Condoms, Drug Dealers, Drunk Fathers – Are these good books for 6th graders?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As long as my kids read, I’m fine with their reading just about anything. And 6th graders already know about condoms, drugs and drinks. They have access to TV, the internet and they talk.

And this, my friend, is the parent of a future Q-Anon follower.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:During a recent 6th grade English class, a number of books were recommended for the kids to read including the following titles: Ghost by Jason Reynolds and The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

Reviews of the book online mention the following topics and words - a drunk father trying to kill a boy and his mom, a coach with a drug addict father, horny, grinding, use of condoms, gang shootings, drug dealers, lots of curse words, over 90 F*** and Sh**, Bit**, F*** THE POLICE

Are there any child psychologist reading this? Are these books appropriate for 11- and 12-year old’s?

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/the-hate-u-give

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/ghost-track-book-1

These are the lives many 6th graders in MCPS are facing —particularly those poor kids that DCUM is so worried about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as my kids read, I’m fine with their reading just about anything. And 6th graders already know about condoms, drugs and drinks. They have access to TV, the internet and they talk.

Well, yes, but this is a pretty lazy goal for the education of your children. Literature is meant to inspire, expose people to beautiful words and new ideas, etc. Schools of education now think that kids need to "relate" to everything. No, kids have been imagining themselves in other worlds and times for several centuries through literature. Why not choose books that elevate rather than degrade. And "just reading anything" is a pretty low standard.

I’ve read both if these books. Both are definitely inspirational and beautifully written. Based on the conversation here, perhaps they will also introduce new ideas. Personally, I would recommend Ghost for 6th. In fact, DD’s teacher read it as a read aloud in 5th. I would hold off on handing my kid The Hate U Give until 7th or 8th, but I’d let her read it as a 6th grader if she picked it up in her own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:During a recent 6th grade English class, a number of books were recommended for the kids to read including the following titles: Ghost by Jason Reynolds and The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

Reviews of the book online mention the following topics and words - a drunk father trying to kill a boy and his mom, a coach with a drug addict father, horny, grinding, use of condoms, gang shootings, drug dealers, lots of curse words, over 90 F*** and Sh**, Bit**, F*** THE POLICE

Are there any child psychologist reading this? Are these books appropriate for 11- and 12-year old’s?

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/the-hate-u-give

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/ghost-track-book-1

Doesn’t bother you that the police kill an unarmed black boy in one of those books. Maybe your kids don’t watch the news either.

[Anonymous]

I haven’t read those books, but what’s the context of the curse words? If it’s an accurate depiction of how the characters might talk, how is it different than reading Huck Finn, which parents have been trying to censor for decades?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as my kids read, I’m fine with their reading just about anything. And 6th graders already know about condoms, drugs and drinks. They have access to TV, the internet and they talk.

And this, my friend, is the parent of a future Q-Anon follower.

Showing reality to kids is not the future Q anon follower. They are all at church being “protected” by their parents and not allowed to read about condoms.

Haha remember Thornbirds

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as my kids read, I’m fine with their reading just about anything. And 6th graders already know about condoms, drugs and drinks. They have access to TV, the internet and they talk.

And this, my friend, is the parent of a future Q-Anon follower.

.

NP. Oh, please. Being well-informed is exactly the opposite of falling for conspiracy theories.

[Anonymous]

I didn’t read ghost but my 6th grader did. He selected it on his own.

I read the hate u give. If he wanted to read it - I wouldn’t stop him. I don’t censor what he reads.

I do know The Fault in Our Stars is recommended to him by school which I also read & it has sex in it. I don’t really care if he reads it but I suppose I was surprised they were recommending it. But I’m not a type of person to complain about book recommendations. He hasn’t read it yet. I wouldn’t stop him if he wanted to on his own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as my kids read, I’m fine with their reading just about anything. And 6th graders already know about condoms, drugs and drinks. They have access to TV, the internet and they talk.

And this, my friend, is the parent of a future Q-Anon follower.

No I think it’s the opposite - I think Q Anon are the sheltered kids who don’t grow up being in taught what’s true / fake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do you want your kids to read, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm?

Yes, what is wrong with that? Most older books have better vocabulary and real grammar.

I've actually read Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. As I recall, Rebecca has a father who is first shiftless and then dead. Highly unsuitable for a sixth-grader!

(I am not being sincere.)

[Anonymous]

It’s interesting that people have more problem with curse words and depictions of drunk parents than the Diary of Anne Frank, which depicts genocide.

Do you all really think curse words and drunk parents are more traumatizing?

Maybe it’s just because I’m Jewish, but every single one of my nightmares as a kid involved Nazis trying to kill me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as my kids read, I’m fine with their reading just about anything. And 6th graders already know about condoms, drugs and drinks. They have access to TV, the internet and they talk.

And this, my friend, is the parent of a future Q-Anon follower.

No I think it’s the opposite - I think Q Anon are the sheltered kids who don’t grow up being in taught what’s true / fake.

+1 Agree with you and the PP who said the same thing. Books that expose students to diverse points of view produce more informed thinkers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as my kids read, I’m fine with their reading just about anything. And 6th graders already know about condoms, drugs and drinks. They have access to TV, the internet and they talk.

Well, yes, but this is a pretty lazy goal for the education of your children. Literature is meant to inspire, expose people to beautiful words and new ideas, etc. Schools of education now think that kids need to "relate" to everything. No, kids have been imagining themselves in other worlds and times for several centuries through literature. Why not choose books that elevate rather than degrade. And "just reading anything" is a pretty low standard.

DP but I let my kids read whatever they want including the back of cereal boxes. I think that’s how you raise real readers.

[Anonymous]

I am still scarred by Pride and Predjudice. T

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as my kids read, I’m fine with their reading just about anything. And 6th graders already know about condoms, drugs and drinks. They have access to TV, the internet and they talk.

Well, yes, but this is a pretty lazy goal for the education of your children. Literature is meant to inspire, expose people to beautiful words and new ideas, etc. Schools of education now think that kids need to "relate" to everything. No, kids have been imagining themselves in other worlds and times for several centuries through literature. Why not choose books that elevate rather than degrade. And "just reading anything" is a pretty low standard.

I’ve read both if these books. Both are definitely inspirational and beautifully written. Based on the conversation here, perhaps they will also introduce new ideas. Personally, I would recommend Ghost for 6th. In fact, DD’s teacher read it as a read aloud in 5th. I would hold off on handing my kid The Hate U Give until 7th or 8th, but I’d let her read it as a 6th grader if she picked it up in her own.

My child has read all these books outside of school, and no my child did not turn into a delinquent.
You know your child. If you don't think your child is ready then wait.