Should Kids Read Porn For School?

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

http://www.tampabay.com/news/educat...udent-parents-object-to-book/1036488#comments

Sanctioned porn in the schools.

 

[bronzeage]

http://www.tampabay.com/news/educat...udent-parents-object-to-book/1036488#comments

Sanctioned porn in the schools.

"Marí M***** ranks in the top 10 of her International Baccalaureate class at Gulf High School."

They should send her back to dumbkid school and she can write her paper on The Grapes of Wrath.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

You cant post the text of the book on this site.

 

[bronzeage]

You cant post the text of the book on this site.

You can't post text of a person having sex with a dog, either. However if it's not really a dog, but some kind of sentient being who can take the form of a dog, then you can paw away.

Context is everything. There are parts of Holy Scripture which could be considered porn by some people. It would depend upon how graphic the translator wished to be. Onan "spit his seed upon the sand" could just as well be a facial.

I haven't read the book, so I can't judge it's merits. If the parents of this poor girl want to shelter her from reading this type of objectionable material, then it's too late. The damage has been done. If they want to protect future honor students from exposure, God bless them for their work.

The world is full of objectionable material. If the parents do not want this girl to have to meet the standards of the school, they have their options. One of them is to take her out of the program.

 

[Pure]

from the article: it isn't porn, it simply has a graphic passage.

the girl doesn't hear[read] anything that isn't said in the halls of her school, i bet.

the parents, while well intentioned, are not really 'protecting' their daughter, IMO.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

According to the AMAZON blurbs its pretty graphic. Its clearly inappropriate for a 16 year old AND she cant opt out of reading it.

I went to high school and know that high school English teachers are bored with HUCK FINN and GRAPES OF WRATH and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD; I get it. There are plenty of classics to choose from that arent sexually graphic, and you gotta wonder why they'd flirt with sexually graphic material when their reputations are crap as it is.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

Grapes of Wrath, Sand Pebbles and at least, a dozen other books readily available in High Schools have graphic content. This is non-news, JBJ.

 

[bronzeage]

According to the AMAZON blurbs its pretty graphic. Its clearly inappropriate for a 16 year old AND she cant opt out of reading it.

I went to high school and know that high school English teachers are bored with HUCK FINN and GRAPES OF WRATH and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD; I get it. There are plenty of classics to choose from that arent sexually graphic, and you gotta wonder why they'd flirt with sexually graphic material when their reputations are crap as it is.

Some people may not be as concerned about their reputation as you are about yours.

The girl is in an advanced course, based on international standards. She can opt out of the program if the material is not suitable for her. I put this in the same class as people who object because the girls shower's do not have separate stalls and shower curtains.

"The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right."[11] The IB developed a set of ten attributes which represent its mission statement as learning outcomes. "The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who ... strive to be: inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced and reflective."

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

BRONZE

She cant opt out, thazzz why her parents are so pissed. The fucking teacher picked all the books to read, had them approved by the program, and the kid cant not read this one and remain in the program.

Whazz your reading comprehension, one syllable?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I notice that none our Pedo Hysterics on Lit have a problem with a kid reading porn.

 

[bronzeage]

BRONZE

She cant opt out, thazzz why her parents are so pissed. The fucking teacher picked all the books to read, had them approved by the program, and the kid cant not read this one and remain in the program.

Whazz your reading comprehension, one syllable?

I understand that her parents want to have a special standard for their daughter, so she will be relieved of writing a report on this book. She has already read the book, so the brain damage has occurred. Let's hope she recovers.

She can opt out of the IB program and return to ordinary high school. No one has forced her into this program and she can leave at anytime. This maybe a hardship for her, but the consequences of her actions are her problem.

 

[xssve]

According to the AMAZON blurbs its pretty graphic. Its clearly inappropriate for a 16 year old AND she cant opt out of reading it.

It also deals with serious issues, like the rape of Nankang, but yeah, it's not like there aren't 500 other books on the list to choose from.

I'm calling evangelical attention whore.

 

[CharleyH]

http://www.tampabay.com/news/educat...udent-parents-object-to-book/1036488#comments

Sanctioned porn in the schools.

First of all, after reading this link, I cannot imagine any 16 year old saying 'Ew, gross' about straight sex. If they do, then the parents that be need to consider whether or not their children are bi, gay, or intersex and are trying to tell them something important.

I think it's valiant that a teacher would want to up the ante on intellectual learning by presenting this book ( I have not read it, just looked it up on wiki). It sure as hell beats having to read 'Lord of the Rings' in grade 8 and 'Sons and Lovers', in high school (wasn't that about incest)?

 

[penandpaper]

First of all, after reading this link, I cannot imagine any 16 year old saying 'Ew, gross' about straight sex. If they do, then the parents that be need to consider whether or not their children are bi, gay, or intersex and are trying to tell them something important.

