Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD is going to Westland as a 7th grader and I emailed the school to ask whether this was a requirement. It is. Apparently they'll be discussing the book ad nauseam all year.

I'm as lefty as they come, but I greatly miss the days of classical education, and reading classical literature (with appropriate explanations on misogyny, historical stance against homosexuality, class systems, etc). Rick may be a valuable book to open children's minds, but it certainly is not well-written.

I wish Westland had more of a balance between modern culture and great writing.

You want them to teach that history?!

I thought we were supposed to put our heads in the sand.

PP you replied to. Well, yes. I love the classics, I got a lot out of them (both British/American and my native country's). And when you read Dickens or Austen or Twain or Balzac, you can't let certain racial/gender assumptions and societal restrictions go without comment, can you? It's a whole teaching moment.

I'm perfectly fine with contemporary novels on current societal issues. I see it as the continuation of all the conversations I have with my kids about other novels from the past. But why just Rick? Why not pair it with a classic, and have a comparative discussion?

Basically what I'm whining about are the low standards. The kids are just asked to read one, poorly written book. It's not nearly enough. I usually curate a list of summer reading for my kids and we discuss them, but it would be nice if the school could help me out!

And yes, to answer another PP's question, this book is part of the Middle Years programme. I don't think it's easy to opt out, as this book is supposed to be discussed throughout the year. Just complement it with something YOU think your child should read

Anonymous wrote:26 pages later... DD is a rising 6th grader at Tilden. We've not gotten any info about summer reading. Did I miss something?

I also have a rising 6th grader and zero summer reading or math assignments.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD is going to Westland as a 7th grader and I emailed the school to ask whether this was a requirement. It is. Apparently they'll be discussing the book ad nauseam all year.

I'm as lefty as they come, but I greatly miss the days of classical education, and reading classical literature (with appropriate explanations on misogyny, historical stance against homosexuality, class systems, etc). Rick may be a valuable book to open children's minds, but it certainly is not well-written.

I wish Westland had more of a balance between modern culture and great writing.

I'm a lefty too and just because I watch Tucker and vote MAGA doesn't mean I'm not. I am really!

This got old pages and pages ago.

Anonymous wrote:DD is going to Westland as a 7th grader and I emailed the school to ask whether this was a requirement. It is. Apparently they'll be discussing the book ad nauseam all year.

I'm as lefty as they come, but I greatly miss the days of classical education, and reading classical literature (with appropriate explanations on misogyny, historical stance against homosexuality, class systems, etc). Rick may be a valuable book to open children's minds, but it certainly is not well-written.

I wish Westland had more of a balance between modern culture and great writing.

I'm a lefty too and just because I watch Tucker and vote MAGA doesn't mean I'm not. I am really!

26 pages later... DD is a rising 6th grader at Tilden. We've not gotten any info about summer reading. Did I miss something?

Anonymous wrote:DD is going to Westland as a 7th grader and I emailed the school to ask whether this was a requirement. It is. Apparently they'll be discussing the book ad nauseam all year.

I'm as lefty as they come, but I greatly miss the days of classical education, and reading classical literature (with appropriate explanations on misogyny, historical stance against homosexuality, class systems, etc). Rick may be a valuable book to open children's minds, but it certainly is not well-written.

I wish Westland had more of a balance between modern culture and great writing.

Oh, that is ridiculous. Will this be part of the Middle Years IB? Did they provide more details?

Any way for parents to opt out?

No wonder the catholic schools are full.

Anonymous wrote:DD is going to Westland as a 7th grader and I emailed the school to ask whether this was a requirement. It is. Apparently they'll be discussing the book ad nauseam all year.

I'm as lefty as they come, but I greatly miss the days of classical education, and reading classical literature (with appropriate explanations on misogyny, historical stance against homosexuality, class systems, etc). Rick may be a valuable book to open children's minds, but it certainly is not well-written.

I wish Westland had more of a balance between modern culture and great writing.

I did as well and noted my kid will not be reading this book. There are state law requirements for parental consent for sex Ed and the school is trying to bypass them.

