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Jennifer,
How about telling us we GCS has a policy about 'banned' books, or books that a parent deems inappropriate. How about required reading for HS students? The Color Purple is being required at NWHS and many parents think it is too explicit. I personally am against government censorship, but not parently censorship. I have also heard that 'required' reading is not legal unless the district purchases the book. What about people that can not afford the book, or people that don't have transportation to get to the library. There are only a few copies of each book in most school libraries. Interested in hearing thoughts on this

Debora,

I'll check on Monday to see what the rules are in GCS. I did a quick search on the district Web site but nothing popped up on the topic.

I haven't heard of any book banning here, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened or that parents haven't challenged books in the past.

I know what's not in the Florence library (or at least last year) some age appropriate fun, educational videos for fifth graders. Somehow "The Magic School Bus" videos just don't cut it with them on a long day after testing. And besides, by 5th grade they have seen all of them.

PTA and other donations welcome!

I know at SWH when my daughter had to read "Of Mice and Men" (which she enjoyed), students whose parents thought it was not appropriate had the option of choosing another book for that year's summer reading.

I agree Deb, that parents could should have a right to an alternative book if that is their choice. What is amazing though is how many parents take time to be aware of what their children are watching on television, at the movies and what they are doing on the internet? Are they as diligent in those pursuits?

I find it interesting that sometimes the children aren't allowed to see a movie like "Schindler's List" because of nudity, but can watch a moveie like "Sybil" which I personally think is extremely intense for some young teens to handle.
Just my opinion.

The rising juniors no longer have to read "The Color Purple" at NWHS as the teachers said they received too many complaints (this is what they told their students). So this summer, the kids read "Huckleberry Finn" as the replacement.

BTW, Northwest has their required summer reading on their website...

Glad to hear that! I will pass it on to my friends, as of Thursday afternoon I heard complaints concerning that.

That is interesting about NWH rising juniors having "The Color Purple" on their list.. Last year at SWH the juniors read "Beloved" and other books of Black culture. They did read a few of the classics, but many of them classics were missing.

Dear Interesting,
Not sure what you mean by it being interesting, but the complaints that I heard were about the suggestive content of the book, not being age appropriate. I haven't read with Color Purple or Beloved so personally I don't know about the content of either, but I might put both on my reading list.

Just look out for GCS to add "Hegomy or Survival" to the next reading list. It's the hotest new book among some educators.

My point was that the classics were obviously missing from the junior reading list. Traditional classics were replaced with an abundance of current Black American literature with very similar messages. These were good "reads" but I think it would be nice to see a "balance".

It all goes hand in hand with the $500,000 being spent on racial healing. It has trickled down into the English classes.

Many of the students complained about the books they had to read. But that happens every year no matter what the book is. They just would liked to have read more of the great classics their older siblings and friends were required to read in school. Not to worry, they can read those on their own. Bookstores are a wonderful thing.

Dick and Jane is still a great classic and more appropriate for some of our students. ..remember, they all can't reed.

I banned The Rainbow Fish from my home.

I bought it for my 4 year old, read it once and threw it away. It just seemed so DotKearns-ish to think that nobody would be the Rainbow Fish's friend until he gave them each one of his shiny scales.

They had to all have the exact same to be able to get along. Socialism!! No thanks.

I guarantee that Dot bought a copy of this book for every kid she knew.

How about "Slaughterhouse 5"?

ANY novel worth teaching as a major social/moral statement will contain some objectionable material. That's why we have ART, because it doesn't actually HURT people, unlike real war, rape, incest and murder (not to mention intense love, sex and the whole array of human fortune). These bring drama and intrigue to what we read. No one cares to read about the mundane inanities of the average life lived in an average way, do they? A few great writers have turned a sharp eye to small things, but find transcendence through them by jumping through the details into metaphors about those larger questions, tragedies and wonders.

I am willing to bet not a single parent who objects to "The Color Purple" or "Beloved" has read either in their entirety, and even if they did, they would probably not "get it".

What classics, besides "Huck Finn" (a truly great novel, admittedly) would the aforementioned students wish to read (again, in their entirety)? I thought they all used internet and Cliff's Notes to avoid reading. The vast majority of Americans are only passably literate ---reading less than two books a year. And one Dan Brown potboiler does not a literate person make.

What books on the list have you all read (aside from the teachers on here?) and still remember? What impact has reading them in their entirety had on you and your moral or educational development?

