1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

My County is Divided...over a gay story book!

Discussion in 'Entertainment and Technology' started by Ginuwine, Jun 6, 2006.

Thread Tools

Thread Tools

  1. Ginuwine

    Ginuwine
    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 4, 2006
    Messages:
    18
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Boston, MA
    Gender:
    Male
    So, here's what happening in Boston, while Boston Pride is strong and the Pride Parade will take it's place on the Commons this weekend, parents are rallying at the same time against this modern-fairy tale story book that a teacher read in a second grade class.

    Rather than explain the picture book, I have better, you can see it right here:
    http://www.massresistance.com/docs/issues/king_and_king/book.html

    Maybe second grade is a bit early or maybe not, but I'm sorry, I want to throw a rock at those parents everytime I drive by them. Seriously, of all the problems with education and the battle they pick to fight is over a story book:bang:

    I mean, yes our school system has gotten progressive with the whole idea of letting children know that it is acceptable to be gay, or just different as a whole. The main focus is on this Kindergarten-introductory book, "Who in a Family?", a book which tries to make it apoint that a family is a family regardless of sex of parents, interracial parents, number of parents, etc.

    I let you guys decide if these book are too progressive for an elementary school curriculum.
     
    #1 Ginuwine, Jun 6, 2006
    Last edited: Jun 6, 2006
  2. joeyconnick

    joeyconnick Guest

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2005
    Messages:
    3,069
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Toronto, ON
    Gender:
    Male
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    The same thing happened in my hometown of Surrey, BC in the late 90s. You can read about it here: http://www.egale.ca/index.asp?lang=E&menu=70

    It was to do with three books that a gay teacher wanted approved for use in elementary classes. The purpose of each was to increase understanding and respect for different kinds of families.

    They had to be taken to the Supreme Court of Canada (at the expense of Surrey taxpayers to the tune of over $1 million) before the books got approved.

    Sadly this is just one way in which Surrey is an utterly horrible place to live. Just late last year, they banned one of their high schools from mounting the Laramie Project, which has been done at high schools all over the US, let alone Canada, on the grounds that was had too much profanity (which of course the drama head at the school had agreed to remove or seriously tone down).

    And Surrey wastes no opportunity to fuck up every single aspect of urban planning they can. Absolutely none. Vancouver, where I now live, is considered a model livable city. Surrey, which is maybe 40 minutes away if you're not caught in traffic, is urban planning HELL.
     
    #2 joeyconnick, Jun 7, 2006
  3. Ginuwine

    Ginuwine
    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 4, 2006
    Messages:
    18
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Boston, MA
    Gender:
    Male
    Yeah, I would expected a little less fir-for-fire battles over this issue in Canada, but I guess not if it went to the supreme court.

    I really don't get what is with this overprotectiveness is of parent. The essence of education from day one is for your childen, in an arena uninfluenced by outsiders (i.e. parents, politicians, etc.), to learn and then take from that education what they choose and form their own mindset, of morale, interests, and plans for the future.

    So that by the time I get to 12th grade I can say, I want to be a firefighter or EMT, I am a veagan, I am a Christian, I like the oboe.

    What if the parents all of the sudden said, we don't want our children to learn about firefighter, b/c I don't want my child to become one? Okay, tough cookie, fireman, similar to a same-sex family, are a common image in society and the upcoming generation has not only the right to, but also needs to know about it.

    Sheltering your child is never the answer. This is like the issue when I was gorwning up about teaching students about slavery and mentioning the Holocaust before 6th grade.

    With all do respect, it naive to cloud any major part of our history or society. If this is the generation that parents & elders are handing society over too, then they need to know it's history and how too run it. Nevermind reservation about teaching unpleasant, extraordinary, or uncommon moments in our history to students. (the arguement that learning about alternative sexuality at young ages opens the spectrum for the child to choose to be gay is bullheaded. That's about as valid as saying that including slavery in an elementary school curriculum will cause minority children to hate white people. :icon_mad:

    I'llstop ranting, but it is so frustrating that these teachers/parents are putting so much time into picketing this. :bang:
     
    #3 Ginuwine, Jun 7, 2006
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)