I don't know what the heck this was about, but I'm feeling annoyed

[annettemarie]

This morning we were all cuddling on the bed when Michael, my eight-year-old, asks if I ever did an illegal drug. I told him no, and he said that he was never going to do illegal drugs because he wanted a "level 4 job". I was all wth is a level four job, to which he replied that level 4 jobs were really important jobs that you needed lots of education for and you make lots of money at, and level 1 jobs were things like grocery baggers and garbage collectors.

I have no idea what the context was, although I intend to find out, but I am really annoyed at what appears to be classist, privileged crap being taught to a third grader. I don't care what my kid grows up to be, as long as he's happy and moral, but I sure as hell don't want him to be the type of person who looks down on "level 1 workers." And this is to say nothing of the tie in to illegal drugs.

Ugh.

[chfriend]

Well, AM everyone knows that if you stay in school and don't do drugs and practice sexual abstinence, someday you'll be the CEO.

You must have missed that day at school.

[annettemarie]

Or I was sitting there with a novel hidden in my desk, paying attention to that instead of the teacher.

OK, seriously, I need the language to ask the teacher about this in a non-confrontational way. Preferably something that doesn't us ethe phrase, "WTF?!?!"

[mommy68]

.

[annettemarie]

To be honest, I'm more concerned with the idea that trash collectors and "bag boys" are somehow lesser valued than "Level Four" workers, or that the measure of a person is how much money they make, especially given that I wipe bums for a living gratis. Although the "illegal drug" connection bothers me as well.

Asking her if they're studying it could be a good jumping off point, though. Thanks!

[mommy68]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

To be honest, I'm more concerned with the idea that trash collectors and "bag boys" are somehow lesser valued than "Level Four" workers, or that the measure of a person is how much money they make, especially given that I wipe bums for a living gratis. Although the "illegal drug" connection bothers me as well.

Asking her if they're studying it could be a good jumping off point, though. Thanks!

sorry, I'll delete that last post. I just browsed through your post and thought you were discussing the fact your child brought up illegal drugs. I didn't read it all the way through.

[infraread]

OMG, I will never forget the day my little brother (who is an aspie, so VERY literal) came home from school and told our mom and his dad that they were druggies because they drank alcohol and. My mother hit the flipping roof.

Once she calmed down, she explained to my brother the difference between illegal drugs and drugs like caffiene, OTC, nicotine, etc. She told him that anything that was not food or water that could be ingested or inhaled and affected the body was a drug (he was little, it was a good way to explain it to him imo) and that the school was wrong in not teaching the difference. He got it. I think he was maybe, 6 at the time?

Then she gave the school hell for teaching him so negligently. I'd like to give you an example of how tactfully she handled it, but knowing my mom, she probably went in there and told them off. Lol, not a big help huh?

Without the attitude and likely cussing, the gist of it would have been what she told my brother, then something along the lines of them being hypocrites as the tylenol they kept in the office for sick kids was most assuredly a drug too. If you're going to teach kids about drugs, be responsible enough to teach them the difference between useful drugs, commonly used drugs, and illegal/harmful drugs.

This was probably 10 years ago, and she's not around to ask. Mine just started K so I have no experience with this subject yet, but it probably won't be long in coming.

[blizzard_babe]

That is CRAZY!

President of the United States must be a Level 1 job, as both our current and most recent former presidents have used illegal substances in their day.

[Qestia]

Originally Posted by chfriend

Well, AM everyone knows that if you stay in school and don't do drugs and practice sexual abstinence, someday you'll be the CEO.

You must have missed that day at school.

Heck, you could even be president!

[onlyboys]

I would approach her gently and just ask, "My son mentioned that you're studying career types. Can I ask you about that?" And then, if she doesn't bring up the level issues, I might ask her about it specifically.

Did your son say that this is what they were taught? Or did he perhaps come up with these categories on his own? I can see my 11 year old compartmentalizing things like that....

You sound very calm; that will go a long way!

[staceychev]

Please report back--I'm so curious about this! What a crock of elitist you-know-what.

[ChristaN]

Originally Posted by infraread

OMG, I will never forget the day my little brother (who is an aspie, so VERY literal) came home from school and told our mom and his dad that they were druggies because they drank alcohol and. My mother hit the flipping roof.

I had a similar experience with dd#1 when she was in 1st grade. They had done some drug program in which the school apparently put cigarettes and alcohol in the same speech as heroin and meth. There was apparently also some conversation about using drugs to numb bad feelings or self medicate.

So, one day dd and I were discussing my grandparents. My grandmother had died a bit back from lung cancer and was a smoker. My grandfather died when dd was very young and she didn't remember him. I told dd that they had been married for over 50 yrs and dd said something like, 'grandma must have been so sad when he died. Is that when she started using drugs?'

[bdavis337]

Did it come from the school classroom, or the playground? I'm not sure from your initial post. I find that a lot of the crap my 1st grader is coming home with now is stuff he picks up at the playground, from his friends in the neighborhood, etc. It's not always easy for me to sift out what's from school and what's not, and what I should be dealing with from what direction.

[rabrog]

I, too, want to know WTF this is about...I don't look down on the cashier at McDs. A tough financial year or whatever and that could be me. We need to teach kids they could be in the other person's shoes, so be respectful and kind.

Grrrr.....

Jenn

[kathymuggle]

I would ask straight up:

"My Ds was talking about something he learned in class...something about level 1 - level4 jobs. I must admit, I have never heard of the term....could you tell me about it? "


Let us know what happens!

Kathy

[eclipse]

I would be livid if this is what they're actually teaching - imagine the child whose mother is a trash collector or whose father is a bagger at the grocery store. . .

[LauraLoo]

Originally Posted by eclipse

I would be livid if this is what they're actually teaching - imagine the child whose mother is a trash collector or whose father is a bagger at the grocery store. . .

My thoughts exactly.

[imahappymama]

OMG! I'm sick over this...What about the whole racial aspect of who gets the level 1 jobs? I've had more than one client tell me that they were too ashamed to tell me their profession, which usually ended uo being a picker/migrant worker, etc...Jesus. WTF!?!! Good luck to you controlling your temper on that one!

[annettemarie]

I asked Michael about this. He said she didn't give specific examples of Level 1 vs Level 2 jobs. Apparently, this is some kind of "pep talk" she gives to motivate learning? She said (according to Michael) that Level 3 and 4 jobs require more education and experience, and that if you want a good job, you need to be a good learner.

Sigh. I am going to have to talk to her. I'll probably drop her a note and ask her to call me at her convenience. Or, there's a PTO meeting after school on Monday. Maybe I'll try to catch her then.

[Calidris]

Level 4 jobs...

sounds a bit Brave New World eh?