@skfinkel I think you bring up an interesting point. I assume you are implying that SM and her daughter are “cheating” using Google and Fluther? (If not, please correct me….)
We really don’t know the premise of the assignment. Perhaps its intent is to get the child to use the internet for research. Perhaps it is just to expand the world of the kids to get them to know more about different states. (I for one learned more about the X Prize reading my link….)
In any event, a modern teacher would certainly have to factor internet access into his/her assignment of projects. It isn’t really reasonable for a kid to know an “X landmark from a southwestern state” (or whatever the title of the assignment was….). Reasearch must have been the goal. I cannot remember the last time I saw an actual set of “book” encyclopedias.
Is your objection that the child was using the internet or that mom was helping? I am not really clear based on what you have said thus far…?