The Delaware Book Burning Mobile Returns.
Yesterday, the Delaware Family Policy Council had their first “Citizen Action Day” in Dover. I am not sure how many citizens showed up, but the point of the supposed gathering was to show support for SB 293, which our own ‘Bulo has nominated for “The Worst Bill of the Year,” and for good reason.
One of the few remaining nominees for Worst Bill of the Year will be considered in the Senate Education Committee today. Sen. Venables’ (D-Mars) SB 293, co-sponsored by Rep. Gerald Brady (D-Catholic Diocese of Wilmington), would ‘require schools to notify parents of information being taught to their children relating to human sexuality issues, sexual acts, profanity, violence, drugs and/or alcohol. Such policy would ensure parent/guardian notification no less than 48 hours prior to introduction or instructional use. Such policy would afford parents or guardians the flexibility to exempt their children from any portion of said curriculum or materials through notification to the school principal.’
But Bulo’s description does not provide the full scope of what this bill will really do. Let’s read from the Delaware Family Policy Council’s own mailer, shall we?
Because God has given us authority over our children’s education, we must know what our kids are reading and what our schools are teaching. In the past two years, many of you called DFPC asking what to do when your kids were assigned highly offensive and slanted material. We heard you, and with SB 293 we are asking our leaders to hear you and acknowledge your authority as parents. […]
Parents: be on high alert for these books in the coming school year. Some are even in the Delaware school system right now. Take a look at this book called “It’s Perfectly Normal.” You need to see this book for yourself. Just one from the list. It is in the children’s section of many Delaware libraries! Planned Parenthood, Delaware’s largest abortion provider, uses this book in their curriculum when they are invited into public schools.
Now, before we delve into the list of books the DFPC finds objectionable and wants banned from our schools, perhaps through SB 293, these parents should already know what their kids are reading and what the schools are teaching them, if they were actually involved in raising their kids. Instead, they want legislation forcing the government to do their job for them. Again, who ever said these conservative evangelical Republicans were for small government? Not the conservative evangelicals, obviously.
To the list. I have bolded ones I have read and are familiar with. I can understand some being inappropriate to certain age groups, like a first grader really shouldn’t be reading about puberty or the Catcher in the Rye, because they won’t understand it. But that is not what the DFPC is saying here. They want these books removed from the school library.
A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby, by George Beard
Alice series, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
We All Fall Down, by Robert Cormier
Always Running, by Luis Rodriguez
America: A Novel, by Frank, E.R.
Anastasia (series), by Lois Lowry
And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell
Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging, by Louise Rennison
Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume
Arming America, by Michael Bellasiles
Athletic Shorts, by Chris Crutcher
Beloved, by Toni Morrison
Black Boy, by Richard Wright
Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya
Blood and Chocolate, by Annette Curtis Klause
The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison
Blubber, by Judy Blume
The Boy Who Lost His Face, by Louis Sachar
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
Bridge To Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson
Bumps in the Night, by Harry Allard
Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey
Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier
The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
Crazy Lady, by Jane Leslie Conly
Crazy: A Novel, by Benjamin Lebert
Cut, by Patricia McCormick
Daughters of Eve, by Lois Duncan
A Day No Pigs Would Die, by Robert Newton Peck
Deal With It!, by Esther Drill
Detour for Emmy, by Marilyn Reynolds
Draw Me A Star, by Eric Carle
The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things, by Carolyn Mackler
The Face on the Milk Carton, by Caroline B. Cooney
The Facts Speak for Themselves, by Brock Cole
Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
Fallen Angels, by Walter Dean Meyers
Fat Kid Rules the World, by K.L. Going
The Fighting Ground, by Avi
Forever, by Judy Blume
Friday Night Lights, by H.G. Bissenger
The Giver, by Lois Lowry
Go Ask Alice, by Anonymous
Goosebumps (series), by R.L. Stine
Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily von Ziegesar
The Great Gilly Hopkins, by Katherine Paterson
Grendel, by John Gardner
Harry Potter (series), by J.K. Rowling
The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood
Harris and Me, by Gary Paulsen
His Dark Materials (series), by Philip Pullman
The House of the Spirits, by Isabel Allende
Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou
I Saw Esau, by Iona Opte
In the Night Kitchen, by Maurice Sendak
It’s So Amazing, by Robie Harris
It’s Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris
The Joy of Gay Sex, by Dr. Charles Silverstein
Julie of the Wolves, by Jean Graighead George
unie B. Jones (series), by Barbara Park
Kaffir Boy, by Mark Mathabane
Killing Mr. Griffen, by Lois Duncan
King and King, by Linda de Haan
The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
Life is Funny, by E.R. Frank
The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold
Mick Harte Was Here, by Barbara Park
My Brother Sam Is Dead, by James Lincoln Collier
My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult.
Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
Olive’s Ocean, by Kevin Henkes
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Rainboy Boys, by Alex Sanchez
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred Taylor
Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz
Shade’s Children, by Garth Nix
Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut
The Sledding Hill, by Chris Crutcher
Snow Falling on Cedars, by David Guterson
So Far From the Bamboo Grove, by Yoko Watkins
Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison
Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson
Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, by Chris Crutcher
The Stupids (series), by Harry Allard
Summer of My German Soldier, by Bette Green
The Terrorist, by Caroline B. Cooney
The Things They Carried, by Tim O’Brien
Tiger Eyes, by Judy Blume
A Time to Kill, by John Grisham
To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
Twilight (series) by Stephenie Meyer
TTYL; TTFN; L8R, G8R (series), by Myracle, Lauren
The Upstairs Room, by Johanna Reiss Ulysses by James Joyce
Whale Talk, by Chris Crutcher
What My Mother Doesn’t Know, by Sonya Sones
What’s Happening to My Body Book, by Lynda Madaras
When Dad Killed Mom, by Julius Lester
A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeline L’Engle
You Hear Me?, by Betsy Franco
Delaware Family *Policy* Council
These people — led by Nicole Theis — are out of their effing minds. The teachers’ union has already said they’ll be fighting this big time.
I wonder if they realize that burning books is one of the first steps towards fascism?
Anon, thank you for being my editor tonight. The check is in the mail. LOL.
Whats wrong with parents knowing whats being taught to thier children?
It’s a list of books I must make sure my niece reads.
The point is, Anon, that these parents should already know what their children are reading, especially if it is assigned homework. The point of this bill is to have the government to do that job for them.
Let the witch trials begin! We could do some drownings or burnings or something
Well, SB293 as written does not explicitly bring this banning into play; HOWEVER, seeing how DFPC wrote that release, I’d like to see an amendment to seal shut that obvious attempt to manipulate it. Outside of that, I don’t have an issue with a parent having a choice of ‘opting out.’ I might have issue with that parent’s choice, but not them reserving that option.
Well, here we go into a slippery slope situation. If you allow a parent to exempt his or her child from one part of the curriculum, where does it end? Can that child avoid learning about the New Deal if the parent objects to New Deal policies? Can that child avoid learning science if the parent thinks science is the work of the Devil?
It seems to me that the “opt out” choice for parents is choosing to send your children to public school in the first place. And if you do send them to public school, it seems to me that the next chance to influence your child’s curriculum is at PTA meetings, School Board meetings, and parent teacher conferences.
A kid in my son’s science class opted out of studying evolution. Good stuff, parents opting to spread their ignorance on another generation.
I would just as soon ban literature courses entirely.
I have never understood why a form of what is essentially entertainment, needs to be taught anymore than watching a movie, or a sit-com or listening to music need to be taught.
This is just ridiculous! I read a lot of these books as a child. I’ve given some of them to my nieces. I plan to give them more. This can NOT pass…
delacrat there is more to life than watching cartoons and sit-coms. Besides, the point of this is that these imbeciles want this list of books removed from the schools and their libraries, meaning the children can not read them whether they are assigned to do so, or choose to do so on their own. If the government banned you from watching your precious television you’d be up in arms over the situation.
