(Houston) He usually evolves in a heavenly universe, with many pots of honey and friendly animals. But in Texas, Winnie the Pooh is now teaching young students what to do if their school is shot, in a new booklet that is causing controversy this week.
“Run, hide, fight,” advises the little bear, personality of children’s literature.
This slogan (“Run, Hide, Fight”), well known in the United States, summarizes the recommendations of the federal police (FBI) in the event of a shooter.
The booklet, distributed in Dallas schools, uses it “in a format adapted to the age of the students”, estimates the security company which publishes it, Praetorian Consulting.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY CINDY CAMPOS VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS
“If danger is near, don’t panic. Hide like the Pooh until the police come,” reads a page illustrated with a drawing of Winnie in her iconic honeypot.
In a childish tone, it is also advisable to “run like a rabbit”, to put your phone on silent, to lock the doors, blocking the way.
What if we can’t escape? “We must fight with all our might,” the booklet says.
American schools are regularly the scene of massacres perpetrated by one or more shooters.
This controversy comes almost a year to the day after the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, one of the worst such shootings in the country’s history. On May 24, 2022, a young man killed 19 children and two female teachers.
The publication of the booklet in mid-May, revealed by the local media Oak Cliff Advocateangered parents of students.
“It’s like a slap,” said the washington post Cindy Campos, whose 5-year-old received the booklet. For her, this means that school shootings “are now normal”.
Same indignation on the side of the defenders of a stricter framework for firearms.
“Winnie the Pooh is now educating Texas kids about shooters because elected officials don’t have the guts to keep kids safe” by legislating guns, said California Governor Gavin Newsom.
The famous characters from the Winnie the Pooh universe can be used because they have passed into the public domain, specifies Praetorian Consulting on its site, stressing that the booklet was developed with police officers and teachers.
Stickers and posters are also available.