I'm with the others: I think this topic is best left until high school. Female genital mutilation is related to sexuality, and fifth graders (even gifted ones) can't be expected to understand sexuality or the ramifications of this practice.
FWIW, I don't think my ten-year-old would know how to process this idea, and it could be mildly traumatic for him. Kids have to be able to process disturbing ideas so that they can come to terms with them. I realize that it's impossible to avoid exposing them to disturbing ideas they don't understand, but that doesn't mean a teacher should go out of her way to throw something fitting this definition at a child.
As far as I'm aware, serious sex ed doesn't begin until 7th or 8th grade. It seems reasonable that any school-led discussion of genital mutilation should occur after that. I mean, you don't tell kids about practices related to sexuality BEFORE they really even know what sex is, right?
Again FWIW, I'd write to the principal about this one and skip the teacher.
Val
