Local family is marching against school reading Hunger Games

[QuirkyKapers]

The interview said that the school sent home a letter telling them that they were reading the book and why and that there was an alternative book to read if parents didn't want their child to read it.

 

Was the alternate reading Romeo & Juilet? ;)

[mommaduck]

I agree that she should be able to make her voice heard, but it does seem weird that she was given an "opt out" choice and she is still protesting. That tells me that there is more than what we see going on.

 

Well, since the parents didn't read the letter (did the girl hide it?) and the girl was reading the book before they noticed, I wonder if this is also a punishment for the daughter? (not accusing, just wondering. I have known so whacked out parents...honestly, they should homeschool if that is the issue)

[Jennifer3141]

Meh. People are funny.

 

I'd go by and hand them copies of 50 Shades of Gray.

 

 

If you buy 50 copies of that book, I'm driving south until I get to your house and beating you with a cat collar. Please let that book die!!! :laugh:

[Mrs Mungo]

That's like banning Ferenheit 451 because you object to book burning ;)

 

 

Agreed.

[Orthodox6]

The parents had school permission to substitute a book. Nothing further is necessary. (Anyway, dream on if anybody thinks the girl's classmates are not going to talk about the book when she is present!) I feel so sorry for the girl, who is squashed between Scylla and Charybdis (peers and parents). She may just be parrotting her parents' viewpoints to avoid trouble at home.

 

Twice, when a child was attending an outside school, I made arrangements with the English teacher for him to substitute a book that met the teaching objectives, but let him skip the original assignment. (Before anybody pounces on me for that -- even a "mental pounce" -- I'll note that my son, himself, made the request and had reasonable grounds for his request.) The discussions with the teacher were private, and of no big deal.

 

I, myself, protested an entire reading list once. I was working on a second B.A. (first degree already was completed, and I was at a different university), and took issue with the books assigned for an English course. I politely, but with no space for negotiation, asked the departmental bureaucracy to allow my transfer into another class. (Request was granted.) I do not recommend this for your college-aged children, of course!

[DragonFaerie]

Here's a link if anyone is interested. I don't think the girl is being forced because she seems to believe just as her parents do. She even states once that she feels one of the students may read this book now and then grow up to kill someone.

 

 

I think if anyone kills someone based on what they read in a book (or saw in a movie or heard in a song), then that person has far bigger problems than just having read the book.

[Guest inoubliable]

I'm driving south until I get to your house and beating you with a cat collar.

 

Was that in chapter 4 or chapter 7? :tongue_smilie:

[Word Nerd]

To be honest, I found it less disturbing than being made to watch The Lottery in lit class.

 

I think it would be interesting to compare and contrast The Hunger Games and The Lottery in a literature class. My point in the comment you quoted above was simply that the protest was not because the parents thought the book was too racy.

 

 

The Hunger Games is a violent series, and it deals with difficult, dark themes. Despite the way the parents in this story mishandled the situation, the question of what age is appropriate for The Hunger Games is still a valid one—and it has been discussed here several times in the past.

[Parrothead]

 

*shrug*

People aren't required to get abortions. They can "opt out" and continue their pregnancy. But they'll still protest clinics. I don't think there's anything more to the story.

I think it is coming out that the parents were in the dark as to the assignment and the option to opt out. So like everything this isn't as black and white as it seemed at first glance.

[Guest inoubliable]

I think it is coming out that the parents were in the dark as to the assignment and the option to opt out. So like everything this isn't as black and white as it seemed at first glance.

 

Ah. I see.

[Orthodox6]

I think you could craft an excellent literature study pairing these two works. Wonder who has beaten you to the draw already. The approaches differ so markedly. The one is explicit about the issue all the way through, the other holds off for a surprise ending.

 

 

I think it would be interesting to compare and contrast The Hunger Games and The Lottery in a literature class. My point in the comment you quoted above was simply that the protest was not because the parents thought the book was too racy.

[unsinkable]

"But I left that motor running...so if you're feeling down and out...

 

Come on, Baby, drive south!"

[Orthodox6]

I think it is coming out that the parents were in the dark as to the assignment and the option to opt out. So like everything this isn't as black and white as it seemed at first glance.

