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P. S., these books are sick!
New York Daily News ^ | 12/7/06 | BY RACHEL SCHEIER and CARRIE MELAGO

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.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; US: New York
KEYWORDS: cesspools; homosexualagenda; moralabsolutes; publicschools
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To: bondjamesbond
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."

That there's art. Real good stuff. I am outraged.

21 posted on 12/07/2006 1:35:17 PM PST by r9etb
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To: Thrownatbirth
Henry Miller is a much better read for sixth-graders.

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.

22 posted on 12/07/2006 1:36:12 PM PST by Hemingway's Ghost (Spirit of '75)
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To: The Blitherer

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...


23 posted on 12/07/2006 1:37:07 PM PST by bondjamesbond (Many Americans are invested in a US failure in Iraq, and will work diligently to bring it about.)
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To: bondjamesbond
any parent who puts a child in public school deserves whatever they get.

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.

24 posted on 12/07/2006 1:37:37 PM PST by CholeraJoe (Spork weasels ain't afraid of nuthin' but running out of sardines.)
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To: bondjamesbond
God and Christmas are taboo, but this tripe is O.K.?

There has to be a backlash against this craziness. There just has to be.

25 posted on 12/07/2006 1:37:53 PM PST by Churchillspirit (We are all foot soldiers in this War On Terror.)
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To: bondjamesbond

"because it is the only anthology with poems written by minority teenagers, said Lucy Calkins, its founding director."

Poems? Right. Sure.


26 posted on 12/07/2006 1:38:58 PM PST by L98Fiero (The media is a self-licking ice-cream cone)
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To: Churchillspirit
There has to be a backlash against this craziness. There just has to be.

Lots of parents are voting with their feet. Private and parochial school enrollment goes up, year after year.

27 posted on 12/07/2006 1:39:10 PM PST by bondjamesbond (Many Americans are invested in a US failure in Iraq, and will work diligently to bring it about.)
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To: bondjamesbond
"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.

hahahaha!!!! She recommends books she never read! Hahahahaha!!!!!

WTF?

FMCDH(BITS)

28 posted on 12/07/2006 1:39:33 PM PST by nothingnew (I fear for my Republic due to marxist influence in our government. Open eyes/see)
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To: L98Fiero

"You want poems, I got some f'in poems."

29 posted on 12/07/2006 1:40:26 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: dfwgator
More precisely, I think it begins "Dark and lonely on a summer night..."

Also, don't forget his poem "I Hate White People"...

I hate the sunlight and I hate the night.
I hate white people because they is white.
Their hair is wavy, their lips is thin,
But worse than white women, I hate white men.
Walking around with briefcase and money,
Bust they head open, my ain't that funny?
Not out of anger and not out of spite.
I just hate whitey because they is white.
W-I-T-E people.
30 posted on 12/07/2006 1:40:32 PM PST by beezdotcom
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To: Hemingway's Ghost

I had to wait eight years to join the military so I could find that nightclub in Paris.


31 posted on 12/07/2006 1:41:32 PM PST by Thrownatbirth (.....when the sidewalks are safe for the little guy.)
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To: bondjamesbond

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.


32 posted on 12/07/2006 1:44:49 PM PST by Neoliberalnot
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Later pingout.


33 posted on 12/07/2006 1:46:54 PM PST by little jeremiah
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To: dfwgator

Old Mother Hubbard
Went to her cupboard
To give her poor dog a bone...


34 posted on 12/07/2006 1:46:56 PM PST by bondjamesbond (Many Americans are invested in a US failure in Iraq, and will work diligently to bring it about.)
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To: little jeremiah; Xenalyte

Xenalyte needs to ping the Salacious Ping List... if it is worthy.


35 posted on 12/07/2006 1:48:03 PM PST by bondjamesbond (Many Americans are invested in a US failure in Iraq, and will work diligently to bring it about.)
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To: bondjamesbond
Needless to say, any parent who puts a child in public school deserves whatever they get.

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.

36 posted on 12/07/2006 1:49:29 PM PST by Logophile
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To: bondjamesbond

Little Boy Blue

He needed the money!


37 posted on 12/07/2006 1:50:42 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: Logophile
So long as we are paying good money to the public schools, we have every right to demand that they meet our expectations.

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.

38 posted on 12/07/2006 1:55:41 PM PST by bondjamesbond (Many Americans are invested in a US failure in Iraq, and will work diligently to bring it about.)
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To: The Blitherer
A lot of parents can't afford private school or homeschool.

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.

39 posted on 12/07/2006 1:55:49 PM PST by ElkGroveDan ( What does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his own soul?)
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To: Hemingway's Ghost

"I have been effed up ever since."
That's because you should not have tried rotating your head like in the book....


40 posted on 12/07/2006 1:55:59 PM PST by gb63
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