Schools
Dallas ISD apologizes for Winnie-the-Pooh shooting book
Parents have voiced their concerns as their young children returned from school carrying a Winnie-the-Pooh mass-shooting-survival book
Dallas – Dallas Metro News reported that Texas parents have voiced their concerns as their young children returned from school carrying a book in which Winnie-the-Pooh learns survival tactics against mass shootings, following guidelines set forth by the FBI.
The book, aptly titled "Stay Safe," displays a prominent image of the beloved Winnie-the-Pooh character on its cover. The slogan on the cover reads, "If there is danger, let Winnie-the-Pooh and his crew show you what to do."
Produced by a Houston-based company that specializes in safety and security training, the book outlines the "Run. Hide. Fight." protocol, a strategy endorsed by the FBI for surviving a mass shooting. The company was granted the rights to use Winnie-the-Pooh as the main character after the original A.A. Milne book's copyright expired in 2022.
Find out what's happening in Dallasfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The Oak Cliff Advocate spoke to Cindy Campos, a mother whose two sons, both attending the same Dallas-based elementary school, brought home the book. One son is in pre-kindergarten, and the other in the first grade.
Campos confessed to the Oak Cliff Advocate that she had initial reservations about exposing her children to the book's contents. But when one of her sons kept showing curiosity about the book, she relented and read it to him.
Find out what's happening in Dallasfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
She also shared with the publication that the book sparked a dialogue within her family.
"Bowie asked so many questions before going to bed. And as a mom you have to figure out the correct but realistic way to say things," she said.
Campos added, "there was nothing inappropriate about the book."
In a statement to Scripps News, Dallas Independent School District acknowledged that the book had been provided for schools to distribute.
“The reality that Dallas ISD faces is no different than any other school district in America," a spokesperson said. "We work every day to prevent school shootings by dealing with online threats and by hardening our schools."
The spokesperson, however, offered an apology for not providing more communication about the book.
"Unfortunately, we did not provide parents any guide or context," the spokesperson said. "We apologize for the confusion and are thankful to parents who reached out to assist us in being better partners."
