“Rick” summer reading

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you look at the assignments/slides the school has with this book, there is a whole glossary of terms. How is my prepubescent little boy supposed to discern whether he is asexual (absent sexual feelings) or just a prepubescent child who is not developmentally at the point to feel those feelings yet? I am finding this to be unnecessarily confusing.

Agree. Again, not all kids develop at the same rate.

Also, none of this is necessary for the school to be discussing with our 11 year olds.

Because you want to free to tell them at home that cis-het is the only acceptable way, and don’t want them to ever get a different message.

No. Why would you assume that? I don’t care if my kid is gay or straight. But I don’t want the school teaching my pre-pubescent kid about these topics.

What are you afraid will happen if they do? You are clearly worried about something. If you don’t want to tell us what that is here, on an anonymous board where no one knows who you are, perhaps that’s a sign you should examine your own motivations here.

Perhaps MCPS should examine its motivations for forcing 11 year olds to read a book about sexuality. What are the motivations behind this? With the accompanying slide show?

Is this for English class or is it for Family Life? What value does this book bring to the ELA curriculum that makes it necessary for 11 year olds to read?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do think MCPS has gone very deep into many social justice/political topics in their choice of reading materials. As a contrast, I looked up the summer reading for incoming 6th graders in our old Brooklyn neighborhood. Much more innocuous than the mcps selections.

They don't even have to be innocuous. How about good books? These books are being assigned precisely because of their subject matter, not because they're well written or worth reading.

When i think of all the actual **literature** I read by the time I had graduated from MCPS, it just makes me want to cry. These assignments are a joke.

Rick got positive reviews from kirkus, school library journal and publishers weekly.

Meaningless. Those are all incredibly liberal-leaning organizations. And not all of their recommendations are solid.

Publishers Weekly is an "incredibly liberal-leaning organization." Sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you look at the assignments/slides the school has with this book, there is a whole glossary of terms. How is my prepubescent little boy supposed to discern whether he is asexual (absent sexual feelings) or just a prepubescent child who is not developmentally at the point to feel those feelings yet? I am finding this to be unnecessarily confusing.

Agree. Again, not all kids develop at the same rate.

Also, none of this is necessary for the school to be discussing with our 11 year olds.

Because you want to free to tell them at home that cis-het is the only acceptable way, and don’t want them to ever get a different message.

No. Why would you assume that? I don’t care if my kid is gay or straight. But I don’t want the school teaching my pre-pubescent kid about these topics.

What are you afraid will happen if they do? You are clearly worried about something. If you don’t want to tell us what that is here, on an anonymous board where no one knows who you are, perhaps that’s a sign you should examine your own motivations here.

Because they are too young for this discussion. There is ZERO good reason for the school to push sexuality on our kids age age 11.

I said this before - they can put books about LGBQT issues on a high school reading list and offer it as a choice amongst other choices. But not on a list for kids who are entering 6th grade.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do think MCPS has gone very deep into many social justice/political topics in their choice of reading materials. As a contrast, I looked up the summer reading for incoming 6th graders in our old Brooklyn neighborhood. Much more innocuous than the mcps selections.

They don't even have to be innocuous. How about good books? These books are being assigned precisely because of their subject matter, not because they're well written or worth reading.

When i think of all the actual **literature** I read by the time I had graduated from MCPS, it just makes me want to cry. These assignments are a joke.

Rick got positive reviews from kirkus, school library journal and publishers weekly.

For the ideas it’s pushing, not the quality of the writing. How about some Hemingway instead?

DP. You expect 11 yos to read and understand Hemingway? And even if they can, why can’t they read both?

This discussion has certainly taken a turn for the dumb.

So an 11yo is expected to understand sexuality, but “The Old Man and the Sea” is beyond them? Seriously?

Again, why can’t they read both? Feel free to hand The Old Man and the Sea to your middle schooler if you feel it’s that important they read it.

This argument works both ways.

