Students told aliens have landed

Strange "educational" stunts perpetrated by school authorities appear to be a growing trend. We had:

1) The Fake Attack at an Elementary School. (Students were told there was a gunman loose in the area in order to teach them how to respond in case a gunman ever really was loose in the area.)

2) Your classmate has died -- but not really. (Students were told that one of their classmates had died in a drunk-driving accident in order to teach them about the evils of drunk driving.)

But a stunt recently played on kids at Edgware school goes to the top of the list for weirdness. The Harrow Observer reports:

Children from an Edgware school were made to believe aliens had landed in their playground by teachers and police.
After spending this morning bewildered by the unusual hoax, pupils from Stag Lane School in Collier Drive, quizzed police officers brought on to the site during a press conference to make the event seem more realistic. Forensic examiners had earlier analyzed an 'alien claw' they had 'found' on the site.
The aim of the day was to stimulate the children's minds and help develop their story writing skills.
After lunch the pupils were informed by the school's headteacher Elena Evans that it was all a stunt.

Extraterrestrial Life Pranks

Posted on Fri Sep 26, 2008


Comments

All these lies to school children are obviously an attempt to prepare them for a career in politics.

Nice going, American Educational System!
Posted by Cranky Media Guy  on  Fri Sep 26, 2008  at  01:55 AM
...but as a reward to the students for being "good sports", they're going to bring the REAL Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, and Santa Claus to the next pep-rally...
Posted by Christopher  on  Fri Sep 26, 2008  at  04:17 AM
Well, the alien one was in the UK.

I don't think any of them are a great idea but the alien one was relatively harmless (unlike the other which were clearly devised by sadistic adults).

In fact, the alien fakeout is pretty much akin to the Harvard Business school teaching about the wonders of unregulated free market capitalism--they bring in respected outside experts to make the hoax more real appearing. They even give them 6 and 7 figure salaries on Wall St. after they graduate to help keep illusion going. In fact, even when the entire economy collapses and everyone is hurt by there supposedly "harmless" hoax, many keep believing.
Posted by floormaster squeeze  on  Fri Sep 26, 2008  at  08:55 AM
I think this is a splendid idea! It instills a distrust of authorities into children at an early age. Frankly, we Americans could use a little more skepticism when the government tells us something.

Imagine years later when the government says "We need $700 billion or the world will collapse" one of these students thinking, "Yeah, just like there was a gunman loose, or the space alien landing. R-i-i-g-g-h-t!"
Posted by Frosted Donut  on  Fri Sep 26, 2008  at  12:45 PM
They've been doing that dead student stunt since I was in school 15 years ago. Of course, our school told us about the stunt before it began, but some stupid kids fell for it. Most didn't even notice.
Posted by laustic  on  Fri Sep 26, 2008  at  12:53 PM
MADD (Mothers against drunk driver) and the local police stagged an accident outside of the my high school to give awareness about drunk driving.

Apparently, not many people where informed and I remember seeing one girl running through the hallways screaming as she ran to the mock accident.

When is far, too far?
Posted by DJ_Canada  on  Sat Sep 27, 2008  at  07:34 PM
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