 

After all the ongoing public commotion about parents' obligation to be involved with their children's schoolwork ?! Not to know what was coming down the pike??

[Corraleno]

I think it is coming out that the parents were in the dark as to the assignment and the option to opt out. So like everything this isn't as black and white as it seemed at first glance.

 

But once they approached the school with their complaint, and were told that there was a letter (that they didn't read), and that there was an alternative (which they turned down), and that no other parents had complained, would your next move really be standing on a street corner with your kid carrying signs and demanding that none of the other kids (whose parents are apparently OK with it) should be allowed to read it either? :confused1:

 

Jackie

[kitten18]

Here's a link if anyone is interested. I don't think the girl is being forced because she seems to believe just as her parents do. She even states once that she feels one of the students may read this book now and then grow up to kill someone.

 

:blink:

 

I think 6th grade is a little young for it to be assigned reading, but the protest seems rather silly. The girl is seriously worried someone will read the book and kill people?

 

I agree. I would think 8th or 9th grade would much more appropriate for a class reading assignment. I think MANY 6th graders will miss the point.

 

But once they approached the school with their complaint, and were told that there was a letter (that they didn't read), and that there was an alternative (which they turned down), and that no other parents had complained, would your next move really be standing on a street corner with your kid carrying signs and demanding that none of the other kids (whose parents are apparently OK with it) should be allowed to read it either? :confused1:

 

Jackie

 

:iagree: :iagree: :iagree:

[DragonFaerie]

My DD has read the whole series, and I have already told her that I want her to read them again when she is in high school because I think she will see so much more than she does right now.

[Aubrey]

Poor girl! A newly married young lady I know from church used FB to post about the movie. She claimed it was dark and left her feeling empty. Um...yeah, it's dystopian literature.

 

Ok, but in all fairness, the movie left me feeling that way, too--but because I wondered if the film makers had READ the books. You know, I expect to be disappointed with movie-versions, but the stuff they missed was the stuff that would have been GREAT in a movie. (Like the MUSIC. Should have been good enough to win best sound track, if they'd understood/READ the book!)

 

Sorry. The movie made me so mad it hurt my feelings. :p

[Maus]

I agree with those who suggest the parents haven't read the book themselves. Whether or not it's appropriate for that age group is another story, but from the comments the parents made in the video, they haven't read it. (They may have seen the movie, which, though enjoyable, doesn't fully capture the book.) They didn't read the one-page correspondence from the school; why would they read a book? The daughter probably finally said something after the class was halfway through, and then they freaked.

 

I have a SIL like this. She flat out does not read unless required for work. She waits for the movie to come out. (She has listened to a few recorded books if her mother, my MIL, has them checked out from the library.) When Harry Potter hit it big, she came to us (before we had kids) to ask if it was appropriate for her kids to read. When we suggested she read it herself, that just did not compute. (Instead, my MIL listened to the recorded versions

and told her they would be ok.)

 

Partially based on my SIL's kids and how they are turning out....

 

I would respectfully suggest to the family in the video that the children who grow into school shooters, etc. probably did not grow up with parents who read with their children and thoughtfully discussed what they were reading. Far more likely to have had parents who were rarely aware of what they were learning/reading at school.

[Aubrey]

I'm against censorship, but I read these books and I was horrified too. Still kind of am. I wish the universal reaction to teenagers killing each other was, "I can't stand to hear any details about that! How awful!" I don't think you should assume that everyone who reads them will not get why the protesters were doing that.

 

This is a good point. My first reaction to the protest was...to laugh. I'm not offended by someone marching about a book by themselves in front of a school; I'm amused. And I start to wonder how that action can be incorporated into the class's lit study. Perhaps that's not very nice, but...

 

But I agree that the violence in the book is pretty horrifying. Dh just finished the first book--we both loved it--& I remarked that as violent as it is, it's amazing to me that none of it seems gratuitous. I can't wait for my kids to get to read it, BUT I WILL WAIT. It's too much for them at this age, & I HAVE a 6th grader. (No one has to agree w/ me; we also save the HP books for age 11 & up, & read them ourselves, AND loved them.)

