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The cover of “A Scary Thing Happened,” the coloring book created by the Freeborn County Crisis Response Team that was pulled from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Web site last week.
FEMA yanks local coloring book
Publication meant as a coping mechanism
Published Thursday, April 30, 2009
A Federal Emergency Management Agency-endorsed coloring book produced by the Freeborn County Crisis Response Team was pulled from FEMA’s Web site last week, after the government agency received criticism about including drawings of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in the book.
The coloring book, titled “A Scary Thing Happened,” was created after the tornadoes in Glenville as a tool for children to use with a responsible parent or adult to help cope with the disaster, said Rose Olmsted, coordinator of the Freeborn County Crisis Response Team, on Wednesday. It has since been widely distributed across the country to aid children in other disasters.
Olmsted said she has not received a clear explanation from FEMA about why the coloring book is being taken down from the FEMA Web site, other than that the organization is redesigning its Web site and that there was a complaint from a parent about some of the images in the book. The cover features an image of the Twin Towers, with one tower already on fire and a plane approaching the other tower. A similar image is inside the book for children to color.
This page inside the coloring book — which shows illustrations of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center — explains that children might hear about a disaster multiple times through different media sources. It is one of multiple pages within the book illustrating an example of a disaster.
She said FEMA has not told her how many parents complained about the illustrations or the specifics of the complaints. An information technology person with FEMA has just asked that she put everything she’s shared with him in writing about the wide distribution of the coloring book and the compliments that have been received about it.
FEMA press secretary Clark Stevens said: “The coloring book, which was put online in 2003, was removed last week, and FEMA is currently reviewing all web content designed and posted by the previous administration.”
The decision is gaining national attention the same week that an Air Force One plane and a F-16 fighter jet escort were seen flying low over Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty, sparking memories of 9/11 for New Yorkers and the rest of the country.
Olmsted said she thinks the book’s images have been taken out of context.
Olmsted said in October of 2003 she received a letter from the regional director of FEMA out of Chicago applauding her for the book, stating it was “an outstanding example of the dedication and the creativity of your team.”
The book has been used with children who have experienced disasters related to Hurricane Katrina, California wildfires, floods and even the Interstate 35 bridge collapse, to name a few instances. She’s even received international requests from the Australian Red Cross to use the coloring book as a model to aid Australian children.
“It was clearly made as a tool for parents to use with an adult to help children put meaning to what has happened because words are hard to come up with,” she said.
She noted she and the others involved with the creation of the coloring book were confident the illustrations and the words included were appropriate for children.
“There have been many children and families and professionals who have benefited from this,” Olmsted said. “I think this is unfortunate this is how it’s been handled.
“It is our reality today that disasters happen, and children are affected by disasters. No one was wanting to do any harm to children by this coloring book. It appears it was taken out of context.”
The coloring book also includes pictures of floods, tornados and fires, along with pages about the emotions that might come from the experience and the importance of talking to a trusted person about what has happened.
The Freeborn County Crisis Response Team, which is the group that created the book, is made up of volunteers who are trained to go out into the community to be supportive to groups of people who have been traumatized by disaster. The disaster could be natural or human-made.
The crisis response team is coordinated by the Freeborn County Crime Victims Crisis Center and is based on the model established by the National Organization of Victim Assistance.
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Comments
Posted by veneratio (anonymous) on April 29, 2009 at 2:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
OMG people grow a spine its only a coloring book.
One person complains and they pull it? Geez..
I would have told em to go get bent.
Posted by sbahr (Stacey Bahr) on April 29, 2009 at 3:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes, let's hide all the scary things in the world away, maybe then they won't happen. Get real. It sounds like a wonderful teaching tool to me.
Posted by NoDFL (anonymous) on April 29, 2009 at 5:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Big Brother will do all the thinking now please move to the left. Thank you.
Posted by chrish (anonymous) on April 29, 2009 at 9:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is ridiculous. Would this person who complained like to talk to the children who lost parents in this? I would think this would be a great tool for teaching and helping kids understand the impact of this and other disasters. Unreal.
Posted by demo1960 (anonymous) on April 29, 2009 at 10:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It was put online in 2003 and now they want to pull it? Hmmm.
Posted by snowbird (anonymous) on April 29, 2009 at 10:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
another government run group. The way it sounds unless the goverment has written this is isn't good enough to put out. If they hadn't wanted to use it why did it take over 5 years to decide to get rid of it. I have been wondering about a lot of things FEMA has done over the last few years. I know they do help at a lot of places so I am not running them down, just wondering.
Posted by wildman (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 7:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
9/11, although tragic, is a piece of our American history. Will we exclude it from our history books next and erase our memory as if it never happened? I hope these people don't watch the evening news either... what they see may be too disturbing to them!
Posted by Collin_P (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This book is just another political indoctrination tool aimed at using fear to manipulate future generations.
Surely, if the aim were to educate children about historical events, teachers and parents could do a great job at it. But to pass off the inclusion of 9/11 imagery in this book as a way for children to "cope" with their fears or as a means to express their "feelings" is utter nonsense. Are we to believe that children who experienced 9/11 back in 2001 are still using coloring books to "express their feelings"?
Is Freeborn County going to be publishing a coloring book about the OK City bombing where children were killed at the daycare center there?
Posted by JayJ (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why not include 9/11 in a book about dealing with tragedy and terrifying events? We are still bombarded with commercials selling 9/11 coins, photos, etc. I guess I'm surprised the same companies didn't try to profit after Okie City.
Posted by SunMan (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 11:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Collin_P is exactly correct. This book doesn't help kids "cope," but creates fear.
The people who type before thinking (i.e. 'NoDFL' and friends) would recommend funeral homes passing out colouring books with pictures of homicide victims to children so they can "cope" better during and after a loved one's funeral.
