An excerpt from a children’s book in the current issue of the youth magazine Spatzenpost is causing a stir: short-haul flights and parental taxis are being pilloried, but the “climate pigs” are doing fine.
The Spatzenpost has had a permanent place in Austrian primary school classes since the mid-1970s. Some students liked the magazine more, others less. It is undoubtedly applicable to the second grade of the school to promote reading, which is to be welcomed in principle.
Pig parents fly short distances
However, the current edition is especially annoying for parents. The point of contention is an excerpt from the children’s book “The Climate Pigs” by the German author Penzek from 2020. The story in fast forward: In the land of the penguins, the ice is melting away because it is getting warmer. The residents of the distant pig country are to blame for this. Life is really good there, pig parents take their children to school with gas guzzlers and fly short flights.
The director is also indignant
To improve reading skills, children must then study the text more closely, for example looking for the long words: ‘pig parents’, ‘greenhouse gases’, ‘monster trucks’ and so on. The criticism of the passages was not long in coming: “Even small children are incited against their parents here,” says the mother of a second-grader from Eastern Styria, ventilating her anger.
The text is also not particularly well received by teachers. It is said that the primary school principal is even considering doing without the magazine in the future.
The publisher declined to comment on the “Krone”.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
