Diddy is the new “D word.”
Eight-year-old children in New York City public schools are making Diddy-themed jokes and comments during class, and some parents are outraged by the “heartbreaking” trend, calling out the disgraced music mogul. They are calling on schools to completely ban the name from their schools.
Mother Vanessa Mejia couldn't believe her ears when her 8-year-old daughter, a third-grader at Chelsea PS 11, heard one of her classmates yell, “Welcome to my Didi Party!” During class one day this week.
Mejia, 40, told the Post: “I was very shocked by this because these children are so young.”
“And my next thought was, who knows how much information this kid has overall?” [Diddy] situation? Because if he had enough knowledge, did he really mean to say that? Or did it not make sense? ” she said.
Mejia said she has heard her daughter's name Didi, but has never heard of the details of the alleged crimes of Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was arrested Sept. 16 on federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges. He said he has not done so. Combs, 55, is accused of leading a twisted criminal empire for more than a decade and forcing women to attend drugged sex parties.
“It's not information for children,” she said. “So, if that little boy had known more information, [Diddy] You never know what you're going to pass on to all the other kids. ”
“I think it's a good idea” to completely ban children from using Combs' name in schools, Mejia continued.
She emailed her daughter's teacher to express her concerns and received a call from the school's vice principal the next day.
Administrators “spoke with everyone involved. . . . I'm glad she took it seriously,” Mejia said.
Other parents agreed that schools should take action against the 'D-word'.
“It's terrible. . . . Children are making fun of a situation that has hurt so many people. I don't think that has anything to do with this and it should be addressed.” said Jose Luis Guerra, who attends the school.
“Sometimes that happens, but these kids don't need to know,” agreed Jess, mother of a 10-year-old fifth-grade girl.
A recent Facebook post by Meija attracted more than a dozen comments about the growing and alarming trend.
“This is becoming a popular phrase among middle schoolers. It drives me crazy. My son's teacher said all the kids say that. . . . They think… [it’s] Cheerful. So it's all 'Diddy too' and 'Diddy party',” one woman commented.
One Brooklyn charter school educator said, “I tell my students that when I say I'm going to call home, I have to explain to their parents what that means. Now I almost never ask.”
Department of Education spokeswoman Jenna Lyle said the DOE responds to students who use hateful or offensive language by meeting with families and providing individual counseling and support. said.
“Schools are places of learning and growth, and we are proud to have dedicated and talented educators in our buildings who will use these examples as opportunities to teach our youngest New Yorkers.” said Lyle.
