“Rick” summer reading

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is 9. He thinks kissing is disgusting. He has no feelings of attraction to girls or boys. He doesn’t even know what that means. Should someone be telling him he might want to identify as asexual? Does it become appropriate to question his identity at age 11 or 13 or 15 or 17? It is perfectly normal to not be interested in either sex at any of these ages. Do you understand why it’s strange to introduce these topics to a middle school kid and then ask them how they identify? I understand why so many kids are truly confused about their identity. Schools keep reinforcing the idea that you should question your identity and have a label.

a) It’s for MS not Elementary. The greater majority of kids in MS are older than 9. B) It is totally fine for kids not to have any attraction towards either sex at any of the ages you mentioned just as it’s perfectly fine for kids to have attraction at any of these ages. Should we ignore everything that likely will happen for most people at some point in their life, just because your child hasn’t experienced or thought about it yet?

Your kid likely hasn’t thought of or experienced bombs dropping around them or famine. But kids in the world have. Does that mean we can’t talk about these things during Social Studies? Just because the topic is sexuality doesn’t make it any more taboo or kids incapable of absorbing the content and reflecting.

Bingo. Another PP already said the subject matter is better suited for another class. And a better book would be better suited for an English assignment -- one that shows kids what literature is all about, what a well crafted books is like, ETC. It's a reading assignment with an agenda, pure and simple. There is literally no other reason for it to be assigned reading.

How about gym classes where kids are divided into "Sure I'm going to be straight" "Sure I'm going to be gay" "Think the opposite sex is gross and that will never change although I'm told it may" "Think my opposite sex sibling's friends are both repulsive and fascinating but not sure what that means" etc. Would that be appropriate? No. Because it's gym class.

+1 to all of this

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is 9. He thinks kissing is disgusting. He has no feelings of attraction to girls or boys. He doesn’t even know what that means. Should someone be telling him he might want to identify as asexual? Does it become appropriate to question his identity at age 11 or 13 or 15 or 17? It is perfectly normal to not be interested in either sex at any of these ages. Do you understand why it’s strange to introduce these topics to a middle school kid and then ask them how they identify? I understand why so many kids are truly confused about their identity. Schools keep reinforcing the idea that you should question your identity and have a label.

a) It’s for MS not Elementary. The greater majority of kids in MS are older than 9. B) It is totally fine for kids not to have any attraction towards either sex at any of the ages you mentioned just as it’s perfectly fine for kids to have attraction at any of these ages. Should we ignore everything that likely will happen for most people at some point in their life, just because your child hasn’t experienced or thought about it yet?

Your kid likely hasn’t thought of or experienced bombs dropping around them or famine. But kids in the world have. Does that mean we can’t talk about these things during Social Studies? Just because the topic is sexuality doesn’t make it any more taboo or kids incapable of absorbing the content and reflecting.

You are missing the point. I have taught my kids about gays, lesbians, and even transgender in age appropriate ways. We had this discussion after he saw rainbow flags during pride month. I explained that he knew people that identified this way and they were no different than him. There is a difference between knowing what the words mean and teaching acceptance vs. promoting reading about kids who are questioning their identity at very young ages and wondering if they are normal. That is not the job of a school.

[Anonymous]

It gets worse. They are planning on continuing the discussions around this book into the fall. If you’re concerned, I suggest you email the principal. We might go private if MCPS can’t keep focused on academics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is 9. He thinks kissing is disgusting. He has no feelings of attraction to girls or boys. He doesn’t even know what that means. Should someone be telling him he might want to identify as asexual? Does it become appropriate to question his identity at age 11 or 13 or 15 or 17? It is perfectly normal to not be interested in either sex at any of these ages. Do you understand why it’s strange to introduce these topics to a middle school kid and then ask them how they identify? I understand why so many kids are truly confused about their identity. Schools keep reinforcing the idea that you should question your identity and have a label.

a) It’s for MS not Elementary. The greater majority of kids in MS are older than 9. B) It is totally fine for kids not to have any attraction towards either sex at any of the ages you mentioned just as it’s perfectly fine for kids to have attraction at any of these ages. Should we ignore everything that likely will happen for most people at some point in their life, just because your child hasn’t experienced or thought about it yet?

