Makes me ashamed to be from Johnston County

Webbie and Others,
I have not yet read Mag's Post but I ask all of you to understand that we are having an adult discussion and are not trying to do anything against anyone or any rules.

I will now read what she Posted but I urge all to understand why she Posted it.

Grace

 

:shock::shock::shock::shock::shock:

I clicked the link and read a whole lot more than what Mags quoted here. Simply unbelievable!! Grace, you seriously don't have a problem with this book being available in a PUBLIC SCHOOL library? A public library is one thing, but a school library is another. You know, there is more there than just the sex that is bothersome, it talks a whole lot about drugs. One of the sentences that really struck me was this one.

"The second one was doing a lot of drugs to keep her weight down."

Yeah, that is exactly what teenage girls need to read, especially with the whole super skinny celeb craze thing going on these days. :roll:

Oh, and then there is the discussion about smuggling a "baggy of weed" using the "Kotex trick." :neutral:

This books gets a HUGE thumbs down from me. I don't think it should be in a public school library, period. Stick in public libraries or even college libraries, but leave it out of libraries where MINORS are the ones doing the reading.

 

Mag,

You are still getting caught up in this ONE book instead of seeing the overall picture and how it was handled. But, I will bite.

[quote removed]



Still bad language. Now he’s not only trying to make her feel guilty for not having sex with him he is using racist slurs. She knows somewhere deep inside her that when one loves another they make love but the slang words and racist remarks make her feel horrible. What should she do? Who could she talk to?

[quote removed]

She realizes that she made some bad mistakes in her past but she still knows that this person only wants one thing…sex. Whether it is called by one word or another, he still wants it and is still a racist.

She has grown stronger as a person and throws this low life out.

Mag,
Those excerpts may or may not be as I have described them but I still contend that this is bigger than one book and those excerpts can be interpreted many ways. The language is bad but as others have stated our children have heard it and may have used it at some time. Do we want them to? Nope! But, I have used foul language when someone cuts me off in traffic, someone breaks in line, etc. Not that I mean to but I am human.

Please see the bigger issue at hand.

Grace

 

I did not click on the link but you can see some of my explanations of excerpts in my previous Post.

Once again, this is not about ONE book. Did any parent go through the list at the beginning of school, review each book and then ask that their child not read x, y and z. I doubt it because most don't take the time. I may not or may allow my daughter to read this book but I will not make that decision for all parents and children. That is just one of the issues.

Grace

 

I'll bite. The bigger issue at hand is the fact that you, as an ADULT, can see past the language, etc to get to the real meaning. Children do not necessarily have that capability yet. This is not much more that porn in book form in my opinion. Would you let your minor child watch something this graphic on TV?

I don't have an opinion on whether Johnston Co did this the "right" way or not. From what little I have read on here, I don't see that this is some great literary work that kids need to be exposed to in order to further their education.

 

Well, maybe you should click the link and read all four pages of excerpts. Nothing but trashy filth in that book, IMO. And, I did read your explanations... but those are the interpretations of your ADULT mind. Remember, teenagers are not adults and their minds do not think like ours. That is why they still require parenting. That is why ADULTS need to decide what is and what isn't appropriate material for CHILDREN to have access to at school.

 

Yes, I did let my daughter watch the movie Crash. Foul language and all. The meaning of the movie was awesome and my daughter was able to explain it me right away. At the time some of my friends would not let their kids watch the movie but after we shared the DVD they saw what we saw.

Our children are much smarter both street wise and book wise than we think. Do I want my daughter to read this particular book? I don't know because I have not read it. What I do want for my daughter is a free society which does not include the right of two people to make decisions on important items such as this for all of the citizens. If the book in question did not have the language in question would any of you allow your children to read it? Sometimes an author/writer must use what happens in real life to get the point across. Not what we wish would happen, but what really happens.

Fish swimming upstream again...ug!

Grace

 

No Grace, it is the issue. Nothing like this belongs in our school libraries.

No child should be "hearing" or reading or in anyway be deliberately exposed to this or any book with similar content, sanctioned by the school as part of it's curriculum. That's what you don't get.

Yes, they will hear things from other kids. FROM OTHER KIDS. That is vastly different than having such language and behavior as that described in the book, being spoon-fed to them by the school and teacher. Being exposed to it that way, essentially tells the kids "Hey, it's okay! If such language and behavior was not appropriate, it wouldn't be a school assignment!"

 

Well, I guess that's where you and I will have to agree to disagree. There is NO WAY I would voluntarily expose my child to some of this trash. I saw Crash, and in my opinion, it was not appropriate for a minor. But you do whatever. Yes, I am fully aware I can't censor everything my child sees or does, and he's surely going to see and hear some things I'd rather he didn't. But I'm not going to expedite the process. I never even saw an R movie till I was 17, and guess what? It didn't hinder my development in any way. Imagine that!

 

I am in total agreement that the ADULTS need to decide what is or is not appropriate for CHILDREN to have access to at school. I believe the question still is...who decides and based on what? I, in no way, advocate sex, violence or drugs with my child or others. I do however know what reality is and I don't want MY child to have her head in the sand when she leaves the nest. We have no alcohol at our house for the exact reason as I do not want anyone underage drinking on my property. I do not tell my neighbors what they can do on their property, and some serve alcohol to minors, but I do not allow my child to go on their property because we know what happens (at times). Same as the book. That family has the right to not allow their daughter to read the book (and others as well) but they do not have the right to tell me that I cannot allow my daughter to read it. Whether I would or not is a personal family decision.

Grace

 

If you wanted her to receive whatever message you saw in that movie, were you not capable of simply talking to her? Is there a reason you felt that she must be exposed to the inappropriate language in order to get that message?

Answer the question that has been asked of you over and over and over. How is keeping this book out of school, making a decision for you - or any other citizen - as to whether or not your daughter gets to read this book. Are you not capable of going out and buying it for her? Or do you feel it is only beneficial if provided by the school?

No. The content serves no purpose, has no value. Why on earth would I want my daughter reading about the sexual,drug-adled escapades of other teens? What possible value does that have in her life?

 

AMEN!

 

Unless I have completey missed the point of this entire epic thread. No one is saying your daughter can't read it. It just doesn't necessarily belong in the school library! Take her to Borders and buy the danged thing, no one is stopping you.

 

And, that is your choice. I do not condemn you for yours and ask that you do not condemn me for mine. I try not to expedite my child's maturity level but I do try to allow the two of us to discuss sex, racism, violence, etc. in an atmosphere where she does not feel condemned or persecuted for asking me questions or answering in ways she knows go against my grain. Since 6th grade she has had at least one girl in her grade pregnant, and we have discussed how, why and why not one should do this. The same with drugs, alcohol and violence. All I ask is that one person's belief not be considered everyone's belief. It neither makes you a better mom than me nor me a better mom than you.

Grace

 

See post # 555

 

Right! Or, if you don't want to buy it, take her to a public library and check it out. No one is saying they book should be banned or burned, it just isn't appropriate material for CHILDREN to get at school. What is so hard to understand about that?

 

Not sure, but I guess some think it makes me ignorant and back woods to want to keep my child somewhat innocent of the "seedier" side of life. Homeschooling is sounding better and better. :?

 

Well, hopefully it gets to be decided by adults who have good common sense in their heads.

 

I'm already there.

 

If only I had the patience. I may have to get some. 8)