For the record, I'd like to say that everything to do with 'social justice' that I was taught during my foray in elementary and highschool seemed like pointless BS that seemingly served no purpose but to tell me what to think, until I was given the chance to develop empathy later on in life.

IMO, empathy can't be taught. It develops as a sign of maturity, after something is shown enough weight or value for us to actually care about it (why care about baby elephants in the circus, ie.; I can see how it sucks, but I don't care about it any less than say... children starving in africa, or whatever - I don't have any better examples here, but you see my point).

You can't be compassionate without understanding first, and that isn't simply being told continuously that something is 'bad' or being traumatized. Not to mention footage of dead gorillas won't look like much unless you understand what you're being shown (I can't remember how many times I've seen comments on youtube declaring a video to be 'fake'). Truth is, real life footage doesn't look horrible when shown vicariously. The initial reaction to seeing civilians gunned down by a helicopter in afghanistan on wikileaks is always just 'huh, well that happened - yeah... oh jeeze, that sucks; okay I'm depressed now, thanks for showing that video mr. presenter'. I'm not saying that you need to experience the horror first hand - but something like a dramatic movie might help to first assimilate some of the idea of it. At an age where you have trouble pronouncing the word the word 'manipulate', let alone comprehending everything that goes on in a dramatic movie like 'Sometimes in April' - then you shouldn't be forced to engage in these sorta school activities.

What are your views?

They used to take kids on field trips to the local slaughter house. My great aunt became a vegetarian after such a field trip.

Edit: On the other hand, proactive parents can educate their children first before they get to school to help mitigate the effects of school brainwashing if they so choose.

Empathy can be taught. I know, because I do it for a living (among teaching other mental health-related skills). It takes a long time to sink in (sometimes a frustratingly long time), but empathy can be taught*.

Edit: I should add that I am very much in favor of social justice being taught throughout the school curriculum. Tolerance and empathy are things that everyone (including myself) could use more of.

Second edit, after a more careful readthrough: If you can't explain to your kid why your family is killing cows, then it's probably a good thing your kid is questioning it. And there's no such thing as a "bad age" to discuss hot-button topics. You might not go into as much depth or detail on some topics depending on age (such as sexuality and sexual expression); that doesn't mean they can't (or shouldn't) be talked about.

I went to a super-liberal private school. They didn't have to force opinions on us, we just agreed. The teachers were really liberal, but only one really pushed their views. Even the conservatives were eco-freaks and open-minded. So, I can't speak with too much authority. But, I do think you can teach social justice, but the way these examples in the article are doing it are just plain wrong.

I think that argument would carry more weight if you were conservative, Zelkon.

I don't mind the love is without gender bit.

How conservative am I for posting this, really?

What's the difference between this teaching of social justice and preaching a more conventional religion? The kids are informed what they have to believe, only without the supernatural additions. And usually parents aren't delighted when their kids are compulsory indoctrinated in a different religion than the parents adhere to.

How is teaching tolerance and empathy a religion, or in any way comparable?

Mine was quite similar. It was a mandatory class so I had to sit there and have them preach a whole new list of sins to me and tell me new ways to think. Luckily for the class I was there to correct the teachers (heh).

Perhaps each class was different but mine was awful. "Look how tough it is to be poor" and then whatever cure they prescribed for this misery was whatever social/government policy agenda they were pushing at the time. It was painfully transparent.

I would like to tell you what kind of classes they had on social justice in my school, but I never bothered to listen, so I have no idea.