Twentieth Century-Fox

The other day, I had the chance to see the new movie “Horton Hears a Who.” It won’t win any Oscars, but it wasn’t bad. And, despite being unnerved by the extreme concentration of toddlers in the theater, I can genuinely say I enjoyed the humor and plot, which is saying something for a guy who lists “Hotel Rwanda” as his favorite movie.

That said, there is a small, sinister element in “Horton” which needs to be addressed. If you’ve seen the flick, you will recall that Horton is the jungle’s schoolteacher, and that the villain is an overbearing kangaroo who has very strict ideas about jungle behavior. She never lets her joey play with the other jungle kids and is so upset by Horton’s claim that there is a city on a speck of dust that she hires a hit-vulture to neutralize Horton and the clover on which Whoville’s speck is sitting. 

Personally, I’m not sure my joey would be allowed to play with the jungle kids either (they struck me as really bad influences), but that’s beside the point. What really bothered me was that one of first major lines out of the kangaroo’s mouth was “ ... and that’s why our joey is pouch-schooled!”

As a homeschool graduate, I was furious. I can take a joke, but I think that “Horton” was way over the line. Here’s why: The line about “pouch schooling” was one of the first things the audience heard from the character, and it was not explained at all. Basically, it was as if the mere mention of homeschooling was used as a justification for the character’s evil nature.

Apparently, the audience was supposed to assume that all homeshoolers are oppressive, closed-minded wackos. If you think I’m overreacting, consider this: How do you think it would go over if similar statements were made about your subculture? Would it have been a harmless joke if the kangaroo had made a quip about being a Muslim, Jew or Catholic? Yet, if the joke is about homeschoolers, am I supposed to think it’s funny? My parents certainly weren’t brooding, malicious villains, and neither are 99 percent of homeschool families.

If my parents had not pulled me out of school in 4th grade, I can almost guarantee you that I would not be in college today. The public school system failed me so thoroughly that they had me simultaneously enrolled in both special-ed classes and the “gifted and talented” program (which I’m assuming made me the school’s smartest stupid kid).

For some reason, society seems to think that my parents (who had the good sense to get me out of that hell hole) are child-abusing morons! Yes, I realize that it was just one line, but it represents a line of thinking I’ve been hearing repeatedly for years. As proof, I would cite another relatively recent movie, the 2004 teen comedy “Mean Girls."

Lindsay Lohan starred as a former homeschooler trying to cope with public school. Her character was shown as socially inept (her parents had been naturalists in Africa), and the film’s opening monologue explained how she wasn’t “weird like other homeschoolers." This speech was accompanied by scenes of such “weird homeschoolers," including one kid who said God gave man rifles to shoot dinosaurs and homosexuals. That isn’t comedy; it's bigotry.

I’ve met hundreds of homeschoolers in my time, and I have yet to meet anyone as ignorant or stupid as these silver-screen stereotypes. The vast majority are just like public school kids, though perhaps slightly better educated. Still, the general perception seems to be that we are wacked-out freaks who can’t make eye-contact.

If someone lives their life differently than you do, you should try to understand them rather than laugh at them. We live in a society where “tolerance” is all the rage, but apparently it only applies to certain trendy demographics. Meanwhile, the same people preaching “tolerance” seem more than willing to mock groups that don’t conform to their worldview, such as homeschoolers. Maybe this is to much to ask, but shouldn’t I be entitled to some tolerance, too?

Here’s the moral of my story: We need to stop stereotyping certain groups and treat all people with equal respect. You hear that line a lot these days in regard to Muslims or homosexuals, but it should be a universal value. There are tons of homeschoolers on today’s college campuses. You probably don’t notice them because they don’t look like the freaks you hear about, but they’re there. And if you happen to meet one, it might be a decent idea to respond with intelligent conversation rather than jokes about being a socially repressed shut-in. The same goes for members of other not-so-trendy groups, like Evangelical Christians. 

Maybe it’s a bit self-indulgent of me to write an entire column on one line in “Horton Hears a Who.” I’m not so much angered by hearing a stereotype; that happens all the time. But it really gets under my skin that such ignorance turned up in a story that’s supposed to be about accepting people.

“Horton Hears a Who” was a great book, and I think Dr. Suess probably rolled over in his grave when the “pouch-schooling” line was written. I’m not going to encourage a boycott of the film or anything like that. Actually, I would encourage you to go see it. But instead of focusing on the psychosis of the pouch-schooling kangaroo, listen to the lovable elephant and remember that “A person’s a person, no matter how small.”