If someone doesn’t want their kid to read a book, then they should monitor that themselves. Don’t take that option away from me and my children. Many of those books are excellent, and I read several of them as a student. Censorship is in general never a good option in a free society.
I think Glenn Beck writes horrible fiction that can make a horrible impression on young people, but I would encourage my children to read his drivel with a critical eye or avoid it altogether, not run to my representative and ask him to get it banned from the library.
The bill wouldn’t ban anything. It just gives a consistent state wide mechanism for parents to enforce the inherent right they have to direct the upbringing of their children. Not to recognize that right violates federal law.
People have a right to determine that their children should not have to participate in something that violates their beliefs. They should not be forced to pledge allegience to the flag for instance if they believe that is pledging something that only belongs to GOD. They should not be forced to eat pork or go hungry if they do not beilieve in eating pork. They should not be forced to read or listen to profanity if they have strong objections to that. There is plenty of literature or movies that can be used without that.
It does not prevent it from being used, it just allows people with a different point of view a fair chance to opt out. It makes life easier for everyone including the teachers who don’t have angry parents upset that their child is being forced to do x. Many districts already have such a policy. It actually makes it easier not more difficult. It adds diversity.
They know this bill is only about providing information. If something is so objectionable that a number of parents would not want it if they were notified about it, it should not be part of the offering in a school that is suppose to reflect community standards. Relax stop drinking liberally during the legislative week.
Children also have “the inherent right” and need to learn.
I read virtually all of the books on that list that existed between jr. high and high school. The Color Purple is still one of my favorite books and my parents were PROUD of me for reading Vonnegut and Steinbeck, but then they are educated people who wanted to raise educated children.
And can anyone PLEASE tell me what’s wrong with the book “Draw Me A Star” by Eric Carle? I think I used that book to teach my kid how to draw a star! Is that bad or evil now?
Who knows miss? I have read many books on this list and don’t understand what the problem is. A lot of these books are really important pieces of literature that can teach children a lot about the world around them. I guess that’s the problem – some people don’t want to accept the world around them.
I got to ‘Fahrenheit 451’ and the irony totally burned me up.
I see crack baby Delusional David is defending this bill. No big surprise there. He and the other F*ckus on the Family types would replace every textbook with a bible.
Oh please, we all know how this game is played. When the reading
is assigned a very loud, very indignant group of parents will pitch
a fit over a specific book. The book will be pulled because the teacher
will not be able to teach two separate lessons. One by one these
books will disappear.
And that’s the plan. This isn’t just about their kids.
DR is LOL funny.
He brings the Pledge of Allegiance into this. Which is funny, funny, funny. Since the god-fearing Jehovah Witnesses are probably the largest non-participatory students of said pledge.
Hmm, I don’t believe 2+2=4. Maybe my son shouldn’t be taught the evils of math.
This bill also presumes that these parents otherwise don’t know what their kids are doing in class. While that may be true, the obligation is on the parent to get involved enough to know what the work is and what the reading is. And interesting that those who don’t want big government are here asking for a bigger government role.
But this bill failed in committee yesterday — forcing these parents to get involved with their schools, I guess.
Thank G-d this bill failed in committee.
pandora nailed it, what the DFPC wants to do is make it such a hassle for a teacher to assign one of these books that they just won’t do it.
Now this is funny. I went to the DFPC list, and when I got to this listing I couldn’t stop laughing:
“To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
(4) Reasons: Racism, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group”
What? “To Kill A Mockingbird” has content that deals with “racism”? Maybe that’s because it’s a book ABOUT RACISM.
And “Unsuited to Age Group”? Which age group? It may not be suited for an elementary school child, but from 8th grade up, this is a wonderful book.
But the most telling part of this listing is that the book is evil for “(4) reasons” and they only list 3.
Hooray for the kind of education the DFPC is trying to push on public school children, someday maybe ALL of our children won’t be able to count to 4.
