Comments | ladychi: A Letter to the (Terribly Misguided) Parents Who Want a Book Banned; Some Other Thoughts

ladychi

A Letter to the (Terribly Misguided) Parents Who Want a Book Banned; Some Other Thoughts

Nov 09, 2011 22:38

So, this is minor news, but when I'm not writing smutty fic for fans of Bones and Doctor Who, I write novels for young adults. I write for teenagers. Most of my post-high-school education is in how to educate teenagers. And most of the thinking I do (relating to writing) is about how my dystopian urban fantasy novels or cyberpunk retellings of ( Read more... )

thinky thought sunday, writing

Comments 14

amberfocus November 10 2011, 05:08:42 UTC

A parent has the right to monitor what their children read, but no parents other than my husband and myself have the right to monitor what my child reads. If I feel a book is borderline, I will read it first. I have found that the problem with banning books, is that it is far more likely to get that questionable material into a child's hands than to take it away. Kids are resourceful and they will find it. Especially with the internet to help them ( ... )

ladychi November 10 2011, 05:16:18 UTC

*wrinkles nose* Exactly. It needs to be your choice -- and you're a proactive parent! I'm sorry that a teacher made you feel uncomfortable. I hope you resolved the issue!

choraii November 10 2011, 07:37:00 UTC

Well, now I'm curious enough to see if "Hold Still" is available for Kindle...well, lookee there. All downloaded to my fully charged Kindle, ready to "read" (by which I mean having my Kindle read aloud to me) if I get any data entry time at work tomorrow. (It'll be a nice break from "Rebuilding Life." Unfortunately I'm already through all the lovely angst, so I'm starting to lose interest. I need help. I know ( ... )

jessalrynn November 10 2011, 18:37:11 UTC

People really need to learn to understand two things about teenagers ( ... )

ladychi November 12 2011, 23:10:49 UTC

Absolutely yes to your first point. Billy Joel often makes the point that his song "Only the Good Die Young" wasn't doing that well in the charts, until the bishop in St. Louis condemned it.

And yes to the second, too. I think parenting's one of the hardest jobs on the planet, but I can't imagine coming at it from a viewpoint where you have to shut them up from the world -- they're already living in the world.

Thanks for reading and commenting, dear! How's life been for you lately?

lemonade8 November 11 2011, 07:54:07 UTC

Hey, if Kansas can ban talk of evolution in the science classroom for years, Missouri can show their stupid as well. Our major metropolitan area has a teeter-totter of wtf's.

I have a teen, I do talk to him about what he reads, he does have discussions with me about books and video games. He does his own censoring, and you would probably be surprised at what he cannot handle vs. what he can. It's such an individual thing for all people that legislation is never going to be a good idea for aiding such personal decisions. So you have another person standing beside your opinion.

ladychi November 12 2011, 23:12:08 UTC

Our major metropolitan area has a teeter-totter of wtf's.

For real, yo.

*Nod nod* My teenaged years are not that far behind me, and I remember being pretty good about stopping myself from reading what I was uncomfortable with, and putting it down. Heck, I still do that!

Thank you for being awesome at work last night, by the way. I went home and slept for an hour and a half, and then went to bed early. I feel much better today!

lemonade8 November 13 2011, 03:37:09 UTC

I'm glad you feel better. I wasn't sure they would let me go as I already had some unintentional overtime already. Didn't want to bring it up and then have her tell you no. :(

mendenbar01 November 11 2011, 13:51:14 UTC

"Whispering Hope" A. Hawthorne ( ... )

ladychi November 12 2011, 23:17:37 UTC

You cannot police thought.

Yes, precisely. Nation-states can't do it, parents can't do it -- autonomy of thought is inherent, and trying to police it is a waste of time.

I know people who are aghast that their children see R-rated movies but they have copies of Laurell K. Hamilton's novels on the coffee table!

Yeah, the dichotomy of that has always blown my mind. So glad to see you lurking around the LJ still, dear! I was afraid that, after my long hiatus, you would disappear!

mendenbar01 November 13 2011, 05:05:33 UTC

Nyah. I make a great ghost in the walls. I don't always have much time anymore but I am still here whenever I can be. And I have no problem with long hiatuses just so long as they end eventually! Glad you are back.

D