Seton-Thompson in 5th Grade: Parents Outraged by the Cruelty of the Wolf Story.

According to ТСН: In the foreign literature textbook for the 5th grade, used within the framework of the New Ukrainian School, disputes have arisen over the story by Ernest Seton-Thompson "Lobo - the Lord of Currumpaw". The work describes the brutal methods of hunting wolves, specifically the use of poison and traps.

On Facebook, Irina Didur reported that the grandmother of one of the students expressed concern that the scenes in the work could negatively affect children's psyche and contribute to the formation of cruelty.

"My grandson was doing his homework. 5th grade. E.Seton-Thompson 'Lobo – the Lord of Currumpaw'. The 1890s, how hunters killed wolves. The rules for laying poison, setting traps, tearing animals apart with horses, how to throw lassos and direct horses in different directions – all described perfectly,"

Irina also noted that she does not support the use of materials that contain cruel details, as this may lead to abuse of animals and distort children's perception of violence.

Parents' and Students' Reactions

Users on social media actively supported Didur's position, noting that the school curriculum often includes works that can harm students' psyche.

Some students refused to read this story, while others could not hold back their tears after reading it. One commentator noted:

"Why savor cruel details... And for what? Children are already ruthless, and such works leave their mark on consciousness – someone will receive psychological trauma, while someone else will start to perceive cruel treatment of animals as something mundane."

Besides Seton-Thompson, parents also mentioned other works that they consider emotionally challenging for students, such as "The Moose" by Yevhen Hutsalo and "Fedko-the-Bigot" by Volodymyr Vynnychenko.

Previous Editions and the NUS Program

It is worth noting that "Lobo - the Lord of Currumpaw" is also included in the textbooks of 2022, prepared under the NUS program. The authors of these editions are: Yevheniia Voloshchuk, Olena Isaeva, Zhanna Klymenko, Natalia Kadobianska, Larysa Udovichenko, Valentina Snihir, as well as Oleksandr Hlotov and Borys Shchavursky.

Discussions continue: parents and educators are actively debating whether to leave works with such cruel elements in the school curriculum and whether it is necessary to review the list of recommended literature for students aged 10-11.