I know & trust my child’s teachers plus I get involved in their education. I have read the majority of these books over 25 years ago. They were good then & why not now. This is the beginning of the downfall of Delaware, are we to be like Texas?
Luckily we defeated this horde of uninformed ignorant medieval backwards fascist arrogant theocrats this time.
Nemski, Math is not inherently evil. Calculus though, evil as the devil’s prick on Sunday.
Why doesn’t the DFPC recommend that their members home school with the other ignoramuses like the Born-Agains and the Anti-Science folks. Then maybe a combination of measles and the flu can kill them all off.
lol! Your shot guns and holy water are useless against measles.
My son went to school this year with a girl who was homeschooled by her religious parents all through elementary school. They put her into public school in 6th grade, where she was failing every academic subject and became known as the girl that boys could get their coveted first kiss from.
The school wanted to hold her back in 6th grade again, but her parents solution was to pull her out of school with 2 months left in the year, and homeschool her again.
I guess because it worked so well before.
Where in the bill is book banning discussed?
ananan you don’t have to “ban” the books, by making it tedius and difficult for teachers to assign the books, the books will fall by the wayside.
And has anyone figured out why “Draw Me a Star” by Eric Carle is evil?
You are seeing the confluence of two streams of idiot wingnuttery. One the one hand you have “opt outers” like the 6th grader described by missundaztood. (A kind of child abuse I might point out), and on coming in on cue is the “Inflict my stupid ideas about religious piety on everyone” type crazebags typified by the Delaware Family Policy Council. There is no doubt a lot of overlap between the two groups because being logically consistent is not exactly a hallmark of the movement.
Just to be certain, when I mentioned “opt-out” being a choice, I really didn’t think about core subjects in regard to sciences, math, language, etc. There is no opt-out there, sorry to those who disagree. It’s also why I glanced over it, as it was automatic in my thinking to not be a choice. I am fine with the public education being what it is. I think we need to push for a higher level of in-depth education in core subjects, but that’s another argument for another day on the curriculum.
I was thinking specifically about choosing in regard to sexual education. Now, I wouldn’t opt out my own children in that subject. I plan to have that parent-talk with my kids and let them also take what the school teaches. The more they know and are aware of, the better for them as they become adults. At the same time, I am not “everyone else” and understand some parents can’t handle the educational system doing that duty. My opinion is that they aren’t thinking this through on a critical level, but I still stand on that being an option.
That’s pretty much what I meant, but seeing the follow up, I stand corrected in that I could have clarified it much better.
On the books stuff, I’m with you all. The only burning that should be done is the distribution of that list. Eff censorship.
The Night Kitchen, is from the same author as Where the Wild Things Are and is the same style. The kid in it is naked (in that “love is” carton way) and they dont’ want to use it? really? It’s a beautiful book.
With the exception of 2 or 3 books, all of the stories that helped shape my voracious childhood reading habit are on that list. Also, i have no idea where i would have been in 4th and 5th grade without the Goosebumps series.
RSmitty wrote At the same time, I am not “everyone else” . . .
And you’re not really a Republican either. You’re a Democrat in RINO clothing. 😉
“In the Night Kitchen” is on the list, I presume, because one of the illustrations shows the protagonist naked. Though not very well-defined, his genitals are visible.
I just printed off this list and handed it to my children. They had already read many of the books – and they’re excited about reading the other ones. Thanks for the extra motivation, Delaware Family Policy Council!
The scary thing… the kids kept away from these books (and science) will be the next generation yelling “elitist” while asking “do you want fries with that?”
Oops. Sorry for the duplication, V.
As for “replacing every textbook with a bible,” vast sections are inappropriate for children.
I’m printing up that list and giving it to my boy with this caveat, “There are adults out there who say these books are dangerous for you.” Methinks his reading list will grow.
I think we overestimate how much literature courses influence kids.
If a kid is interested in literature, s/he will gravitate on their own, to whatever genre suits them. If not, then having it force fed to someone incapable or not ready to appreciate it, will not get them to appreciate it.
