Violence in Kiddie Lit

 

            It's bad enough that there's so much violence in TV, movies and video games these days. Must there also be violence in assigned reading in school?

            Apparently, it's on the rise. Aggression and conflict are increasingly found in the books selected for English classes at all grade levels, though thankfully it is rarely as graphic and disturbing as what's shown on popular "fight" cartoons and video games.

            It's possible that educators feel that the action and excitement of story lines that feature real-life conflict, aggression, war, battles and fights will draw children in to reading. The problem is, when the material is sanctioned by school, it has even more influence on the child than what's available in the private marketplace. And we hear from all kinds of sources that the more violence children see or read about, whether in school or elsewhere, the more violent they become.

            We've known for a long time that children tend to become what's modeled for them. Consider these principles from a 1951 book, "Children Who Hate: A Sensitive Analysis of the Anti-Social Behavior of Children In Their Response to the Adult World," by Professors Fritz Redl and David Wineman (New York: Macmillan Publishing Co. Inc.):

            -- Children who have a "sick conscience" often have had role models who demonstrated only negative behaviors such as how to be hateful, hostile and aggressive. "Seldom do they observe tenderness, feelings of mutual consideration, helpfulness or concern." Violent books in school that do not feature "good" characters or heroes wind up making the "bad guys" into the heroes in kids' eyes.

            -- The best way to keep a child from becoming a juvenile delinquent is to work to develop and encourage the child's "behavior controls." This book describes 22 of those controls, including:

            • tolerance for frustration

            • ability to cope with insecurity, anxiety and fear

            • temptation resistance

            • ability to resist group psychological intoxication

            • ability to resist a negative initiatory act

            • ability to delay gratification.

            -- The weaker the child's set of controls, the more suggestible he or she will be to participate in a bad behavior.

            -- Commonly, a child may think of an act of aggression or delinquency, and provoke someone else to do it. Then they join in — and blame the initiator (p. 187). The initiator may be another child, something he's read, or something he's seen.

            -- Without trusted adult role models acting as key inhibitors of aggression, and counteracting it, the children are stimulated to unbridled expression of hate. (p. 248)

            Obviously, schools need to be very careful about depictions of violence in the reading and other presentations made to children. Parents who care will preview the curriculum. If they see violence that crosses the line, object strenuously to the teacher, principal and school board, if necessary, and request more temperate, civilizing and uplifting book selections instead.

 

            By Susan Darst Williams • www.GoBigEd.com • Read to Me 007 • © 2006