Readers — Sometimes I feel compelled to document a fear that will either die a natural death from its unwieldiness, or become so pervasive no one will remember a time before we all believed it. In this case, from England, the fear is that any adult who chooses to be in proximity to children, no matter what the circumstances, is too dangerous to permit: A bird enthusiast made a 25-mile trip to see a falconry display at a family leisure park only to be told that single adults are banned — for fear of paedophiles. Married man Matthew Richards, 54,…
Author: lskenazy
Lena, sex and cancer — clickbait? No. A real, Free-Range point: This week, two writers I love — Frank Furedi, the author of Paranoid Parenting (the 2002 book that decried helicopter parenting before anyone else) and Josh Gravens, a Soros Fellow dedicated to reforming the sex offender laws — both wrote about the Lena Dunham autobiography, in which the “Girls” creators admits to having been fascinated by her 1-year-old sister’s vagina when she was 7, and doing some stuff that is uncomfortable to read about. For this, some observers have branded her nothing short of a child abuser. But as…
Readers — Here’s an article from the Denton Record Chronicle in Denton County, Texas, about allowing voting into the schools when kids are there. Jennifer Travis, the mom who seems to have inspired the piece, normally votes by absentee ballot, I think. So when she had to vote on Election Day itself — Travis first needed to find where her precinct was located. During that search, she discovered that her son’s school, McMath Middle School, was a polling location, something of which she was not aware. Travis is concerned, as are others in Denton, over the use of a school…
Hi folks! This post comes to us from Jay P. Greene, the 21st Century Professor of Education Reform. at the University of Arkansas. It’s great to think that someone immersed in education reform is thinking about how important it is for kids to do things on their own, outside the classroom. Putting On a Show, by Jay P. Greene It was a staple of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland movies that kids from the neighborhood would get together to “put on a show.” Someone would get the curtains, someone would build the set, and — after some practice…
Here’s an Election Day screed — not by me. But I am with this mom, every word, and wondering if this is happening out by you, too. (I know I asked before, but I’m wondering how to find out if this is truly a growing trend. Anybody know? If so, it deserves more press!) For good effect, I’m re-running my “Strangers in the Schools” video, written by me, sung and produced by Deviant Ollam. Dear Free-Range Kids: I am currently in a Facebook dispute with the president of the PTO and other moms regarding whether we need to move the…
Readers — This story is not just a tempest in a teacup, it is a tsunami in a thimble: Some 12 year olds went to the movies at a Michigan mall, a survey company asked at least one of them to answer a questionnaire, this lasted 30 minutes and the kid’s parents are OUTRAGED, calling it “borderline kidnapping.” While I agree that if the parents were expecting to meet the kids at a certain time and they were nowhere to be found, that’s egregious, I do not agree that it’s the end of the world as we know it. Worst…
Hi Readers! I’m up in Canada to give some talks to Early Educators, and one of them told me about a school in Paris, Ontario, that has banned Halloween costumes. Why? The school gave whole host of reasons, including the fear that the costumes could upset some children, as could the prospect of wearing a costume. As could possibly losing a part of a costume. As could…every gosh darn thing about the holiday. According to the Brant News (boldface mine): North Ward Principal Cathy Shaheen said the biggest concern is the anxiety some children feel from costumes that are “pushing…
Showing my true colors at last! This is the piece I made with fellow ghouls Jim Epstein and Meredith Bragg at Reason.com:
Readers — This is a strange story that gives me heart. A stranger helps a runaway girl. Her parents, rather than accusing him of impropriety, are grateful. The girl seems fine and the stranger is happy with a low profile. No one accuses him of white slavery, pink slavery, any slavery. This is as good as a runaway situation can be! And it’s news! As the Sydney Morning Herald reports: The father of runaway schoolgirl Michelle Levy says his daughter ate chocolate, read books and slept on a spare mattress but does not know anything about the stranger who allowed…
Readers — This editorial ran last month and I am only just getting around to writing about it, in part because just reading it again makes my muscles clench. The tone of the piece is so officious, so smug, and so cruel, I’d be tempted to lock its writer in a van for far longer than the six minutes this mom left her child. Here’s a sampling: A Calgary mom has no doubt learned her lesson. The woman recently left her four-year-old son in her unlocked, running van while she picked up her daughter at a northeast school. The mother…