whos brain washing your children???

This is a situation that has realy P****d me off.

On helping my 9 yr old daughter with her home work i recieved a nasty shock.

shes was given a A4 sheet with a letter on it and asked to read it then write her own leter in her own words to be taken back to school and handed to the teacher.

It reads as follows;

Letters to persuade, unit 19 pages 54& 55

As you are my member of parliament,
you will want to know how strongley I feel against Fox Hunting. Its easy for MPs working in central London not to think too much about it, but just imagine that a Fox runs into Parliament just as a debate is starting. It is followed by 40 or 50 hounds which drag it from under your bench.
Before long, the poor helpless fox is pulled apart! there is blood everywhere, and the poor creature is dead. At least it wont suffer any more.

Of course, this will not happen in the Houses of Parliament. But should it happen in the country side where i live, or anywhere?

Please Please vote to stop this cruel activity forever!


yours sincereley,


They have been asked to write this in thier own words. on the next side it asks them to list reasons against fox hunting and for hunting, but theres no information for them to give supporting reasons.

it tells them to adress the letters to MPs, local Counillors and Zoos

Do it on a computer and send it off.

My personal views on Fox hunting are irrelevent.

But to impose these on a 9 yr old child, at an age when these things are not fully understood by them is wrong.

What else is going on behind parents backs at school?

who is pushing these topics at the schools or from within?

would the MP know that these letters came from 9 yr olds?

Me thinks it comes from the Top. Lots of letters supporting a Ban, that could include someting your into.

I will be making a formal complaint to all relevent organisations.

Phone the school and ask when the next meeting of the PTA is. Go along and raise the issue, see if they will withdraw the book or exercise it came from. Find out how the other parents feel about it.

Why not stand as a Parent Governer and help guide the school in the right direction away from any controversial issues? You would also get to meet local Councillors from all parties and get their feelings as well. It might surprise you as to how they split on these emotive subjects.

My wife is a Primary school headteacher and I showed her your message Ashe. She recognises the strategy behind this homework and it actually has nothing to do with fox hunting. Part of The National Literacy Strategy is to get kids to write a letter of protest - there is nothing laid down as to what that letter should be about.
My opinion. I think fox hunting is a bad choice of subject (or any other 'political' subject for that matter). It gives, or seems to give, teachers a chance to further their own politics at the expense of impressionable kids. Imagine if the teacher had asked the kids to protest about the wearing of religious headscarves, or to express their objection to the ordination of gay bishops - there would be an outcry.
What to do. In the first instance (wife's opinion again) you should approach the school and seek more info on this, particularly in regard to the ultimate destination of these letters (will they actually be sent off?). Also, you should ask what, if any, attempts have been made to give the opposing points of view and was this done in a fair, balanced and impartial way?
Do keep us informed of progress.

I should add to my previous message that writing the letter of protest is meant to be an exercise (viz The National Literacy Strategy). The letters are not meant to be sent off so that bit about 'Do it on a computer and send it off' certainly needs clarifying by the school.

Disgusting, and typical of the undercurrent of indoctrination of children that is occuring in our schools. Who is responsible for presenting a balanced view and letting the children learn the skills of making a fully informed choice? It should be teachers but how often do we come across ill informed, polarised opinions being foisted on our children. I know this from experience when giving lectures on the chemical industry to schools during their Science Week. If they need to write a protest letter as an exercise all well and good - how about an objection to a fictitious planning application it doesnot have to be so biased as the Fox Hunting example.

And all paid for from our tax money David. I feel good ..... I knew that I would.

i wish someone would wash my youngests brain, she's got the dirtiest mind i've ever encountered for a kid her age.

I spoke to the school today. It was photo copied from a home work guidence book provided to schools. But could not explain were the book came from.


The teacher confirmed there was no supporting letter, and they were unable to answer what would happen to the letters that the children wrote. They also said that they did not check the content of the home work, but went by the tital only.

Will now take it up with the LEA.

Me, i dont personaly support Fox hunting, but i would not want to see any country persuit/tradition or heritage banned.

Theres a lot more important things that realy do need sorting out.

Well done Ashe. I did serve as a perent governer back in the 80's. I gave it up because our head wouldn't apply for grants to buy TV, video, computers or anything hi-tec (even mechanised Lego) because she didn't believe in them. However, I doubt that even she would have let this one past her.

It's wrong to corrupt the minds of children. Even in the bible-belt of the USA schools are NOT allowed to mention anything religious for fear of corrupting small minds. That's left to the Sunday schools under the guidance of their parents. How it should be.

If it is a homework guidance book it will most probably come endorsed by the LEA/GOVT via a recognised publisher, and as it is also part of the national literacy strategy I reckon that you have just found an example of poor judgement and possibly a lack of balance on behalf of the teacher concerned, rather than brainwashing.

Every scrap of homework and classwork set by schools is wide open to inspection by OFSTED, as such if it is in anyway 'out of order' it will be picked up on.

Most teachers now know they are sitting ducks for all kinds of accusations from parents, pupils, OFSTED etc as such it is likely that the teacher was using material what is probably deemed as 'acceptable' by the LEA. If you go to the DFES web site there will almost certainly be a link to the National Curriculum, and if it is a recognised exercise it will be there somewhere, or on one of the associated links!

Cheers Eddie.


my wife is a govenor at the school and she too was concerned at the content of the letter and the instructions with it.

To be honest we have a good relationship with the school & our daughters teacher, so theres no malice intended, but concern on the material that they are given to teach with.

Also as a Scout leader we were instructed during training Not to enforce our own personal views, opinions or belives on any child. This i belive is the same in schools.
So why is there material of this nature published for children?

Teaching a 9 year old to write a protest letter seems rather misguided full stop. Whatever happened to children being allowed to enjoy their childhood rather than being burdoned with politics at such an early age. Shame on them for robbing children of their innocence.

Jeff,
The only reason that schools in the USA do not teach (or is that preach) religious matters is a little article in the Constitution - its called "the separation of Church and State" and has nothing to do with the fear of corruprion of young minds.

I can fully understand the educational value of learning to compose a protest letter, but the subject matter chosen by this teacher is clearly a personal belief and it should not have been allowed.

I do agree totally with Andy regarding the loss of innocence at this early age.
Shame indeed!

I agree with you Andy. Let them enjoy their childhood. Plenty of time for politics and crap like that later.

Peter, You are very right, but then you live with the Constitution every day.

It's a pity we don't have that here. It migth stop a lot of prejudice building up in schools and for later life. Best not go down that route though.....

Like someone said already, the protest letter could have been to the council about a ficticous planning rejection.