Why are book banners showing up at FCPS SB meetings

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No issues with stuff like “Heather has 2 mommies” but the languages and images in question here are totally different.

And no one is calling to “ban” them entirely like from libraries. It is just whether books graphically (very graphically) depicting 9 year olds giving each other blow jobs belong in the school

Parents who are up in arms about the books and think removing them is terrible and so -

if you came across videos or photos of the acts being described in the books in your child’s phone or laptop, how would you react? Would you have a talk with them regarding why porn is not appropriate? Because I think almost all of you would be upset, horrified and have that conversation. And a small minority would be ok with it. I also think this same group of parents would be livid if their older child brought home one of these books an left them in a place or even shared them with younger siblings.

I don’t get on board with the idea that these graphic novels are some kind of hallmarks of great literature so to me removing them is no big loss. Before you get so upset ask yourself if you actually think they are? Just because someone slaps an award on a book or some activist or critic likes them, it doesn’t mean they are that needed. Most literary awards of subjective anyway.

School libraries contain tens of thousands of books that are far from "hallmarks of great literature". Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Captain Underpants. (UNDERPANTS! Could be pornographic?!?) Mind numbingly poorly written nonfiction about arachnids. But guess what? It serves a purpose. Kids enjoy reading it. Reading for enjoyment has myriad benefits, emotionally and academically. And reading books that give students insights into the lives of others or books that can shine a light on their experiences or questions about their identity can be helpful during adolescence.

Read the reviews of these books on Goodreads (before the craze of these couple of weeks) and you will see dozens of teens posting the ways in which these books were meaningful to them and important to them.

I have no illusions that my son will get to high school without ever hearing about the concept of a "blow job". My goodness, in the early 90's, it was on the news every night. I certainly would be MUCH less upset about my son in elementary school somehow having access to either of these books (through an older sibling) than I would about him having access to actual pornographic material on a computer. It's like the equivalent of a stick figure diagram versus a full HD video. It's not a conversation I'd seek out right now at his age, but it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to talk about sex and consent in general terms.

What I do know is we have lots of teens struggling with issues of boundaries and consent. Lots of teens exploring their gender identities and sexuality. Lots of teens who do NOT Have access to any kind of sensitive, respectful portrayal of sexual partners respecting each other's wishes and boundaries, backing off from sex, that kind of thing. And I'm sure we have teenagers who are exploring whether they consider themselves non-binary. In that context, I think Gender Queer can do a lot of good...certainly outweighing potential bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TOTALLY IRRELEVANT if the woman in the video is an actress, Republican or from the moon. IT IS ABOUT what is APPPROPRIATE for CHILDREN to learn in school. While the Chinese spent 12+ hours a day leaning academic topics- math, science, etc. we in the US are creating a generation of anxious, confused, illiterate, nonskilled people who WILL BE the SERVANTS to the wealthy and Chinese.
My children do NOT need to learn about about their teachers' politics or that someone's children have 2 mommies or 2 daddies or a polyamorous triad for parents. (Neither do I - don't know, don't care)
My children need to be able to read and write English (including spelling & script!), do math (including memorizing their multiplication tables and mental math), understand civics and American History (including the Declaration, Bill of Rights & Constitution, and even what socialist and communism really are and why Americans have embraced capitalism) and other academic subjects, including science.
Never in a million years did I think I would home school my children, but that is what I am doing. A group of my friends have decided we are done with the BS & have formed our own school.

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

[Anonymous]

All we need is more as advanced homeschoolers increasingly making other parents question the superiority of public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No issues with stuff like “Heather has 2 mommies” but the languages and images in question here are totally different.

And no one is calling to “ban” them entirely like from libraries. It is just whether books graphically (very graphically) depicting 9 year olds giving each other blow jobs belong in the school

Parents who are up in arms about the books and think removing them is terrible and so -

if you came across videos or photos of the acts being described in the books in your child’s phone or laptop, how would you react? Would you have a talk with them regarding why porn is not appropriate? Because I think almost all of you would be upset, horrified and have that conversation. And a small minority would be ok with it. I also think this same group of parents would be livid if their older child brought home one of these books an left them in a place or even shared them with younger siblings.

I don’t get on board with the idea that these graphic novels are some kind of hallmarks of great literature so to me removing them is no big loss. Before you get so upset ask yourself if you actually think they are? Just because someone slaps an award on a book or some activist or critic likes them, it doesn’t mean they are that needed. Most literary awards of subjective anyway.

School libraries contain tens of thousands of books that are far from "hallmarks of great literature". Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Captain Underpants. (UNDERPANTS! Could be pornographic?!?) Mind numbingly poorly written nonfiction about arachnids. But guess what? It serves a purpose. Kids enjoy reading it. Reading for enjoyment has myriad benefits, emotionally and academically. And reading books that give students insights into the lives of others or books that can shine a light on their experiences or questions about their identity can be helpful during adolescence.

Read the reviews of these books on Goodreads (before the craze of these couple of weeks) and you will see dozens of teens posting the ways in which these books were meaningful to them and important to them.

I have no illusions that my son will get to high school without ever hearing about the concept of a "blow job". My goodness, in the early 90's, it was on the news every night. I certainly would be MUCH less upset about my son in elementary school somehow having access to either of these books (through an older sibling) than I would about him having access to actual pornographic material on a computer. It's like the equivalent of a stick figure diagram versus a full HD video. It's not a conversation I'd seek out right now at his age, but it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to talk about sex and consent in general terms.

What I do know is we have lots of teens struggling with issues of boundaries and consent. Lots of teens exploring their gender identities and sexuality. Lots of teens who do NOT Have access to any kind of sensitive, respectful portrayal of sexual partners respecting each other's wishes and boundaries, backing off from sex, that kind of thing. And I'm sure we have teenagers who are exploring whether they consider themselves non-binary. In that context, I think Gender Queer can do a lot of good...certainly outweighing potential bad.

Well said. Informed and balanced.