The Organic PrepperThe game is called “Cross the Line” and many outraged parents believe that it does just that.
A middle school in Marinette, Wisconsin got a group of 5th-8th graders together and organized a really fun game that asked students to step forward to answer “yes” to a series of highly personal questions. Questions like…
Do your parents drink?
Do you cut yourself?
Has anyone in your family been to jail?
Have you ever wanted to commit suicide?
Do you or your parents do drugs?
Unbelievably, school administrators believed that this “game” would help the kids to be better and kinder friends. “The intent of this activity was to build stronger, more respectful relationships among students,” said Principal Shawn Limberg. The “game” was part of an anti-bullying program.
Of course, Limberg also said the “game” was completely voluntary, an assertion that was disputed by one young girl who told her mother she’d have to go to in-school suspension if she didn’t participate.
Several parents voiced their concerns and had them brushed off. Amanda Fifarek, mother of a 7th grade student, told FOX 11, “They basically told us that all the students were lying…all the students got together and planned it out and if they weren’t lying, it was all misperceptions. They didn’t specifically say do your parents do drugs.”
Of course. We all know those silly children must have just misunderstood the whole thing.
Here’s the report from the local Fox station:
Reading between the lines, it doesn’t look as though Marinette Middle School was duly chastised. It sounds like they every intention of playing the “game” again. According to a Yahoo news report, ”Principal Limberg said they will let parents know the next time they plan on playing this game.”
I think we can all see how easily this could go sideways. This collection of information from unwitting children could be used to instigate social services investigations, to find out which parents are using their 2nd amendment right to own firearms, whether they’ve complied with Obamacare, what their lifestyle choices are, how they practice their religious beliefs, what the family’s political beliefs are, or to single out kids for forced medical or mental health treatment against the wishes of their parents. We need only look at all of the zero tolerance hysteria to see how quickly this could get out of hand.
Most kids don’t understand the greater ramifications of sharing this type of information, and that is exactly what the administrators are counting on. They are taking advantage of a relationship of trust between students and faculty, and exploiting that for their own purposes. So many things are illegal or illicit now that it’s impossible for a child to judge whether what he or she is saying will get someone into trouble.
If your children attend public schools, it is vital that you discuss things like this with them and teach them about privacy. Schools abound with innocent-seeming activities like “quizzes” and “games” that are just digging expeditions into a child’s home life. Teach your children to politely refuse to participate in activities like this, despite threats of punishment. Let your child know to insist that the school phone you, and that you will back them up for refusing to divulge private information.
Then, let the school fear the wrath of mom and dad. If we don’t teach our kids to resist by example, then how will they ever learn to do what’s right in the face of threats from perceived authority figures?
Daisy Luther is a freelance writer and editor. Her website, The Organic Prepper, offers information on healthy prepping, including premium nutritional choices, general wellness and non-tech solutions. You can follow Daisy on Facebook and Twitter, and you can email her at daisy@theorganicprepper.ca
They say that this so called game was a part of the “anti bullying” program, ROFLMAO big time. The class mates I grew up with knew exactlywhat it meant to be a snitch even before the 2nd grade and even then it was a good way to get your butt kicked and kicked real good and hard..Anti bullying – I cannot even believe that one. Sh*t, you will be bullyied if you are a snitch by the class mates and if not then the teachers will most put you on their list to bully… Yea this is partly why I want to leave this cheese head state. Good article for sure, Thanks for posting it.
Wow, did you notice that the article (and I’m assuming the school representative) keeps refering to it as a “game” – Now it’s got me thinking of dozens of “game” (no pun intended) questions that I’d like to ask.
Obama’s Hitler Youth Corp?
I’ve instructed my 9 year old on exactly what to do if she is bullied. If she is verbally harassed, just ignore it. The person talking smack is just insecure, and is jealous of one of your strong points.
If the bully physically touches her she is to punch that individual squarely in the stomach, and with as much force as she can muster. It won’t do any real physical harm, probably just knock the wind out, and will let the offender know that she will NOT be messed with. My wife, and daughter, state that she will get in trouble. I tell her to let ME deal with that part of the equation.
Stay Alert, Stay Alive
I completely agree and support ya on that one, Slug.
Wow! This article reminds me of Mark 13:12
“Now brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to put to death.”
Yes NC it’s coming. no. its already here.
How ironic – the adult big bullies employed by the school bullying the students to disclose none-of-your-business, highly personal information, else be subject to the punishment of suspension enforced by the big bullies, all in the name of “anti-bullying.” The big bullies must be having a good laugh at this one.
Down is up, wrong is right, and bullying is “anti-bullying” if the bully is the one in the position of authority and power.
do your parents….. own a gun, take pills, smoke funny cigarettes, talk politics, keep extra food, keep extra water?