Catholic school board vs Golden Compass

[Nadme]

Originally Posted by Spock Jenkins

Well, it is a private institution and it is their library. It's not like they've denied all access to the book. The public library is readily available to Catholic school students as well. If they wish to read it, they can go there. Or they can buy the book at a local book store. This particular school board has the right to not endorse a message they don't agree with. The schools library doesn't carry every book ever written.

Thank you for that very reasonable response.

And no, I'm not Roman Catholic nor have I read the book in question.

I'm simply posting appreciation for your wise response.

[Tinaa]

I work at a middle school and occasionally read new books our librarian has ordered to make sure they are appropriate for 6th graders. I'm quite liberal in my views so she likes my input. I flagged one book recently because of gratuitous sex and free use of the f-word, a few more for much the same reasons. These books are sent to the high school. We do censor, but more for language and situations - not for ideas. Some books are just not appropriate for 11-12 yr olds.

We have lots of books dealing with abuse, teens growing up with the usual teen problems, fantasy books where the characters go to hell, kill gods, make magic. We have the trilogy and have heard no complaints.

[Blondin]

Originally Posted by Nadme

Thank you for that very reasonable response.

And no, I'm not Roman Catholic nor have I read the book in question.

I'm simply posting appreciation for your wise response.

If it was a private institution I wouldn't have a problem with them banning or promoting whatever they want. I'm also not suggesting that they don't have a right (or responsibility) to ensure that only age-appropriate material is available in the library. This decision has nothing to do with age-appropriateness. It isn't even based on the actual content of the books in question except as they relate to the ideology of the author.

The board had a committee review the book and then chose to ban the whole series of books in spite of the committee's recommendation because:

"The board felt that because it really was in opposition of what we're trying to teach the children, there is a lot of literature out there that is more appropriate for teaching critical thinking," she said.

"Yes, we do want the children to be good critical thinkers but we can do it with other materials than that one."

Link: http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories

My objection to this is that publicly funded school boards should concern themselves with providing a quality education for our children, not trying to mold their ideology by controlling who and what they read. They "do want the children to be good critical thinkers", they just don't want them thinking too critically about the Catholic faith.

I object to my tax dollars being used to brainwash children. I don't care whose children they are. One day those children could be politicians, lawyers, trades-people, doctors, teachers, jurors, landlords, etc, whose ability to think rationally could have a direct effect on me or my family.

Other people may feel differently and they are perfectly free to home-school or send their kids to whatever kind of mind control institution they want. Just not on my tax dollars.

[DyerWolf]

Originally Posted by Fazor

Lol, there's just something about her that I can't stand. And I apparently am one of the few guys who is not into that plasticy blonde look, so not really eyecandy either.

Agree wholeheartedly. She's always seemed like a cold, shallow imitation of what's supposed to be attractive.

I'm much more interested in the likes of Salma Hayek - who seems much more vibrant and real - and therefore attractive.

[DyerWolf]

Originally Posted by Tucson_Tim

Agreed. Tommy boy lost both her and Penelope Cruz - what an idiot.

I'm not sure Tommy boy was "in to" her, or Penelope, as say, you or I (in the case of Penelope, at least) would be...

I believe the proper term for these ladies in context w/Tommy is "beard."

[Maksutov]

Originally Posted by Fazor

Uh-oh, and here I am sitting here not expecting the Texas Inquisition (then again, nobody expects the Texas Inquisition)....

"Houston, we have a pogrom."

[Fazor]

Thanks Mak, I never expected a MP reference on this site to go so relatively unnoticed. Sign of the apocolypse I tells ya!

[Blondin]

Originally Posted by Fazor

Thanks Mak, I never expected a MP reference on this site to go so relatively unnoticed. Sign of the apocolypse I tells ya!

Sorry, Fazor. I did notice but I'm just not as witty as Maksutov so I couldn't top it.

[Fazor]

Originally Posted by Blondin

Sorry, Fazor. I did notice but I'm just not as witty as Maksutov so I couldn't top it.

Well, lack of wit has never stopped me, but I'm sure many have wished that it had. But generally MP references have the power to completely derail any thread, no matter what the original subject was. It's a great power that generally should be used with care, tho sometimes I can't control myself and quote it anyway. I never said I was a model of strong will, or sound decision.

[Gillianren]

Originally Posted by Tinaa

I work at a middle school and occasionally read new books our librarian has ordered to make sure they are appropriate for 6th graders. I'm quite liberal in my views so she likes my input. I flagged one book recently because of gratuitous sex and free use of the f-word, a few more for much the same reasons. These books are sent to the high school. We do censor, but more for language and situations - not for ideas. Some books are just not appropriate for 11-12 yr olds.

Indeed yes. When I was studying banned books in college, I discovered that some middle school had banned Deliverance from its library, and you know, I was okay with that. I was okay with the elementary school that took several works by Stephen King out of its library. The Eyes of the Dragon is fine for maybe fourth or fifth graders, in my opinion, but not, like, Gerald's Game or It.

[KaiYeves]

My school computer bans Celebrating Sagan.
I guess they don't want us to be distracted.

[Paul Beardsley]

Interesting that the board seems to have overlooked that subversive and overtly anti-Catholic movie known as Happy Feet.

Incidentally, I think Happy Feet is one of the very best films of recent years. I've seen it twice at the cinema, and it's one of the few children's films that I believe works for adults. It's a rare example of a non-science fiction film that uses the tropes of science fiction successfully. And it's as catchy as Billy Elliot.

Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials is one of the best book series I ever read, but the film adaptation is nowhere near the standard of Happy Feet.

[KaiYeves]

Incidentally, I think Happy Feet is one of the very best films of recent years. I've seen it twice at the cinema, and it's one of the few children's films that I believe works for adults. It's a rare example of a non-science fiction film that uses the tropes of science fiction successfully. And it's as catchy as Billy Elliot.

I saw a bit of it on TV. It seemed to be a very good film, and the best example of environmentalism for kids since Captain Planet.

[Kaptain K]

When I was in junior high school (a long time ago), the English teacher (fresh out of college) assigned Brave New World by Aldus Huxley as a class reading. We all gave her the price of the book and she ordered them for us. When we got them, I took mine home and started reading it. I was about halfway through it when some parent (or parents) raised a big stint about it. Looking back, it was a little deep for a 7th grader, but that wasn't the complaint - It was more "how dare you make my child read such filth". The upshot was that we had to return the book.
When I got home, I told my dad about it and his response has stuck with me to this day.
First, he told me to finish it before returning it.
Second, he said the he and my Mother would never censor anything I read or saw. That took much of the "forbidden fruit" allure out of porn. The first X rated movie I ever saw was a cartoon (Fritz the Cat) which I thought was hilarious and not at all "dirty".
Much later (20 or 30 years later!) he told me of the time (probably about the same time) my Mother had come to him with a pile of Playboy and Penthouse magazines that she had found under my bed. She asked him what she should do with them. His reply was "put them back where you got them. They don't belong to you. They're his.
Two very good memories from an otherwise dysfunctional family!

PS We never got the money back after returning the books!

[HenrikOlsen]

How could you be asked to return a book you had already paid for?
That's outright theft.

[Kaptain K]

Originally Posted by HenrikOlsen

How could you be asked to return a book you had already paid for?
That's outright theft.

True! But 14 year olds are not known for being deep thinkers. By the time I figured that out, it was way too late to act.