Primary school pupils banned from sending Valentine's cards 'so they don't get upset if they get dum

[mc_squared]

Primary school pupils banned from sending Valentine's cards 'so they don't get upset if they get dumped'

 

 

By Ryan Kisiel

Last updated at 3:52 PM on 10th February 2010

 

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Childs play: Pupils at a Somerset school have been banned from celebrating Valentines this year

 

For most it is their first experience of a harmless romantic relationship.

Children sending home-made Valentine’s Day cards to their fellow classmates has been a light-hearted rite of passage while learning about love for generations.

But pupils have been banned from celebrating the romantic occasion this year to protect them from the emotional trauma of being ‘dumped’.

The youngsters have been warned that if any cards are found or exchanged in school before or after this Sunday’s Valentine’s Day, then they will be confiscated.

Ashcombe Primary School in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, made the decision because it believes that children are not ‘emotionally mature’ enough to understand the commitment of a relationship.

Headmaster Peter Turner wrote to the parents of the school’s 430 pupils aged between five and 11, this week to inform them of the policy.

He said: ‘Some children and parents encourage a lot of talk about boyfriends and girlfriends. This often leads to children being upset when they are 'dumped' and other fuss which interrupts their learning.

 

 

‘The school believes that such ideas should wait until children are mature enough emotionally and socially to understand the commitment involved in having or being a boyfriend or girlfriend.

‘For this reason, we do not wish to see any Valentine’s Day cards in school this year.

‘Any cards found in school will be confiscated.’

Parents say the ban is ‘ridiculous’ and will stop their children from learning about love in a ‘harmless’ way.

 

 

 

The father of one eight-year-old boy at the school said: ‘Learning about relationships and forming bonds with others is an important part of school life.

 

 

 

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‘Children of all ages develop crushes, and Valentine’s Day is a harmless way for them to indulge those crushes in a fun manner. It helps them to learn about love in a simple way that even very young children can understand.

‘I think it’s ridiculously heavy-handed to ban Valentine’s Day and deny them the opportunity.'

Conservative: Ann Widdecombe says the ban is stupid

 

The mother of a six-year-old girl said: ‘I remember the fun and excitement of Valentine’s Day from my own childhood – I think it’s sad the children will miss out on that.

‘Sending and receiving Valentine’s cards is a lovely tradition. I hope the school will rethink its decision.'

 

Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe said: ‘This is a stupid thing to ban. Primary schoolchildren don’t think in adult terms and send cards as a bit of fun and mild affection.

‘Valentine’s day is just a bit of fun to them and teachers should be worrying more about academic standards than emotionally wrapping up their pupils in cotton wool.’

 

It is not the first instance where schools are increasingly emotionally protecting their pupils from the realities of life.

 

Last year, hundreds of schools barred teachers from marking in red ink in case it upsets the children.

 

They scrapped the traditional method of correcting work because they consider it ‘confrontational’ and ‘threatening’.

Pupils increasingly find that the ticks and crosses on their homework are now in more soothing shades like green, blue, pink and yellow, or even in pencil.

Traditionalists have branded the ban ‘barmy’, saying that red ink makes it easier for children to spot errors and improve. There are no set government guidelines on marking and schools are free to formulate their own individual policies.

Children have also been forced to wear safety goggles while playing conkers in school and now do not have to stand in ‘dunce’s corner’ for misbehaving due to health and safety and human rights laws.

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1249949/Primary-school-pupils-banned-sending-Valentines-cards-dont-upset-dumped.html#ixzz0f9UJPXFv

[The Final Track]

Well, it is sad for those who don't get one, but ehhh......

[EmmaLouiseSmyth]

but it's primary school,

children shouldn't care either way,

 

I remember back to when we were about 8, one person got a card

she got it from a guy who went to football training with her

and it was a small joke too.

[Tnspieler1012]

Ashcombe Primary School in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, made the decision because it believes that children are not ‘emotionally mature’ enough to understand the commitment of a relationship.

 

‘The school believes that such ideas should wait until children are mature enough emotionally and socially to understand the commitment involved in having or being a boyfriend or girlfriend.

Jesus Christ, like you can have a commited, serious relationship at that age.

[Pseudonym]

‘The school believes that such ideas should wait until children are mature enough emotionally and socially to understand the commitment involved in having or being a boyfriend or girlfriend.

How do these retards think kids learn this maturity? Do they think they all just magically understand relationships when they hit puberty?

 

Having this type of card/candy sending doesn't really teach you anything about relationships, but the notion that we should shield kids from relationships until they are "mature enough" is fucking stupid.

[The Escapist]

^Agreed.

[The Final Track]

but it's primary school,

children shouldn't care either way,

 

I remember back to when we were about 8, one person got a card

she got it from a guy who went to football training with her

and it was a small joke too.

 

Well, you live in Ireland :rolleyes:

[mc_squared]

Well, you live in Ireland :rolleyes:

 

:stunned:

[The Final Track]

:stunned:

 

Everything sounds adorable in Irish :P

[mc_squared]

Everything sounds adorable in Irish :P

 

Are you sure you weren't making a "stereotype" joke?:rolleyes:

[The Final Track]

Are you sure you weren't making a "stereotype" joke?:rolleyes:

 

Well, to me a stereotype Irish is one that drinks and is dressed in green :shrug: I make sterotype jokes at New Yorkers, though :uhoh:

[Cobalt]

Valentine's cards and flowers are banned at a few high schools around here too.

 

But indeed,

a) as if a kid is going to have a committed srs relationship at that age

b) how ELSE do they learn about dealing with disappointment? Like Heatseeker said, you don't magically start to understand when you hit puberty for fuck's sake, that's what makes it very up and down.

[Tnspieler1012]

Valentine's cards and flowers are banned at a few high schools around here too.

that's hilarious because they're essentially trying to ban any expression of affection or love to protect the unloved.

[Saffire]

that's hilarious because they're essentially trying to ban any expression of affection or love to protect the unloved.

 

There's already a ban on expression of affection or love - it's called peer pressure!

[The Final Track]

There's already a ban on expression of affection or love - it's called peer pressure!

 

Really? Thought it was arranged marrige :shrug:

[Pseudonym]

that's hilarious because they're essentially trying to ban any expression of affection or love to protect the unloved.

 

There's already a ban on expression of affection or love - it's called peer pressure!

Sounds more like communism to me. :shifty: