Puerto Rico Ping! Please Freepmail me if you want on or off the list.
Posted on 09/15/2009 8:37:40 AM PDT by Ebenezer
(English-language translation)
In the opinion of Governor Luis Fortuño, a 5-year-old child should not read a book meant for adolescents, nor should 13-year-olds have access to texts written for adults.
"In society, we must have all types of texts and books available, of course. As a father, I have to say that there are books that are appropriate when a child is 5 years old. There are others that are appropriate when he is 12, 13 years old; and there are others that are appropriate when he reaches 18, 20. Those that are for 18- to 20-year-olds should not be read by 12- or 13-year-olds. I understand this is the determination the [Puerto Rico] Department of Education is making," the Governor stated after participating in the Faith and Hope Crusade at the Hogar Crea [drug-rehabilitation center] in Guaynabo.
He assured to the press that the determination by the Department of Education (DE) to prohibit texts by four Puerto Rican authors and Mexican Carlos Fuentes does not mean that its public policy will impose censorship on the reading of certain writings just as the Spanish government did during the 19th century.
"I think I was very clear, and all fathers and mothers out there understand perfectly that books that an 18-year-old may read should not be read by a 12-year-old," he said.
On Thursday, DE Secretary Carlos Chardón requested the withdrawal of five books from the 11th-grade Spanish program since they feature vulgar words and narratives that are inappropriate for the students' age. The texts are Personal Anthology by José Luis González, Cortijo's Burial by Edgardo Rodríguez Juliá, I'd Better Tell You: Personal Anthology by Juan Antonio Ramos, A Meeting of Mirrors by José Luis Vega, and Aura by Carlos Fuentes. The books are not part of the DE curriculum but, rather, supplementary readings.
ping
It is wrong..
What is wrong? Making sure age appropriate material is taught?
I’d like to ensure my elementary school daughter is not taught sex in class.
Puerto Rico Ping! Please Freepmail me if you want on or off the list.
I don’t take offense at the term “book-banning”, nor do I use it to discredit the Puerto Rico Department of Education’s policy (the article’s original headline refers to “the prohibition of literary works”). In fact, I support the policy.
It’s fine to have standards and guidelines. But, what specifically will be allowed? Will they allow the children’s books pushed by the gay groups to teach elementary age kids about homosexuality, for example? Will that be allowed as age appropriate, or banned as too adult for children? I would want to know what the standards will be.
The way I see this policy is that, if a kid manages to read some book which is inappropriate for his age, the school cannot be held responsible because it has neither required nor recommended it.
Why is it wrong? It’s not like they are banning these books but are merely restricting it based on age appropriateness.
Or, are you saying that “Heather has 2 mommies,” “Daddy and his boyfriend,” and the Democrat Party manifesto are Grade 1 books after all?
I don’t know if the PR Department of Education has promulgated any standards. Regarding your example on homosexuality, why do kids need to be taught about that (or anything about sexuality, for that matter) in school anyway?
Any thoughts on standards, cll?
Again, nothing wrong with making sure that a literary work is actually going to have a positive impact on the student.
If its going to tear down, if its offensive to good morals, it doesn’t need to be in the school system.
They’re aren’t prohibiting anything; its the educator’s job to choose works that are educational and are going to generally uplift the student. Choosing is not prohibiting. A work that wasn’t chosen wasn’t prohibited, it wasn’t chosen.
I just think that public schools in Puerto Rico are deplorable. There are some pockets of achievement, but they are few and far between. Thankfullly, the new government is allowing municipalities to do their own thing. San Juan, for example, has introduced bilingual schools and sports schools. For those who don’t know, Puerto Rico schools teach almost exclusively in Spanish. Evene English is taught in Spanish.
As far as these books go, in a heavily evangelized island, I am surprised that this got this far.
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