Cooper 7th Grade Book List

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should read the books yourself before doing anything. You absolutely cannot have an opinion without reading the books yourself cover to cover.

+1. Also, the idea that people's teens might read a book with swearing and sex scenes and be shocked is pretty laughable. Some of you never check your kids' phones or browser history and it shows.

I think people recognize the pervasive vulgarity and explicit material available online and were hoping against hope that their schools might offer a counterpoint or different perspective - not double down on the coarseness and filth instead.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should read the books yourself before doing anything. You absolutely cannot have an opinion without reading the books yourself cover to cover.

+1. Also, the idea that people's teens might read a book with swearing and sex scenes and be shocked is pretty laughable. Some of you never check your kids' phones or browser history and it shows.

I think people recognize the pervasive vulgarity and explicit material available online and were hoping against hope that their schools might offer a counterpoint or different perspective - not double down on the coarseness and filth instead.

+1

+2

[Anonymous]

Coarseness and filth? Really?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

- It hasn’t. Have you read all of the books? ANY of the books? It sounds like you’re really running wild with your assumptions. So I’d suggest that you read at least a few of the books and see if they offer ways for kids to learn the beauty of the English language, and to be inspired by great minds.

I think it’s bizarre for you to ask for an alternate list — when you apparently haven’t read any of the books. What would you ask for? Books written by dead white people? Books that only reference “current events” from at least 60 or more years ago — and prohibiting any class discussion that relates in any way to more recent current events? I’d be curious to learn how those conversations go.

English class indeed became a brain washing course with hidden agenda. In Cooper's 7th grade English syllabus, a list of concepts of study starts with "Identity", ends with "Change". For parents who want their kids to learn English, go find some other resources for your children. Besides classics, you may introduce the books such as Animal Farm, 1984, Please Stop Helping Us, Discrimination and Disparities, Irreversible Damage to your children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Coarseness and filth? Really?

Yes. Gratuitous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should read the books yourself before doing anything. You absolutely cannot have an opinion without reading the books yourself cover to cover.

+1. Also, the idea that people's teens might read a book with swearing and sex scenes and be shocked is pretty laughable. Some of you never check your kids' phones or browser history and it shows.

I think people recognize the pervasive vulgarity and explicit material available online and were hoping against hope that their schools might offer a counterpoint or different perspective - not double down on the coarseness and filth instead.

Have you read the books on the list?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

- It hasn’t. Have you read all of the books? ANY of the books? It sounds like you’re really running wild with your assumptions. So I’d suggest that you read at least a few of the books and see if they offer ways for kids to learn the beauty of the English language, and to be inspired by great minds.

I think it’s bizarre for you to ask for an alternate list — when you apparently haven’t read any of the books. What would you ask for? Books written by dead white people? Books that only reference “current events” from at least 60 or more years ago — and prohibiting any class discussion that relates in any way to more recent current events? I’d be curious to learn how those conversations go.

English class indeed became a brain washing course with hidden agenda. In Cooper's 7th grade English syllabus, a list of concepts of study starts with "Identity", ends with "Change". For parents who want their kids to learn English, go find some other resources for your children. Besides classics, you may introduce the books such as Animal Farm, 1984, Please Stop Helping Us, Discrimination and Disparities, Irreversible Damage to your children.

Amen to that! I would add voices of proud black Americans such as the ones in the documentary Uncle Tom.

Transformative Social Emotional Learning is embedded in all areas of the academic learning experience in FCPS. Unfortunately, opting out kids out of the SEL screener doesn’t remove them from all the CRT based material disguised as SEL. Time to replace the entire School Board and fight back the wolf dressed in sheep clothes Superintendent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coarseness and filth? Really?

Yes. Gratuitous.

You're talking about The Hate U Give? What the actual...have you read the book?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coarseness and filth? Really?

Yes. Gratuitous.

You're talking about The Hate U Give? What the actual...have you read the book?

