Assembly about Megans Law website upsets parents

A school district spokesman said the content of the talk - which included a joke about being kidnapped by al-Qaeda and a "homework" assignment to search the sex-offender database for nearby molesters - was unsettling to some of the approximately 170 children in attendance.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/l...n_Elementary_parents.html#ezUMdeYHhU7JVLvU.99

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I am all for this type of seminar given to kids... as I am all for complete sex education for all our children.
I think we over protect the children, and in the end it leads to more danger.
Apparently, many parents must disagree with me.

This from one of the parents.

Cindy Ridgeway, co-president of the Merion Elementary Home and School Association and mother of a fifth grader, said her son Jake wasn't concerned by anything he heard. She said the family talked regularly about Internet safety.

Because the principal sent an e-mail to parents before students got home - which Ridgeway said she appreciated - she was able to approach Jake right away.

"Luckily," she said, "my son took everything in stride and said he learned a lot from it."

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Maybe the school should send out notices of the seminar in advance and invite parents that can attend, so they will know exactly what is said and how/why. I think the ones upset about it don't seem to have talked to their children about this before, and need to. Some of Sandusky's victims were very young children in this age group.

No way. I would be ticked. I teach my kids about strangers but I don't need someone scaring them and not presenting it to them in a way that is good for each student. IT should be a general assembly with a packet for the parents about details things they think would be helpful.

And yes, They should have told the parents in advance. I would have liked to attend WITH my child..

I don't think this was helpful.

I think it's good because around age 11 is said to be an age that pedophiles target kids, and many kids that age are out walking around their neighborhoods. They need to be aware.

IDK...all I can say is that at least they said/did something.

...when my now-teenged son was in grade school, no talks, no seminars, no presentations, nothing.

And my son went to Megan Kanka's school.

They have a hope or peace garden in the back of the school in her memory. The kids took a field trip to Megan's Place (the house she was murdered in was knocked down and made into a garden-y type of place with a "pretty angel statue" in it, according to my boy.
None of the kids knew who Megan was or why they had the garden there for her, not a clue as to the place they went on the field trip, etc.

I understand that it's our job as parents to educate about and protect our children from these predators, but, again - at least the school did something.

Can I just state again that my kids went to Megan Kanka's school (who made not the slightest effort in the above regard, at least for the entire six years I was involved and my kids were there)???!!!

I would be ok with this worded correctly. This actually gives me more ideas to talk to my kids. I started stranger danger and other dangers, when mine were younger. If you talk to your kids, they shouldn't feel scared, but prepared.

Stranger danger is good, but this is the State of Joe Paterno and Jerry Sandusky. And NUMEROUS cases of sexual abuse by priests. Kids need to be aware that abuse can come from neighbors, teachers and friends as well as strangers!