High school teacher keeps job after handing out pornographic 'banned book'

[Revmitchell]

A father of a high-school student is infuriated after he said a teacher provided "banned books" to her 11th-grade students, including at least one with explicit descriptions of homosexual sex acts, rape, masturbation, profane language and even bestiality.

John Davis, father of an 11th-grade student at William Byrd High School in Vinton, Va., told WND that English teacher Kathleen Renard provided her personal copy of a book called "Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky to one of her English students, and it was passed to his son. The book is published by MTV Books.

Davis found the book in his son's possession, along with a bookmark that said, "Read banned books. They're your ticket to freedom."

"My son was reading the book and stated it was a school assignment," Davis told WND. "He was embarrassed that I began to peruse through the book and discovered its contents. He advised that the book belongs to his English teacher, Mrs. Kathleen Renard."

The father said the English teacher was not present at the Oct. 2 meeting. He asked the principal if he could speak with the teacher, but he said Turner refused to call her in, saying, "I'm not going to fire her over this."

More Here

 

[Johnv]

I had heard of this book, and can't for the life of me imagine why this book would be required reading in a high school class. College, okay, but high school?

This highlights one of the major problems with the American Library Association. The ALA is quite the hyperliberal organization. Among their positions is the official opposition to public libaries using filtering software on public computers.

 

[ReformedBaptist]

That's disgusting.

 

[annsni]

So apparently the teacher gave this book to another student (was this student's parents given notice? Did they give their approval?) and then that student gave it to this other student - outside of the teacher's knowledge? If so, that teacher has no reason to be accused of anything. It is the other student who should be in trouble. Additionally, the student who's parents were upset obviously knew what he was reading was wrong, lied about where he got it, and was embarrassed by the fact that his father found it.

I do not see this as an issue of the school or teacher in any wrong-doing if the scenerio is as above.

However, if the teacher DID give the book to the first student knowing it was a "banned" book and did so against the first student's parents responsibility, then by all means, the teacher should be disciplined.

 

[Johnv]

You're absolutely right. I read it incorrectly, presuming that it was a book issued to students in general. You're right. It was a personal copy of a book, which was apparantly loaned out to one of her English students, and it was passed to another student. I retract my earlier comment which made an implication of it being required reading, and further concur with annsi's post.

 

[donnA]

However, if the teacher DID give the book to the first student knowing it was a "banned" book and did so against the first student's parents responsibility, then by all means, the teacher should be disciplined.

whether it was personal loan or not, it is a baned book, and contians pornography, unless the parents of the first child gave written permission this teacher should be fired.

 

[Jerome]

What is shocking is that the teacher's church is Reformed Baptist, of the "Founders Friendly" ilk.

 

[Johnv]

whether it was personal loan or not, it is a baned book, and contians pornography, unless the parents of the first child gave written permission this teacher should be fired.

It wasn't a banned book. The ALA put it on their "banned" list, but that ALA list is bogus.

As for pornography, here's where I'm sure someone will yell at me. The book contains some sexually graphic material, but it does not necessarily meet the definition of pornography. That said, I don't believe this material is appropriate for high school level reading, but should be reserved for college level. But hey, that's just me. Not every parent will agree.

I still concur with Annsi's earlier comment. It was a personal copy of a book, which was apparantly loaned out to one of her English students, and it was passed to another student. This isn't a "firing" offense.

 

[Squire Robertsson]

The ALA Banned List

As I understand it (from the WSJ), to get on the list all that has to happen is for someone to formally object to it being in any library's collection. There is no requirement for a book to be formally banned by any governing body.

This makes the Banned List bogus. :BangHead:

 

[Magnetic Poles]

As I understand it (from the WSJ), to get on the list all that has to happen is for someone to formally object to it being in any library's collection. There is no requirement for a book to be formally banned by any governing body.

This makes the Banned List bogus. :BangHead:

No book should be "banned". The First Amendment protects the right of free speech. That said, it doesn't mean all books should have a place in a school library.

 

[Nonsequitur]

I had heard of this book, and can't for the life of me imagine why this book would be required reading in a high school class. College, okay, but high school?

As a fellow Christian, I, (to quote you), can't for the life of me , imagine you paying for a college education for your child for a book that was required reading, that endorsed homosexuality. College, okay, but high school? ,please tell me how this is allowed in your family.
So tell me, as a Christian father, does this mean when your children are away from home that you are OK with others teaching them that the gay lifestyle is OK?
That public school is wrong, but as long as you pay for it, college is OK?

 

[Johnv]

As a fellow Christian, I, (to quote you), can't for the life of me , imagine you paying for a college education for your child for a book that was required reading, that endorsed homosexuality.

There's nothing to suggest that the book "endorses" homosexuality, unless you believe that the mere mention of an act is an endorsement. Otherwise, you'd have to ban a lot of classic literature, such as Moll Flanders, Madame Bovary and Lady Chatterly's Lover.

So tell me, as a Christian father, does this mean when your children are away from home that you are OK with others teaching them that the gay lifestyle is OK?

A bit off topic, but when my kids go to college, they're on their own. They choose their own school, pay their own way, and make their own decisions. The say on these matters is theirs and theirs alone to object to.

 

[Nonsequitur]

A bit off topic, but when my kids go to college, they're on their own. They choose their own school, pay their own way, and make their own decisions. The say on these matters is theirs and theirs alone to object to.

Got no problem with that. All should make up their own mind to follow Christ or not.

 

[Johnv]

True, but this topic isn't a question of someone following Christ or not.