That post did not specifically reference "The Hate U Give". It was a more general post about what FCPS has been allowing in schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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 the bolded.

DS is in 7th grade at Longfellow. The only book the teacher mentioned at back to school night was Outsiders. I hope he enjoys the meatier topics. His current "reading" preference is listening to Star Wars books on Audible so I'm looking forward to him being assigned some good stuff.

Wow... a 50 year old book should resonate with the young'ns today. /s That teacher needs to update her reading lists.

I had to read 50-100 year old books in high school and I enjoyed most of them. That said, the modern books are also fine for my middle schooler.

Have you read Fahrenheit 451? Very relevant today.

[Anonymous]

At least your MS still reads novels. Ours doesn't anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coarseness and filth? Really?

Yes. Gratuitous.

You're talking about The Hate U Give? What the actual...have you read the book?

The black people in these documentaries will help you understand why books such as The Hate You Give are counterproductive in that they perpetuate a stereotype that limits the potential of black people to be anything they were born to be in a nation that elected a black president not once, but twice:

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVLj-zARCv8
2. Uncle Tom II - An American Odyssey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qXdim5EeBw

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coarseness and filth? Really?

Yes. Gratuitous.

You're talking about The Hate U Give? What the actual...have you read the book?

The black people in these documentaries will help you understand why books such as The Hate You Give are counterproductive in that they perpetuate a stereotype that limits the potential of black people to be anything they were born to be in a nation that elected a black president not once, but twice:

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVLj-zARCv8
2. Uncle Tom II - An American Odyssey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qXdim5EeBw

I have no words, really. A documentary on the history of Black conservatives is supposed to prove that the Hate U Give is gratuitous, coarse, and filthy?
And again...have you read the book?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coarseness and filth? Really?

Yes. Gratuitous.

You're talking about The Hate U Give? What the actual...have you read the book?

The black people in these documentaries will help you understand why books such as The Hate You Give are counterproductive in that they perpetuate a stereotype that limits the potential of black people to be anything they were born to be in a nation that elected a black president not once, but twice:

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVLj-zARCv8
2. Uncle Tom II - An American Odyssey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qXdim5EeBw

I have no words, really. A documentary on the history of Black conservatives is supposed to prove that the Hate U Give is gratuitous, coarse, and filthy?
And again...have you read the book?

A documentary made by black people who see themselves not like victims, but rather like a group of people with lots of potential and opportunities to succeed in America — just like anybody else — is aimed at rejecting the narrative that they are a subclass, aggressive, rapists, gangsters, drug dealers, women bitters, promiscuous, or anything else that is hopeless. If identifying themselves in a positive light and focus on their achievements makes them conservative in your view, then the opposite of those traits ought to be the perspective non-conservatives have of blacks in America. Your words, not mine…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coarseness and filth? Really?

Yes. Gratuitous.

You're talking about The Hate U Give? What the actual...have you read the book?

The black people in these documentaries will help you understand why books such as The Hate You Give are counterproductive in that they perpetuate a stereotype that limits the potential of black people to be anything they were born to be in a nation that elected a black president not once, but twice:

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVLj-zARCv8
2. Uncle Tom II - An American Odyssey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qXdim5EeBw

I have no words, really. A documentary on the history of Black conservatives is supposed to prove that the Hate U Give is gratuitous, coarse, and filthy?
And again...have you read the book?

A documentary made by black people who see themselves not like victims, but rather like a group of people with lots of potential and opportunities to succeed in America — just like anybody else — is aimed at rejecting the narrative that they are a subclass, aggressive, rapists, gangsters, drug dealers, women bitters, promiscuous, or anything else that is hopeless. If identifying themselves in a positive light and focus on their achievements makes them conservative in your view, then the opposite of those traits ought to be the perspective non-conservatives have of blacks in America. Your words, not mine…

I thought the Hate U Give is also aimed at rejecting the narrative hat they are a subclass, aggressive, rapists, gangsters, drug dealers, women bitters, promiscuous, or anything else that is hopeless???