Inclusive Books Available for Elementary Classrooms

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://bethesdamagazine.com/2022/12/14/mcps-six-new-lgbtq-elementary-school-books-met-with-overwhelming-community-support/

Looks like a list of their activist buddies “books” that all came out the last three years. Same magazine at Politics and Prose. Sales are t going well. But NGOs buy the books and “donate” them to the ES library.

Bring back the classics.

So sick of graphic novels and their snarky dialogs and same 100 words looping about.

I always wonder what "classics" people have in mind, when they say that. The Giving Tree, by an author who mostly wrote for Playboy and also wrote A Boy Named Sue? Babar, whose mother is killed by a hunter, and then he marries his cousin, plus it's translated from French (but the clothes are fabulous)? Finn Family Moomintroll, written by an author who was bi? Amelia Bedelia, a model for the subverting the bourgeoisie? I hope somebody will explain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://bethesdamagazine.com/2022/12/14/mcps-six-new-lgbtq-elementary-school-books-met-with-overwhelming-community-support/

Looks like a list of their activist buddies “books” that all came out the last three years. Same magazine at Politics and Prose. Sales are t going well. But NGOs buy the books and “donate” them to the ES library.

Bring back the classics.

So sick of graphic novels and their snarky dialogs and same 100 words looping about.

This is not actually possible. A few years back, some parents at my child's ES wanted to purchase more inclusive books for the school library, about Diwali and Eid, and were told that the library has a set list of books they are allowed to purchase. It's a big list, but at the time the books the parents wanted to buy were not on it. It was actually a long process to get them approved, even though they were not controversial and were totally age appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://bethesdamagazine.com/2022/12/14/mcps-six-new-lgbtq-elementary-school-books-met-with-overwhelming-community-support/

Looks like a list of their activist buddies “books” that all came out the last three years. Same magazine at Politics and Prose. Sales are t going well. But NGOs buy the books and “donate” them to the ES library.

Bring back the classics.

So sick of graphic novels and their snarky dialogs and same 100 words looping about.

I always wonder what "classics" people have in mind, when they say that. The Giving Tree, by an author who mostly wrote for Playboy and also wrote A Boy Named Sue? Babar, whose mother is killed by a hunter, and then he marries his cousin, plus it's translated from French (but the clothes are fabulous)? Finn Family Moomintroll, written by an author who was bi? Amelia Bedelia, a model for the subverting the bourgeoisie? I hope somebody will explain.

PP, I'd like to think you are my kids' school librarian.

[Anonymous]

Yes there is an approval process for all books in school libraries and classrooms.

[Anonymous]

Did anyone here want to read "the classics" when they were in school? Curriculum and media center development has moved light years beyond when we were in school. Were the classics even ever relevant???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry but this is really poor journalism. Let’s be clear— the books were met with overwhelming support….from the LGBTQ+ community. Not the entire MCPS community despite the “robust” evaluation. This is a very sensitive topic for many. The article states those who disagree with this decision are living in fear, which just smacks of bias and ostracism (and yes, irony). People have a lot of different feelings about how this should be presented to children and that should have been respected if we are really going to be inclusive.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry but this is really poor journalism. Let’s be clear— the books were met with overwhelming support….from the LGBTQ+ community. Not the entire MCPS community despite the “robust” evaluation. This is a very sensitive topic for many. The article states those who disagree with this decision are living in fear, which just smacks of bias and ostracism (and yes, irony). People have a lot of different feelings about how this should be presented to children and that should have been respected if we are really going to be inclusive.

+1

The article says no such thing. The article quotes multiple people, including one person who says they "believe any backlash to MCPS’ efforts at school inclusivity is rooted in fear. 'The idea of opening people’s minds and perspectives is scary to some people,' she said. 'There’s a reason why books have always been banned.'"

Are you upset that the author didn't also talk to you? Then you should feel free to contact the author and tell them you'd be happy to talk to them on the record about your opposition to these books.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone here want to read "the classics" when they were in school? Curriculum and media center development has moved light years beyond when we were in school. Were the classics even ever relevant???

What does this mean? Captain Underpants?

Yes, I wanted to read A Little Princess, Heidi, Little House on the Prairie, etc.

Tell us what you mean about curriculum moving light years beyond...

[Anonymous]

Do those “inclusive books” include the Bible? Koran?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do those “inclusive books” include the Bible? Koran?

MCPS secondary schools carry both books in their media centers. I don't think elementary schools would.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really happy to see this. Thanks for posting, OP.

Why are you happy to see this in schools?

These books are available at public libraries and parents are welcome to buy them if they so choose.

Why do you see the need to have these books available in elementary schools?

You know books that push the heterosexual agenda such as books that feature a mother and father or fairy tales like Cinderella where she falls in love with a prince or really grooming kids to choose to become straight. Depicting books where a man and woman fall in love and kiss each other could lead to really uncomfortable questions about heterosexual sex but I'm just not comfortable discussing with my kids. If parents feel comfortable reading those books to their children they can do so in their own home on their own time! A sexual books for me please!




That's what you sound like!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://bethesdamagazine.com/2022/12/14/mcps-six-new-lgbtq-elementary-school-books-met-with-overwhelming-community-support/

Looks like a list of their activist buddies “books” that all came out the last three years. Same magazine at Politics and Prose. Sales are t going well. But NGOs buy the books and “donate” them to the ES library.

Bring back the classics.

So sick of graphic novels and their snarky dialogs and same 100 words looping about.

Why are we putting donate in scare quotes like they are in fact donations.

And it's not like there isn't plenty of books depicting cisgender heterosexuality in most classrooms and libraries across Montgomery County

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone here want to read "the classics" when they were in school? Curriculum and media center development has moved light years beyond when we were in school. Were the classics even ever relevant???

What does this mean? Captain Underpants?

Yes, I wanted to read A Little Princess, Heidi, Little House on the Prairie, etc.

Tell us what you mean about curriculum moving light years beyond...

Those books are still available! It's not like "the classics" have been purged from MCPS media centers. More books have been added. That's good! I want kids with two dads to feel just as represented in literature as kids who live on the side of a mountain in Switzerland with their grumpy grandfather.

[Anonymous]

My Dads a Drag Queen is a popular one

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My Dads a Drag Queen is a popular one

For cultural warriors?