Back in my day, when parents brought treats to class they were usually cupcakes with confetti ?sprinkles.
We certainly never got a tray of assorted vagina cookies. But, hey, times have changed.
A second-grade teacher was reportedly presented with a tray of vagina cookies to give her students on Sept. 12.
A mom brought a tray of vagina cookies to class and said, according to BuzzFeed, “I decided you can use these to teach the kids about the woman’s vagina today.”
When the teacher said it wasn’t appropriate, the mom allegedly went on a verbal rampage, telling the teacher she should be more proud of her vagina. And she said the word ?“vagina” a lot.
So much so that the teacher received a phone call later in the day from a parent wondering why their child learned the word ?“vagina” in class.
Then the teacher received an email from the vagina-cookie mother, according to BuzzFeed. In the email, the mother berated the teacher for being close-minded. She told the teacher she settled into a career known to be a “women’s job” and withdrew her child from class.
As the sprinkles on top, she ends the email with, “I hope you end up with an abusive husband that beats on you every night.”
It’s easy to look at what this mother did and label it radical feminism. But after reading the account and the email several times, I’ve decided this was not feminism. This was pure ?insanity.
Domestic violence isn’t a joke. It’s not something you wish on someone for not wanting to serve children your vagina cookies.
The teacher did not express any behavior that merited such a hostile response. Considering the awkward position she was in, I felt she handled it well.
She wasn’t being anti-feminism. I’m sure that had another parent brought in phallic-shaped lollipops the teacher would have refused to serve them as well.
She simply didn’t feel it was right to give her second-graders vagina cookies, and she was right in her decision.
In the email the mother said, “We as women should stand together and inform people about the vagina and how to please it.”
“Vagina” is not a dirty word. We should not be ashamed or embarrassed by it. But these kids are 8 years old. They have a long while before they need to know how to please ?a vagina.
If sex education in schools isn’t up to her standards, then she can educate her child at home. A second-grade classroom is not the place to fix the system.
And it’s certainly not the place to bring vagina ?pastries.
This mother’s behavior was ridiculous and selfish. This was an example of trying to force personal beliefs onto others in a completely inappropriate way.
Her treatment of the teacher was uncalled for. Saying she acted with the maturity of a second-grader would be an insult to ?second-graders.
lnbanks@indiana.edu