Your kid likely hasn’t thought of or experienced bombs dropping around them or famine. But kids in the world have. Does that mean we can’t talk about these things during Social Studies? Just because the topic is sexuality doesn’t make it any more taboo or kids incapable of absorbing the content and reflecting.

You are missing the point. I have taught my kids about gays, lesbians, and even transgender in age appropriate ways. We had this discussion after he saw rainbow flags during pride month. I explained that he knew people that identified this way and they were no different than him. There is a difference between knowing what the words mean and teaching acceptance vs. promoting reading about kids who are questioning their identity at very young ages and wondering if they are normal. That is not the job of a school.

Try again. The school is having them read to open their minds.

You are not a parent.

[Anonymous]

Book banning,
Book Burning

There is nothing wrong with the kids reading this book.

There is something wrong with you as a parent if you can not discuss this subject matter with your children/

Lazy, christians as usual.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Book banning,
Book Burning

There is nothing wrong with the kids reading this book.

There is something wrong with you as a parent if you can not discuss this subject matter with your children/

Lazy, christians as usual.

I’m not Christian, but I think this is appropriate. You sound pretty intolerant yourself, honestly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It gets worse. They are planning on continuing the discussions around this book into the fall. If you’re concerned, I suggest you email the principal. We might go private if MCPS can’t keep focused on academics.

Ugh, wish we could go private, but the finances would be tough. Wish MCPS would keep all this nonsense out and focus on the basics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Book banning,
Book Burning

There is nothing wrong with the kids reading this book.

There is something wrong with you as a parent if you can not discuss this subject matter with your children/

Lazy, christians as usual.[/quote

Replace “Christians” with any other religion and this post would be rightfully taken down. More liberal bigotry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is 9. He thinks kissing is disgusting. He has no feelings of attraction to girls or boys. He doesn’t even know what that means. Should someone be telling him he might want to identify as asexual? Does it become appropriate to question his identity at age 11 or 13 or 15 or 17? It is perfectly normal to not be interested in either sex at any of these ages. Do you understand why it’s strange to introduce these topics to a middle school kid and then ask them how they identify? I understand why so many kids are truly confused about their identity. Schools keep reinforcing the idea that you should question your identity and have a label.

a) It’s for MS not Elementary. The greater majority of kids in MS are older than 9. B) It is totally fine for kids not to have any attraction towards either sex at any of the ages you mentioned just as it’s perfectly fine for kids to have attraction at any of these ages. Should we ignore everything that likely will happen for most people at some point in their life, just because your child hasn’t experienced or thought about it yet?

Your kid likely hasn’t thought of or experienced bombs dropping around them or famine. But kids in the world have. Does that mean we can’t talk about these things during Social Studies? Just because the topic is sexuality doesn’t make it any more taboo or kids incapable of absorbing the content and reflecting.

You are missing the point. I have taught my kids about gays, lesbians, and even transgender in age appropriate ways. We had this discussion after he saw rainbow flags during pride month. I explained that he knew people that identified this way and they were no different than him. There is a difference between knowing what the words mean and teaching acceptance vs. promoting reading about kids who are questioning their identity at very young ages and wondering if they are normal. That is not the job of a school.

Try again. The school is having them read to open their minds.

You are not a parent.

How am I not a parent? I have two kids, ages 9 and 7, and am extremely tolerant. There is no topic off limits in our house. I will answer all questions factually and in an age appropriate manner. If a kid is actually questioning his sexual or gender identity at the age of 11, I would not object to a parent or even a teacher recommending the book to that specific individual. However, when the school suggests this is recommended reading for every 11 year old, it gives the impression that questioning your sexual identity at 11 is a normal thing kids go through. Most kids haven’t hit puberty yet which is usually although not always the precursor to sexual feelings. If these thoughts have never crossed my kids minds yet, why would I want the school to give them reading that starts that thought process. I get that schools want to teach tolerance and acceptance of people with differences. My problem is not with what they hope to achieve but how they are going about it. They are making kids more confused about their identity. We don’t have to label everything. It is creating a backlash against the people it is intended to protect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Book banning,
Book Burning

There is nothing wrong with the kids reading this book.

There is something wrong with you as a parent if you can not discuss this subject matter with your children/

Lazy, christians as usual.

