School sending invites to a church fashion show

[jklvfdesngr]

@simplysamie Question, just because I’m curious about this point, but it the CHURCH the one actually putting on the event, or is another group doing it and it’s just being held at the church. I ask because in smaller towns, sometimes it’s the church that has the largest space available to host something like this aside from the school’s gym. Doesn’t necessarily mean that the church is involved in any way.

Still wouldn’t let my child participate because of the whole changing clothes and parents not being allowed. Especially at the age this is targeting!

 

[simplysamie]

@jklvfdesngr The church is the one putting on the event. Or, that’s my assumption, because the invite mentioned no other parties. I went ahead and checked their website before answering you too, and there’s no other parties mentioned so I’m assuming this is 100% a church thing. There is, however, the lovely detail added at the bottom stating there is to be no cellphones, which just solidified my opinion of this entire thing.

 

[jklvfdesngr]

@simplysamie Oh hell no! I’d be right there along with you in that decision. This whole event gives off red flags.

 

[archiel]

@simplysamie That would be a hard no from me. The only time I played dress up as a little girl was on playdates at mine and my friends houses.

Why not have an arts and crafts event? Or a mommy/daughter activity? Why a fashion show without parents? Fucking weird.

Also I just want to add.. "grooming" is an outcome of what some type of situation has on a child. The intention behind the grooming process does not matter.

For example, I HATE Halloween "Trunk or Treat" events, which usually occur in church parking lots, where a bunch of adults park their cars and have their trunks opened up and kids trick or treat.

Why do I consider this grooming? Because it imprints on the child that if an adult in a van says, "Hey there! I have some candy in my trunk! Come on over!" Now you've groomed the child into believing it is safe to approach a stranger in a vehicle offering them candy.

I'd much rather my children trick or treat in a neighborhood where I know my neighbors well and trust them.

Now take this church fashion show and apply the above situation. Getting undressed without a parent present but around strange adults... that is not something you ever want your child to feel safe doing.

I find it odd that both these situations occur on church grounds. I believe that's to give a false sense of security to the parents.

At this point I'm genuinely concerned for the welfare of any girls that may attend and if it were me I would tip off the police about it. The bottom line of this invitation says "drop off your children and let us undress them then come back in a few hours." Why are parents told to leave instead of invited to stay and help? There is a reason they don't want parents there. Call the cops. They might be able to do some investigating.

 

[drinkbrandy]

@simplysamie Nope, nope, nope.

Creepy and totally inappropriate.

And I would let the school know, too.

 

[benjaminb]

@drinkbrandy This. Tell the school about it. It might be that an admin shared without thinking it through.

"I do not feel comfortable with the announcement and setting. I understand you're just passing the information on, but it raises eyebrows on appropriateness, especially with it being shared by educators, who are supposed to safeguard children from possible harm."

As a former public school teacher and the main person in my church's nursery rotation, barring parents from supervising their children and/or being on hand for 3 1/2 hours sets off all sorts of flags. I don't even watch children for an hour during Sunday Service unless the parents are present at the service and able to drop in if needed (had an issue with one family pre-COVID using the nursery as a babysitting service while they went to brunch, and I told them that I would call CPS on them if it happened again).