I gave permission for my daughter to be tutored under a school program to improve her handwriting skills. I wrote a nice long e-mail regarding what I felt would be beneficial for her improvement to the teacher as well as tutor. I asked my daughter if she had begun any of this supplemental work. She came home the other day with a reading comprehension worksheet instead. She said, "Mom, I know this is not right," as she handed it to me to review. Boy, was she on target!
As I read How The Camel Got His Hump, the goose prickles made their way up my neck. I'm getting used to their frequent appearance this semester. This story was written by famous poet, novelist and Nobel Prize winner, Rudyard Kipling. We all know him better for The Jungle Book. Rudyard was born in India but raised in Britain, the majority of his writings have strong Hindu influences. This is found in the fact he made the swastika, a Hindu good luck charm, his favorite printed logo near Ganesha the goddess of wisdom on his books. (When the Nazi's came on scene he was smart enough to have the swastika removed from further printings as he did not want to be associated with this group). Although Hinduism and the Culture of India was a main theme for Rudyard, How the Camel Got His Hump is influenced by Muslim legend. It talks about a spiritual figure called a Djinn that affects the lives of men and women. ( this information is taken directly from the worksheet)
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| Photo by: AIDOUDA |
HOLD THE PHONE!
This story may be about a camel that needs to learn to be a productive member in the animal kingdom but it should bother you, like it did me, the lesson is learned by a DEMON.
Why would a school's curriculum support such a lesson? Yes, the third grade is learning about myth and legend but this piece sure is a humdinger for introducing spiritual issues to a very malleable young mind. Yes, fact and fiction need to be addressed and the differences pointed out but this lesson is a slippery slope. Call me rigid, call me intolerant, call me over-sensitive but I won't apologize for protecting my values, my daughter and the TRUTH. Anytime a lesson supports a demon as the hero I'm going to ring the bell, sound the siren, tell you this is a piece of trash and it is WRONG! Here we go again, Chandra is going to tell you your school is trying to undermine the concept of Right and Wrong. You better count on it.
If you don't believe me that the "Djinn of All Deserts" is a demon, read one place where demons dwell. Matthew 12:43 and Luke 11:24.
The only good that came from this lesson was the opportunity to reinforce TRUTH to my daughter. The world is full of deception, whenever a spiritual guide is mentioned it is a demon. God is our only true, pure source for spiritual guidance. I was thanking the Lord as I read Job 5: 12-13. "He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success. He catches the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are swept away."
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| Worksheet Version of How The Camel Got His Hump |
my daughter brought this story home today, i wouldnt let her do the homework. your blog is great
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