In H.S. I preferred comic books to Silas Marner, but it did not stop me from reading a rare Catch 22. But if Catch 22 was required for 10th grade english lit, I have no doubt I would have slept through it, as I slept through A Midsummer’s Night Dream
Despite the base literary tastes of my youth, today I read Noam Chomsky, not Glenn Beck. So I guess I turned out OK.
We don’t expect every H.S. kid to like or learn calculus, I don’t know why we expect every kid do the same with Shakespeare.
delacrat inexplicably wrote We don’t expect every H.S. kid to like or learn calculus, I don’t know why we expect every kid do the same with Shakespeare.
Yeah, those stories like Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear and Othello are rubbish.
If we allow parents to prevent their children from reading Fahrenheit 451, then we officially become a fascist society. It’s not a matter of “becoming” anymore.
If we allow parents to prevent their children from reading Fahrenheit 451…
Well, in the aspect of a parent holding the right to be a parent and be responsible over the actions of their children until adulthood, I think the parent can make that decision…BUT where it affects their own children. That parent’s decision better not impact my child, unless I gave prior permission. To swing back to your position, while I think it’s the parent’s right, it will also be mine to think that parent is closed-minded and is afraid of world-reality.
And you’re not really a Republican either. You’re a Democrat in RINO clothing.
How did I miss this? 😆
Yeah, well, when I went to reach for the booklet on how to choose affiliation, I found out that the DFPC apparently had it destroyed. Everything thereafter was left to chance.
As a self-identified conservative I find this apalling. What school is going to want to go through the hassle of informing parents that SOMETHING may be offensive. Therefore the books on the list will be removed.
Ironically, most of the books on the list are recommended by the National Catholic Education Association as books to be included in Catholic schools.
It’s my place as a parent to teach my children what we believe and how to think logically when they hear views that contradict those beliefs. Oh, wait, the DFPC doesn’t want our young people to think.
It is not their list. It is the American Library Association list of books that is most controversial. They pointed to ten of them which may be a problem. There are a number of books that I would rather not have my 9 year old read on the list. Harry Potter is one series. The school had no issue with that. I did not seek to ban the book. When he is 11 or 12 if he wanted to read one of those books, I would let him. Why? He would be more steadfast in knowing his own beliefs by that age.
Would I want my 11 old reading Beloved? No, the material is adult material and is questionable for a 16 year old though I would let the 16 year old be the judge personally. Either way it is parents who have a right to be the final say if something out of the ordinary grabs their attention. If a parent wants to control every book then they need to homeschool.
Parents already have this right. This law would make every school district follow that right by having a mechanism defined across the state to enforce it. Many districts already do this. It would have little effect in most of the state. Every law is about the bad actors and few are about the majority.
But this law is about Big Government doing something that parents ought to be doing on their own.
And attributing the list to the ALA is disingenuous (if it is even true). The *controversial* list is controversial only because these books have gotten many requests to remove them from libraries or formal objections to the material.
If you don’t want your 11 year old reading Beloved, then you should make sure he or she doesn’t. That is not the government’s job.
republicking david writes“He would be more steadfast in knowing his own beliefs by that age.”
In other words, it gives David a few extra years to force feed his craziness into his son. Therefore, his son can’t be exposed to any other ideas that might interfere with that.
religion = mind virus
Draw Me a Star by Carle has a stylized “anatomically” correct picture of a man and woman–guess it’s similar to the little boy in In the Night Kitchen–nudity is evil.
The ALA (American Library Association) tracks books that are challenged/banned. They in no way or form support the banning of books. DFPC is being deceptive by saying that it is “ALA and DFPC’s recommendation” that the books be banned. See the following supporting statement published on ALA’s website: http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/index.cfm
ALA tracks challenges to books as a means to bring about public awareness and support for the freedom of speech and choice.
Also, the list that DFPC provided in the PDF link above list the “top ten” books that are the most frequently challenged in schools and libraries. Again, this information was gleaned from ALA. The reasons for the challenges of the top ten books were listed. The numbering on these books are not the number of reasons, rather they are the ranking (1-10) of the top ten most challenged books.
