<p>A friend of one of my Ds is from this school district in Kansas and has been discussing the issue with her and urging his friends to write constructive and rational comments to these individuals who are eager to limit what the students have available in their h/s English curriculum. I’m curious how parents feel about this. Frankly, it appalls, and saddens, me. I’m not familiar with every book on the list but I’ve certainly read a majority. Many are books which my Ds have read in h/s. I was raised by avid readers and was never censored in what I was able to read. I’ve done the same with my children who are all avid readers. This reminds me too much of the story in Footloose. Here’s the list and the link if any of you are interested in reading it. I’d be interested in the thoughts of parents here.</p>
<p>All the Pretty Horses
Animal Dreams
The Awakening
The Bean Trees
Beloved
Black Boy
Fallen Angels
The Hot Zone
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Lords of Discipline
One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest
Song of Solomon
Stotan
This Boys Life </p>
<p>We have the opposite at our school. A couple of parents are upset about some of the selections - and the school supports reading of the books. My son has been assigned many of the books on your list and has really enjoyed them - even bringing them to me and asking me to read them because he enjoyed them so much. The school is standing firm.</p>
<p>ahhhh, I grew up in Kansas. I could tell you some stories.</p>
<p>Several years ago, the state govt. voted to have the Darwinian theory taken out of the Biology curriculum.</p>
<p>I went to the web side alwaysamom listed, the books that this group wants to use to replace books on the current reading list are books that my kids read way before senior year in hs.</p>
<p>When I go back to visit family, I am always amazed at the parochial views of friends and family.</p>
<p>I’m going to get flamed for this, but here goes - I, too am an avid reader, raised by an English teacher, who never censored my reading growing up (“If she’s old enough to understand it, she’s old enough to read it!”, my Mom, when I was aged 12). I in turn have never censored my childrens’ reading, although I do censor video games (much to my son’s chagrin) and comment heavily on what they watch on TV (there is some real trash on TV, and they watch it, and we discuss desensitization to violence).
But there is a difference in what should be available in libraries, even school libraries, and what should be REQUIRED reading in a high school classroom. I can’t comment on these books because I haven’t read all of them, but I have read some books that are considered to be literature (indeed that are literature) that are so full of obscenities, explicit sexual content, etc, that I would consider them to be inappropriate for required high school reading, even in an AP class. I’m not saying I know what the answer is because either way one group is imposing their sense of morality on other people’s children, now aren’t they?</p>
<p>When my daughter was in 5th or 6th grade, for English they read a series of what would be considered modern classics of childrens’ literature. All but one of these 5 books was about some “cause” or social ill - racism, mental illness, homelessness, gangs. Now my daughter loved some of these (The Outsiders especially), but at the end of the year, after we had laughed about so much social awareness, she said she was never reading anymore childrens’ literature, it was too depressing, and all the author wanted to do was pound home a moral - and, other than Harry Potter, she has not read anymore “childrens’ literature” since. I don’t know what the faculty was trying to accomplish, but I think they effectively killed the notion of reading as a pleasurable activity. They’ve changed the curriculum since then, they still read, appropriately, I think, a couple of message books, but have added some that are more fun.</p>
<p>I am firmly and steadfastly on both sides of this issue. Our district’s English teachers are about three steps removed from the general populace on what they consider appropriate, and have a reading list that even I find “risky”. On the one hand ,I applaud their guts.On the other hand, one particular fiction selection this year had a substantial and not very subtle reference to oral sex that I thought was going to cause a firestorm-but our parents are so uninvolved only one or two knew it was there. </p>
<p>D brought it to my attention-as “dad, Ms. So and So assigned this piece and it IS pretty wild, do you think she will get in trouble?” D, her mom and I had a frank discussion on literature, censorship and personal responsibility. BUT, I’m the guy who doesn’t have a V-chip on the TV, and set up my kid’s account as an adult on the computer because too many things she needed to research were deemed above her age. If the selection in question had been any further toward sexually titillating and any further away from art IMO, I would have been placed in the inconceivable role of “censor”.</p>
<p>When we lived in Rockford, the school district put the book “Always Running” on the required reading list because they had very few books that delt with Hispanic life by Hispanic authors. This book was about the perils of gang activity, written by a father who was able to leave a gang, for his son who was now embroiled in gang life. It was written true to life, and the one page of sex somewhere in the very back of the book was harped on and photocopied and passed around the city. One group tried to get the book banned. Someone (not sure) sponsored a visit by the author, and none of the cowards that had complained so loudly beforehand had the kahunas to speak up and say anything. As soon as the author left, they were back at it.</p>
<p>Upshot: the book became available by permission slip only, and it shot to the top of our local bestseller list, selling out several shipments of copies.</p>
<p>My children attends a Catholic high school and several of the books on that “banned” list are on their school reading lists. I’ve read several of the other books and would have no problem letting my 14 and 16 year olds read them.</p>
<p>texastaximom- I think that is the same book that came up last year in one of the high schools. I forgot the title but the topic was the same so I would assume it is the same book. It was required reading in one of the english classes. One of the parents brought it to the school board. The decision was made to not have the book banned but not be required reading. So you can check it out of the library if you choose to do so.
