The other day there was a pretty epic Peeps post around a parent at, I think, an Alameda elementary school who was upset about a book that their child had brought home. The student was a 5th grader so, depending on if you’ve been around 5th graders recently your mileage may vary on how much you know about what they know right now. The parent was ranting about how the teachers and administration should “suffer” for daring to expose kids to the materials in the graphic novel. The “graphic” in graphic novel is because it’s like a comic book, not because it’s pornography or something. That they can already find on the internet.
The book? This One Summer. The student checked out this book on her own and it was contained in the section for 5th graders only which all the other kids know is where the good stuff is.
The parent has found some sympathetic ears but, in general, most are saying the book is fine and that we shouldn’t be censoring materials that some parents may find too racy for their sensitive flowers. And what is happening the Florida and other states we should be pushing back locally against these kinds of efforts. And finally, someone is pushing back against Florida:
The crazy thing about what happened in the one school district which is now being sued for removing certain books is that the books were pulled because of one person. From AP:
The lawsuit says the removals stem from objections from one language arts teacher in the county, and in each case the school board voted to remove the books over recommendations from a district review committee that deemed them educationally suitable.
The teacher’s formal objections to the books appear to draw on materials compiled by a website that creates reports on books it deems ideologically unsuitable for children, according to the lawsuit.
In one example cited in the lawsuit, the teacher admitted she had never heard of the book “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky but filed an objection form to the novel that contained specific excerpts and phrasing from the book ban website.
Anyway, it’s good to be reminded that everyone reacts differently when confronted with the fact that their children won’t stay babies forever. Some have long talks with them about issues that will arise as they grow up in our society today. Others want to blame a comic book for teenage pregnancy.
Blogging Bayport Alameda 
“I just want you to know if you ever need anything just ask, OK? I’m not like a regular Mom, I’m a cool Mom.”
Scene from Mean Girls
I suppose in a small minority of households with 5th graders, parents encourage their kids to read and discuss topics like teenage sex, attempted suicide, depression, adult relationship problems, and same sex attraction as in the discussed book. Kinda like the”Cool Mom.” But not all. Check out the book from a local library or buy it for your kid, if you think it’s appropriate, but either don’t make it available in an elementary school library or require explicit parental permission to check out this book.
Comment by Common Sense — May 18, 2023 @ 10:10 am
I’m assuming you’d also require the Diary of Anne Frank to need explicit parental permission too. It’s okay for a 13 year old to be persecuted and killed but not, god forbid, she frankly discusses that she has breasts and that she might be attracted to girls.
And Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret was probably on your ban list too. An 11 year old can start going through puberty and having a period and being sexually curious but they gotta hide that shit because their parents can’t manage to believe that Sally their precious flower may be curious about these topics.
Giving your kids real and honest information about sex and giving them the ability to talk about their mental health means that they’ll actually, like, talk to you when these issues arise. Otherwise you have kids as young as in 8th or 9th grade posting about sexual assault on social media because they’ve been kept in the dark about these issues until they’re facing down something much, much worse than a graphic novel that is open about what kids at that age think and talk about. That’s not being a “cool” parent, that’s just making them prepared for the world when they’re confronted with these issues without a parent helicoptering over them.
Comment by Lauren Do — May 18, 2023 @ 10:28 am
Thanks for your input, Klanned Karenhood.
Comment by Rod — May 18, 2023 @ 10:49 am