A British mother-of-two says Sleeping Beauty should be removed from her son's primary school curriculum because it sends the wrong message about consent.
Sarah Hall says she and her six-year-old son Ben were reading a school book based on the fairy tale, where a prince kisses a woman to wake her from her cursed sleep, when she became concerned about what it taught kids.
"I think it's a specific issue in the Sleeping Beauty story about sexual behaviour and consent," she told the Newcastle Chronicle.
"It's about saying 'Is this still relevant, is it appropriate?'"
She contacted her son's school asking for books based on the Sleeping Beauty story be removed from younger children's classes.
But she believes it could be used to start a conversation about consent with older students.
"In today's society, it isn't appropriate - my son is only six, he absorbs everything he sees, and it isn't as if I can turn it into a constructive conversation," she says.
"I'm really concerned about it for younger children, [and] would really welcome a conversation about whether this is suitable material."
Hall tweeted her thoughts on the matter, which sparked an online debate. Some people agreed with Hall's take on the matter.
But many believed fairy tales should be left alone.
Hall says she was prompted to speak about her concern as a result of the #MeToo campaign against sexual assault, which had made her more aware of all the subtle messages that create a culture where consent isn't seen as important.
"These are indicative of how ingrained that kind of behaviour is in society," she tells the Newcastle Chronicle. "All these small things build up, and they make a difference."