My oldest has had some of the banned books in the orginal post given as required reading. We have never sensored what our kids read though lately I have had to tell my youngest that some of the books she is taking out of her sisters room to read are not appropriate for her age.</p>
<p>I haven’t read all the books on their approved list, but I have read many–far before this, my senior year. I am reading several on the censored list this year. It seems to me that the books on the “safe” list are far different in terms of setting and content. The majority were written over a hundred years ago, or are set to occur in those time periods. In some ways, they do not deal with the current issues–gangs, etc…–that some of the censored books do. </p>
<p>While I enjoyed the safe books, I think that the censored books can be more thought provoking and serious. I think that the Kansas parents are naive to believe that their kids are not already exposed, by the time they are a senior in high school, to most of the objectional words and thoughts expressed. Far better that they have the chance think about and discuss that content in a supervised setting, since it is often a reality of life.</p>
<p>While I am not a fan of banning books or information, I would not want unlimited access to porn sites at a school library, which means I can live with some limits. What those limits are and how they are enforced is a tricky task. Should we ban “To Kill a Mockingbird” because of its racial or rape subtopics? I don’t think so. So what do we ban (will I get to be the judge?) </p>
<p>A high school honors class may be developed around a reading list and requireing students to read the same books for the purpose of class discussion makes sense. I understand that a book I find offensive because of its other virtues could make it onto such a list . It would be hard to find a book that is more offensive than television is these days. If my child was offended or embarassed by a required reading, I would talk about it, but I would be more upset if no new ideas were ever presented to her.</p>
<p>I think that the Kansas parents are naive to believe that their kids are not already exposed, by the time they are a senior in high school, to most of the objectional words and thoughts expressed. Far better that they have the chance think about and discuss that content in a supervised setting, since it is often a reality of life.</p>
<p>Yes Tanstaafl I totally agree with you. I mean my 2 s’s learned all about oral sex during middle school from the US President! And your second point that they will have the chance to deal with some of these issues in books and classroom discussions where they can have thoughtful discussion is also right on. At least reading about sexual encounters in a book gives the issues some context which is more than I can say about the other forms of exposure they get- TV, internet & magazines. </p>
<p>I’ve read several of the books on the list and especially loved ‘All the Pretty Horses.’ The writing is outstanding.</p>
<p>Between these books being banned and the evolution issue, Kansas is not exactly the model state for a broad education.</p>
<p>Also, I think it is important to understand the context of otherwise undesirable elements. I don’t think it is enough to pass around a list of bad words. The question should be: “How does the author portray those actions?” If a book has a scene about oral sex, is it being shown as negative or positive influence? Are the characters learning from their mistakes? Are they mistakes? Is the scene necessary to the meaning of the books? Why did the author put it in there?</p>
<p>Messages are key here. What is the message in the book? If is one that can be widely agreed on, or one that should be considered, or one that has a bearing on how we live our lives, then it should be discussed, whether or not you agree with it. The truth is, most of the issues exist in life. That is the way to promote thought.</p>
<p>I think teaching our students to think critically is essential. That involves seeing–or reading–things that you don’t like, don’t agree with, and understanding WHY you don’t like it. </p>
<p>Yes, those books do have objectional words. But either way, you are limiting thought. Yes, you are limiting the exposure to obsecenities, but you are also limiting exposure to the profound meanings the author is showing through them.</p>
<p>Speaking of the evolution issue, in Georgia we have an extremely conservative county that recently placed stickers in all of their science books stating that evolution was a theory and not a fact. They recently lost a court case and were told to remove all the stickers, but are currently appealing the judgment.</p>
<p>My Ds high school has Of Mice and Men as required reading for 9th grade language arts. Several years ago the drama program put on the play. However, no African-American students auditioned for a part, so a white student was chosen to play the part of Crooks, and the decision was made to have him play the part in blackface. Complaints were made, and the Principal cancelled the play. A local theatre group donated time in their Atlanta theatre and the show was performed downtown. My D and I saw the play and it was extremely well done.</p>