Wake-up call for schools teaching Sleeping Beauty?
A MUM has asked her son’s primary school to take ‘Sleeping Beauty’ off the curriculum for its ‘inappropriate sexual’ message.
Sarah Hall, from Northumberland Park, says the fairytale promotes unacceptable behaviour which shouldn’t be read to young children.
She argued the story teaches children that it is ok to kiss a woman while she’s asleep, which she says is not acceptable.
Sarah was reading a school book with her son, Ben, six, which was based on the traditional story.
She said: “I think it’s a specific issue in the Sleeping Beauty story about sexual behaviour and consent.
“It’s about saying is this still relevant, is it appropriate?”
She said she is worried about what message the tale, which features a prince waking up a princess by kissing her, sends to impressionable young children.
The 40-year-old left a comment in her son’s record book, and contacted the school to ask if books featuring it could be taken out of circulation for younger classes.
She said: “In today’s society, it isn’t appropriate – my son is only six, he absorbs everything he sees, and it isn’t as if I can turn it into a constructive conversation.
“I don’t think taking Sleeping Beauty books out of circulation completely would be right.
“I actually think it would be a great resource for older children, you could have a conversation around it, you could talk about consent, and how the princess might feel.
“But I’m really concerned about it for younger children, would really welcome a conversation about whether this is suitable material.”
Sarah said she might not have given the story a second thought, but recent coverage of sexual abuse and consent, including the social media ‘Me Too’ campaign, made her think about the subtle messages which, she says, help create a culture where consent isn’t seen as important. She said: “These are indicative of how ingrained that kind of behaviour is in society.
“All these small things build up, and they make a difference.”
The mum-of-two says there might be problems with other fairytales, but that she is mostly disturbed by the ‘non-consensual’ kissing in this story.
MUM ASKS IF FAIRYTALE IS APPROPRIATE AFTER SEX ABUSE CLAIMS