Is this inappropriate?

My 8th grade daughter has a picture of Justin Bieber on her folder. The folder gets pulled out of her bookbag for one class, once a day. It is a picture of him in ankle deep ocean water splashing around in a bathing suit. The bathing suit covers from belly button to knees. Her teacher told her to remove it from her folder because he doesn't have a shirt on and she thinks it is inappropriate. No one really sees this picture except Erin and maybe the person sitting next to her. She pulls every picture of Justin Bieber out of magazines and puts them up on her wall and on the outside of folders and notbeooks. Is it really that big of a deal that he doesn't have a shirt on? Thanks for your opinions!

 

absolutely not!! I would first tell your daughter that her folder can stay in her book bag and she can continue to use it as she has been. then i would be emailing and or calling this teacher. i would let her know that you appreciate her opinion but it is just that her opinion. and while you relize that some kids don't have parents that know what types of supplies they are carrying you do know. and in fact you bought the folder there for your daughter will be carrying the folder for the rest of the year. but again you appreciaqte her opinion on the matter,and if she chooses not to look at a person in a swim suit then so be it.
how stupid what else is a male suppose to swim in? really thats a bit over kill to me. i would be completely irritated but would just email what i wrote. and wouldn't bat another eye about it. and would tell my daughter to not worry about it either.

 

Okay, good! Even if someone tells me it is inappropriate I still completely respect their opinion but I don't think it is a big deal either!! I have been doubting myself thinking maybe I am too laid back but I just didn't see the problem. Thanks!

 

I agree with Kim. With all the stuff out there for teens and preteens, I can't believe this is what the teacher found offensive.

 

I work in a middle school... And might have said something. That folder would go against our rules in the handbook. If a boy had a picture of Meghan Fox bent over the car with a sexy top... I might say something too. I guess I would check your hanbook first. That being said... I do not "look" for discussions like that but will chat with a student if someone mentions it.

 

I may be the odd opinion here but..I think I would talk to the teacher first and then base your decision on what to do after that. I have found that I don't like to tell my child to "not listen" to what the teacher says. I may disagree but honestly its that teacher's classroom and if she doesn't like that, I feel I should talk to her first to get a better understanding of it first. She is old enough where I can't imagine this would be an issue but I guess they have to be overly protective of everything anymore.

 

Unless its In the handbook as against the rules I see no problem with it

 

I'd have to talk to the teacher too and find out what exactly the rules are. And, as Jen mentioned, I don't like to flat out tell my kids not to listen to their teacher's, it's setting up a bad precedent for other issues I think

However, as someone said, if someone like Meghan Fox was standing in a bathing suit in ankle deep water, would you have an issue with that? Because, I probably would I wonder if you could find a folder of him in a t-shirt or something, that might be a little more appropriate for a school setting, and let her keep the folder of the bathing suit JB at home

 

Not sure what the rules are at your daughter's school,and I teach in an elem school. Kids are not allowed to go topless, so a folder w/someone topless would not be appropriate.
I agree that there is really nothing wrong w/ the folder if you as the parent are comfortable w/the content. My suggestion would be to use the folder at home for things she needs to keep, and not use if for a class folder.

 

I think I would defer to the teacher as well. As it was mentioned before, I like to think of the classroom as the teacher's domain and the kids need to follow the teacher's rules. The teacher has a better understanding of what can be a distraction than I do, and maybe a picture of Justin what'shisface is a major distraction.

 

The folder itself isn't Justin Bieber topless. Erin taped a picture of him in his bathing suit on to her folder. There are no rules in the handbook. As long as a female's breats and rear were covered and she was standing in ankle deep water it wouldn't bother me on an 8th grader's folder. I have known this teacher for a long time and it doesn't surprise me that she asked Erin to remove it. Erin did remove it but I was curious what others thought. Thank you all so much, I love reading everyone's opinions!

 

I can tell you that in the school I taught in previously, that would not be allowed. I don't think there's anything wrong with it on a personal level, but in some schools with certain dress codes, I can see why a teacher would ask her to remove it. Basically in our school, anything that was against the dress code (bare midriffs, boys without shirts, etc.) would not be acceptable in a picture either.

 

Ditto this. Fine at home- but schools often have more stringent rules and our school also had a dress code--- the same applies to locker/folder/poster, etc. It just eliminates any confusion and judgement, it is clear for parents/students/staff on what is ok and not ok for decorations/ language on personal belonging belongings (shirts, stuff,etc).

If you cant say or wear it at school, you cant have it on your stuff/clothes/person/etc.

We have had 5th graders that had to change/turn shirt inside out for pics or logos not allowed. We simply say it is school rules.

Keeps it simple and consistent.

 

i'm having a hard time understanding what the problem everone is having here. its a man " yes a famous one" but a man in a swim suit in a swallow amount of water. she already said he wasn't bent over or in a sexual way. would it be ok if there were a pic of her dad in ankle water in the same swim suit? so were just saying its not ok b/c its a young person in ankle water? also why couldn't a young lady be in shallow water? as long as she too wasn't in a sexual way. perhaps this teacher is just way over the top?

 

Well I just don't see why a pic of anyone in a bathing suit is necessary at school At home, fine, you want to plaster your walls in someone in a bathing suit, go for it. But I don't think it's appropriate for a school setting. There's a very good reason school's have dress code's, and if it's not appropriate for the kids to wear to school, I don't think it's appropriate to have a picture like that.

