Anonymous wrote:Longfellow parent here. I have no problem with the content of modern books that promote diverse viewpoints or experiences. But I DO have a problem with the quality of reading that’s expected of kids. My kid is in AAP, and has NO specific required teading. She can choose from lists, and virtually everything is way way below grade level. Look up the lexile level recommended for 7th-8th graders, then look up the Lexile of each of the books on the list. Middle school kids in FCPS are being given virtually no recommendations or options for books that will build and stretch their reading skills. The books are all at 3rd-6th grade reading level. This, I think, is worth calling the schools out on.

I agree. My kid is in Carson AAP and I am shocked by the low level of reading they have done the last two years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is at Longfellow and I completely support this parent. This is indoctrination, 7th graders have no business reading content with horrible language and explicit sexual references. FCPS needs to get a handle on this nonsense. I think the parent at Cooper is an Asian mom, I am an Asian as well and I can surely understand her thought process.

Literally every book someone could find something wrong with, even the classics. No one is saying the kids have to read every book on this list. But I hate to break it to you, these kids know about sex, drugs, BLM, gender identity already, just by talking. While I support parents doing what they think is best for THEIR child, no one should be banning books for ALL children. If you can’t find a book you are comfortable with your child reading, then contact the teacher. All this hoopla about a list is ridiculous.

DP. There's a difference between what kids talk about amongst themselves or see on their phones compared to officially sanctioned material in class/for class. It's not all equivalent. Are these books elevating or edifying? Or are they all about "identity", something that middle school children have not yet formed and are impressionable? What should we be aiming to teach them? If everything is contrarian, counter culture, pushing boundaries, subversive, they will not learn our culture. Because we are refusing to teach it to them.

Whose culture culture is "our culture"? What does that mean?

Haven't books meant for young readers almost always been about pushing boundaries? That's what many teens identify with, so it makes sense that they would want to read about similar experiences to their own.

Sure.

But look again at the list.

There is a political agenda behind this list.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is at Longfellow and I completely support this parent. This is indoctrination, 7th graders have no business reading content with horrible language and explicit sexual references. FCPS needs to get a handle on this nonsense. I think the parent at Cooper is an Asian mom, I am an Asian as well and I can surely understand her thought process.

Literally every book someone could find something wrong with, even the classics. No one is saying the kids have to read every book on this list. But I hate to break it to you, these kids know about sex, drugs, BLM, gender identity already, just by talking. While I support parents doing what they think is best for THEIR child, no one should be banning books for ALL children. If you can’t find a book you are comfortable with your child reading, then contact the teacher. All this hoopla about a list is ridiculous.

DP. There's a difference between what kids talk about amongst themselves or see on their phones compared to officially sanctioned material in class/for class. It's not all equivalent. Are these books elevating or edifying? Or are they all about "identity", something that middle school children have not yet formed and are impressionable? What should we be aiming to teach them? If everything is contrarian, counter culture, pushing boundaries, subversive, they will not learn our culture. Because we are refusing to teach it to them.

Whose culture culture is "our culture"? What does that mean?

Haven't books meant for young readers almost always been about pushing boundaries? That's what many teens identify with, so it makes sense that they would want to read about similar experiences to their own.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is at Longfellow and I completely support this parent. This is indoctrination, 7th graders have no business reading content with horrible language and explicit sexual references. FCPS needs to get a handle on this nonsense. I think the parent at Cooper is an Asian mom, I am an Asian as well and I can surely understand her thought process.

Literally every book someone could find something wrong with, even the classics. No one is saying the kids have to read every book on this list. But I hate to break it to you, these kids know about sex, drugs, BLM, gender identity already, just by talking. While I support parents doing what they think is best for THEIR child, no one should be banning books for ALL children. If you can’t find a book you are comfortable with your child reading, then contact the teacher. All this hoopla about a list is ridiculous.

DP. There's a difference between what kids talk about amongst themselves or see on their phones compared to officially sanctioned material in class/for class. It's not all equivalent. Are these books elevating or edifying? Or are they all about "identity", something that middle school children have not yet formed and are impressionable? What should we be aiming to teach them? If everything is contrarian, counter culture, pushing boundaries, subversive, they will not learn our culture. Because we are refusing to teach it to them.

What exactly is "our culture"? These aren't counter culture, subversive books--they are just contemporary books reflecting the diverse perspectives that are American.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is at Longfellow and I completely support this parent. This is indoctrination, 7th graders have no business reading content with horrible language and explicit sexual references. FCPS needs to get a handle on this nonsense. I think the parent at Cooper is an Asian mom, I am an Asian as well and I can surely understand her thought process.

Literally every book someone could find something wrong with, even the classics. No one is saying the kids have to read every book on this list. But I hate to break it to you, these kids know about sex, drugs, BLM, gender identity already, just by talking. While I support parents doing what they think is best for THEIR child, no one should be banning books for ALL children. If you can’t find a book you are comfortable with your child reading, then contact the teacher. All this hoopla about a list is ridiculous.

DP. There's a difference between what kids talk about amongst themselves or see on their phones compared to officially sanctioned material in class/for class. It's not all equivalent. Are these books elevating or edifying? Or are they all about "identity", something that middle school children have not yet formed and are impressionable? What should we be aiming to teach them? If everything is contrarian, counter culture, pushing boundaries, subversive, they will not learn our culture. Because we are refusing to teach it to them.

