The document discusses the debate around preserving children's innocence versus exposing them to truthful information. It notes that some parents try to shield children from topics like gay rights, suicide, or climate change by preventing certain books or films. However, the document argues that preserving innocence through ignorance does a disservice to children and restricts their access to knowledge and critical thinking. It contends children will learn about these issues eventually, so parents should take responsibility to educate them in age-appropriate ways. Overall, the document makes the case that innocence is not the same as ignorance, and that ignorance should not be used as a weapon or excuse to limit children's exposure to important truths and information.

1. Preserving innocence or coddling ignorance?
By Natalie Landau/For the Appeal­Democrat | Posted: Thursday, October 13, 2011 12:00 am
In two timeless lines, the American poet Billy Collins satirized society's predilection for
whitewashing facts: "Soldiers in the Boer War told long rambling stories designed to make the enemy
nod off," and "The Enola Gay dropped one tiny atom on Japan."
These examples from Collins' poem, "The History Teacher," each hide a kernel of truth within a
whole loaf of lies. We can understand the need for governments to turn self­serving or disastrous
missions that cost many lives into innocuous escapades, for how else would they ever be able to sell
their next hidden­agenda war?
But when it reaches our textbooks or inhibits our access to unbiased reporting, then it becomes an
affront.
"It's our duty to protect our young from the evils of the world — to preserve their innocence," many
misguided parents plead as they get petitions signed to prevent discussions about Harvey Milk (gay
rights) or reading Sylvia Plath's "The Bell Jar" (a suicidal heroine) or watching Al Gore's "An
Inconvenient Truth" (because science is now politics).
My AP English class read Tim O'Brien's memoir, which described him lying to his daughter about his
actions in Vietnam, and I realized that preserving youth's innocence seems merely to entail the
withholding of facts.
Certainly, innocence is a desirable trait, for is it not associated with babes and purity and God's
unbridled love? No sullying of the soul by Adam and Eve's carnal desires. Furthermore, innocence is
bliss, right? No. That's ignorance — but who can really tell the difference anymore? For when does
innocence become ignorance? And when does ignorance become a sin? My answer would be that
innocence (aka ignorance) becomes an unnecessary evil when it allows a viewpoint that is used as a
weapon against others.
Jesse Deneweth, a junior at Marysville Charter Academy for the Arts, said that hiding information in
an attempt to protect children is "not only morally wrong, but it also restricts the expansion and
spread of knowledge. This method slows down the process of learning, which we thrive on."
What is it about innocence that makes adults want to navigate children away from the truth? Surely
innocence should be a lack of experience, not a lack of knowledge, and yet the two are dangerously
becoming synonymous. Maybe a 10­year­old is too young to hear about the dangers of drugs, the
horrific happenings in war or the possible negative outcomes of sex, but why then are they old enough
to play a video game such as "Call of Duty: Black Ops," where the objective is to kill as many players

2. as possible?
Senior Kalia Klein said, "I think every child is different, and their capacity to understand some things
depends on their maturity. In my experience, as a child, I felt not knowing things and having a lot of
questions led me to finding the answers myself."
Today, Kalia is an excellent student and role model, yet things might not turn out as well with others.
Do we really want children experimenting with drugs and sex merely because no one bothered to
educate them? In this case, the old adage applies: To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
If we want to develop a nation of critical thinkers who weigh and evaluate facts before making
decisions, then we must be fully exposed to the truth when we are young.
"We're going to find out about these things sooner or later," shrugged Bethany Harris, a junior, "and
it's the parents' responsibility to prepare their children about what is the right thing to do."
We don't want to be like the complacent, ignorant public in the dystopian world of Ray Bradbury's
"Fahrenheit 451." We don't want to incinerate knowledge merely because it might inflame our
innocent minds. Or do we?
Natalie Landau is a senior at Marysville Charter Academy for the Arts. Her column appears every six
weeks in Education.