Cooper 7th Grade Book List

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid just started 7th grade at Cooper and he's not in AAP. The book list from his English class contains about 40 books. I looked at the books and was shocked to see that none of the books are classics. There's no Tom Sawyer, To Kill a Mocking Bird, Great Expectation or Oliver Twist, which in my mind, are great books for this age, even though the language might be different. (I'm a 50-yr old immigrant who speaks English as a second language, for background)

The first 5 books are:
1. A good kind of trouble, by Lisa Moor Ramee, keyword when I searched county library catalog suggests BLM;
2. All American Boys by Brenan Kiely and Jason Reynolds, library catalog keyword racism;
3. Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed, keyword Pakistan/family
4. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz, keyword homosexuality
5. Blended by Sharon M. Draper, keyword black father white mother

While I personally hold nothing against the topics above, when did English class become a brain washing course with hidden agenda? Why can't the kids simply learn the beauty of the English language, and be inspired by the great minds, even from a complete different time? Or am I living in such a sheltered life that the topics are prevailing way of life now? Shouldn't all the current events be part of civics class?

I don't know if the list is specific to his class or to Cooper, but my question to the wise readers here--what should I do? Tell my kids not to read these books which means going against the school? Or ask for an alternate list?

To be fair, Tom Sawyer and To Kill a Mocking Bird have a ton of racist language in them.

Definitely should not be allowed, especially in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid just started 7th grade at Cooper and he's not in AAP. The book list from his English class contains about 40 books. I looked at the books and was shocked to see that none of the books are classics. There's no Tom Sawyer, To Kill a Mocking Bird, Great Expectation or Oliver Twist, which in my mind, are great books for this age, even though the language might be different. (I'm a 50-yr old immigrant who speaks English as a second language, for background)

The first 5 books are:
1. A good kind of trouble, by Lisa Moor Ramee, keyword when I searched county library catalog suggests BLM;
2. All American Boys by Brenan Kiely and Jason Reynolds, library catalog keyword racism;
3. Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed, keyword Pakistan/family
4. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz, keyword homosexuality
5. Blended by Sharon M. Draper, keyword black father white mother

While I personally hold nothing against the topics above, when did English class become a brain washing course with hidden agenda? Why can't the kids simply learn the beauty of the English language, and be inspired by the great minds, even from a complete different time? Or am I living in such a sheltered life that the topics are prevailing way of life now? Shouldn't all the current events be part of civics class?

I don't know if the list is specific to his class or to Cooper, but my question to the wise readers here--what should I do? Tell my kids not to read these books which means going against the school? Or ask for an alternate list?

To be fair, Tom Sawyer and To Kill a Mocking Bird have a ton of racist language in them.

Definitely should not be allowed, especially in school.

Are you joking? Those books are classics and should definitely be taught.

[Anonymous]

https://media.benedictine.edu/the-myth-of-relevance-and-the-relevance-of-myth

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://media.benedictine.edu/the-myth-of-relevance-and-the-relevance-of-myth

Thank you for posting this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid just started 7th grade at Cooper and he's not in AAP. The book list from his English class contains about 40 books. I looked at the books and was shocked to see that none of the books are classics. There's no Tom Sawyer, To Kill a Mocking Bird, Great Expectation or Oliver Twist, which in my mind, are great books for this age, even though the language might be different. (I'm a 50-yr old immigrant who speaks English as a second language, for background)

The first 5 books are:
1. A good kind of trouble, by Lisa Moor Ramee, keyword when I searched county library catalog suggests BLM;
2. All American Boys by Brenan Kiely and Jason Reynolds, library catalog keyword racism;
3. Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed, keyword Pakistan/family
4. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz, keyword homosexuality
5. Blended by Sharon M. Draper, keyword black father white mother

While I personally hold nothing against the topics above, when did English class become a brain washing course with hidden agenda? Why can't the kids simply learn the beauty of the English language, and be inspired by the great minds, even from a complete different time? Or am I living in such a sheltered life that the topics are prevailing way of life now? Shouldn't all the current events be part of civics class?

