Kids—reading pornography in school | Filed under General
We trust teachers and librarians to select appropriate instructional materials for our children to learn from and to read. Do they? Have you ever taken time to see what your child might have access to?
It is said in most cases a grade-level appropriate text is used for students to select the most appropriate reading materials for them—it matters not if the materials is for education purpose or reading pleasure. Grade appropriate Text—–hmmm now how is that determined—–Well my research found this:
Books are generally leveled by number, 1 - 20 to coincide with Reading Recovery levels, or by letter, A – Z, as represented in Guided Reading and Guiding Readers and Writers, 3-6 by Fountas and Pinnell.
No one aspect or characteristic of text can be used as the sole determiner of the level of a text.
Multiple aspects have implications for the reader and therefore book characteristics have to be evaluated for careful consideration and use with students.
Characteristics to consider include:
Book and print features
• Length – number of pages, number of words, number of lines of print on a page
• Print – type of font, size of print, spaces between words and between lines
• Layout – placement of phrases, sentences, picture; consistency of layout, organizational features
• Punctuation – range of punctuation
• Illustrations – number of illustrations, relationship of illustrations and print to convey meaning
Sentence complexity
• length
• embedded clauses
• punctuation
Content, Themes, Ideas
• familiarity of subject matter
• technical nature of subject matter
• general sophistication of theme
• general sophistication of issue
• complexity of the ideas presented
Language and literary features
• literary language/devices – simple text reflective of oral language to literary language using figurative language and dialogue
• language structure – simple sentences to complex sentences, to paragraphs, chapters, and sections
• perspective – point of view of author and/or characters
• vocabulary – high-frequency words and oral language representations, multi syllabic words, specialized and unusual vocabulary, specific content words, words that convey subtle meanings
Text Structure
• narrative text – predictability of story structure, description of setting, character development, plot complexity, episodic structure, genre
• expository text – level, organization, and presentation of information and ideas.
Having said all of that—-just what does it mean, hell if I know—-I just know a recent interview by Wilson Smith of What Is Goin’ On with William Harper opened my eyes. Mr. Harper shared this with us—–he indicates Second and Third Graders have and I am sharing this word for word—–at their hands—-pornography. Yeah, I know you want to know where …I found this….you will not believe this……It is in the school library!!!!! Believe it or not and this is no Ripley’s here…..For more on this subject, go here.
I know I have some lazy ones, so I don’t want you to miss out on what this is all about— America, by E.R. Frank (3rd grade reading level), published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Shuster Children’s Publishing Division, 2002 was brought home from school —-by Mr. Harper’s seven year old daughter who goes to the J.D. Dickerson School in Vidalia, Georgia; it serves pre-K through second grade. Now you want to know just what has him all up in arms well here it is:
pp. 196-197: “I’m on the whale, and Browning’s there, with a baseball, and we’re throwing, and it’s slippery on the whale’s back, and we’re throwing, and the ball turns into a dick, and it’s safe, and it’s good, and he’s smiling, and the dick gets bigger, and then it’s not safe, but it’s hot, but it’s bad and not safe, but it’s hot, and my dick is hard, and then he stops smiling, and the dick gets bigger, and then it turns into Mr. B’s, and he’s not smiling, but he’s safe, and the dick gets smaller, and my dick gets smaller, and then the face turns into Liza’s, and she’s got a dick, and it’s hot, and I want to fuck her with the dick and all . . .”
Do you know what your children are reading? You might want to take a look.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:37 am
I know just what you mean.
Since our breakup,my computer has been in my storage building…so I go to the library to use their computers….and occasionally I’ll check out a movie or DVD,and was shocked to see some of these movies that are in NO WAY appropriate for young children.ALOT of the books that they make available for any age,really surprises me.It should be addressed nationwide.Of course you can’t keep ALL porno-type material out of kiddo’s hands…but our public libraries ought to have a better way of screening these things before allowing them to get out the door in the hands of our kiddo’s.
Good topic hun,
Luv ya,
T.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:18 pm
Another prime example of the “looseness” of society and people not paying enough attention. Like back when they started ‘rating’ movies pg, pg`13, etc. The parents drop their kids off at the mall; do they hang around to see which of the theatres in the multiplex the kids walk into.
We’re in sad shape when children can so readily have their little minds twisted at such an earlier age than ever before.
Take care, Ms. Vickie. Good post.
May 1st, 2007 at 6:18 pm
Wow Vickie, that’s appalling, I wonder do the kids understand it at that age or if they care/absorb what they are reading?
May 2nd, 2007 at 9:16 am
OK, that pisses me off. It’s all right for me to read something like that because it may - or may not be MY choice, however, children should not read things like that. What is the purpose; it’s not educational! It’s down right scary what children are exposed to, even on TV. It’s up to the parents to decide what their children watch and read; and the teachers and schools have a HUGE responsibility to ensure the children are reading books that will educate them, not this smut.
I do not believe in sheltering children when it comes to sex until they’re 20, but they do need to be taught how special sex is; not just the act but the intimacy that should go along with it. I’m not a prude but there are too many teen pregnancies, mainly because the kids are not educated properly and not given the options for birth control. If they’re old/mature (big question mark on the mature) enough to mess around, they’re old enough to know about birth control. Kids are missing out on their childhoods because they’re having kids. I believe the books they read and what they see on TV is partly to blame; the other part of the blame goes onto the parents for not educating their children and keeping an open relationship with them.
*off my soap box*
I hope you’re feeling well today. Sending love and hugs!!
May 2nd, 2007 at 10:41 am
I am speechless! When my children where in elementary school I read all the books they brought home and thought I was doing good by being involved. Now I wonder about the books they didn’t bring home!
May 2nd, 2007 at 2:02 pm
Where was that when I went top school.
Not even Jack got to get a kiss from Jill after falling down the hill and breaking his crown let along a stiffy.
This only goes to show you that the people who order the books don;t even read what they are buy and just shipping it off for our kids to read.
I could understand letting some soft sex to kids that are a bit older maybe in the sixth grade and up to slowly introduce them to the periles of sex but that is porn plain and simple made for an older group.
They should poll librarians to see if they wouild like their kids to read what they have on the shelves where they work.
Have a nice day.
May 13th, 2007 at 10:03 am
Awful as that exerpt is, the fact that it is in an elementary library is clearly a mistake. I am a librarian, and a simple search of a common reviewing source CLEARLY shows that the book is a young adult novel. The reading level might be low intentionally (literature is needed for lower readers at higher grade levels) but no competent librarian would purchase a book without at least reading a review. I am against censorship. That said, I would NOT want my daughter to bring this home at age 7!! Appropriate selection of materials is NOT censorship. It is called “Selection”. !!