Samiam Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Okay, so my DS10/5th grade just started the Apologia Jump In writing curriculum. I was previewing the lessons ahead of him, and saw at least two so far that mention abortion. Like giving an example of a persuasion (think it was that one, could be a another type of paper, can't remember at this moment) paper, using abortion as the topic, with a short paragraph about abortion. The something similiar a few lessons after that. What!?!?!?!? I mean, I think Jump IN is marketed for 6th-8th graders, right? So maybe my son is a little young for it, but even so, is this a topic that needs to be discussed in this format for 6th-8th graders??? Yes, I know the topic will come up in life, regardless of your view point, but in CURRICULUM??? There wasn't any other topic that could have been used?? For goodness sake, the topic in the previous lesson was why cats make better pets!!! Maybe my son is a little sheltered about such worldly ways, one of the benefits of HSing, if you ask me. It doesn't even matter what my view is on the abortion topic, the point is I don't think he needs to be exposed to the topic at this age, in curriculum that is specifically written for the child to do almost independently. Am I over-reacting???? I am probably going to go through at white-out those parts, as again, it does not seem pertinent to the lesson. K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Honestly, at 6th-8th grade I think abortion is an appropriate topic. Not only appropriate, but vital to talk about at home - with parents. It's uncomfortable. It's a sad reality. It's a topic that will greatly impact your ds's generation - like it or not. Prepare him now b/c by 10th, 11th 12th grade he will have formed his own worldview apart from yours and it will be too late to make that early impression on his heart and mind. ...coming from a former youth minister's wife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in MN Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I think it's an appropriate topic but NOT during writing class. During writing class, I want the topic to be writing. Bible, Health, History -- now those would be more appropriate for grades 6-8. JMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 One of the reasons I took my dd out of ps was that I didn't like other people telling my daughter about things like that. I just called and complained at our online classes. They have talked about an actress having ovarian cancer and bulimia. They asked my child to write about what they would do if their family was attacked, etc. It's not that I want to shield my kids from real life, I just don't want people shoving heavy stuff down my kids throat. I look forward to all the talks that are coming as they get older. Sex, abortion, death, STDs, men, pornography, periods, and so on, I'm ready. I know the right time and the right place, and the right way. I feel like there is this aggressive force out there that thinks they're doing me and my daughters a favor by exposing them to this stuff without me giving consent. My kids know about cancer, because grandpa is battling it. We take him to the Dr., they see hair loss, and stitches. These concepts of illness, strength, loss, have meaning to my girls. It's opened up to questions, meaningful prayer, a hard topic is gently unfolding in our house. I know there will be plenty of things the kids will learn from friends, strangers, movies, computer, that's all part of growing up too. I just wish grownups would lay off a little. Nine and seven are a little young for eating disorders. Although I'm sure loads of people would disagree with that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 You have the right to decide what topics you want to use. I'm using the same program for dd10 and ds12 and the abortion topic doesn't bother me at all. However, I do cross out some other things that do push our buttons. You control the curriculum, not the other way around. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyAberlin Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Well when I was about your son's age I had been to prolife rallies at abortion clinics and listed to speakers speak on the topic and had actually watched a video that showed an abortion taking place from inside the womb. I was homeschooled too. So I don't feel it is inappropriate. Now if you are for abortions I could see that you wouldn't want your child to be reading it. You have the right to decide and so if it bothers you then I would try to find another example somewhere else. You might even want to e-mail the company and tell them how you feel. Others may have felt the same way and e-mailed too. Maybe they would change it in future editions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy in Indy Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 It's been a long time...but I attended a workshop given by the author, Sharon Watson. If I remember correctly, she was looking for a "hot" topic, one that people generally choose a side and staunchly defend that side. Abortion certainly fits that bill.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Abortion certainly fits that bill.... Tax policy would too. I agree that abortion is an inappropriate topic in a writing curriculum. My 14 year old daughter came home from school yesterday and informed me that her math teacher was telling them how he felt about Obama's plans for reproductive health funding. Apparently he went quite into detail. I respect that this man has an opinion, but math class is not the place to share it. