We live in the number one public school district in Ohio. And in exchange for the equivalent of four-year's college tuition in tax dollars, our schools maintain the highest standards. My Teen, for example, is reading Hamlet. And Ten-year old is reading a biography of Thomas Jefferson (who, having been corrupted by Hollywood, will always conger Nick Nolte for me).
The other day I sat down to read the biography with my youngest in case he needed any explanation. And he did.
But not about the Declaration of Independence.
or Jefferson's on again off again relationship with John Adams.
Ten-year old was curious about Jefferson's on again off again relationship with Sally Hemmings.
Wait, I thought, looking at the book. Can this be right? Are they going there? OMG! They are.
They're really going the Hemmings Way.
Ten-year Old's questions kept rolling:
Why would Jefferson have babies with his 14-year old servant?
Why would Jefferson have babies with his 14-year old servant?
OMG! What do I say?
And why so many?
Turn the page. Yes. Must turn the page.
Why didn't he claim the children as his?
Must focus on presidency here.
Did they know he was their father?
Must change topic here.
Why were they brought up to be slaves?
Must definitely change the topic.
And Quick.
Teen, I called in desperation, "What did you learn in school today?"
Teen popped his head in the room, "Today we learned that Shakespeare molested young boys."
Posted at Humor-Blogs.