Sorry Fred but I've been busy reading the chronicles of Terry Grier. It's an interesting read that touches on fires, getting fired, passing a stopped school bus, lawsuits, severance packages, running off a Teacher-of-the-Year, more fires, Grier's "Chaos Theory", lies about his childhood, lies about divorce, conflicts of interest, Cat's in the Cradle, cheating at golf....whew, I could go on and on and I'm not half-way through.

It might be something that our BoE should have read before they hired him.

Freddy,

Everything that you post seems bitter and belittling toward parents on this sight? Is that your ego?

GCS does have both a selection policy and a policy to cover challenged items. Please see "Selection of Instructional Materials" IFA and "Selection of Instructional Materials/Educational Resources" IFA-P. Click on the Board of Education portal on the GCS website to get to policies and procedures.

Rancor mainly directed at the worst offender parents who lord it over principals and teachers, as if they are experts in education.

The parents who actually support their schools in a positive manner are to be applauded, of course.

As for my ego, I am aware there's an anti-intellectualist strain out there. I do know from my family's experience, though, that parents at certain schools seem to thrive on extra-curricular bullying of educators and often don't know a good thing when they've got it. The proof is in the self-same scores they are always harping on. But woe unto whomever doesn't fit the chosen demographic.

Yet, wouldn't it be nice if someone on this blog DID discuss an actual book or two?

Freddy, what's you opinion of "Hegomy or Survival", if you want to discuss books. It's on Hugo Chavez's recommended reading list. Being the elitist that you are, I am sure that you have read it cover to cover. Your copy is probably even autographed by Chomsky.

Freddy,

I am the parent of 2 High School children. I often post messages on this forum as a way to gather and learn information from others in the system. Your message that applies that parents think that they are an expert in education is rather funny. I dont think any parents are claiming to be "experts in education" as you posted. We simply MUST speak out for our children. If we did not-we would not be doing enough and you would say that we were just lazy parents who KNOW NOTHING AND DO NOT GET INVOLVED IN OUR CHILDRENS EDUCATION! Which would you prefer?

I am very supporative of our schools and our teachers. I do however have a problem with some principals that SHOULD HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS, coming to GCS, turning things upside down and moving on. Have a great day!

Hooray for Learning Curve!

Freddy is just a Blog Bully. He doesn't even have kids in the system yet but he's sure he's the perfect parent and that he will raise kids better than yours or mine. You know the type. One day he'll get it.

I would love to be there when he gets that first eye-roll from Fred, Jr.

I have enormous vested interest in the success of Guilford County schools, and of the school(s) where my wife teaches and has taught, and where I have I also volunteered and taught variously for years. The parents I am singling out are from a particular group at a particular school, but the are representative of a class of parents many educators have encountered in increased numbers for years now. These are parents whose involvement in their children's world at school goes way beyond the call of duty and edges into outright interference and bullying of teachers and principals, to the point of lawsuits. I am certainly not opposed to democratic process. I just wish when a parent wants to ban a book, that they have read it and considered the reasoned choice presented by the teachers for teaching it.

Chomsky may overstate his case at times, but he certainly blows the lid off not only Bush (Sr., especially), but Clinton, too, and their long history of building up Islamic extremists only to be shocked, shocked to find them turn on us with the same weapons and tactics we helped promote. Not to mention the underwriting and approval of massacre in Central America under Reagan. We are imperialists, de facto or, as I suspect, fully satisfied ones under the current regime.

What college do you teach at Freddy, and what subject?

I would rather not divulge all the details, as my employer may not appreciate all my views. I do have academic freedom in my classes, of course, but this blog is something of a semi-public forum (thanks to anonymity). I stand behind what I say, but I have chosen to remain behind some degree of privacy.

I will say, if your question is seeking credentials, that I am a tiered, not-yet-full, professor at a four-year liberal arts college. I teach, perform and create in the arts, professionally, and also have team-taught with others, too, in honors courses that covered literary genres, history, culture and economics. My research covers historical, social and philosophical areas of my field (including how optics and emotional responses are tied to particular brain function; and the ethical implications of evolutionary development in the brain throughout individual and species life).

I pursue secondary interests that have led to classes/lectures off-campus in physics and the arts, historical novels and the arts, acting, directing and even clowning, I am not ashamed to admit. ( A noble art. )

While none of this, obviously, makes me an expert in elementary or other public school teaching or administration (I do try to consult and glean ideas from my well-eduacted and highly successful teacher-wife), I do think I can speak to the workings of young minds.

I am equally interested in your ideas and how they germinated, Stormy.

But now, after working to write up prep for my classes for
Friday's midterm exam all night, I need to go to sleep.

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