 

Your comment made me think though--the ramifications of giving students the option to choose another book removes the opportunity to discuss the appropriateness of the lit choices. In some ways, it's almost as if it's SO democratic as to shut down the democratic process. Because, to some extent, a community school should offer a voice to the community, yes? So maybe the protest isn't as dumb/funny as I first thought--maybe it's a good way to bring light to the topic & get people to discuss it. To what extent that can or should impact the classroom--AT LEAST there's a discussion. At least people are being asked to think about--what do we want our teenagers reading? At what age?

 

Not that books should be banned or that these choices should be taken away from parents, just in the context of a public-school reading list. For ex, if the public school next door wanted 4th g'ers to start reading 50 Shades of Gray--we'd want to discuss that, yes? (I haven't read the book.) So in that sense, maybe getting people to talk about lit choices is one of the healthiest, most democratic, most LITERATE things this family could do. (Here's hoping literacy & democracy are their motivations, lol.)

[Caroline]

But is this protest really the way to have that discussion?

 

I remember, way way back on the old boards (maybe even the old old boards...) A mom whose daughter went to private school was assigned a book the mom didn't want the daughter to read. Now, the mom had never seen page 1 of the book, and admitted it freely on this board. She just heard it was dirty and liberal. Well, she made a big stink and the book was changed for the whole class. And the mom had never read the book. Never opened the book. Never even seen the cover of the book. Is that the way to have that discussion?

 

So many people protest books that they have never read just because of something they hear somewhere. Or a movie they saw.

 

I welcome a discussion about a book where all of the people involved have actually read the book. That rarely ever happens.

 

 

Your comment made me think though--the ramifications of giving students the option to choose another book removes the opportunity to discuss the appropriateness of the lit choices. In some ways, it's almost as if it's SO democratic as to shut down the democratic process. Because, to some extent, a community school should offer a voice to the community, yes? So maybe the protest isn't as dumb/funny as I first thought--maybe it's a good way to bring light to the topic & get people to discuss it. To what extent that can or should impact the classroom--AT LEAST there's a discussion. At least people are being asked to think about--what do we want our teenagers reading? At what age?

 

Not that books should be banned or that these choices should be taken away from parents, just in the context of a public-school reading list. For ex, if the public school next door wanted 4th g'ers to start reading 50 Shades of Gray--we'd want to discuss that, yes? (I haven't read the book.) So in that sense, maybe getting people to talk about lit choices is one of the healthiest, most democratic, most LITERATE things this family could do. (Here's hoping literacy & democracy are their motivations, lol.)

[Word Nerd]

I may start a spin-off discussion about this, as it's sort of a tangent, but I don't believe that parents questioning whether a title should be on a school reading list is equivalent to trying to ban that book (which seems to be the position taken earlier in the thread by a PP). If a title is removed from a reading list for whatever reason (and reading lists are hardly set in stone; some other book had to get the boot to make way for The Hunger Games in this class), it doesn't prevent anyone from accessing or reading the book in question.

[Aubrey]

But is this protest really the way to have that discussion?

 

I remember, way way back on the old boards (maybe even the old old boards...) A mom whose daughter went to private school was assigned a book the mom didn't want the daughter to read. Now, the mom had never seen page 1 of the book, and admitted it freely on this board. She just heard it was dirty and liberal. Well, she made a big stink and the book was changed for the whole class. And the mom had never read the book. Never opened the book. Never even seen the cover of the book. Is that the way to have that discussion?

 

So many people protest books that they have never read just because of something they hear somewhere. Or a movie they saw.

 

I welcome a discussion about a book where all of the people involved have actually read the book. That rarely ever happens.

 

Is marching in front of the school the best way to open a discussion about a book? Nah, but if you schedule a meeting in the library or at town hall, who's going to show up? All I'm saying is that something public, crazy, etc--gets attention. I'd imagine at least some letters to the editor or break room (or WTM!) discussions going on, & *that* (could be) good.

[mommaduck]

 

I think it would be interesting to compare and contrast The Hunger Games and The Lottery in a literature class. My point in the comment you quoted above was simply that the protest was not because the parents thought the book was too racy.

 

 

The Hunger Games is a violent series, and it deals with difficult, dark themes. Despite the way the parents in this story mishandled the situation, the question of what age is appropriate for The Hunger Games is still a valid one—and it has been discussed here several times in the past.