Our culture? What does that even mean? American culture? Who decides what is good literature and what isn’t? Even with classics you have people who don’t like it or love it. As for the idea of identity…identity is more than gender. Identity is all aspects of what makes you you. There are a ton of classics that focus on the idea of identity. Little Women is a great example.

Longfellow parent here. I have no problem with the content of modern books that promote diverse viewpoints or experiences. But I DO have a problem with the quality of reading that’s expected of kids. My kid is in AAP, and has NO specific required teading. She can choose from lists, and virtually everything is way way below grade level. Look up the lexile level recommended for 7th-8th graders, then look up the Lexile of each of the books on the list. Middle school kids in FCPS are being given virtually no recommendations or options for books that will build and stretch their reading skills. The books are all at 3rd-6th grade reading level. This, I think, is worth calling the schools out on.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is at Longfellow and I completely support this parent. This is indoctrination, 7th graders have no business reading content with horrible language and explicit sexual references. FCPS needs to get a handle on this nonsense. I think the parent at Cooper is an Asian mom, I am an Asian as well and I can surely understand her thought process.

Literally every book someone could find something wrong with, even the classics. No one is saying the kids have to read every book on this list. But I hate to break it to you, these kids know about sex, drugs, BLM, gender identity already, just by talking. While I support parents doing what they think is best for THEIR child, no one should be banning books for ALL children. If you can’t find a book you are comfortable with your child reading, then contact the teacher. All this hoopla about a list is ridiculous.

DP. There's a difference between what kids talk about amongst themselves or see on their phones compared to officially sanctioned material in class/for class. It's not all equivalent. Are these books elevating or edifying? Or are they all about "identity", something that middle school children have not yet formed and are impressionable? What should we be aiming to teach them? If everything is contrarian, counter culture, pushing boundaries, subversive, they will not learn our culture. Because we are refusing to teach it to them.

Well said.

Cooper gonna Cooper. They have Luke Rosiak and Asra Nomani on speed dial.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is at Longfellow and I completely support this parent. This is indoctrination, 7th graders have no business reading content with horrible language and explicit sexual references. FCPS needs to get a handle on this nonsense. I think the parent at Cooper is an Asian mom, I am an Asian as well and I can surely understand her thought process.

Literally every book someone could find something wrong with, even the classics. No one is saying the kids have to read every book on this list. But I hate to break it to you, these kids know about sex, drugs, BLM, gender identity already, just by talking. While I support parents doing what they think is best for THEIR child, no one should be banning books for ALL children. If you can’t find a book you are comfortable with your child reading, then contact the teacher. All this hoopla about a list is ridiculous.

DP. There's a difference between what kids talk about amongst themselves or see on their phones compared to officially sanctioned material in class/for class. It's not all equivalent. Are these books elevating or edifying? Or are they all about "identity", something that middle school children have not yet formed and are impressionable? What should we be aiming to teach them? If everything is contrarian, counter culture, pushing boundaries, subversive, they will not learn our culture. Because we are refusing to teach it to them.

Anonymous wrote:My kid is at Longfellow and I completely support this parent. This is indoctrination, 7th graders have no business reading content with horrible language and explicit sexual references. FCPS needs to get a handle on this nonsense. I think the parent at Cooper is an Asian mom, I am an Asian as well and I can surely understand her thought process.

Literally every book someone could find something wrong with, even the classics. No one is saying the kids have to read every book on this list. But I hate to break it to you, these kids know about sex, drugs, BLM, gender identity already, just by talking. While I support parents doing what they think is best for THEIR child, no one should be banning books for ALL children. If you can’t find a book you are comfortable with your child reading, then contact the teacher. All this hoopla about a list is ridiculous.

One of the books listed in this article, Gracefully Grayson, is an extremely innocent story. It is ridiculous that anyone would object to it before even reading it. Grayson wants to audition for a "girl's" part in a play and wants to wear "girls'" clothes. That's the extent of the "trans agenda" in that book. How is that more controversial than a female character wanting to wear overalls or audition for a male lead? It's not, but few would object to the latter.

I also have no issue with All American Boys, Ghost Boys, The Hate U Give, or most of these other books. My kids read All American Boys and Ghost Boys when they were in fifth grade, and I read the books alongside them so we coulddiscuss them. No concerns.

My kid is at Longfellow and I completely support this parent. This is indoctrination, 7th graders have no business reading content with horrible language and explicit sexual references. FCPS needs to get a handle on this nonsense. I think the parent at Cooper is an Asian mom, I am an Asian as well and I can surely understand her thought process.

Seems the unhappy Cooper parent(s) are trying to get more publicity about the reading assignments:

https://dailycaller.com/2023/09/24/losing-our-freedom-of-speech-parent-speaks-out-against-middle-schools-explicit-reading-list/

Anonymous wrote:How exactly do you have class discussions if everyone reading difference book?

These books are part of the independent reading project, where they read and write. Separately, they will have books they read as a class (mine read Outsiders last year).

How exactly do you have class discussions if everyone reading difference book?