Please don't let her do this. Talk to the administration - I would skip the teacher entirely. This is a fiasco. I bet they will bend over backwards to accomodate your daughter after this.
I'm with Jane on this one. I do like your overall approach, and overall it's working well - Yippee! There are bound to be little snags that require addtional flexibility in this sort of thing.
I'd calmly but firmly write an email and cc the principal to the effect of -
"I request an alternative topic for my daughter, as in our home we don't consider genital mutilation an appropriate topic for 5th graders. Let's make a time to sit down afterschool with DD and give her the new topic afterclass so she won't have to deal with the embarassment of recieving a new subject in front of her classmates. When would be convient for you? Thanks in advance for your understanding."
If there is a male parent who is willing and able, an alternative is to have the males sit down to discuss a new assignment 'rationally.'
My prediction is that because you are ccing the principle, that the school will recognize this as hazing and bend over backwards to be accomidating in future. Maybe bend over isn't exactly the correct phrase to use here, but...
Best Wishes
grinity
