation.

And when did I say my sister goes out of her way to upset the teacher? I never said that.

Get your damn facts straight.

So now you're a psychiatrist? Better yet, now you're a social services person who can decide who is and who is not fit to raise a child?

I will completely admit I don't know the situation except as far as what you have told us in this thread. However, IF you feel your sister is being abused or neglected child, then you should be doing something OTHER than teaching her conspiracy theories.......instead, you should be trying to secure both of your sib's safety.

As for her "going out of her way to upset the teacher":

1) I didn't say that.
2) I agreed with Phage that from what you told us, she has a "history" with the teacher.
3) You, yourself told us this in your OP. Here is a quote from it:

My little sister, who is ten years old, has been learning about all conspiracies since about four years ago, when I started learning about them and teaching her, when I was about 14. So, she's been learning them since about age 6 or 7, roughly. Occasionally, in class, someone will bring up the statue of liberty, she she'll inform them about how the statue was built by Freemasons, and how it looks like the Roman sun God. Her teacher sometimes tells her "You're too young to know that stuff yet" (and yes, that's an exact quote. Apparently, learning is bad). I also frequently inform her about how parts of the modern American Christian customs are Pagan and based on sun and moon worship, and she will explain to my mamaw and other relatives how Easter is evil, and Christmas is unholy (I got a lot of heat from my family for putting that stuff in her head, not that I care). And eventually, her teacher flat-out told her that she will "Find who ever is telling her these conspiracies, and never let her speak to them again" (I think she was under the impression that someone in her class was telling her these things, possibly). And, I told them... "Bring it on. I'd like to see you try to separate us. Go ahead and try." Never heard from her again.

So have I gotten my "damn facts" straight now?

And yes, it's obvious that you don't care what other's think. The fact that I have as many kids as I have, most grown, shows that I have experience of bringing them up and dealing with situations that occur in school, especially kids repeating what they are told or over hear (I'm reminded of one of my kids telling her teacher how the flea market near by sells nothing but "crap", and how confused she was since she was only repeating what I had said....).

How much experience do you have? How many kids do you have? How many parent / teacher conferences have you had to go to?

If someone handed me that poem I would take it as a threat. "Conspiracies to do, i'll be seeing you" sounds like she is cooking something up against the teacher. I know that's not the case but I can see the school taking it that way.

Good thing the girl is your sister instead of your daughter as DCF would be taking her away from you. What you are doing is inappropriate. I am also sure you are teaching her many things that simply aren't true or are only a small part of the story.

10 year olds need to be enjoying life not hearing about what is wrong with the world.

My guess is that you haven't accomplished much in life and that your sister is likely on the same path, in no small part due to you. Feel free to prove me wrong, but I imagine you end up wastung your life away rather than going out and making the world a better place. What says you?

For the rest of you ATs'ers who agree with him teaching this stuff - well thumbs down to you. It is wrong on many levels. Don't let your hereos be goats.

reply to post by XxNightAngelusxX


So, you are manipulating your younger sister for your own entertainment.

Youd make a great minister of Propaganda.

As an adult that faces the world on a daily basis you know what doesn't smell right and you know or should know how to question it with reasonable logic. A 10 year old girl is playing with dolls and tea sets, there is no way she can comprehend something advanced as "conspiracy theories". I was a bright child but trust me when I say that it would have been way above me when I was 10, or even 13!

A childs brain just soaks it up, they will believe anything, especially if you believe it. They are not capable of questioning it from different viewpoints.

Your little sister is meant to be having fun but you are throwing her right into the deep-end. I'm really disturbed over this, you can very easily wreck that child, if you have not already.

Do your parents know and how old are you?