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Posted on 10/28/2006 1:11:36 PM PDT by yoe
It's nothing unusual for a sixth grade class to be assigned a book to read -- usually something like Huck Finn. But a book that a Baker Middle School teacher suggested for her 6th graders is raising eyebrows and tempers. WAFB's Paul Gates investigated, and found a novel filled with sexually explicit scenes -- including men having sex together.
Roberta Townsend says her 6th grade, 11-year-old daughter came home from Baker Middle with the name and author of a book her social studies teacher suggested the students should read. She says her daughter related the teacher's instructions:
"She told them the author was James Earl Hardy and that they were behind the times and they needed to get with it and if they were not reading any sexual books that they were not in the know."
It turns out the book suggested is very sexual in nature and language. B-boy Blues was written by Hardy in 1994. In an interview shortly after the book came out, Hardy was asked about his sex scenes. He said, "You know, I wanted people to get hot reading those sex scenes."
Townsend ordered the book to find out was in it.
"When I got the book in my hand I was appalled," says Townsend. "I was shocked; I lost my appetite. This book is explicit sex."
The blackouts on just two pages of the book show the frequency of profanity, the grey outs show the explicit sexual descriptions.
School Superintendent Lester Klotz told WAFB 9 News he turned Ms. Townsend's complaint over to the principal at the middle school: "He met with the teacher and advised the teacher that that was not material related to the course she was assigned and therefore should not be introduced to the students as assigned literature."
Superintendent Klotz says that teacher has assured him such an incident will not happen again. No other action was taken because the teacher did not violate any policy of the system that would require disciplinary action.
WAFB 9 News asked Klotz, since he had not seen the book, if he would take a look: "I can see and certainly would not want that kind of literature, we would not allow that literature in our library at all. It is very inappropriate for individuals at any age as far as I'm concerned."
Ms. Townsend remains upset. She says a teacher who believes 6th graders should be encouraged to read such material does not belong in a school system.
"I don't want her near my kid, anybody else's kid," Townsend says. "Eleven years old, sixth grade, they're not ready."
Ms. Townsend says she wants parents to know about this incident. We have left a message for the teacher at the school, but we've had no reply.
The book was never present in the classroom. Only the name and title of the book were suggested to the children according to Ms. Townsend's daughter who brought the information home.
Reporter: Paul Gates pgates@wafb.com
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In the 1970's, my public school teacher recommended "Flowers in the Attic" to us Fourth Graders and provided the copy. We all wanted to be cool and have the teacher pleased with us, so we all read it.
My kids are not in public school.
Of course not, but just try to get rid of the teacher.
Thank God one of Webb's kinky sex books wasn't recommended. The poor little kids...
Follow the link to the original and read a little of the (heavily censored) book. It's friggin' gay porno.
bump
A friend got this book as a present ten years ago,Its about young black gays who are in the hip hop scene.
And,in modern vernacular,its"hella nasty"
From the Constitution Party Platform (education)
All teaching is related to basic assumptions about God and man. Education as a whole, therefore, cannot be separated from religious faith. The law of our Creator assigns the authority and responsibility of educating children to their parents. Education should be free from all federal government subsidies, including vouchers, tax incentives, and loans, except with respect to veterans.
Because the federal government has absolutely no jurisdiction concerning the education of our children, the United States Department of Education should be abolished; all federal legislation related to education should be repealed. No federal laws subsidizing or regulating the education of children should be enacted. Under no circumstances should the federal government be involved in national teacher certification, educational curricula, textbook selection, learning standards, comprehensive sex education, psychological and psychiatric research testing programs, and personnel.
Because control over education is now being relegated to departments other than the Department of Education, we clarify that no federal agency, department, board, or other entity may exercise jurisdiction over any aspect of children's upbringing. Education, training, and discipline of children are properly placed in the domain of their parents.
We support the unimpeded right of parents to provide for the education of their children in the manner they deem best, including home, private or religious. We oppose all legislation from any level of government that would interfere with or restrict that liberty. We support equitable tax relief for families whose children do not attend government schools.
So that parents need not defy the law by refusing to send their children to schools of which they disapprove, compulsory attendance laws should be repealed.
Slip a bible in her desk and report her to the DIVERSITY POLICE!!! (/s)
Mrs Townsend is correct. If the man at our church, the woman at our supermarket, our nextdoor neighbor were to give a "titillating" book to our kindergartners and sixth graders, he/she'd been hammered under the laws.
But teachers, especially UNION teachers are a "protected" species.
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FIRE THE TEACHER! She knew the reading material. If she did NOT, then she has no business in public schools anyway.
And KUDOS to Ms Townsend, a parent who cared enough.
The teacher probably has tenure - it would take money and a good lawyer however worth every nickle to get rid of this child abuser.....he or she is no teacher just another activist praying on young minds.
That is truly disgusting. Okay for the Dems/Teachers Union to put their stamp of approval on that--then they act like they are outraged by Mark Foley.
***Slip a bible in her desk and report her to the DIVERSITY POLICE!!! (/s)***
That makes a tremendous point.
***Slip a bible in her desk and report her to the DIVERSITY POLICE!!! (/s)***
That makes a tremendous point.
Sickening.
With the universe of excellent books out there... they gotta pick some porno hackery.
Incidents like this make me wonder why parents nationwide have not yet risen up and demanded school vouchers...
Glad you pinged me to this, cuz it saved me from bringing it to your attention.
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