Replace “Christians” with any other religion and this post would be rightfully taken down. More liberal bigotry.

You are absolutely correct. I can guarantee you that my Pakistani Muslim neighbors are not supportive if their 11 yo reading this book.

It would be inappropriate to say ‘Lazy, Muslims as usual.’

Yet it’s fine for the PP to disparage an entire community of Christians?

FWIW, I am not Christian, but the hypocrisy is astounding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Book banning,
Book Burning

There is nothing wrong with the kids reading this book.

There is something wrong with you as a parent if you can not discuss this subject matter with your children/

Lazy, christians as usual.

Right wing troll. Don't respond, folks.

[Anonymous]

For those parents who object -- email the school and ask for an alternative or suggest an alternative. We used to do that, routinely unfortunately -- mostly because the reading selections were so dark, violent and depressing, to a one. That's not what I wanted my children, who are forming their opinions of the world, to be digesting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is 9. He thinks kissing is disgusting. He has no feelings of attraction to girls or boys. He doesn’t even know what that means. Should someone be telling him he might want to identify as asexual? Does it become appropriate to question his identity at age 11 or 13 or 15 or 17? It is perfectly normal to not be interested in either sex at any of these ages. Do you understand why it’s strange to introduce these topics to a middle school kid and then ask them how they identify? I understand why so many kids are truly confused about their identity. Schools keep reinforcing the idea that you should question your identity and have a label.

a) It’s for MS not Elementary. The greater majority of kids in MS are older than 9. B) It is totally fine for kids not to have any attraction towards either sex at any of the ages you mentioned just as it’s perfectly fine for kids to have attraction at any of these ages. Should we ignore everything that likely will happen for most people at some point in their life, just because your child hasn’t experienced or thought about it yet?

Your kid likely hasn’t thought of or experienced bombs dropping around them or famine. But kids in the world have. Does that mean we can’t talk about these things during Social Studies? Just because the topic is sexuality doesn’t make it any more taboo or kids incapable of absorbing the content and reflecting.

You are missing the point. I have taught my kids about gays, lesbians, and even transgender in age appropriate ways. We had this discussion after he saw rainbow flags during pride month. I explained that he knew people that identified this way and they were no different than him. There is a difference between knowing what the words mean and teaching acceptance vs. promoting reading about kids who are questioning their identity at very young ages and wondering if they are normal. That is not the job of a school.

Try again. The school is having them read to open their minds.

You are not a parent.

How am I not a parent? I have two kids, ages 9 and 7, and am extremely tolerant. There is no topic off limits in our house. I will answer all questions factually and in an age appropriate manner. If a kid is actually questioning his sexual or gender identity at the age of 11, I would not object to a parent or even a teacher recommending the book to that specific individual. However, when the school suggests this is recommended reading for every 11 year old, it gives the impression that questioning your sexual identity at 11 is a normal thing kids go through. Most kids haven’t hit puberty yet which is usually although not always the precursor to sexual feelings. If these thoughts have never crossed my kids minds yet, why would I want the school to give them reading that starts that thought process. I get that schools want to teach tolerance and acceptance of people with differences. My problem is not with what they hope to achieve but how they are going about it. They are making kids more confused about their identity. We don’t have to label everything. It is creating a backlash against the people it is intended to protect.

So, there’s “no topic off limits” in your house UNLESS OMG the school assigns a book that might turn your kid gay?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those parents who object -- email the school and ask for an alternative or suggest an alternative. We used to do that, routinely unfortunately -- mostly because the reading selections were so dark, violent and depressing, to a one. That's not what I wanted my children, who are forming their opinions of the world, to be digesting.

Isn't this what some parents on the forum call as indoctrination of students?

What are the benefits of these topics at an early age of 10-12? Are there any disadvantages when the kids learn about these topics when they are 15 and 16?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those parents who object -- email the school and ask for an alternative or suggest an alternative. We used to do that, routinely unfortunately -- mostly because the reading selections were so dark, violent and depressing, to a one. That's not what I wanted my children, who are forming their opinions of the world, to be digesting.

Isn't this what some parents on the forum call as indoctrination of students?

What are the benefits of these topics at an early age of 10-12? Are there any disadvantages when the kids learn about these topics when they are 15 and 16?

Huh?