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War On Words: NYC Dept. Of Education Wants 50 ‘Forbidden’ Words Banned From Standardized Tests
CBS New York ^ | March 26, 2012 | CBS New York

Posted on 08/05/2013 6:18:03 AM PDT by Kip Russell

George Carlin is rolling over in his grave.

The New York City Department of Education is waging a war on words of sorts, and is seeking to have words they deem upsetting removed from standardized tests. Fearing that certain words and topics can make students feel unpleasant, officials are requesting 50 or so words be removed from city-issued tests.

The word “dinosaur” made the hit list because dinosaurs suggest evolution which creationists might not like, WCBS 880′s Marla Diamond reported. “Halloween” is targeted because it suggests paganism; a “birthday” might not be happy to all because it isn’t celebrated by Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Julie Lewis’ family celebrates Christmas and Kwanzaa, but she told CBS 2′s Emily Smith she wants her children to appreciate and learn about other holidays and celebrations. “They’re going to meet people from all walks of life and they’re going to have to learn to adjust,” Lewis said.

Words that suggest wealth are excluded because they could make kids jealous. “Poverty” is also on the forbidden list. That’s something Sy Fliegal with the Center for Educational Innovation calls ridiculous. “The Petersons take a vacation for five days in their Mercedes … so what? You think our kids are going to be offended because they don’t have a Mercedes? You think our kids are going to say ‘I’m offended; how could they ask me a question about a Mercedes? I don’t have a Mercedes!’” Fliegal said.

In a throwback to “Footloose,” the word “dancing” is also taboo. However, there is good news for kids that like “ballet”: The city made an exception for this form of dance. Also banned are references to “divorce” and “disease,” because kids taking the tests may have relatives who split from spouses or are ill.

Some students think banning these words from periodic assessment tests is ridiculous. “If you don’t celebrate one thing you might have a friend that does it. So I don’t see why people would find it offensive,” Curtis High School Sophomore Jamella Lewis told Diamond.

Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott said the DOE is simply giving guidance to the test developers. “So we’re not an outlier in being politically correct. This is just making sure that test makers are sensitive in the development of their tests,” Walcott said Monday. To which Fliegal responded: “It’s all of life! I don’t know how they figure out what not to put on the list. Every aspect of life is on the list.”

There are banned words currently in school districts nationwide. Walcott said New York City’s list is longer because its student body is so diverse. Here is the complete list of words that could be banned:

Abuse (physical, sexual, emotional, or psychological)

Alcohol (beer and liquor), tobacco, or drugs

Birthday celebrations (and birthdays)

Bodily functions

Cancer (and other diseases)

Catastrophes/disasters (tsunamis and hurricanes)

Celebrities

Children dealing with serious issues

Cigarettes (and other smoking paraphernalia)

Computers in the home (acceptable in a school or library setting)

Crime

Death and disease

Divorce

Evolution

Expensive gifts, vacations, and prizes

Gambling involving money

Halloween

Homelessness

Homes with swimming pools

Hunting

Junk food

In-depth discussions of sports that require prior knowledge

Loss of employment

Nuclear weapons

Occult topics (i.e. fortune-telling)

Parapsychology

Politics

Pornography

Poverty

Rap Music

Religion

Religious holidays and festivals (including but not limited to Christmas, Yom Kippur, and Ramadan)

Rock-and-Roll music

Running away

Sex

Slavery

Terrorism

Television and video games (excessive use)

Traumatic material (including material that may be particularly upsetting such as animal shelters)

Vermin (rats and roaches)

Violence

War and bloodshed

Weapons (guns, knives, etc.)

Witchcraft, sorcery, etc.


TOPICS: Education; Society; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: christianbashing; communistgoals; doublespeak; orwelliannightmare; pravdamedia; seebsnews; thoughtcrime
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To: afraidfortherepublic

I finally realized that Liberalism really is a disease. :-)


21 posted on 08/05/2013 6:51:44 AM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped.)
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To: FReepers; Patriots; FRiends




Schools' Chancellor Dennis Walcott

PLEASE SUPPORT FR TODAY!

22 posted on 08/05/2013 6:52:49 AM PDT by onyx (Please Support Free Republic - Donate Monthly! If you want on Sarah Palin's Ping List, Let Me know!)
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To: Kip Russell
Julie Lewis’ family celebrates Christmas and Kwanzaa, but she told CBS 2′s Emily Smith she wants her children to appreciate and learn about other holidays and celebrations. “They’re going to meet people from all walks of life and they’re going to have to learn to adjust,” Lewis said.

Poor moron. If she put more time into learning the background of Kwanzaa she would actually be able to help her kids learn to "appreciate" other holidays and celebrations.
23 posted on 08/05/2013 6:54:42 AM PDT by aruanan
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To: Kip Russell

“’Halloween’ is targeted because it suggests paganism”

Now this guy, who is an “educator” apparently has no idea that “halloween” means “the evening before All Saints’ Day” - this is hardly a pagan reference. However, it would then be banned because it is a religious reference.

And they wonder why people home-school their kids.

As a wise woman I know likes to point out (at least a few times daily): “We are surrounded by idiots!”


24 posted on 08/05/2013 6:55:29 AM PDT by paterfamilias
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To: Kip Russell
a “birthday” might not be happy to all because it isn’t celebrated by Jehovah’s Witnesses.

