Why is this still allowed?

[Anonymous]

Aw c’mon, guys, you were all supposed to give OP head pats for being so progressive!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lead by example. Return your land.

Oh, shit. Well, there IS that. What are you going to do, OP?

Dannng son!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lead by example. Return your land.

Oh, shit. Well, there IS that. What are you going to do, OP?

Yes!!!!!

[Anonymous]

I teach Pre-K and to wear during our Thanksgiving feast we will make "harvest crowns," inspired by American Indian headdresses. Is that okay with you, OP?

[Anonymous]

I am with you, OP - I hate it. It is inauthentic and insulting. Something from the 1950s. I would simply tell the Director that unless the children are learning about one specific tribe from one specific time period that the making of a generic, Hollywood "Indian" headdress is demeaning.

[Anonymous]

I’d be very upset about this as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am with you, OP - I hate it. It is inauthentic and insulting. Something from the 1950s. I would simply tell the Director that unless the children are learning about one specific tribe from one specific time period that the making of a generic, Hollywood "Indian" headdress is demeaning.

Your mistake is to think that what's Politically Correct for adults is appropriate for young children. It's not.

It's preschool, people. The kids are going to remember a handful of images, and whether you lectured them on the customs of a specific tribe or not, they will only remember a hairband with feathers.
And they will remember it was FUN! And later they'll want to know more about it and they'll read up on it, and go the museum of the American Indian (my kids love that place) and understand that our world can be cruel and complicated.

Keep that spark of fun, otherwise they won't love learning. Keep it so simple that it IS CARICATURE. This is what's developmentally appropriate for preschoolers. There will be a lifetime of progressively more subtle and restrictive language and posturing for them later on.

[Anonymous]

OP if this stuff offends you or upsets you - then look into an anti-bias program for your child. Take a minute and look it up online. Personally I don’t have an issue with it because it’s all about the intention here. Yes the project perpetuates a stereotype - but it’s meant to celebrate and honor not offend. Perhaps there are better crafts to accomplish this. Anyways I would strongly advise you to not bring it up with the director. Why? Well what’s done is done and perhaps most parents look at the craft and think, “adorable!”. You are entitled to your perspective but many might disagree. I would move on or as I suggested look into a program which has an anti bias curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am with you, OP - I hate it. It is inauthentic and insulting. Something from the 1950s. I would simply tell the Director that unless the children are learning about one specific tribe from one specific time period that the making of a generic, Hollywood "Indian" headdress is demeaning.

Your mistake is to think that what's Politically Correct for adults is appropriate for young children. It's not.

It's preschool, people. The kids are going to remember a handful of images, and whether you lectured them on the customs of a specific tribe or not, they will only remember a hairband with feathers.
And they will remember it was FUN! And later they'll want to know more about it and they'll read up on it, and go the museum of the American Indian (my kids love that place) and understand that our world can be cruel and complicated.

Keep that spark of fun, otherwise they won't love learning. Keep it so simple that it IS CARICATURE. This is what's developmentally appropriate for preschoolers. There will be a lifetime of progressively more subtle and restrictive language and posturing for them later on.

An entire culture should not be reduced to a caricature because it is fun for preschoolers. Glue feathers on a headband and be a bird. Teaching culturally insensitive and FAKE culture is not a "spark of fun". And it NOT developmentally appropriate for any preschooler to even begin to understand the complexities of the Native American culture and what European settlers did to them. Preschoolers should be learning about animals - not a tortured and murdered people.

[Anonymous]

It is so ridiculously dated and offensive!!! I have no clue why they still teach this crap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is so ridiculously dated and offensive!!! I have no clue why they still teach this crap.

+1

Preschoolers learning about people in America is so offensive!!! ZOMG!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I teach Pre-K and to wear during our Thanksgiving feast we will make "harvest crowns," inspired by American Indian headdresses. Is that okay with you, OP?

What will it look like?

[Anonymous]

What if they had made Pilgrim hats, OP? Would that have bothered you as much?

[Anonymous]

I would use it as a teaching moment to teach about how we took Native American lands etc.
I probably wouldn't feel like enough of an expert to use it to teach my kid about cultural appropriation- but if you do, go for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What if they had made Pilgrim hats, OP? Would that have bothered you as much?

DP but my kid is doing a pilgrim hat. Should I be offended?