Just got disturbing email regarding English class for my rising freshman

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I remember my friend and I sneaking into the library’s Young Adult fiction to read Judy Blume’s “Forever” when I was in the sixth grade. This was after I had asked the children’s librarian why it wasn’t there and she said it was for older girls and not me. Made me go read it faster.

By freshman year, we had read many more books in that section.

Did not make me go out and have sex early. In fact, I was a late bloomer on that front.

My friends and I passed a paperback copy of this around in 6th grade! I remember sitting on the grass behind the school during recess, every one of us confused about what "came" meant, lol. We had no clue.

I read it in the library so I didn't have to check it out. I still remember what the male protagonist did with the aftershave. Ewww!
It was a pretty awkward and vulgar book in a lot of ways. I never warmed to any Judy Blume kid books. They all seemed to be about awkward people - that didn't make me feel informed or better prepared.

It’s not unreasonable to suggest there are a lot of books out there (without explicit sexual content and profanity on nearly every page and offensive slander of a major religion)

What book are you objecting to? Not The Poet X which has very little profanity, a few pages out of 361 in which kissing is described and one on which teenagers decide not to have sex, and a Catholic priest who is gentle, understanding, helps a family in need, and corrects misunderstandings about Catholic teaching.

My guess is that teachers using this book are going to choose from the hundreds of poems that don’t touch on sex for analysis, and any reading aloud.

There is not a teacher in northern Virginia who would discuss this book in any way that reflected an understanding of Catholicism, or that painted any aspect of Christianity in a positive light. The focus would be on disparaging Catholics and Catholicism/Christianity, and you know it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo.

That’s a hard no.

Why?

Because my kids are too young to be required to read pornography?

You should read a dictionary. This book is not “pornography”.

I’m sorry—how is it not exactly??? I’ve read it. Have you?

I read it and you're either a liar or do not know what pornography is.

Can you share an example of pornography in this book?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Leave out all the bs, we have to get kids ready for the real world not this fantasy reading bs. Literature can be done at home if parents choose to do so. We needs people to read and write technical and business documents not fantasy novels and made up writings.

I really hope this is a troll.

[Anonymous]

John Green explained this in detail years ago:

https://youtu.be/fHMPtYvZ8tM?si=RB2nqzXZGWceWtOC

Portrayals of sex in literature is not pornography.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I remember my friend and I sneaking into the library’s Young Adult fiction to read Judy Blume’s “Forever” when I was in the sixth grade. This was after I had asked the children’s librarian why it wasn’t there and she said it was for older girls and not me. Made me go read it faster.

By freshman year, we had read many more books in that section.

Did not make me go out and have sex early. In fact, I was a late bloomer on that front.

My friends and I passed a paperback copy of this around in 6th grade! I remember sitting on the grass behind the school during recess, every one of us confused about what "came" meant, lol. We had no clue.

I read it in the library so I didn't have to check it out. I still remember what the male protagonist did with the aftershave. Ewww!
It was a pretty awkward and vulgar book in a lot of ways. I never warmed to any Judy Blume kid books. They all seemed to be about awkward people - that didn't make me feel informed or better prepared.

It’s not unreasonable to suggest there are a lot of books out there (without explicit sexual content and profanity on nearly every page and offensive slander of a major religion)

What book are you objecting to? Not The Poet X which has very little profanity, a few pages out of 361 in which kissing is described and one on which teenagers decide not to have sex, and a Catholic priest who is gentle, understanding, helps a family in need, and corrects misunderstandings about Catholic teaching.

My guess is that teachers using this book are going to choose from the hundreds of poems that don’t touch on sex for analysis, and any reading aloud.

There is not a teacher in northern Virginia who would discuss this book in any way that reflected an understanding of Catholicism, or that painted any aspect of Christianity in a positive light. The focus would be on disparaging Catholics and Catholicism/Christianity, and you know it.

So now we can't read any books with positive portrayals of Christians either?

I can't speak to your experience. It certainly doesn't match mine as a Catholic teacher teaching in DC, raising kids in MoCo, but if my options are to remove all portrayals of Christians in literature, or keep positive ones like this one, I'm going with the latter.

I'm still guessing you haven't read the book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately yes. Teachers are required to alert parents! However, parents can ask for specific titles, read them and opt their child out of any they feel are not appropriate. Teachers are required to provide an alternative assignment and to avoid any action or statement that would be critical of the child or parent.

But if my child is the only one doing the alternative assignment, they won’t be part of any class discussions. How would that work? Won’t it be harder?

Well, you can't have it both ways. And they will hear more inappropriate content walking down the hallway to English class than in whatever book they've been assigned for English class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:John Green explained this in detail years ago:

https://youtu.be/fHMPtYvZ8tM?si=RB2nqzXZGWceWtOC

Portrayals of sex in literature is not pornography.

While I agree that portrayals of sex in literature are usually not pornography, I also have to point out that no one in The Poet X has sex.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP: We share in your shock & disgust. Have you considered sending your child to a private, parochial, or other type of non-whacked out school ?