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen500 Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Tax policy would too. I agree that abortion is an inappropriate topic in a writing curriculum. :iagree: There are so many topics that could be used to write a persuasive paper. I don't even think abortion would be a good topic choice, because most people already have their own opinions and are not going to be persuaded one way or the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCoppock Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I totally agree 6-8th grade writing class is not the place for these subjects to be introduced. I personally would avoid such curr. no matter how good it is. I am proud to "shelter" my son and wait until I feel he is developmentally ready for such topics. I don't need others to open his eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna T. Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I am planning on using Jump In! next year. The info. I've seen about it said it was for 5th - 8th graders. I don't think you are overreacting. It sounds tacky to me. I don't like it. I have a son that is on the sensitve side and I can tell you right now, he would be upset to come across that in his writing curriculum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kissy Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 :iagree:There are so many topics that could be used to write a persuasive paper. I don't even think abortion would be a good topic choice, because most people already have their own opinions and are not going to be persuaded one way or the other. I agree that to me abortion is not a good topic because you are not going to change people's mind on it. In my high school and where I went to college we were not allowed to use abortion as a topic for persuasive writing. Too many papers had been done about it and not really anymore could be said except to agree to disagree so to speak. I did not go to a Christian high school or college. I do agree we need to talk to our kids about this and to do it early so that we are involved in the way they think about things (however a child will grow up to be their own person no matter what). Sometimes I tend to like using secular materials because it stays away from hot button Christian topics. I am a Christian, I just don't want to confuse a young mind with too many different views. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Honestly, at 6th-8th grade I think abortion is an appropriate topic. Not only appropriate, but vital to talk about at home - with parents. It's uncomfortable. It's a sad reality. It's a topic that will greatly impact your ds's generation - like it or not. Prepare him now b/c by 10th, 11th 12th grade he will have formed his own worldview apart from yours and it will be too late to make that early impression on his heart and mind. ...coming from a former youth minister's wife. We have talked about it a number of times, it isn't easy but it has made for some very good discussions, honest and open. We do run into it in curriculum for this age group and though I may wince a teeny bit inside, I do not find it inappropriate. The Fallacy Detective also has abortion as a topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle T Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I went through with black pen and crossed out all the abortion stuff, and all the other religious content as well. There is absolutely no need to use a particular, slanted view of any "hot" topic in a middle-school, introductory writing program. The examples used in Jump In! are certainly all slanted in a pro-life fashion, so they are not really there as general debate topics, with pros and cons. They are there to present a particular religious/political agenda. If a public school had textbooks using abortion as a writing prompt, and the examples given were all very slanted to be pro-abortion, anti-no-abortion, I doubt you would all think it so appropriate. IMHO, abortion and similar topics are for parents to discuss with their kids, not to be stuck in the middle of a writing program for 11 year olds. My DS didn't know what an abortion even WAS when he was 11, and really, why should he? Michelle T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela H in Texas Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I don't think the curriculum expects to be the one to introduce the topic. The majority of 12-14 yr olds (average 6th-8th graders) are aware of the topic, at least in passing. It is also a good topic to discuss with that age group along with sex, protection, abstinance, consequences, health, etc. Writing is a class the topic is discussed because it's one of the common paper topics. I'm sure that one of the reasons for using it as the example is because it's SO overdone in jr high, high school and college courses, that by using it as an example, you can cross that off the list of possible topics making kids have to choose something else. And yet, it's something that can be developed well (regardless of point of view) to make a good example. I don't have an issue with it, but agree that I'd just find another short excerpt/paper/paragraph/essay about a topic that you are okay with for an example if I were you.