If you think Rick is an important piece of literature and want your kid to read it, you can hand it to your kid and force him to read it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you look at the assignments/slides the school has with this book, there is a whole glossary of terms. How is my prepubescent little boy supposed to discern whether he is asexual (absent sexual feelings) or just a prepubescent child who is not developmentally at the point to feel those feelings yet? I am finding this to be unnecessarily confusing.

Agree. Again, not all kids develop at the same rate.

Also, none of this is necessary for the school to be discussing with our 11 year olds.

Because you want to free to tell them at home that cis-het is the only acceptable way, and don’t want them to ever get a different message.

No. Why would you assume that? I don’t care if my kid is gay or straight. But I don’t want the school teaching my pre-pubescent kid about these topics.

What are you afraid will happen if they do? You are clearly worried about something. If you don’t want to tell us what that is here, on an anonymous board where no one knows who you are, perhaps that’s a sign you should examine your own motivations here.

Because they are too young for this discussion. There is ZERO good reason for the school to push sexuality on our kids age age 11.

I said this before - they can put books about LGBQT issues on a high school reading list and offer it as a choice amongst other choices. But not on a list for kids who are entering 6th grade.

Middle schoolers go through puberty. They feel sexual attraction. Some even start dating. Your understanding of child development is sorely lacking if you think these conversations can wait until high school. Your kid apparently is starting middle school this fall. They are going to hear discussions of sex and sexuality among their classmates. You may not want it to happen, but it will. If you don’t get ahead of that with discussions of healthy sexuality, you’re going to have a much harder time combating misinformation later. And if you haven’t started having those conversations before your kid gets to middle school, you are way behind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do think MCPS has gone very deep into many social justice/political topics in their choice of reading materials. As a contrast, I looked up the summer reading for incoming 6th graders in our old Brooklyn neighborhood. Much more innocuous than the mcps selections.

They don't even have to be innocuous. How about good books? These books are being assigned precisely because of their subject matter, not because they're well written or worth reading.

When i think of all the actual **literature** I read by the time I had graduated from MCPS, it just makes me want to cry. These assignments are a joke.

Rick got positive reviews from kirkus, school library journal and publishers weekly.

For the ideas it’s pushing, not the quality of the writing. How about some Hemingway instead?

DP. You expect 11 yos to read and understand Hemingway? And even if they can, why can’t they read both?

This discussion has certainly taken a turn for the dumb.

So an 11yo is expected to understand sexuality, but “The Old Man and the Sea” is beyond them? Seriously?

Again, why can’t they read both? Feel free to hand The Old Man and the Sea to your middle schooler if you feel it’s that important they read it.

This argument works both ways.

If you think Rick is an important piece of literature and want your kid to read it, you can hand it to your kid and force him to read it.

You’re right, I can. But I’m also not arguing for pulling books out of the curriculum, so you’re argument is pretty irrelevant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you look at the assignments/slides the school has with this book, there is a whole glossary of terms. How is my prepubescent little boy supposed to discern whether he is asexual (absent sexual feelings) or just a prepubescent child who is not developmentally at the point to feel those feelings yet? I am finding this to be unnecessarily confusing.

Agree. Again, not all kids develop at the same rate.

Also, none of this is necessary for the school to be discussing with our 11 year olds.

Because you want to free to tell them at home that cis-het is the only acceptable way, and don’t want them to ever get a different message.

No. Why would you assume that? I don’t care if my kid is gay or straight. But I don’t want the school teaching my pre-pubescent kid about these topics.

What are you afraid will happen if they do? You are clearly worried about something. If you don’t want to tell us what that is here, on an anonymous board where no one knows who you are, perhaps that’s a sign you should examine your own motivations here.

Because they are too young for this discussion. There is ZERO good reason for the school to push sexuality on our kids age age 11.

I said this before - they can put books about LGBQT issues on a high school reading list and offer it as a choice amongst other choices. But not on a list for kids who are entering 6th grade.

Middle schoolers go through puberty. They feel sexual attraction. Some even start dating. Your understanding of child development is sorely lacking if you think these conversations can wait until high school. Your kid apparently is starting middle school this fall. They are going to hear discussions of sex and sexuality among their classmates. You may not want it to happen, but it will. If you don’t get ahead of that with discussions of healthy sexuality, you’re going to have a much harder time combating misinformation later. And if you haven’t started having those conversations before your kid gets to middle school, you are way behind.

