Television or Teacher?

The issue surrounding televisions detrimental effects on children is a controversial one not just for the networks, but for government agencies, parents and the children as well as they are the ones being studied and manipulated.
Our text states that, “critics are less concerned with the lack of educational programming than with what television does seem to teach effectively…” (Rodman p.312). Well my response to this way of thinking raises a question; who says television has to be educational? I firmly believe that if a household, that contains children, decides to own a television then it is up to the parents (who are raising the children) to guide their morals and answer their questions if they should have them. We cannot shelter children from the real world and as much as television, not to mention technology in general, plays a part of our modern society it seems inevitable, even silly to “protect” them from watching shows about violence, sex or any other taboo issue in our American culture.
Creating a wall between life and expectations for children seems to have a reverse effect. I have worked and studied with many small children as I've grown in my academic studies, and I can confidently say that children are curious not inherently bad, and rightly so have many questions. Let them have the questions so we can give them the answers, so they won’t create a fantasy world about some of our world’s most sensitive topics. It is not up to the television networks to raise our kids, the system is set up for entertainment not personal guidance, and if we are allowing our kids to be raised by the television then it’s our own fault and we can’t blame the TV programs for not being the parent.