“We really can’t change that,” Common Core Reading List OH

[moostraks]

“We really can’t change that,” Common Core Reading List OH

Turns Out, Toni Morrison Novel Will Stay on Ohio’s Common Core Guidelines
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ohio/201...l-stay-on-ohios-state-common-core-guidelines/

The novel uses explicit, bodily detail in its narration of sexual acts...Lewd references to body parts abound, even in the case of little girls.

The author reportedly said "she wanted the reader to feel as though they are a 'co-conspirator' with the rapist," so "she took pains to make sure she never portrayed the actions as wrong in order to show how everyone has their own problems." The book narrates cases of pedophilia, rape, and incest which the author described as "friendly," "innocent," and "tender."

Since Common Core is a set of standards, not a curriculum, schools will be able to choose whether or not to suggest the book, but some have argued that even its presence on the recommended list crosses a line.

http://m.christianpost.com/news/com...-condones-rape-pedophilia-graphic-sex-103072/

“Unfortunately, there is a long and troubling tradition of attacking African-American literature on the grounds that it is ‘too controversial’ for young people,” Christine Link, executive director of the ACLU of Ohio, said in a statement. “These attempts to ignore or gloss over complex issues do a disservice to our students, who cannot lead our future unless they fully understand the past and present.”

http://www.dispatch.com/content/sto...Terhar-questions-appropriateness-of-book.html

So "we" as a state "can't" refine the reading recommendations on CC? What happened to still being able to retain our autonomy (LOL!) and make local (as in not federal) decisions? I think we should give the folks a good healthy dose of non-banning of books from the local schools. Donations to the libraries of government schools of the most salacious material one can find. Why is Playboy not readily accessible if there wasn't some accepted standard of suitable reading material in play in government schools? Just make sure that the material comes from a minority and then it can be argued to be a suitable replication of the environment of minorities. (ACLU comment is frustrating to non-minority rape and incest survivors as well as minority citizens whose home life is not some bastion of sexual abuse)

My tax dollars at work. AHHHH!!!

 

[angelatc]

As much as I am tempted to jump in here, I'd have to read it before I made my mind up. But I'd pull some of Judy Blume's stuff off the school shelves, so I'm guessing this book would go back to the school in the form of a bag of ashes if they sent it home with my kid.

This is part of the terror conditioning. They want to make sure our kids are afraid of the world.

 

[amy31416]

I think it's preferable to banning books. I can read the book and explain it to my kid if I find something objectionable.

 

[moostraks]

I think it's preferable to banning books. I can read the book and explain it to my kid if I find something objectionable.

The heart of the argument isn't about banning books but whether there really is an opportunity for local(state) deviation from the proposed program. The argument was that a suggested book for suitable reading was not being seen by many parents in Ohio as being something they want their children exposed to even in high school. We can't even remove it from the list of suitable reading so how much control is there at the state level to change any of these "suggestions"? The federal level is setting the agenda and we are going to be told to suck it up because "we can't really change that".

As for the banning issue, as long as federal guidelines set a standard due to what they deem as culturally appropriate then we as a community cannot change what we find unacceptable to be taught. Schools have always had standards of what is appropriate literature for consumption by minors. This has been dealt with through local arbitration. With cc, "we can't really change that" and that is the exact opposite of the propaganda being spewed to try and quell the unease of parents who fear losing their ability to have some input into the curriculum that affects their children.

I homeschool so why should I care? Because in Ohio they already give us a ridiculous list of must do's for getting a waiver. The last thing I want is them getting this garbage in the government schools and then demanding we be on the same page with them. It is hard enough trying to find a government documented teacher to give you a permission slip (your other option is standardized testing).