I think it's valiant that a teacher would want to up the ante on intellectual learning by presenting this book ( I have not read it, just looked it up on wiki). It sure as hell beats having to read 'Lord of the Rings' in grade 8 and 'Sons and Lovers', in high school (wasn't that about incest)?

The teacher is not valiant, and she's certainly not anteing up the intellectual value with this book. She merely made a stupid maneuver that might land her school district in trouble. All because SHE didn't do her homework. A teacher follows a rule: If you can't say it aloud to the kids, you shouldn't be saying it at all.

There are hundreds of other books to choose from. All great, all worthy of reading.

 

[WRJames]

Don't schools in Florida teach sex education? Or are y'all too pure for that?

 

[Tx Tall Tales]

Ok, so rather than spout inanities about what it was and what it wasn't and what the girl should have done, after seeing this thread I decided to read The Wind-up Bird Chronicle.

It's almost 400 pages, divided up into several 'books' and I read the first one, about 100 pages.

In the first few pages a stranger calls the unemployed protagonist, and starts in on the phone sex, describing her naked body, trying to pull him into the conversation, describing her playing with herself, and her masturbation before he hangs up on her. She 'stalks' him calling frequently. He just stops answering the phone.

A little later in the book he talks about a wet dream he has of a woman whose sister his brother-in-law violently raped (I know, a little convoluted.) He describes the blow job, her overly large mouth engulfing him, that he's given to completion.

The raped sister shows up at his house and tell's him her life story about living in pain (actual physical pain) but after trying to kill herself and failing, her pain goes away so she becomes a prostitute to pay off her debts, and decides to continue living. She's caught by the local mafia, raped for days and forced to work for them. Not so bad she figures, because now she can't feel pain.

All the while he's in some bizarre relationship with a 16 year old girl down the block who is reading porn when he meets her, and he hides the relationship from this wife, since he can't explain it.

Just as he couldn't explain the relationship he had with a co-worker who wanted him to lay with her in his bed, feeling his erection, just before she was to get married. He was only 'recharging her batteries.'

His wife describes seeing her brother masturbating when she was in 3rd grade, while sniffing his sister's clothing. When she stumbles upon him, their eyes lock and he finishes.

We're also told of the protagonists sex life with his wife (nothing for the last 3 weeks) before we end the book with a long war scene including a two page highly detailed description of a man skinned alive by Mongolians under Russian direction. Disturbingly graphic.

The description of the rape of Nanking, which could very easily and justifiably have some (lots?) of graphic content, was about the tamest thing in the first 100 pages.

"We did some terrible things in Nanking. My own unit did. We threw dozens of people into a well and dropped hand grenades in after them. Some of the things we did I couldn’t bring myself to talk about."

I don't know what is in the remaining 300 pages yet.

---

With that said, I would say this is a highly inappropriate book for 16 year olds to be REQUIRED to read. If you took out the sex scenes, you'd lose 10% of the book, and the story would have no meaning. Sex is entwined in virtually every plot twist in the story.

The school, and the teacher, had 500 books to choose from, and THIS is what they chose. It was a bad decision. If the kid should fail her IB over this, the teacher should be fired, for creating the situation.

If the teacher read this book in class, she would lose her job. No question. She'd possibly end up in jail.

If you disagree with me, that's fine. How about you take the time to actually read the material, and then you may make a useful argument.

 

[Handley_Page]

http://www.tampabay.com/news/educat...udent-parents-object-to-book/1036488#comments

Sanctioned porn in the schools.

Couldn't she just skip the sexy bits ?

PS. It raises interesting questions about the definition of porn.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Couldn't she just skip the sexy bits ?

PS. It raises interesting questions about the definition of porn.

Actually it raises some interesting questions about whats appropriate for high school sophomores to deal with at school. One of the big social issues in America is the sexualization of minors via advertising, entertainment, and schools.

The book isnt about some human struggling with his sexual orientation, its a buffet of porn treats.

 

[xssve]

You do know the Japanese have a bit different attitude towards human sexuality than our Madison Avenue meets Cotton Mather pastiche, right?

http://bigpicture.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/dirty_icecream.jpg

 

[Bianca_Sommerland]

Ok, so rather than spout inanities about what it was and what it wasn't and what the girl should have done, after seeing this thread I decided to read The Wind-up Bird Chronicle.

It's almost 400 pages, divided up into several 'books' and I read the first one, about 100 pages.

In the first few pages a stranger calls the unemployed protagonist, and starts in on the phone sex, describing her naked body, trying to pull him into the conversation, describing her playing with herself, and her masturbation before he hangs up on her. She 'stalks' him calling frequently. He just stops answering the phone.

A little later in the book he talks about a wet dream he has of a woman whose sister his brother-in-law violently raped (I know, a little convoluted.) He describes the blow job, her overly large mouth engulfing him, that he's given to completion.