I agree. There are some of my children that have been allowed to read them and some that I have told them they have to wait. Yes, that would be a good comparison. There are several similarities. But in one you are simply left with it being the way it is and the other you have those that are actively fighting against the created norm. A Handmaid's Tale is another good one, but one that I'm not willing for my kids to read just yet. My oldest read Brave New World upon a recommendation of a friend. I had not read it. I eventually found out what it was about. I probably would not have chosen it if I had known, but at least it was with my oldest and neither of us recommend it for any of the younger teens.

[Orthodox6]

Sonlight devotes an entire year to reading books considered by many to be controversial and/or unacceptable. They expressly wish to expose young adults to certain themes in order that they may discuss everything with their parents in the "learning environment." This is their Core 300. Your mention of Brave New World reminded me of it.

 

 

I agree. There are some of my children that have been allowed to read them and some that I have told them they have to wait. Yes, that would be a good comparison. There are several similarities. But in one you are simply left with it being the way it is and the other you have those that are actively fighting against the created norm. A Handmaid's Tale is another good one, but one that I'm not willing for my kids to read just yet. My oldest read Brave New World upon a recommendation of a friend. I had not read it. I eventually found out what it was about. I probably would not have chosen it if I had known, but at least it was with my oldest and neither of us recommend it for any of the younger teens.

 

 

 

[Caroline]

Never mind

[Corraleno]

I may start a spin-off discussion about this, as it's sort of a tangent, but I don't believe that parents questioning whether a title should be on a school reading list is equivalent to trying to ban that book (which seems to be the position taken earlier in the thread by a PP). If a title is removed from a reading list for whatever reason (and reading lists are hardly set in stone; some other book had to get the boot to make way for The Hunger Games in this class), it doesn't prevent anyone from accessing or reading the book in question.

 

 

But if the kids are just getting the book out of the library and reading it on their own (and it's a bestselling book with a movie spinoff, so a lot of kids will be reading it), then the kids will be missing exactly the sort of discussion that would help them process the themes and understand what the book is really about. IMHO, the very fact that the daughter thought the book might make kids go out and kill people means that she probably would have benefitted from an intelligent discussion of the book!

 

And FWIW the mom also said that she didn't think the book was appropriate for 13 year olds, so she wasn't just complaining about them reading it in 6th grade. She just doesn't think kids should be reading it at all.

 

Jackie

[OH_Homeschooler]

Here's a link if anyone is interested. I don't think the girl is being forced because she seems to believe just as her parents do. She even states once that she feels one of the students may read this book now and then grow up to kill someone.

 

 

But why does she believe as her parents do? If her parents have sheltered her so much that she can't even form her own opinions, then is it really voluntary?

 

I'm approaching this based on when I've seen footage of those Phelps kids protesting. They sure seem like they want to be there but they've been raised to want to and don't know any other way to behave.

 

I think it's funny that parents in general don't think to contact a school to talk to personnel before jumping to conclusions. As someone pointed out above, the parents basically didn't read the letter sent home with the child saying there was another option available. Even if that letter hadn't been sent home, I think many PS teachers and administrators are actually reasonable and are willing to compromise. I'm sorry but in this instance, I think the parents really made fools of themselves. They rushed to make a point.

[Audrey]

This is so dumb. A local family is *marching* in front of the middle school because the literature class is reading Hunger Games. The school has a policy that the parents can substitute any book that they object too but that isn't good enough for them. These people pulled their child out of school for the day, gave her a sign that says "I don't want to kill" (WTH???), and had her march in front of her own school. Poor kid!

 

My contention about using those books in a school literature course is not with the content, but rather with the poor example of writing they present.

[Parrothead]

But once they approached the school with their complaint, and were told that there was a letter (that they didn't read), and that there was an alternative (which they turned down), and that no other parents had complained, would your next move really be standing on a street corner with your kid carrying signs and demanding that none of the other kids (whose parents are apparently OK with it) should be allowed to read it either? :confused1:

 

Jackie

Not my next move, no.

 

I've not read the books so I can't comment on content.

 

I'm not sure why what I would do in a hypothetical situation has become an issue.

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

My son's school wouldn't let him check out Hunger Games, this was while he was still in ps. I called to find out why since the librarian had recommended it to him in the first place. Apparently the principal thought it had too mature of themes. I bought the book, pre-read it just in case, then handed it over to my son.