Please do not permit these child abusers to expose, desensitize, and indoctrinate your child into this type of vile brainwashing. Absolutely disgusting.

Yes because there are no child abusers in parochial schools

[Anonymous]

Extremely sad that people need trigger warnings everywhere. Terrible thing to teach kids

[Anonymous]

I just finished poet x based on this thread. What a fantastic book with a lot of fodder for an English class. Catholicism is shown positively btw. And no one has sex in the book.

[Anonymous]

FCPS is truly going downhill.

Excerpts from The Poet X: the other girls call me conceited. Ho. Thot. Fast.
When your body takes up more room than your voice
you are always the target of well-aimed rumors,
which is why I let my knuckles talk for me.
Which is why I learned to shrug when my name was replaced
by insults.

And I get all this attention from guys 
but it’s like a sancocho of emotions.
This stew of mixed-up ingredients:
partly flattered they think I’m attractive,
partly scared they’re only interested in my ass and boobs,
and a good measure of Mami-will-kill-me fear sprinkled on top.

Good girls don’t wear tampones.
Are you still a virgin? Are you having relations?”
I didn’t know how to answer her, I could only cry.
She shook her head and told me to skip church that day.
Threw away the box of tampons, saying they were for cueros.
That she would buy me pads. Said eleven was too young.
That she would pray on my behalf.
I didn’t understand what she was saying.
But I stopped crying. I licked at my split lip.
I prayed for the bleeding to stop.

Yeah, no, my kid isn’t going to be reading this crap. This is so ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCPS is truly going downhill.

Excerpts from The Poet X: the other girls call me conceited. Ho. Thot. Fast.
When your body takes up more room than your voice
you are always the target of well-aimed rumors,
which is why I let my knuckles talk for me.
Which is why I learned to shrug when my name was replaced
by insults.

And I get all this attention from guys 
but it’s like a sancocho of emotions.
This stew of mixed-up ingredients:
partly flattered they think I’m attractive,
partly scared they’re only interested in my ass and boobs,
and a good measure of Mami-will-kill-me fear sprinkled on top.

Good girls don’t wear tampones.
Are you still a virgin? Are you having relations?”
I didn’t know how to answer her, I could only cry.
She shook her head and told me to skip church that day.
Threw away the box of tampons, saying they were for cueros.
That she would buy me pads. Said eleven was too young.
That she would pray on my behalf.
I didn’t understand what she was saying.
But I stopped crying. I licked at my split lip.
I prayed for the bleeding to stop.

Yeah, no, my kid isn’t going to be reading this crap. This is so ridiculous.

Not everyone appreciates art.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCPS is truly going downhill.

Excerpts from The Poet X: the other girls call me conceited. Ho. Thot. Fast.
When your body takes up more room than your voice
you are always the target of well-aimed rumors,
which is why I let my knuckles talk for me.
Which is why I learned to shrug when my name was replaced
by insults.

And I get all this attention from guys 
but it’s like a sancocho of emotions.
This stew of mixed-up ingredients:
partly flattered they think I’m attractive,
partly scared they’re only interested in my ass and boobs,
and a good measure of Mami-will-kill-me fear sprinkled on top.

Good girls don’t wear tampones.
Are you still a virgin? Are you having relations?”
I didn’t know how to answer her, I could only cry.
She shook her head and told me to skip church that day.
Threw away the box of tampons, saying they were for cueros.
That she would buy me pads. Said eleven was too young.
That she would pray on my behalf.
I didn’t understand what she was saying.
But I stopped crying. I licked at my split lip.
I prayed for the bleeding to stop.

Yeah, no, my kid isn’t going to be reading this crap. This is so ridiculous.

That is excellent. What is your objection, exactly? There are no words or concepts there that 14 year olds haven’t heard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately yes. Teachers are required to alert parents! However, parents can ask for specific titles, read them and opt their child out of any they feel are not appropriate. Teachers are required to provide an alternative assignment and to avoid any action or statement that would be critical of the child or parent.

But if my child is the only one doing the alternative assignment, they won’t be part of any class discussions. How would that work? Won’t it be harder?

It will make more work for the teacher, and your kid won't learn nearly enough, but you'll have saved your kid from the trauma of reading Romeo and Juliet. Plus, it's always fun to embarrass your kid!

It’s not a classic, unfortunately. I would totally be on board with a classic. It’s a woke novel with “masturbation, heavy naked petting,” etc.

Ok. Then STFU and opt out. Make more work for the teacher and your kid. Just so they avoid topics they’re going to hear about in HS anyway.

What’s the big deal about classics anyway? There are lots of more rece t books that are just as great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP: We share in your shock & disgust. Have you considered sending your child to a private, parochial, or other type of non-whacked out school ?

Please do not permit these child abusers to expose, desensitize, and indoctrinate your child into this type of vile brainwashing. Absolutely disgusting.

Agree