I'm not so sure Dogpatch's Mayor is going to like that remark!
Pat, I want to congradulate you on the way you handle what can be such a hot issue. No cussing, never see the 'F' word. Nice work.
It never ceases to amaze me how really intelligent some bloggers are, but their credibility goes right out the window because their emotions seem to corrupt their writing.
Keep up the good work.
What about recalls?
"Hot Zone" is pornographic???
It might give school children nightmares, but how can it be described as pornographic? It's a book about Ebola.
Where did this list of "pornography" come from? It wasn't in Abram's cited press release.
Thanks.
Yeah, Maya Angelo is porno!
God, can you see that? Wait, no, can't get the image out...no, no, no!
And I remember Black Boy being required reading in one of my English classes in high school. It had nothing to do with pronaography. I don't even remember any sex in it. It talked about a black kid growing up in segregated America.
WTF?
In answer to Scott who wants to know where the list comes from, this is a list developed by a Blue Valley group called ClassKC that has been campaigning for the last two years to have these books banned.
RSR lives in, and has children who attend, Blue Valley School District in suburban Kansas City -- known locally as Johnson County.
We have covered this issue for some time now.
Local news reports, today, confirm what RSR already knew, Abrams was referring to the ClassKC list.
BTW -- this is the original list. ClassKC has been busy adding more books to the list.
Currently, they plan to appeal three books, Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, Boy's Life, by Robert McCammon, and Lords of Discipline, by Pat Conroy to the district level review committee.
In Blue Valley students whose parents object to a particular book on the reading list may opt out of that book.
That's not good enough for Abrams or ClassKC.
I've read almost all of those books. And while I certainly don't view them as pornographic....
Some of them _DO_ contain sexual scenes (and rape, though my recollection may be faulty) which a conservative parent might not want their kids reading. And the fact that they may have won awards doesn't matter--it's a reverse ad hominem argument, as we should be willing to admit.
Should those be in schools? Sure, if you ask me. But I'm certainly willing to concede that not ALL books should be in schools, or that a community might limit its library based on its standards. Should the Story of O or the writings of the Marquis de Sade be in a school library? Should a copy of the movie American Psycho? The former two are literature, and the film is critically acclaimed...
Once you agree that a boundary exists it's reasonable to argue where it should be. These particular books are not necessary for learning per se. Though the people arguing for their removal are (in my view) of poor judgment, we should not attack or mock them for their views. We should simply argue why their views are wrong. Neither the comments or the article have done so.
Erik, as I pointed out, the district has a review process. That process is being followed. It involves partents, studentes, teachers and administrators. It includes public meetings -- lots of them. It allows parents to have their children opt out if they still don't agree. The majority of those who have reviewed these books find them appropriate. Most of us who have children who attend Blue Valley Schools don't want them dumbed down. We want them to be prepared to live in a reality based world.
Over here in Europe, we look on with slack-jawed amazement. We sorted out our religious wars in, ooooh, 1689, if you ignore Northern Ireland (which the overwhelming majority of people here try to do). Do those people on your education board realise what they're doing? Do they really think there will be some kind of agrarian paradise when their commandments are carved on the legislature walls and the schools teach that donkeys can talk?
The 21st century will be the century of biology, just as the 19th was of chemistry and the 20th of physics. Guess where the smart money will invest. Kansas?
Keep up the fight.
Michael O'Sullivan
Do you believe in yourselves???
no really?
I`m glad you do.
please keep fihgting the ignorance and narrow views.
Best regards
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