Posted on 03/13/2022 6:58:18 AM PDT by blam
It was Read Across America week, and the second graders in the Hinds County School District in Mississippi were waiting for an administrator to read to them.
The administrator had forgotten it was her turn, said Toby Price, the assistant principal at Gary Road Elementary School in Hinds County, who was in his office at the time. He decided to fill in.
Mr. Price, 46, quickly grabbed a book — “I Need a New Butt!” by Dawn McMillan, one of his children’s favorites — and began reading it to the roughly 240 second graders over Zoom.
Later that day, on March 2, the district superintendent, Delesicia Martin, called him into her office and told him he was on administrative leave, Mr. Price said. He was fired two days later, accused of violating the standards of conduct section of the Mississippi Educator Code of Ethics.
In a letter to Mr. Price, the superintendent called the book “inappropriate.” She particularly took issue with the references to farting in the story and how “the book described butts in various colors, shapes and sizes (example: fireproof, bullet proof, bomb proof).” Ms. Martin called Mr. Price “unprofessional” for having selected the book.
“I expected a write up,” said Mr. Price, who had worked for the district for three years. “I did not expect to get terminated. I cried the entire way home.”
Mr. Price, who has been an educator for 20 years, said he had hired a lawyer and planned to fight the termination before the school board.
Ms. Martin and the five-member school board did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment on Friday. But Mr. Price’s termination brought swift criticism from children’s authors and PEN America, a free speech organization that fights bans against books.
The book, which was published in 2012, is about a boy who searches for a new butt after he discovered a “crack.”Credit…The cover of “I Need a New Butt.”
In a letter, PEN America said that “in positioning the act of reading a book as a violation of ethics, the district is implying that any educator could be terminated under similar circumstances” — a fear that many teachers are already grappling with after a slew of Republican-led efforts last fall to ban schools from teaching and discussing race, racism and other “divisive concepts.”
On the elementary school’s Facebook page, the grandmother of one of the students at the school posted a news story about Mr. Price’s termination and said she planned to speak on his behalf before the school board and fight to get “his job back.”
“My granddaughter heard him read the book and thought it was hilarious and not at all inappropriate!” the grandmother wrote.
Mr. Price said that was the reaction from students after he read the book. He recalled going into the hallway and being approached by students who thanked him for his pick.
“They loved it,” he said. “They all stopped me and said, ‘Mr. Price, that book was really good.’”
The Hinds County School District has about 5,500 students and 425 teachers and covers half a dozen towns near Jackson, Miss. More than 21 percent of the general population in Hinds County lives under the poverty line, well above the national average, according to Data USA.
Mr. Price said that it was particularly critical to teach literacy at his school, where many children rely on free lunches or reduced-price meals.
“We have a lot of reluctant readers,” he said. “I am a firm believer that reluctant readers need the silly, funny books to hook them in.”
“I Need a New Butt!,” which was published in 2012, is marketed to children ages 4 to 8 and tells the story of a young boy who sets off to find a new behind after he sees a “crack” in his and fears it’s broken.
Mr. Price said that school administrators told him they were worried they would get complaints from parents about the subject matter.
When he was called into the superintendent’s office, he said that one of the administrators asked him, “Is this the kind of thing you find funny?”
Mr. Price replied, “Well, I did before I walked in here.”
He said he wanted only his job back so he could support his three children. His two eldest children — a daughter, 19, and a son, 18 — have severe autism.
“I’m tired. I’m stressed. I’m overwhelmed,” he said. “I need to work.”
“I’m tired. I’m stressed. I’m overwhelmed,” he said. “I need to work.”
He forgot “I’m stupid”
It does seem odd that this causes such a stir, but many other far more damaging public school practices (and their promotors) are cheered. Disordered thinking would explain it.
Such a punchable face.
No. But Dr. Seuss did not like children. Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel) wasn’t a fan of children and was even “slightly afraid” of them, according to his wife, Audrey Geisel.
No. But Dr. Seuss did not like children. Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel) wasn’t a fan of children and was even “slightly afraid” of them, according to his wife, Audrey Geisel.
Poor taste used to be regarded as an offense against society.
I’ll read the book before I comment. Humor can be useful in teaching.
Prolly some Lincoln Project hpjerks trying to brand Republicans again.
Look at the book cover and explain how that isn’t grooming.
Perhaps he should have read them something from the old Classics of Literature, such as Gargantua/Chapter XIII.
When I was in elementary school, just mentioning ‘butt’ would earn us a backhand across the face.
Nowadays, they can pretty much say anything they want (on TV, at home, or in school).
The problem was it was Mississippi. In some more enlightened locations, it is fine to read to 2nd graders a nice sweet story about how a boy needs a second hole in his behind.
In 4th grade I was reading books on great Americans. Well remember reading about George Washington Carver. Didn’t think much about him being black. Wasn’t a big deal then.
“I’m tired. I’m stressed. I’m overwhelmed,” he said. “I need to work.”
Then get a *real* job, ya doink.
This isn't the "Beavis & Butthead" show for 2nd grader's ... they'll learn and laugh about "farts" and "butts" and all the other adolescent biological "funnies" when they turn 13, in the 7th grade when their hormones start raging.
What in heck is wrong with these 'educators' nowadays?? Why can't they just let the children be children to enjoy their fleeting childhood for a few years before they hit adolescence, and then adulthood, only to find out how shitty perverts like this 'educator' treated them when they were young ... ruining their childhood ...
Mostly they are books about kids from 5-9 years and what they think and say.
I went to Amazon and was thinking about buying this 32 page kids book, but is was sold out.
I know nothing about the teacher but getting fired because of the title of a "See Spot Run" book, and not a single reference as to the content of the book except for a kid with a "crack in his butt" seems a little harsh.
The wokesters are bad, but the holyrollers can be just as bad in reverse.
“I’m tired. I’m stressed. I’m overwhelmed,” he said. “I need to work.”
Step into this alleyway, I’d like to talk to you for a moment.
He should have just read them a book about a boy who wants to cut off his penis. I’m sure that would have been just fine with his educator peers.
Sad. The knee jerk reaction brigade, based on the headline, must assume this book is some sexuality tinged story. It’s not. It’s on a par with jokes about boogers, belches, farts and similar silliness. In an age before schools destroyed our children’s innocence we’d understand this was a crude book not one needing this overreaction. Hope you all enjoy being part of the cancel crowd.
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