Right. It’s a conversation for parents to have with their children. It’s not for the school to lead these conversations with 11 year olds in English class.

[Anonymous]

Those of you who think this is too young for books that discuss sexuality -- what books (specifically) do you want on the reading list? I'm really struggling to think of 6th-grade-ish books that don't involve some references to romance/dating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you look at the assignments/slides the school has with this book, there is a whole glossary of terms. How is my prepubescent little boy supposed to discern whether he is asexual (absent sexual feelings) or just a prepubescent child who is not developmentally at the point to feel those feelings yet? I am finding this to be unnecessarily confusing.

Agree. Again, not all kids develop at the same rate.

Also, none of this is necessary for the school to be discussing with our 11 year olds.

Because you want to free to tell them at home that cis-het is the only acceptable way, and don’t want them to ever get a different message.

No. Why would you assume that? I don’t care if my kid is gay or straight. But I don’t want the school teaching my pre-pubescent kid about these topics.

What are you afraid will happen if they do? You are clearly worried about something. If you don’t want to tell us what that is here, on an anonymous board where no one knows who you are, perhaps that’s a sign you should examine your own motivations here.

Because they are too young for this discussion. There is ZERO good reason for the school to push sexuality on our kids age age 11.

I said this before - they can put books about LGBQT issues on a high school reading list and offer it as a choice amongst other choices. But not on a list for kids who are entering 6th grade.

Middle schoolers go through puberty. They feel sexual attraction. Some even start dating. Your understanding of child development is sorely lacking if you think these conversations can wait until high school. Your kid apparently is starting middle school this fall. They are going to hear discussions of sex and sexuality among their classmates. You may not want it to happen, but it will. If you don’t get ahead of that with discussions of healthy sexuality, you’re going to have a much harder time combating misinformation later. And if you haven’t started having those conversations before your kid gets to middle school, you are way behind.

Right. It’s a conversation for parents to have with their children. It’s not for the school to lead these conversations with 11 year olds in English class.

You could make that argument about just about anything the schools teach. Maybe I think kids should get different messaging about athletics, so let’s ban PE from schools. Maybe I think we should be teaching different messages on history and cutlet generally, so schools should stop teaching history and social studies. We better never talk about the civil rights movement because some people think it was an unfortunate part of our history and we were better off before. And definitely better never teach that the Union won the civil war, because some people wish it hadn’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Those of you who think this is too young for books that discuss sexuality -- what books (specifically) do you want on the reading list? I'm really struggling to think of 6th-grade-ish books that don't involve some references to romance/dating.

We better make sure to ban the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, because the characters date in those books!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you look at the assignments/slides the school has with this book, there is a whole glossary of terms. How is my prepubescent little boy supposed to discern whether he is asexual (absent sexual feelings) or just a prepubescent child who is not developmentally at the point to feel those feelings yet? I am finding this to be unnecessarily confusing.

Agree. Again, not all kids develop at the same rate.

Also, none of this is necessary for the school to be discussing with our 11 year olds.

Because you want to free to tell them at home that cis-het is the only acceptable way, and don’t want them to ever get a different message.

No. Why would you assume that? I don’t care if my kid is gay or straight. But I don’t want the school teaching my pre-pubescent kid about these topics.

What are you afraid will happen if they do? You are clearly worried about something. If you don’t want to tell us what that is here, on an anonymous board where no one knows who you are, perhaps that’s a sign you should examine your own motivations here.

Perhaps MCPS should examine its motivations for forcing 11 year olds to read a book about sexuality. What are the motivations behind this? With the accompanying slide show?

Is this for English class or is it for Family Life? What value does this book bring to the ELA curriculum that makes it necessary for 11 year olds to read?

to answer your question. Empathy and understanding towards others that are different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you look at the assignments/slides the school has with this book, there is a whole glossary of terms. How is my prepubescent little boy supposed to discern whether he is asexual (absent sexual feelings) or just a prepubescent child who is not developmentally at the point to feel those feelings yet? I am finding this to be unnecessarily confusing.

