A New Low...

Not content with simply badmouthing my son to me daily, his teachers have now stooped to a new low - undermining me to my son.

First it was the teacher's aide, who made comments to TJ about his lunch containing "junk food" and telling him that he should bring only fruits and vegetables and water in it. It bothered me that the teacher was talking to him about it instead of bringing it up with me, but I let it go because by this point I was intent on simply getting through the rest of the year without any more dust-ups and I didn't want to be that parent who complains about everything. TJ and I had some great discussions about what is junk and what isn't, and about moderation, so I just let it slide.

Today, when I was picking TJ up, his teacher leaned in close to him and spoke to him very intently. I couldn't hear her (I was on the phone but I was actually trying to listen at this point, it appeared that she was trying to keep me from hearing her) so as we walked away I asked him "what was that about?" and TJ replied "Miss Lulu said that I shouldn't play violent video games at home."

Those of you with weak stomachs may want to avert your eyes...

I asked him why she would be talking to him about that and he replied "I was talking about Star Fox and how you shoot the icicles and the robots with lasers and she said it was too violent."

I have a huge problem with this and tomorrow I'm going to raise some hell. If she has a concern about the media my son consumes at home, then she needs to speak to me. He does not make the rules in this house, we do. That's like complaining to the inmates about how the prison is run. It accomplishes nothing... except to undermine my authority in my own home by attempting to set household rules behind my back.

He's not your child. This is not your home. Do you disagree with the way I'm raising him? Tough. Unless I'm abusing or endangering or neglecting him, it's none of your concern. And if you think allowing him to play Star Fox constitutes abuse then I invite you to call DHS. I'm sure they'll get a good laugh out of your call before going back to dealing with the drug addicts and molesters.

I'm all for cooperation between parent and teacher, but that doesn't mean the teacher calls the shots in my home. And attempting to call the shots behind my back isn't cooperation in the slightest.

And that's completely ignoring the fact that Star Fox 64 (the closest recent version to the original 1993 version that we play with him) is rated "Everyone" by the ESRB. For crying out loud, it's 16 bit anthropomorphic woodland animals flying space jets against robots, walls, and the eventual cube with monkey faces on it! Violent? If that's overly violent for her than the world must be a damned frightening place.