[shanvan]

"But I left that motor running...so if you're feeling down and out...

 

Come on, Baby, drive south!"

 

"....with the one you love

 

....I'm not talkin' 'bout retreatin' little girl

Gonna take our stand..."

 

just had to add that. (John Hiatt comments on the family's march! :lol:) Just kidding! I doubt he knows anything about it!

[Candid]

Hmmm, if I did this, my kid would have to carry a sign that said, "Don't make me read twaddle."

[DianeW88]

My goodness. Don't tell anyone I let my students read... Gasp... Romeo and Juliet... At a CHRISTIAN school. The killing, the drinking, the sex, and more killing. Oh the horror! How could I have been so irresponsible as to let my students read such filth???

How could you Heather???? :D This sums up everything I've ever wanted to say to Juliet. *Warning...some mild profanity* Where was this guy when I was reading R&J in 9th grade???

Here's a link if anyone is interested. I don't think the girl is being forced because she seems to believe just as her parents do. She even states once that she feels one of the students may read this book now and then grow up to kill someone.

 

If they want to protest something, the letter from the school had the sentence in it, "I do believe the read is worth the while". Ugh.

 

or this

 

"I only have a classroom set; therefore the books are to stay with me and we will read in class"

 

Spending class time to read a book seems like such a waste.

[shanvan]

If they want to protest something, the letter from the school had the sentence in it, "I do believe the read is worth the while". Ugh.

 

Ick!

[Corraleno]

Not my next move, no.

 

I've not read the books so I can't comment on content.

 

I'm not sure why what I would do in a hypothetical situation has become an issue.

 

Oh no, I didn't mean it that way — I know that's not what you'd do! It was meant as more of a rhetorical question, like "under those circumstances, who in their right mind would stand on a street corner waving signs?" I should have worded that differently — sorry I wasn't clear!

 

Jackie

[mommaduck]

How could you Heather???? :D This sums up everything I've ever wanted to say to Juliet. *Warning...some mild profanity* Where was this guy when I was reading R&J in 9th grade??? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwnFE_NpMsE

:lol: Oh my! Yes!

[PachiSusan]

My contention about using those books in a school literature course is not with the content, but rather with the poor example of writing they present.

 

I felt that way about Harry Potter's writing too... <ducking tomatoes>

[PachiSusan]

How could you Heather???? :D This sums up everything I've ever wanted to say to Juliet. *Warning...some mild profanity* Where was this guy when I was reading R&J in 9th grade??? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwnFE_NpMsE

 

I knew I had to watch this with the head phones on - TOOOOO FUNNY!!!

 

Melissa wants to know why I'm laughing...um. Not yet.

[Orthodox6]

I felt that way about Harry Potter's writing too... <ducking tomatoes>

 

We can cook tomato sauce together, then. :001_smile: When the first book came out, whenever ago that was, my two eldest and I read chunks of it together and they decided that the book was poorly written, overly derivative from the work of other writers, and just not good enough to secure their further interest. So they judged, so they acted! (their choice)

 

If folks hurl onions, we can make spaghetti sauce!

[PachiSusan]

We can cook tomato sauce together, then. :001_smile: When the first book came out, whenever ago that was, my two eldest and I read chunks of it together and they decided that the book was poorly written, overly derivative from the work of other writers, and just not good enough to secure their further interest. So they judged, so they acted! (their choice)

 

If folks hurl onions, we can make spaghetti sauce!

 

 

I'm married to an Italian - I bet I could whip up a good sauce!! LOL

[Renee in NC]

 

Seemed to me they could loosen up a bit. I've heard that book is good for that.

 

 

ROFLOL....yeah, you could say that!

[Danestress]

Ok. I loved the Hunger Games. And I would not have a problem with kids reading those books and having a thoughtful discussion about the themes contained.

 

But I have a problem with the idea many of you seem to accept, that no one has anything to protest unless their own constitutional rights have been violated .

