Free thought in the schools???
Someone didn't even wait to start off banned book week by protesting against Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak because it was "soft pornography." If you've read the book, that's a preposterous claim. & as you would expect, the call to ban it isn't hurting the books popularity at all.
But the call to ban Speak does underline a problem all schools face. Someone in the community won't like what some members of the school system teach. Even though this isn't exactly censorship, it does have a certain suffocating effect on the school staff. Which brings me to this recent newspaper article.
And I quote:
"I don't think parents want their kids indoctrinated in homosexuality," Minnesota Family Council President Tom Prichard said, adding that teachers shouldn't advocate or affirm that homosexuality is acceptable, but rather present a range of views. - I quote, & then respond What the He11. I'm happy to have affirmed it as acceptable, and to have read books with glbt characters to the summer school kids.
And another quote: "We picked a position that we're not going to deal with it," Anoka-Hennepin School Board Chairman Tom Heidemann said of the new policy. "These are issues that can be dealt with outside the classroom. Heidemann said the policy move also reflected concerns among some parents that the district not be put in a position of advocating a GLBT lifestyle."
My response isn't pretty. It involves several expletives. It reminds me of the discussion rachelmanija and I had. Our discussion started because of the YA retelling of Cinderella, Ash, by Malinda Lo. You guessed it. Cindy didn't fall for a guy in this version. Rachel felt the average teen was ready for this book. Me, I think they're ready, but I also feel that middle school kids are one of the most homophobic demographic groups in the US. She's looking at LA teens. I'm looking at MN teens. She,fortunately, hasn't seen the odd homophobia I have.
After reading this article though, I'm glad that I've called on kids for using "gay" as an insult. I've told them I have gay friends. I've read books to them with glbt characters. I haven't gone out of my way to do this. It just has happened. I've seen the teachers around me do the same.
Boy to girl "You're gay." (His use of gay in this context meant "stupid.")
Girl "Am not."
Me "I don't want to hear that."
Boy "I just meant she was being stupid."
Me "I know, but when you say 'gay' like that..."
Boy "I know, I know. It's insulting to gay people. I don't mean anything against gay people. I have a cousin who is gay."
Girl "Really?"
Boy "Yeah, really. So what?"
Girl "Because I have a cousin who is gay too."
It ain't great, but it's progress. & if Anoka-Hennepin would let their teachers speak their minds, perhaps their glbt kids would feel supported. Perhaps they could prevent some suicides. Really. It's lives we're talking about here.
But the call to ban Speak does underline a problem all schools face. Someone in the community won't like what some members of the school system teach. Even though this isn't exactly censorship, it does have a certain suffocating effect on the school staff. Which brings me to this recent newspaper article.
And I quote:
"I don't think parents want their kids indoctrinated in homosexuality," Minnesota Family Council President Tom Prichard said, adding that teachers shouldn't advocate or affirm that homosexuality is acceptable, but rather present a range of views. - I quote, & then respond What the He11. I'm happy to have affirmed it as acceptable, and to have read books with glbt characters to the summer school kids.
And another quote: "We picked a position that we're not going to deal with it," Anoka-Hennepin School Board Chairman Tom Heidemann said of the new policy. "These are issues that can be dealt with outside the classroom. Heidemann said the policy move also reflected concerns among some parents that the district not be put in a position of advocating a GLBT lifestyle."
My response isn't pretty. It involves several expletives. It reminds me of the discussion rachelmanija and I had. Our discussion started because of the YA retelling of Cinderella, Ash, by Malinda Lo. You guessed it. Cindy didn't fall for a guy in this version. Rachel felt the average teen was ready for this book. Me, I think they're ready, but I also feel that middle school kids are one of the most homophobic demographic groups in the US. She's looking at LA teens. I'm looking at MN teens. She,fortunately, hasn't seen the odd homophobia I have.
After reading this article though, I'm glad that I've called on kids for using "gay" as an insult. I've told them I have gay friends. I've read books to them with glbt characters. I haven't gone out of my way to do this. It just has happened. I've seen the teachers around me do the same.
Boy to girl "You're gay." (His use of gay in this context meant "stupid.")
Girl "Am not."
Me "I don't want to hear that."
Boy "I just meant she was being stupid."
Me "I know, but when you say 'gay' like that..."
Boy "I know, I know. It's insulting to gay people. I don't mean anything against gay people. I have a cousin who is gay."
Girl "Really?"
Boy "Yeah, really. So what?"
Girl "Because I have a cousin who is gay too."
It ain't great, but it's progress. & if Anoka-Hennepin would let their teachers speak their minds, perhaps their glbt kids would feel supported. Perhaps they could prevent some suicides. Really. It's lives we're talking about here.