My 4th Grader Won’t Be Watching the Inauguration Either And I’ll Tell You Why

I asked my daughter on Wednesday if she was aware of anything special happening on Friday.  She said "no."  I asked if she was aware of anything exciting happening on Friday.  She said "no."  Her eyes began to gleam with intrigue.  Imagine her disappointment when she found out I was asking about the inauguration.  That, of course, was after she asked "what is 'the inauguration?'"

My daughter is intelligent, aware and engaged with the world around her.  But, she's also a kid, and she is really into Barbie and Shopkins and if she's going to be watching something, it'll probably be DanTDM on YouTube or Alice: Through the Looking Glass on Netflix.  (Yeah, it's on there now!)

So, my interpretation of a Williamston teacher's decision to email the parents of his 4th grade students to let them know that he would not be allowing his students to watch President Trump's inauguration, is that the email was more about his personal feelings or, perhaps even, his political persuasion, than it is about Donald Trump.

Someone suggested to me that this teacher, who by the way, by all accounts that I've seen, is beloved, has allowed his students to watch the past inaugurations.  I think it's great that he would include his students in the American political process -- even in 4th grade.

But, I've got to be honest, I'm not sure that in my 37 years I have ever actually watched a Presidential inauguration.  I think I'd probably rather be watching Alice: Through the Looking Glass, too.

So, my guess is that, except for the fact that they will instead be doing classroom work, this teacher's 4th grade students probably are not all that broken up that they won't be watching the inauguration.

Honestly, I think his decision to announce that his students wouldn't be allowed to watch, is more damaging to their perception and understanding of the political process and, quite frankly, about life, than if he had just simply not said anything at all, and just not turned on the TV.