The Tree Octopus and The Easter Bunny

How did you feel when you found out that the Easter Bunny isn't real...or global warming...or Weapons of Mass Destruction? Did you feel betrayed that you had believed a lie for so long?

Well, imagine how the kids felt that took part in a study which set out to prove that the Internet is making kids dumber. What a cruel trick disguised as research! I really wanted to believe in the Tree Octopus. It most likely would have replaced the sloth as my favorite animal.

I have news for you, Dr. Leu, if that is your real name...The Internet is a wonderful resource for finding out all kinds of magical information. It is up to us as logical human beings to discern what is real, fake, or if a particular website was maliciously created to trick kids into believing in the existence of wonderful, exotic, new creature. And it is the job of said kids' parents and teachers to teach them how to know the difference, as well. So, the problem is not the Internet, it is, as the article said, a lack of critical thinking skills being taught to today's children.

So, Doctor Leu, Department of Education, and Pearson Publishing, you did get one thing right: you can't always believe what you read on the Internet. For example, it is especially unbelievable and disheartening to me that my tax dollars funded such bogus and nonsensical research. You all didn't even use a fair sample of American children as participants. Instead, only poor children who were good readers (or as you all so delicately put it, your "50 best online readers" in 7th grade from "economically-challenged" areas) were included in the study.

So, next time you think about exploiting the trust and innocence of children, Dr. Leu, you might want to consider the hit your credibility might take when you openly admit that a study you have done was essentially based on a lie you told to little kids. You are no better than the guy in the white van that needs help finding his lost puppy. I'm going to look you up in the National Sex Offender Registry just for my own peace of mind.

Miss Manners says, "Shame on you!"

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