Hey... it's a part of their history... what do you want to do, pretend their loved one didn't get murdered? Get a spine.
Or maybe more accurately, get a brain.
Posted by chrish (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 11:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
No we wouldn't.
I think the purpose of this book was to teach kids about more "global" types of disasters. 9/11 is an event that we will continue to hear about so why not teach kids about it? It is part of our history. A very sad part at that.
Posted by Wildbill (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 12:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Fearful events are a part of life. I remember how scared I was in elementary school when I kept hearing about the Cuban missile crisis. But, my parents and teachers helped me to deal with it. I had friends whose parent committed suidide, and we had to deal with it. How so you tell kids that daddy just killed mommy? These things do have to be explained somehow to little kids.
Posted by headscratcher (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 12:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Are we sure this wasn't a tool to give examples of ALL kinds of disasters? Some disasters are an "act of God" some are an act of man. Never the less, they are all disasters and children need to learn about them. Who knows if one day these children don't meet other people that were directly affected by 9/11. They will have a better understanding of what happened.
Posted by NoDFL (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 12:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
We still teach Pearl Harbor to kids and show the images all the time. No one is forced to use the book it was out there as a tool. This PC going wild is what is killing America. Just another sign that America is losing it's way.
Posted by JayJ (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 12:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Fear itself doesn't get you killed. It's a defense mechanism that preserves life. Lack of fear gets you hurt. Learning to focus the energy generated by fear greatly enhances your chances of survival.
Posted by GrannyGrace (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 2:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Swine flu-Tornadoes-Earthquakes-Murders---They are a part of this life!They are happening every day and more as time goes on. Children need to cope.Guess we just ought to let them watch it in the movies or T.V.,then it won't be real! Check out the BIBLE--These things are for real just as it describes! Give them GOD! Matthew24
Posted by alhsgrad90 (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 2:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
9/11 was not a disaster it was an attack on America while a tornado or a flood is a disaster. I think better judgement could have come from this maybe when it was first put together from everyone involved. If one person complains then it is one person too many. That person may have lost some in the attacks or in the eventual war on terror and they do not need to be reminded of that day. We it be taught in our schools of course it will be will it be sanitized for your kids protection that will depend on the teacher. My oldest son was 2 when 9/11 happened and he asked me why this was happening I told him it was "because there are people in this world that do not like you because of where you live and what America stands for." I feel that better judgement should have been used when this was put together and then we would not be talking about pc and big gov't control.
Posted by OutofState (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 2:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
How can coloring help a child cope? Isn't coloring a generally positive pasttime? Since when should we have to police what our kids are coloring?
While 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the Oklahoma City bombing, and many other events have destructed lives and communities, it is up to parents - not a coloring book - to explain to youngsters what happened and why, if possible.
I believe it is in the best interest of our youth and nation to pull this thoughtless book off their web site.
Posted by ErnieGann (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 7:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
No WONDER that so many kids say they are "afraid" when questioned--they've been conditioned by adults ASKING them if they are afraid.
Reminds me of Jimmy Carter asking his grade-school-aged daughter Amy what she was afraid of--she replied "nuclear war."
Kids don't think of international problems--unless they are CONDITIONED to do so.
Part of the continued wussification of the country.
Posted by lessgov (Greg Flaskerud) on April 30, 2009 at 8:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My grandparents bought me bag of military men in combat. I set them up and played with them often. Trucks, tractors, we played, & brainstormed, when I grew up Vietnam was in full swing. I saw a neighbor’s son come home to be buried. I remember that often. I have never played killing and raping games on T.V. or playstation. I think it’s called thin skin, yes, that’s what it is.
Posted by SunMan (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 1:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Grandparents supplying a bag of military men as toys is not a relevant comparison to a government approved and supplied media for children this age. If you are truly for "lessgov" then let's be glad the Bush Administration is gone . Heck... besides presiding over the largest expansion of government spending, debt and deficits in American history, aren't colouring books better left to private business? If your mantra ("lessgov") means anything, this would be consistent with that concept.
NoBRAINS wrote: "We still teach Pearl Harbor to kids and show the images all the time."
What age children? Colouring book aged children? In general, colouring books are used by those not able to read or just in the early stages of it. The government does NOT authorize and supply colouring books of the USS Arizona exploding and on fire to pre-school aged children.
NoBRAINS also wrote: "another sign that America is losing it's way."
You mean like how America is now known the world over as the country that tortures? Yes, I'll fully agree that a country that disregards the law, its constitution, and the Geneva convention has lost its way. Let's hope and pray that we can TRULY say the authorized torture of the previous Republican administration is over. It's a sad, sad chapter of American history that generations to come will wonder why and how it ever happened.
Posted by ErnieGann (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 9:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"let's be glad the Bush Administration is gone . Heck... besides presiding over the largest expansion of government spending, debt and deficits in American history,"
That distinction was blown away in the first 100 days of the Obama/Reid/Pelosi administration!
Posted by lessgov (Greg Flaskerud) on May 1, 2009 at 7:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you Ernie for your post. I couldn't agree more. who is NoBRAINS? Sounds like NoDFL, show respect please! This misbehavior shows immaturity. And I almost forgot I was Maybe 6 years of age playing with my war men.
Posted by Nesbiteme (anonymous) on May 3, 2009 at 7:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
As a 9/11 survivor (my office was on the 79th floor of WTC1) all I can say is the coloring book is so stupid on so many levels that I doubt my two cents will add anything to the discussion. Though I would like to share with you all, a comment from a NYC web site regarding the book, one commenter wrote:
“…by far my favorite page is the lady reading a newspaper with the image of 9/11 while watching 9/11 on tv while 9/11 is happening RIGHT OUTSIDE HER WINDOW
it's so surreal”
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