And I really can't agree with telling my child that he/she doesn't have to listen to the teacher. Personally I think that's part of our problem with some kids nowadays. They have the mindset that "they rule everyone else drools", and that they don't have to listen to adults in authority. So it starts with telling them their teacher is wrong and they can completely ignore what the teacher is saying, where does it go from there? Employers? Police? I'm raising my kids to respect everyone, but especially adults in authority positions, and to obey any rules (or laws) that are put in place. Whether I agree with them or not.

 

This folder cover would not be acceptable of any person in a bathing suit at my children's school because people are not allowed to wear bathing suits to school. It is not just because he is a "he", famous or standing in ankle deep water. It is the fact that the clothing being worn is not "dress code".

I would not argue or fight for my child's right to have this book cover. I know there are worse things students could do at school but... really why make a teacher have a right to speak only against major issues. The teacher set a rule and it is not hurting anyone if my child could not have it. It also supports the teachers authority in the classroom. They need all the support they can get. I may not agree with everything a teacher says but this would not be a battle I would pick.

 

Please don't think Erin refused to remove it and please don't think I am going to challenge the teacher. I strongly disagree with the teacher but Erin removed it as requested and I am respecting the teacher's request. I just don't think Justin Bieber's bare chest is a big deal.

 

If it is against the dress code then the picture shouldn't be allowed. I know she is at a Catholic school so I would bet there would be a moral objection to a sexual picture, even that of a male.

I brought in a 1988 issue of 16 magazine to show the kids what REAL teen idols look like and tons of giggling was done over a picture of Ricky Martin topless.

 

oh goodness Ricky Martin :faint:

 

I guess I don't think it's a sexual picture just because he is standing bare chested. He is swimming. Kitty cats and puppy dogs aren't allowed at school but they are all over some other kids' folders. :laughing:

 

Something happened to me similar last year. My daughter got her hair cut and the place will put in a small strip of color that washes out. My son had it all over his hair, but his was darker and not as noticeable. They have different teachers. Her teacher, who is the more 'laid back' one sent a note home telling me it was in the handbook and was inappropriate whereas the other teacher never sent a note home at all for my son. I see a lot of kids with color in their hair, some of it permanent, and no one says anything. I was pissed off at first. I mean, kids come to school with temporary tattoos all the time, they can be very distracting. But, it is in the handbook, so my kids will not have color in their hair during the school year. I can understand where the teacher is coming from. Perhaps next year will be different.

 

yeah that is not the same. Kitties and puppies are not on a list of not approved items at school but we all know they are not allowed in in the "live" form. Alcohol and cigarettes are not allowed at school it is in the handbook. They are not allowed in real or photo form. Should they be allowed in photo form because they are just a picture? My children cannot wear flip flops but I know if one had a picture on a folder it would not be an issue like a person in a bathing suit. I don't think it's a "sexual" thing as much as it is just against the rules to be undressed at school. Shirt and shoes are two different things although if a teacher decided to make it an issue I would get a new folder.

 

I am pretty sure if Justin Beiber was sitting holding a kitten, than it probably wouldn't have been cut out and put on a folder. Girls like those pictures. They think he looks hot. That is why pictures like that sell. To say it isn't sexual in nature just doesn't seem to make much sense to me. If it was a girl in a bathing suit, it would be the same thing. To say hot girls in bathing suits does not have any kind of sexual connotation just doesn't line up with the countless magazine covers being sold every day.

My kids go to a Christian school, and I will be teaching in one next fall. I promise you, that would not be allowed in my classroom and it wouldn't be allowed in the school. I have no idea how it would be taken in a public school, but Kendra mentioned your daughter goes to Catholic school?

 

As a teacher, I can not tell a student to remove anything from a folder (such as a picture) unless it went against school rules. As others have said, a quick phone call can probably clear up why she was asked to remove it. Perhaps another student was told earlier in the year to remove a similar picture from their folder and the teacher is being fair and consistent with her rules, or perhaps the administration had to deal with an earlier situation that was similar to your daughter's and the teachers were asked to have all students remove these type of photos from their folders. Even though you don't see anything wrong with it, the teacher usually has a good reason why that type of action was taken. And if not, then your phone call asking to clarify will surely make that known.

 

Hope it is not thought i was saying the image was not sexual in nature. I believe it is. I was just saying the picture was most likely not allowed because it goes against the school dress code. The rule likely is in place because they do not want students dressing "sexy" but a person is not necessarily dressing in a sexy way just because they are wearing a swimsuit.

 

I don't think it's a big deal, but it's the teacher's classroom so I think it's her prerogative. Also, there could possibly be more to the story. Even though it only comes out once a day, maybe it's a distraction during that time (girls talking and giggling about it, etc).

 

You ladies are probably right but it is not in the handbook. Her other teachers do not have an issue with it. Erin has Justin Bieber everything so any picture of him automatically goes on her notebooks, pencial case, etc. We just never thought a bare chested one was an issue. This teacher seems to personally have an issue with it, it is not a school rule I have come to find out.

 

I think anything Justin Bieber is inappropriate

 

I totally agree. To me it's clear this is meant to be a sexy picture. That's what sells. I don't think this is appropriate for school and if I were a teacher I wouldn't allow it. I also wouldn't allow a picture of a half dressed woman either.

 

I have no problem with her liking Justin Bieber. Sure it gets annoying but (for now) he seems to be a relatively good role model. Next year will be a whole new ball game for Erin in high school!!

 

I agree. Lol I'm sure my mom felt the same way about New Kids on the Block.