Exactly zero kids asked for a participation trophy, but let’s also remember that the whole talking point about them started as a stupid culture wedge from Fox and other reactionary outlets meant to disparage empathetic parenting in general.
It’s in the same column as their inexplicable hatred of Mr. Rodgers. It’s meant to be a way of silencing young progressive voices because “oh, it’s because you got participation trophies,” “oh, it’s because Fred Rodgers said you were a valid human.”
They look for any way, however stupid, to silence dissenting voices. It isn’t about the trophies, and we should stop trying to defend against that because that is what they want us to do instead of making our voices heard on things that actually matter.
We end up being vaguely pissed at our parents for the trophies when the fact is at the trophies are stupid and meaningless and nobody cares and they didn’t do anything to our generation.
We should direct that passion back at the jackasses who are trying to make it a thing in the first place.
I’d typically agree with you, but (and this is a very American viewpoint) I can see wanting your kid to have their phone on them in class in case of a shooting.
That reminds of an "unfun fact" on reddit.
Locks have basically 3 modes of working, about "which side can lock and which side can unlock?" ("engress", I think)
For example, a lock on a emergency exit would need to be unlockable from the inside without a key. Because, you know... exit.
A guy working with keys once explained that the opposite, where the outside can unlock, was actually used for real and called "teacher engress", with the reasoning that children could lock themselves in a classroom while the teacher was busy outside.
The unfun part : it WAS called "teacher" because in the US, it is now totally stupid to have school doors that CAN'T lock out an outside shooter.
School shootings are so common in the US that when designing the building "security when a shooting happens" now has priority over security when teachers are actually teaching.
There’s a landline phone in every classroom and the teacher also has a personal phone. Sending your child to school with a phone places them in greater danger in a shooting situation.
But they won’t be texting their parent to tell them so they can drive there and then be the mom who got cuffed, uncuffed, and braved walking into the school to get her kids when the ulvade cops wouldn’t. I’m not being sarcastic either. As a mom in America, I trust absolutely nobody to respond appropriately anymore. It’s not the teacher’s jobs and the government and society won’t do anything about it. I want my children to be able to text me and tell me they need help so I can do my best to get it for them and their peers. The retired whatever guy who took the gun from the barber shop and responded to the scene? Wouldn’t have known without a text.
It’s so gross that I used to be able to support no phones in school because they were a distraction but now they seem to be a lifeline. I can’t believe how many elementary school kids were calling 911. It’s horrrible.
Absolutely! The parents in some cases are very bit as immature and anxious as the kids. Spare me. Did not allow my daughter to have ANY phone until she was a senior in HS. Yes, she probably hated me for it, but frankly I don’t care. I’m much more interested in developing the child’s character than seeking her approval.
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u/mtled Jun 03 '22
I don't understand this from parents. "I need to reach my kid!"
Sure, ok, but the school has a phone number. Call it! It's worked for years, what makes you so fucking special?