I don't know if the list is specific to his class or to Cooper, but my question to the wise readers here--what should I do? Tell my kids not to read these books which means going against the school? Or ask for an alternate list?

The cultural literacy you are looking for is not going to be found in the public school system. I recommend you move heaven and earth to find a classical school to educate your child.

[Anonymous]

Considering the level of politically-driven social engineering by FCPS, is anyone surprised the quality of education in Fairfax county is rapidly on the decline?

[Anonymous]

Privates will have what you are looking for.

[Anonymous]

There is only so much time in a school year and you can only cover so many books. At some point, you have to drive your kid to the public library, hand them a book and tell them to read it. Seriously, do you expect kids to get all of their knowledge strictly from school? When I read posts like this, I imagine helpless people, cowering in a corner, who can't foster any kind of learning for their kids outside of school so blame the system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid just started 7th grade at Cooper and he's not in AAP. The book list from his English class contains about 40 books. I looked at the books and was shocked to see that none of the books are classics. There's no Tom Sawyer, To Kill a Mocking Bird, Great Expectation or Oliver Twist, which in my mind, are great books for this age, even though the language might be different. (I'm a 50-yr old immigrant who speaks English as a second language, for background)

The first 5 books are:
1. A good kind of trouble, by Lisa Moor Ramee, keyword when I searched county library catalog suggests BLM;
2. All American Boys by Brenan Kiely and Jason Reynolds, library catalog keyword racism;
3. Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed, keyword Pakistan/family
4. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz, keyword homosexuality
5. Blended by Sharon M. Draper, keyword black father white mother

While I personally hold nothing against the topics above, when did English class become a brain washing course with hidden agenda? Why can't the kids simply learn the beauty of the English language, and be inspired by the great minds, even from a complete different time? Or am I living in such a sheltered life that the topics are prevailing way of life now? Shouldn't all the current events be part of civics class?

I don't know if the list is specific to his class or to Cooper, but my question to the wise readers here--what should I do? Tell my kids not to read these books which means going against the school? Or ask for an alternate list?

To be fair, Tom Sawyer and To Kill a Mocking Bird have a ton of racist language in them.

Definitely should not be allowed, especially in school.

Reading these books can help understand how ugly those racist words are as well as how society worked in different eras. Without this kind of context these words become less meaningful. They become words you don’t say but you don’t know why you don’t (or certain people should’t) say them. Reading racist / sexist words in stories like these doesn’t generate racists / sexists but they can make you stop and think before doing something that will come off as sexist / racist. Just like reading something about homosexual characters won’t make you homosexual.

[Anonymous]

This reminds me of how FCPS will generally schedules field trips only to BIPOC museums / exhibitions showcasing white male oppression.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This reminds me of how FCPS will generally schedules field trips only to BIPOC museums / exhibitions showcasing white male oppression.

But history needs to be refocused through the lens of anti-racism so learners in FCPS can clearly see how racist, cisgender, white males have built America on systemic racism by oppressing BIPOC peoples, the LGTBQIA+ community, and Womyn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This reminds me of how FCPS will generally schedules field trips only to BIPOC museums / exhibitions showcasing white male oppression.

But history needs to be refocused through the lens of anti-racism so learners in FCPS can clearly see how racist, cisgender, white males have built America on systemic racism by oppressing BIPOC peoples, the LGTBQIA+ community, and Womyn.

There's a lot to unpack in that sentence.

[Anonymous]

Just stop. If you think teachers don’t pay attention and in many cases avoid Cooper and Langley because of their reputation for parents who are never happy, you are mistaken.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This reminds me of how FCPS will generally schedules field trips only to BIPOC museums / exhibitions showcasing white male oppression.

But history needs to be refocused through the lens of anti-racism so learners in FCPS can clearly see how racist, cisgender, white males have built America on systemic racism by oppressing BIPOC peoples, the LGTBQIA+ community, and Womyn.

You're being sarcastic, right?