The raped sister shows up at his house and tell's him her life story about living in pain (actual physical pain) but after trying to kill herself and failing, her pain goes away so she becomes a prostitute to pay off her debts, and decides to continue living. She's caught by the local mafia, raped for days and forced to work for them. Not so bad she figures, because now she can't feel pain.

All the while he's in some bizarre relationship with a 16 year old girl down the block who is reading porn when he meets her, and he hides the relationship from this wife, since he can't explain it.

Just as he couldn't explain the relationship he had with a co-worker who wanted him to lay with her in his bed, feeling his erection, just before she was to get married. He was only 'recharging her batteries.'

His wife describes seeing her brother masturbating when she was in 3rd grade, while sniffing his sister's clothing. When she stumbles upon him, their eyes lock and he finishes.

We're also told of the protagonists sex life with his wife (nothing for the last 3 weeks) before we end the book with a long war scene including a two page highly detailed description of a man skinned alive by Mongolians under Russian direction. Disturbingly graphic.

The description of the rape of Nanking, which could very easily and justifiably have some (lots?) of graphic content, was about the tamest thing in the first 100 pages.

"We did some terrible things in Nanking. My own unit did. We threw dozens of people into a well and dropped hand grenades in after them. Some of the things we did I couldn’t bring myself to talk about."

I don't know what is in the remaining 300 pages yet.

---

With that said, I would say this is a highly inappropriate book for 16 year olds to be REQUIRED to read. If you took out the sex scenes, you'd lose 10% of the book, and the story would have no meaning. Sex is entwined in virtually every plot twist in the story.

The school, and the teacher, had 500 books to choose from, and THIS is what they chose. It was a bad decision. If the kid should fail her IB over this, the teacher should be fired, for creating the situation.

If the teacher read this book in class, she would lose her job. No question. She'd possibly end up in jail.

If you disagree with me, that's fine. How about you take the time to actually read the material, and then you may make a useful argument.

Thanks for the overview. From the sounds of it the book is full of gratuitous sex and it shouldn't be used as a tool for education. I agree with the concept of 'if you can't read it outloud, don't asign it'.

Not to say teens shouldn't be able to read it on their own if they want, but just because they go home and jerk off to hustler doesn't mean teachers should use copies for sex ed.

Actually it raises some interesting questions about whats appropriate for high school sophomores to deal with at school. One of the big social issues in America is the sexualization of minors via advertising, entertainment, and schools.

The book isnt about some human struggling with his sexual orientation, its a buffet of porn treats.

ITA. What happened to not wanting to put condoms dispensers in highschool bathrooms because it promoted sexual activity? I never agreed with that, I always thought it promoted safe sex personally, but I don't get why they would be going to the other extreme now.

 

[WRJames]

This book sounds really bad. Maybe the question should be if high school students should be forced to read crap.

My son writes very well, but getting him through high school English was a constant struggle. They actually made the kids read Tess -- which I think should count as cruel and unusual punishment both for the students and their parents. I still remember my son grousing -- so the girl is a single mother? What's the big deal?

And Romeo and Juliet! He came home with Act 3 Scene 2, grumbling, and after some analysis, said -- hurry up and get dark so I can get laid? And I answered -- yep, that's about it.

 

[scotsmitch2001]

just another book to put on the book burning pile

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Thanks for the overview. From the sounds of it the book is full of gratuitous sex and it shouldn't be used as a tool for education. I agree with the concept of 'if you can't read it outloud, don't asign it'.

Not to say teens shouldn't be able to read it on their own if they want, but just because they go home and jerk off to hustler doesn't mean teachers should use copies for sex ed.



ITA. What happened to not wanting to put condoms dispensers in highschool bathrooms because it promoted sexual activity? I never agreed with that, I always thought it promoted safe sex personally, but I don't get why they would be going to the other extreme now.

I was associated with public schools for much of my professional life. Based on my observations and experiences I conclude that public schools relentlessly pursue a policy of operating outside and apart from the jurisdictions of community, state, and nation, while demanding an ever increasing portion of public resources.

Unless kids are having sex on campus, condoms arent the business of schools.

 

[Boota]

Personally, I would have much preferred being assigned Japanese porn rather than reading The Scarlet Letter. Ugh! That book read like the back of a credit card statement.

The book, while I haven't read it, does sound like it is probably inappropriate for a high school assignment. I'd have to read it myself to make a fair judgment, though. I do believe, however, that advanced students should be exposed to advanced themes that are beyond normal high school boundaries. I don't know if there is any redeeming educational value to this book. The teacher and administrators must have thought so or they would have never assigned it. In general, I think it is just more Christian grandstanding.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

BOOTA

The school lost the fight. The parents' attorney cited state law that prohibits forcing kids to read text that offends the parents, so the school must substitute the book in question with something the parents approve of, provided the substitute is on the approved reading list. The school was stubborn and violated state law; control issues.

No government entity ought have final say on what books are banned or imposed. The parents' religious convictions are protected by the Constitution, like it or dont.