HORTON HEARS A POLITICAL AGENDA

Below is a letter I received on my homeschool list, names have been removed

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to send a quick email about the new kid's movie "Horton Hears
a Who". We got a free pass to it and brought our kids to it Friday night and
were disappointed with it's portrayal of homeschooling. (They added a lot
that wasn't in the book) I just thought we'd let you know what's in it so
you can make an informed decision before seeing it. The main "evil"
character is the kangaroo - a narrow-minded, controlling homeschooling mom
who wants to destroy Horton and his new found friends because of it's threat
to the way things are in their jungle society. Horton is a teacher of jungle
kids - fun and silly. Her son asks sadly from her pouch "Mom, why can't I
play with the other kids?" and she explains to the other moms that she
"Pouch-schools" and is portrayed as a narrow-minded, cold, controlling
fanatic who is constantly telling her son to "go to his room" as she shoves
his head down into her pouch and tells him continually that whatever is
happening doesn't concern him.

She goes to a vulture to have Horton and his little world of friends
destroyed - when discussing what to do for payment, the vulture wants her
son in exchange for doing what she asks. Her son is frightened and looks to
her for protection - she shuts him up and tells him "I'm thinking about
it..." It is very clear that her motives throughout the film were not done
out of love for her child, but out of a desperate need to control ideas and
keep the authority/tradition of her world from being threatened.

My husband and I both felt that it was far from subtle against homeschooling
- the negative stereotypes of homeschoolers were sprinkled throughout. I
don't know what's better - to boycott it or see it and write a letter to the
movie producers. I wanted to write this because I would have liked to have
known what was in it before seeing it. Sorry this isn't as "quick" as I
planned - just thought I'd give some examples.
God bless you all in your last few months of the school year.

IT'S A SHAME, WHEN I RECIEVED THIS I COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE PUT SUCH AN ANTI-HOMESCHOOLING POLITICAL AGENDA INTO A KIDS MOVIE