Agree. Again, not all kids develop at the same rate.

Also, none of this is necessary for the school to be discussing with our 11 year olds.

Because you want to free to tell them at home that cis-het is the only acceptable way, and don’t want them to ever get a different message.

No. Why would you assume that? I don’t care if my kid is gay or straight. But I don’t want the school teaching my pre-pubescent kid about these topics.

What are you afraid will happen if they do? You are clearly worried about something. If you don’t want to tell us what that is here, on an anonymous board where no one knows who you are, perhaps that’s a sign you should examine your own motivations here.

Because they are too young for this discussion. There is ZERO good reason for the school to push sexuality on our kids age age 11.

I said this before - they can put books about LGBQT issues on a high school reading list and offer it as a choice amongst other choices. But not on a list for kids who are entering 6th grade.

Middle schoolers go through puberty. They feel sexual attraction. Some even start dating. Your understanding of child development is sorely lacking if you think these conversations can wait until high school. Your kid apparently is starting middle school this fall. They are going to hear discussions of sex and sexuality among their classmates. You may not want it to happen, but it will. If you don’t get ahead of that with discussions of healthy sexuality, you’re going to have a much harder time combating misinformation later. And if you haven’t started having those conversations before your kid gets to middle school, you are way behind.

Right. It’s a conversation for parents to have with their children. It’s not for the school to lead these conversations with 11 year olds in English class.

but to many parents don’t. And that’s the problem for the kids that are different and feel ostracized by their peers. Some of you need tons tuslly read the book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you look at the assignments/slides the school has with this book, there is a whole glossary of terms. How is my prepubescent little boy supposed to discern whether he is asexual (absent sexual feelings) or just a prepubescent child who is not developmentally at the point to feel those feelings yet? I am finding this to be unnecessarily confusing.

Agree. Again, not all kids develop at the same rate.

Also, none of this is necessary for the school to be discussing with our 11 year olds.

Because you want to free to tell them at home that cis-het is the only acceptable way, and don’t want them to ever get a different message.

No. Why would you assume that? I don’t care if my kid is gay or straight. But I don’t want the school teaching my pre-pubescent kid about these topics.

What are you afraid will happen if they do? You are clearly worried about something. If you don’t want to tell us what that is here, on an anonymous board where no one knows who you are, perhaps that’s a sign you should examine your own motivations here.

Because they are too young for this discussion. There is ZERO good reason for the school to push sexuality on our kids age age 11.

I said this before - they can put books about LGBQT issues on a high school reading list and offer it as a choice amongst other choices. But not on a list for kids who are entering 6th grade.

Middle schoolers go through puberty. They feel sexual attraction. Some even start dating. Your understanding of child development is sorely lacking if you think these conversations can wait until high school. Your kid apparently is starting middle school this fall. They are going to hear discussions of sex and sexuality among their classmates. You may not want it to happen, but it will. If you don’t get ahead of that with discussions of healthy sexuality, you’re going to have a much harder time combating misinformation later. And if you haven’t started having those conversations before your kid gets to middle school, you are way behind.

Right. It’s a conversation for parents to have with their children. It’s not for the school to lead these conversations with 11 year olds in English class.

Are you having that conversation with your children at home? Are you explaining to them that when they start to “feel those feelings,” it may not look exactly the way the way tv shows and movies might make them think it should, and that it’s okay if their feelings are different from what most commonly see portrayed in the media?

Your kids are getting messages about sex and sexuality all the time, whether they (or you) realize it or not.

[Anonymous]

I and many other parents will not budge from the position that it is not the role of public schools to discuss sexuality with my kids. That is a parent’s job. Full stop. End.

As a separate issue, this creates risk. In high school I had a teacher discuss dating and relations with me, basically he was interested. Thank god my parents got involved. He dated a barely out of high school friend of mine later.

[Anonymous]

Let’s add the Bible as in Literature summer reading and see how quickly some of you pushing the Rick agenda freak out.