What a ridiculous waste of time and no wonder our schools are falling behind globally.

Anonymous wrote:DD is going to Westland as a 7th grader and I emailed the school to ask whether this was a requirement. It is. Apparently they'll be discussing the book ad nauseam all year.

I'm as lefty as they come, but I greatly miss the days of classical education, and reading classical literature (with appropriate explanations on misogyny, historical stance against homosexuality, class systems, etc). Rick may be a valuable book to open children's minds, but it certainly is not well-written.

I wish Westland had more of a balance between modern culture and great writing.

You want them to teach that history?!

I thought we were supposed to put our heads in the sand.

DD is going to Westland as a 7th grader and I emailed the school to ask whether this was a requirement. It is. Apparently they'll be discussing the book ad nauseam all year.

I'm as lefty as they come, but I greatly miss the days of classical education, and reading classical literature (with appropriate explanations on misogyny, historical stance against homosexuality, class systems, etc). Rick may be a valuable book to open children's minds, but it certainly is not well-written.

I wish Westland had more of a balance between modern culture and great writing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is MoCo pushing a book about sexuality for 5th graders going into 6th grade. I’m not having my kid read this book, and I find it extremely concerning that MoCo is pushing this. What is middle school going to be like? Are you not cool if you aren’t LGBT or gasp not yet sexual as a pre teen? What are other parents doing to complain.

My rising 4th grader and her friends discuss sexuality (NOT sex). They're at an all-girls school and have open discussions about sexuality and how they feel. My daughter also talks openly with me about what she and her friends talk about. I've created an environment where she's comfortable asking me ANYTHING because I'd rather she ask me than get misinformation elsewhere. I also have talks with her when I do audits of her text messages and phone calls. We're a hetero/cis-gen family (if I've written that incorrectly, I apologize).

You need to get a grip because your poor child is already having these conversations and may not feel comfortable talking to you about it.

You're doing a great job at home. So are we. That has nothing to do with what should or shouldn't be taught at school. Different thread.

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious. Besides me, I've posted a number of times on this thread, who else has read the book? Raise your hand so we know.

I have.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t the state leave these sensitive topics for parents to teach their kids. I don’t want a government employee guiding my kids with their or the state sanctioned view on sexuality.

Yet people want schools to educate children on manners, proper social behavior, and many other things beyond reading and math. But just not this--am I right?

I teach my kids manners and social behavior. Teachers can stick to math.

And when their education is disrupted by other kids who haven’t been taught that’s fine. Right? Because having any kind of community standards or norms is overstepping.

Oh, this post right here tells me that you don’t even have kids in MCPS. I’ll go a step farther and say that you likely don’t even have kids, do you?

You would know that there are very few ‘community standards’ in MCPS. My kid’s MS has kids fighting at school and the kids never get suspended. Kids vape AT school and there are no consequences. Physical alterations on the bus, and the kids are back on the same exact bus I’m just a few days. Thanks to restorative justice and a complete lack of discipline in MCPS, kids learn early that they can get away with atrocious behavior.

You want MCPS to promote ‘community standards’? I would bet that 98% of the parents in this very thread would get behind that cause. Yes, if a kid insults or harms another kid, for any reason (race/religion/sexual preference), I would like to see that addressed strongly and swiftly.

But forcing families to read a book like Rick is not going to do anything to ‘promote community standards’. And to take it a step further, by forcing this book on families who are not supportive of this topic for 11 year olds will just breed resentment and further strife.

I'm curious. Besides me, I've posted a number of times on this thread, who else has read the book? Raise your hand so we know.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t the state leave these sensitive topics for parents to teach their kids. I don’t want a government employee guiding my kids with their or the state sanctioned view on sexuality.

Yet people want schools to educate children on manners, proper social behavior, and many other things beyond reading and math. But just not this--am I right?

I teach my kids manners and social behavior. Teachers can stick to math.

Homeschool or private school then.

Good luck finding a private school that doesn't teach manners or social behavior.