"You want poems, I got some f'in poems."
Posted on 12/07/2006 1:21:41 PM PST by bondjamesbond
Sixth-graders at a Queens school were getting quite an education - in homosexuality, French kissing and cursing - thanks to three books widely available in classroom libraries.
But after numerous complaints from parents at Public School 150 in Sunnyside, the books - a profanity-laced poetry book, short stories about homosexuality and a novel called "First French Kiss" - were pulled from the shelves last week.
Several parents learned of the racy books after overhearing their kids snickering about the sexual themes.
The poem "I Hate School" in a book called "You Hear Me?" includes the rhyme, "F--- this s---, up the a--. I don't think I'll ever pass."
Another poem compares eating an orange to having sex, while several passages repeatedly use vulgar slang for genitalia. And the book "Am I Blue?" is an anthology of stories about gay teenagers that parents found too adult-themed for 11- and 12-year-olds.
Parent Gladys Martinez wrote a letter to her son's teacher after hearing him talk about "First French Kiss," which chronicles a teen's bumbling first makeout session in a closet.
"I mean, he shouldn't be sheltered from the world, but if he's going to learn that stuff, it shouldn't be at school," Martinez said.
Parent and leadership team member Michael Novak said the books, which are labeled "young adult" by the New York Public Library, are "material that is totally inappropriate for sixth-graders."
Principal Carmen Parache said she had not reviewed the books until she received complaints but said they were "definitely inappropriate." She said classroom materials would be more carefully screened in the future.
"As soon as I saw them, I pulled them and they are no longer in the school," she said. "This is something that shouldn't have happened and it will not happen again."
"You Hear Me?" was suggested for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders by the Columbia University Teachers College's Reading and Writing Project because it is the only anthology with poems written by minority teenagers, said Lucy Calkins, its founding director.
"It's a tricky balance to walk so we are putting books in their hands that they'll want to read," said Calkins, who had not seen the language in the book.
Ava Myint, 11, said she heard some boys in her class laughing and talking about the books.
"Maybe they're okay for some kids, but some of the boys are really immature, so maybe they shouldn't be allowed to read them," she said.
That there's art. Real good stuff. I am outraged.
When I was in the 4th grade, I found a torn-up copy of The Exorcist on the school bus. I brought it home and read it in about four days. I have been effed up ever since.
Most Catholic of private schools offer tuition assistance to people who truly can't afford to sent their children to their schools. The rest of the parents just have to re-shuffle their priorities. Maybe tuition has to come before the new car and the big-screen TV.
Or you can let your precious little ones fall prey to the worst the public school system can think up. It's not going to get any better, you know...
I got an Air Force Academy Cadet.
Some people don't have a choice. Single moms working nights at a Nursing Home for $6.28 an hour can't afford private school and are sometimes too proud to go on welfare (or academically impaired) to homeschool.
There has to be a backlash against this craziness. There just has to be.
"because it is the only anthology with poems written by minority teenagers, said Lucy Calkins, its founding director."
Poems? Right. Sure.
Lots of parents are voting with their feet. Private and parochial school enrollment goes up, year after year.
hahahaha!!!! She recommends books she never read! Hahahahaha!!!!!
WTF?
FMCDH(BITS)
"You want poems, I got some f'in poems."
I had to wait eight years to join the military so I could find that nightclub in Paris.
If you can't market sexual deviance to kids how can the homosexuals enhance their opportunities to molest? This is merely about preparing kids for easy access by the loving homosexual community. Disgusting sarc.
Later pingout.
Old Mother Hubbard
Went to her cupboard
To give her poor dog a bone...
Xenalyte needs to ping the Salacious Ping List... if it is worthy.
Nonsense. The parents deserve to get good schools: that is what the taxpayers are paying for.
If you favor homeschooling or private schools as superior alternatives to public schools, you will get no argument from me. But most families still send their children to public schools. So long as we are paying good money to the public schools, we have every right to demand that they meet our expectations.
Little Boy Blue
He needed the money!
Demand away. See how far it gets you.
Public schools are controlled by the political process, which has a nasty habit of coming up with really inappropriate stuff. This should come as a surprise to no-one.
Furthermore, public schools are staffed with union-member lifers, who seem to be almost universally liberal and in favor of this sort of nonsense.
Public schools should be better, but they are not. When parents make the decision of where to send their children to school, they have to look at the local public school as it is, not as they wish it would be.
I can't afford private Christian School. We're in our 8th year there. Man it hurts. But when I read stories like this it makes it all worthwhile.
"I have been effed up ever since."
That's because you should not have tried rotating your head like in the book....
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