I am an evangelical christian, but I do not support the banning of any books. I believe that we all have the right to make our own choice. I can not think of a better opportunity than to have a child or teen read a book that exposes them to different ideas and concepts. It is an opportunity for parents and children to discuss and as one reader above stated above, “think critically,” in order to help develop and strengthen that child’s/teen’s own individual belief (morals, principles, faith) system.
That is one of the beauties of “freedom and choice.” They are both, or should be, individual, not collective.
In theory requiring schools to notify parents of information being taught regarding human sexuality issues, sexual acts, profanity, violence, drugs and/or alcohol would not be objectionable. And while parents should know what books their child reads at home as assigned, not all assignments/school curriculum comes home as assigned homework.
The problem with a law like this is determining what requires parental notification. Few would argue it would be inappropriate for a teacher to show a high school literature class “Debbie Does Dallas” during a section covering American Cinema without advance parental notice. However, I’ve never heard of this happening anywhere. But other than my absurd example the problem comes with what requires notification. Just as Potter Stewart said “I know it when I see it” with respect to what constitutes hardcore porn, the problem comes with a uniform standard of what constitutes truly objectionable material.
If this group really considers the books listed objectionable, I pity their offspring. My oldest child attended K-12 Catholic school in Iowa (He graduated before we moved), and the other two went through 8th and 10th grades respectively. Many of the books on the list were required reading. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Giver, and To Kill A Mockingbird were all required reading in middle school (6-8). In elementary school when a crazy parent voiced her concern about Harry Potter books (the mom of course didn’t bother reading the book first) being available in the library the librarian let her know that not only are the books great fantasy books, but told her she should be thrilled her son wants to read a book that is 400 pages long. She suggested the mom read the book first before she complains about its content. I was proud of her! In addition to the Harry Potter books, the elementary school library had all the goose bump, captain underpants, and Scary Stories series.
GOP David I pity your 9 year-old! You state “There are a number of books that I would rather not have my 9 year old read on the list.” Unless your 9 year old reads far above his age level a good many of the books he couldn’t read if he wanted to. However, ignoring lumping all K-12 books together I’ve never heard of a school assigning Harry Potter to 9 year olds. Many 9 year olds have read the books, but no school would require such lengthy books in elementary school. The 7 books range in length from 309 to 870 pages, averaging 546 pages.
I’m glad your son’s school had no problem with your request that your son not be allowed to read one of the Harry Potter books. Essentially your request amounted to your son not being allowed to check the book out. Frankly I don’t know why you even had to involve the school, I would think if you told your son he was not allowed to read Harry Potter he would have obeyed you at 9!
But I can’t imagine why you would go to the school and tell them you didn’t want your son reading Harry Potter at 9, but state if he wants to read them at 11 or 12 you would let him. Your explanation is your son would be more steadfast in knowing his own beliefs by that age. Have you read any of the Harry Potter books? My kids had not heard of the books until just before the 3rd book was released (July 1999) My oldest son’s reading skills weren’t advance enough to read the books by himself, so I began reading them to my 9, 7 & 5 year old. By the time the 4th book was published my oldest could read well enough on his own. To see your 10 year old immerse himself in a 734 page book is a wonderful sight! Before long all three kids could read the series on their own, and could not wait until the next book was out. Having your children beg you to take them to Barnes and Noble at midnight so they can start reading the book the minute it is released is great.
No normal child is unable to separate the fantasy in the Harry Potter books from reality, however far too many of the critics have not even read the books, and make crazy claims about these wonderful books.
Your claim that “This law would make every school district follow that right by having a mechanism defined across the state to enforce it.” How exactly? The law doesn’t define what book or curriculum requires notification. It is overly broad and the Senators who proposed it should be embarrassed!
“–guess it’s similar to the little boy in In the Night Kitchen–nudity is evil.”
Librarian… I dont know who you are, but for the Mickey and the Night Kitchen reference, I tip my hat to you!