9 Comments

MiJuBri Farms Apr 01, 08 Votes: +0	Great column. Thanks for the vindication! Just another homeschool mom. report abuse vote down vote up
J. Murphy Apr 01, 08 Votes: +0	Great article !!!! Thank you for the courage to make sure bigotry is not redefined as just a racial or "black" issue. report abuse vote down vote up
sm Apr 02, 08 Votes: +0	Awesome article. Unrelated FYI - kangaroos and elephants don't even cohabitate on the same continent...guess that makes the movie-makers geographically ignorant as well? report abuse vote down vote up
Jessamyngrace12 Apr 02, 08 Votes: +0	From one unsocially awkward, intelligent home schooler to another, I agree wholeheartedly. I can take a joke sometimes, from my good friends who know me well. But, seeing it in film is completely different. report abuse vote down vote up
Marie Apr 02, 08 Votes: +0	Well, from a homeschooling point of view, there are many homeschoolers who are over protective and over bearing, in my nine yrs of homeschooling I have seen allot. If you aren't one of them it shouldn't offend you. I do appreciate your point of view, and honesty. I do not like it when the groups get out in full force to boycott a movie for some thing or another, I like to judge on my own. My kids did not notice the joke , however my daughter when watching the Lohan movie, was upset that people viewed homeschoolers as weird. That was anew concept to her since most of her friends were homeschooled. There are many controlling moms in the homeschool movement but more and more we are leaning toward regular families looking for a change. report abuse vote down vote up
Shelby Apr 03, 08 Votes: +0	Nice points, I agree that stereotypes in all forms can easily become narrow minded opinions and bigotry. I think we all need to be more tolerant and open minded, least we become the thing that we dislike. I have seen controlling moms in the homeschool movement too but no more than the controlling moms who use public and private schools. It is frustrating to hear these comments about homeschoolers because in my opinion you can find the same examples of "weirdness" in public schools. And frankly I feel my homeschooled children are more socially graceful and well mannered than their schooled peers. Just my two cents. www.modernorganicmama.com report abuse vote down vote up
Zoiga Apr 04, 08 Votes: +0	I think many of your points are well taken. We have homeschooled for 9 years, and have heard it all. I personally think now that homeschooling is becoming more mainstream we are becoming bigger targets. I also think everyone now knows someone who homeschools and the results are in, homeschoolers are not socially inept, they are just as well educated if not better educated than their traditionally schooled peers. The comment made in the movie is ignorant. But, in your commentary you have fallen prey to the same humor in bad taste, making the association between special-ed and stupidity. Just my two cents. report abuse vote down vote up
MM Apr 08, 08 Votes: +0	Some terrific thoughts here. I have not seen the movie but had heard about the pouch-school comment and was disappointed. Frankly though I have been disapponted by other recent screen adaptations of Seuss so wasn't really all that suprised. I also agree with the reply comment about the inapropriate connection made between special education and being stupid. Many gifted kids also have difficulties that allow them to benefit from special education services. Just as special educaiton doesn't equal stupid, gifted doesn't mean you won't have any problems in school. (I speak from personal family experience on this one). It is easy to make assumptions about a group of people even without meaning to be derogatory. The author obviously had negative experiences in school and made the comment in light of that. I think the movie-makers knew exactly what they were doing, but often the average person doesn't realize that what has been said is incorrect or even hurtful. They assume that stereoptypes are true which is what makes these sorts of portrayals frustrating. I'll be the first to admit I find myself having stereotypes about some groups of people and maybe it's good to think about that now &then. Maybe we'll notice and change the stereotypes we carry around once we've been the subject of it ourselves. report abuse vote down vote up
Kristin T. Apr 15, 08 Votes: +0	Thanks so much for writing this! As a home schooler, I've personally dealt with problems such as a former friend's mother saying I was "inadept(which isn't even a word) at socializing". I'm actually not! I went back to school for a few months when I was in eighth grade. One kid told me I must not have had any friends in home schooling. My reply was that I had more friends home schooling than I did in public school. PS has severely failed me, and I know that HS is a better place for me. The other thing is, we're not weird! Not like these movies portray home schoolers to be, anyway. Yeah, we're nerdy, a little eccentric, and kind of crazy sometimes. We're also a lot of fun! My friends love my craziness. Oh my goodness. Did I just say I have friends?! Yeah, because I do. And a lot of them. Stereotyping: NOT. COOL. report abuse vote down vote up

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