"birthday" doesn't mean "birthday party." Everyone, including Jehovah's Witnessess, has had a birthday.
25 posted on 08/05/2013 6:56:19 AM PDT by aruanan
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To: Kip Russell

One word they should get used to...”unemployed”.


26 posted on 08/05/2013 7:07:46 AM PDT by TurboZamboni (Marx smelled bad & lived with his parents most his life.)
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To: hal ogen

Did they include George Carlin’s list?


27 posted on 08/05/2013 7:22:07 AM PDT by Texas Songwriter
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To: hal ogen

Here’s another — LIBiot


28 posted on 08/05/2013 7:23:58 AM PDT by Polyxene (Out of the depths I have cried to Thee, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice.)
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To: Kip Russell

Dinosaurs do not suggest evolution. I am a creationist surrounded by creationists, and we are fully aware the dinosaurs existed. There existence does not contradict the Genesis account of creation whatsoever, and dinosaurs are not objected to in the slightest.

Strange assertion in this article.


29 posted on 08/05/2013 7:24:50 AM PDT by Persevero
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To: IronJack

Under Bloombutt and his faithful Igor, Dennis “Yes Master” Walcott, the NYC public schools are a stunning example of Libtards Unbound. Every single thing a libtard would want to see in something, the NYC public schools have on display. Socialist Core Curriculum indoctrination? Check. No one allowed to fail? Check. Not allowed to discipline students because it might hurt their feelings? Check. Hand out laptops and other technology in hopes it might make up for lack of ambition, poor study habits and failure to do any assigned work? Check. Bending over backwards to pass students who do not deserve to pass? Check.


30 posted on 08/05/2013 7:27:19 AM PDT by EinNYC
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To: Kip Russell

Let us “sugar coat” reality so that TRUTH is just a figment of the imagination.

PC speak is nothing more than lies, and a lie always kills a part of the world.

God help us!!!!!


31 posted on 08/05/2013 7:30:10 AM PDT by ThomasMore (Islam is the Whore of Babylon!)
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To: Kip Russell

There are two on the list with which I agree:

Rap music

and

Television and video games.

;-)


32 posted on 08/05/2013 7:30:41 AM PDT by spel_grammer_an_punct_polise (Learn three chords and you, too, can be a Rock Star!)
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To: onyx
That is not Dennis "Yes Master" Walcott. Walcott is the black equivalent of an Isabella palomino. I personally refer to him as "The Guppy", because in every photo of him I've ever seen, his mouth is open in a perfect "O".


33 posted on 08/05/2013 7:31:47 AM PDT by EinNYC
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To: stremba
The schools are preparing kids for dealing with a world in which there is a wide diversity of people and situations by ... sheltering them from anything that might offend them or be different from their own experiences.

The TRUE "irony" is your suggestion that reasoning and logic goes hand-in-hand with ANYTHING the government does (any government, but especially liberal governments)!! LOL!
34 posted on 08/05/2013 7:37:59 AM PDT by ExTxMarine (PRAYER: It's the only HOPE for real CHANGE in America!)
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To: Kip Russell

Looks like talking points key words for libtards.


35 posted on 08/05/2013 7:42:05 AM PDT by maddog55 (America Rising.... Civil War II)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

What day will NYC pick for it’s Book Burning Day ?


36 posted on 08/05/2013 7:49:14 AM PDT by molson209 (Hillary Clinton)
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To: Kip Russell

Funny how in the 60s and 70s, the Liberals on the ones claiming the Conservatives were imposing censorship. How times change. But, of course, they will claim their goal is to keep people from feeling bad. Which obviously trumps free expression and thought. [/s]


37 posted on 08/05/2013 7:55:24 AM PDT by rbg81
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To: Kip Russell

Someday, just maybe, CITIZENS will wake up and realize those of us who have been stating unionized government schools are the education arm of the Communist Manifesto and everything they have been doing for the past 60+ years confirms this.

Just like the IRS must be completely dismantled the public school monopoly must be completely shut down, vouchers issued which can be used at the parents discretion for educational purposes ONLY.

It makes my blood boil to think of all the evil business government labeled as monopolies all while the government creates their own monopolies.

There is no rational excuse to allow this proven destruction of the educational system to continue.

The only viable choices:
1) Home School if you have the time and ability.
2) Private School if you have the money
3) Non-Union Charter schools.

Anything else is Child Abuse.

The public school experiment started to fail once unions were introduced and the unions got in bed with democrats at the very same time progressive communists were climbing under the same sheets.


38 posted on 08/05/2013 8:04:54 AM PDT by Wurlitzer (Nothing says "ignorance" like Islam! 969)
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To: Kip Russell
The word “dinosaur” made the hit list because dinosaurs suggest evolution which creationists might not like, WCBS 880′s Marla Diamond reported. “Halloween” is targeted because it suggests paganism; a “birthday” might not be happy to all because it isn’t celebrated by Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Somehow,I don't think they are interested in sparing the sensitive feelings of Christian conservatives...it's the Pressure Cooker Gang they are really afraid of. :)

39 posted on 08/05/2013 8:11:59 AM PDT by Mr. Jeeves (CTRL-GALT-DELETE)
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To: Kip Russell
Welcome to FR.

Sounds like the school board fell down the rabbit hole.

5.56mm

40 posted on 08/05/2013 8:16:25 AM PDT by M Kehoe
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