 

On the contrary, even though I would never protest this book, I think it is a sign of a healthy democracy when someone is out letting their thoughts be known on a matter they believe to be important. Even a childless couple might believe stongly enough in their view on education that they would write letters to the school board, run for school board, petition for their views, or march in protest. The fact that their own child has an alternative does not make it "moot." They are participating peacefully (I hope) in their right to air their views. Yeah, there can be time and place limitations on that, but other wise, it's an expression of their liberty and their concern for public education. I think it is fine, even though I disagree. And I would think it were fine even if their children were grown. Non-existent, or homeschooled.

[stansclan89]

My contention about using those books in a school literature course is not with the content, but rather with the poor example of writing they present.

 

Hmmm, if I did this, my kid would have to carry a sign that said, "Don't make me read twaddle."

 

I felt that way about Harry Potter's writing too... <ducking tomatoes>

 

 

My now 19yos refused to finish the Hunger Games series and the Harry Potter series because of how badly they were written (when he was younger). He was kind of a snob that way ;) I, on the other hand, had no such issues with reading twaddle...

[elegantlion]

I think it is coming out that the parents were in the dark as to the assignment and the option to opt out. So like everything this isn't as black and white as it seemed at first glance.

 

 

Yes, it's all shades of gray. :coolgleamA:

[stansclan89]

Ok. I loved the Hunger Games. And I would not have a problem with kids reading those books and having a thoughtful discussion about the themes contained.

 

But I have a problem with the idea many of you seem to accept, that no one has anything to protest unless their own constitutional rights have been violated .

 

On the contrary, even though I would never protest this book, I think it is a sign of a healthy democracy when someone is out letting their thoughts be known on a matter they believe to be important. Even a childless couple might believe stongly enough in their view on education that they would write letters to the school board, run for school board, petition for their views, or march in protest. The fact that their own child has an alternative does not make it "moot." They are participating peacefully (I hope) in their right to air their views. Yeah, there can be time and place limitations on that, but other wise, it's an expression of their liberty and their concern for public education. I think it is fine, even though I disagree. And I would think it were fine even if their children were grown. Non-existent, or homeschooled.

 

 

I don't think anyone here thinks that they shouldn't have the right to protest. Many just think that they didn't think through the protest very well.

[Lisbeth]

Possibly to say that they don't think it's a good choice of reading material for kids that age? I don't know. I haven't talked to them. They are free to express their opinion, though, and that's what they're doing. Maybe they're just trying to get people to think rather than just do. I'm transcribing a high school English class this year, and I could see where some of these choices in literature are left wanting. If I were a parent, I might think there are better choices and might state so. I may not do a public protest, but I have the freedom to if I wanted to. That's all I'm saying. Why be so critical -- and why try to define and analyze everything to the nth degree -- when all they're doing is exercising a freedom they have to express an opinion about a book?

 

Because being critical is OUR right of expression.

We are free to express our opinion that their actions and opinions are silly and overwrought. As long as the government isn't telling them they can't protest, we can all verbally sneer as much as we want to express our freedom of speech.

[Danestress]

 

 

I don't think anyone here thinks that they shouldn't have the right to protest. Many just think that they didn't think through the protest very well.

 

Nor did I say that anyone suggested they lack that right. But a few said things like "it's a moot point" because their own rights have not been trampled upon. I was making the point that there are reasons beyond violation of constitutional rights to make a public protest. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

[Heather in Neverland]

 

How could you Heather???? :D This sums up everything I've ever wanted to say to Juliet. *Warning...some mild profanity* Where was this guy when I was reading R&J in 9th grade???

 

That was hilarious!!

 

I had a grand old time helping them see how ridiculous both Romeo and Juliet were and what a great example this play is of how NOT to do a relationship.

 

Me to my class: "If you are sneaking off during a huge family party to make out with guy you don't even know then swearing your undying devotion to him as he stalks you outside your window then lying to your parents then betraying your family then running off to get married at 14 to this guy you barely know then taking drugs then faking your death then actually committing suicide... News flash... You are not in love. But you may be in need of psychological help. Well, you were. But now you're dead."

 

 

[delaney]

Because being critical is OUR right of expression.

We are free to express our opinion that their actions and opinions are silly and overwrought. As long as the government isn't telling them they can't protest, we can all verbally sneer as much as we want to express our freedom of speech.

 

Really? Try voicing your atheist opinion on this board. :glare: Isn't it a right to think that worshipping a god is silly? Apparently not here. So there is no right to you opinion if you go against the majority grain.