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marylou Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Wow, I appreciate this topic. I really have mixed feelings about this, but I think the topic would be better for a logic/debate course, and not for writing at that age. Perhaps trying to persude someone to vote a certain way would be a good persuasion assignment. I believe the issue of abortion is this generation's slavery issue. Just like it is inhumane (and sinful) to treat people of color less than human, it is inhumane (and sinful) to treat unborn people less than human. This issue divides our country just as slavery did years ago. Maybe the authors of the curriculum take this stand as well. (aside) My daughters (8 y.o) know about abortion because we have had the discussion in which we esteem their birth mother for choosing to give them life (and not choosing the opposite). It would have been close to impossible to have the discussion without the "a" word. On the other hand, they know close to nothing about reproduction, except that a baby needs a birth mother and a birth father to come into existence. One of these days we are going to get the questions about that, and I'm ready to discuss it. That's one HUGE advantage of HSing . . we parents can see the subjects and assignments before the student and even nix one or two if we believe our child(ren) should not be discussing that topic yet. I love HSing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felicia Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 This is a hard topic for adults. My children and I have talked a great deal over the years about it. They know my position on it and why I feel as I do. There are times that they bring up the subject because they've heard someone else talking about it and they have questions. I have absolutely no problem talking with my children about this or any other subject that comes up. They are sheltered to a point, but even in church or our homeschool group, or the sports we get involved in, they hear things from other children. I don't shy away from talking about them. I want them to know if they ever hear anything and they have questions they can always ask us and we are ok about talking to them. All that to say, I personally wouldn't want them writing a paper on it until they are in high school. That is just my personal feelings though. They are going to have to defend their position on abortion and many other things when they go out into the world, but I don't think they need to focus so intently on these kinds of topics at these ages. Talking about them in our home when the opportunity arrises is enough. As parents, we know what will set them off and what won't. My 13 dd could write a paper about this, and though it would trouble her as far as the issue itself went, she would have a definite point of view and that would be that. My ds 10 would stew in it and be upset by it very much. I don't think that is healthy. I wouldn't have him do it. I might ask my dd if she wants to write on this topic or on another topic, but then again maybe not. You know your children better than anyone else. The beauty of homeschooling is that you can decide what to expose and when to expose it to your child, at least for the most part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyAberlin Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I remember my friend being upset by hot topics in her secular college texts. The were either pro abortion or pro gay agenda. So it isn't uncommon to have topics like that and yes you will find these kid of topics in secular texts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I totally agree 6-8th grade writing class is not the place for these subjects to be introduced. I personally would avoid such curr. no matter how good it is. I am proud to "shelter" my son and wait until I feel he is developmentally ready for such topics. I don't need others to open his eyes. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samiam Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 Thanks all for the replies. I can see valid points on both sides. In the end, I am still dismayed that a curriculum that is published, and marketed for children to do on their own, without alot of parental teaching, would have such a topic. As some have said here, their child in this age range 5th-8th know about abortion. As others have said, me included, our children do not know about abortion. Will it be a conversation that we have with our son, most definately, but it will wait until he is older. Since he is only 10 and is not exposed to sexual topics, there would no sense in exposing him to abortion topic either. That's kind of my point, a topic like this should not be in a curriculum for this age group as you never know where the child will be in their life. Also add in the fact that it is marketed to HSers, who tend to lean towards the "sheltered" side of life with these topics, and again you take the chance of exposing a child to a very adult topic before their parent has had a chance to. I don't think that is a chance that ANY publisher creating curriculum for Homeschoolers, ESPECIALLY a Christian one, should be taking. I am just happy that this time I had the chance to pre-read his lessons. Often, I am too busy and can't get ahead of him like this time. High school curriculum? Okay, I can see that. Most High School students have been educated about sex, the results and abortion is a hot topic in life, so they most likely have heard about it, know what it is, and have made their judgement about it. College curriculum? Of course, college is all about hot topics. So in the end, I have went through the book and used white-out on all mentions of abortion. Guess what, the curriculum and lessons are no less without it. Guess it wasn't all that pertinent to the lesson. I will be writing to the publisher. thanks again for the interesting discussion! K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyR Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 This is interesting because I was just looking at this in the Apolgia catalog. I don't think I'll be getting this any time soon. Not that my children don't know about abortion, they do. But I don't think I want them writing about this at such a young age either. I would definitley write to the company. I mean if they want them to right a persuasive essay they could use a topic like trying to persuade someone to eat a certain type of ice cream. We did that recently at an activity and it turned out great. Hot topics should be left for high school and up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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