When the World Ends

“Enaya has told another child in class that the world will end on December 21, 2012. This is unacceptable behavior…”, were the 1^st lines of the email from the class teacher.

Enaya aka Noori, the 6-year-old 1^st grader had happened to mention the Mayan prophecy to her young class fellow. She had done so without realizing the repercussions of mentioning doomsday scenarios in a public school setting. Maybe saying such things in a private school might not have generated a hyper-anxious email from the class teacher.

Ayesha and I promptly responded to the email. I think Ayesha did so a bit apologetically. I, on the other hand, gave a complete account of the Mayan prophecy that I had taken quite a fascination to. I explained to the teacher that per that prediction made many hundreds of years ago, the world was going to end in a few weeks. I went on to inform the teacher that what Noori had mentioned was well known to most, if not all in Houston. The publicity of the world ending was even more likely given the huge advertisement banner about the Mayan exhibit in the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences. My kids had loved that exhibit and were particularly enthralled by the concept of environmental catastrophes that would end the world.

I emailed the teacher that I would certainly take this up with Noori and advise her not to raise such discussions in class as that would agitate her peers. That seemed to pacify the teacher and I think I managed some damage control. Better that we curtailed this at a class teacher level versus the issue being taken to a senior leadership (aka principal) one.

Although I was a bit amused at the idea of a teacher or parent taking issue with a 1^st grader’s discussion of the world ending in a destructive fashion, I attributed that to the current hyper-vigilant state of most elementary schools in the nation.

When I went to pick up Noori from school she was her normal chirpy self. Till I mentioned the email from the teacher. My child knew of that correspondence. Her face bunched up and she almost burst into tears.

“But Rayaan bhai told me that the world was ending on December 21, 2012”, she said. “I told Jake that it would be so cool to see the world end.”

Noori’s fascination for the world’s demise warranted further probing.

“So why do you think the world will end?” I asked her.

“Because bhai said so!” And that was that. A simple answer. The logic and wisdom of the older sibling was irreproachable.  

That line of interrogation was not going to get me far. So I changed gears.

“Noori then next time promise not to mention end of world scenarios in class. Just discuss them with Bhai. Or me.”

“Ok Baba!”, and saying so she skipped all the way home, oblivious to the various meteors, hurtling through outer space, headed towards earth in anticipation of making contact on 12-21-2012.

[from the Kindergarten Diaries]