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Earlier this week, I gleefully posted that homophobic Tennessee legislator, Stacey Campfield, best-known for his Don’t Say Gay bill, lots his primary bid at reelection. Now, though, there’s another threat of the same kinds, only it’s up there round Delaware way, and it’s more of a Don’t Read Gay thing.
The Cape Henlopen School Board in Delaware has eliminated a summer reading list for the incoming class of high school freshman over a challenge to the list’s inclusion of The Miseducation of Cameron Post, a book whose main character is gay.
The board initially voted to remove the novel — by emily m. danforth … she uses all lower case letters to identify herself — after several complaints from parents earlier this summer. At first, the board said it was removing the book because of the author’s use of profanity, but some parents, and emily danforth, think the decision was based solely on the book’s gay theme; the coming-of-age tale of a young girl discovering she is a lesbian.
Andy Lewis, board president, claims the book was removed from the list because there was no process to evaluate it after someone complained. Now, does that sound a bit fishy to anyone else? No process to evaluate the book? Howsabout, oh, I dunno, getting a copy of the book, sitting in a comfy chair, and, maybe, reading it?
Of course, it has been revealed that other books on the reading list were laden with profanity too, but only one … any guesses … featured a gay character. And after that revelation, rather than put the book on the list for students, the entire program, the entire reading list, was eliminated.
Don’t Read Gay, y’all.
The funniest thing of all is that the students themselves would probably have no problem reading The Miseducation of Cameron Post, but it’s their parents with the issues. Parents who don’t realize that gay folks, gay teenagers, exist, in real life and on the pages of a book.
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via LGBTQ Nation
I've never been a fan of summer reading lists. I've never been a fan of prescribed reading. I can vividly remember, in college, actually finding a bit of time to read what I wanted to. It was such a relief. So you can imagine I'm not a book club joiner, I will put a book aside in the first 5 pages, I refuse to read anything that doesn't please me.
ReplyDeleteSo I also do not subscribe to classroom novels. Let your students read what they want to and accept it. The novels my dyslexic son has read he can count on one hand but give him a technical book and away he goes.
You kill love of reading by forcing it.
Didn't see that soapbox coming!!!
xoxoxoxox
Right on, Dog's Mother! If reading is made to be a chore in school it will never be a pleasure later in life!
ReplyDeleteI must say that I agree with Cape Henlopen School Board’s decision to eliminate the entire program rather than single out one particular book. To me, it appears that at least they’re trying to be fair. In other communities they would, without a doubt, “get that gay book off the list”!
hey bob, this school district is where ron and the cajun live. REHOBOTH BEACH, DE - huge gay population. who'd a-thunk it; gay kids in a gay town?
ReplyDeleteBob,
ReplyDeleteThis book that was eliminated from the Henlopen School reading list is where I live. The "delisting" created a huge backlash down here, not only because we have a large gay community but it offended the sensibilities and common sense of many straight people too. Of course this book ban had the opposite effect causing more publicity than the author could ever buy to sell and make available her book. In fact, the book is available for free at "Browse About Books" in Rehoboth Beach for any teenager, compliments of all the folks who donated money to Browse About Books to make the book available. The prudes and homophobes still try to impose their small minds on others, especially children but they're losing. At least down here in Gayberry, much to their chagrin I'm sure. After all,it wasn't that long ago that some straights used to ride around town (Rehoboth) with a bumper sticker saying "Keep Rehoboth a Family Town." And we all know what "family" means: KEEP THE GAYS FROM TAKING OVER. Because you know what would happen then, they will turn your children gay and EMBARRASS YOU! Now where did I put my Gay Agenda?
Books are dangerous things. The best ones encourage independent thought. Gasp!
ReplyDeleteGreat publicity for "The Miseducation of Cameron Post." Hope it sells millions!
These are the same morons that worked to eliminate Catcher in the Rye, Lord of the Flies, and Harry Potter from other lists. Needless to say, they have never read any of these titles. The stoopid. It burns.
ReplyDeleteOh, and all the mishugas has made young readers curious about the book and they've read it anyway, So there!
This is precisely the same mentality that created 'The Index', the list of books designated by the Vatican as being a 'mortal sin' to read - until they decided (in the 1960s or 70s, I think) that it was having the opposite effect so they scrapped it. Not far removed from Chairman Mao's 'Cultural Revolution' as well. Don't they learn ANYTHING from history?
ReplyDeleteThe generation growing up now seems to be far more accepting of difference than their parents. And hopefully that will show up when they start voting; with any luck the Republican and far right vote will atrophy, although I would not put money on it
ReplyDeleteI've never thought it was right that when the school doors are closed up tight for the summer, the kids are busily doing homework.... If the teachers dont work, the kids shouldnt have to!
ReplyDeleteAs per the book? Well, those few bigoted apes did all these training wheel lesbians a giant boon! They now know a title of book where they can see themselves on each page. Thank you bigoted apes!
Schools have in place procedures for books that have been flagged by parents as unacceptable. Heck, the tiny, teeny, bitty school all our sons attended (100 students from K- grade 12!) had an entire manual for this occurrence. That school is lying, lying, lying!!!