Some Parents Angry About "Gay Fairy Tale" Book In School

[cell]

my daughter is almost 10. not old enough to read college textbooks.

 

[Dreadsox]

Homosexuality is discussed in the world civilization book I teach from. (ancient world context) Should I omit that section?

Are you teaching seven year olds?

 

[Irvine511]

Are you teaching seven year olds?

but does it make a difference?

no one needs to get into a discussion about sex. all that's happening is that a book is letting children know that there are many different kinds of families out there. some families have one mother and one father. some families have their grandparents living at home. some families celebrate both Christmas and Hannukkah. some families have two mothers, or two fathers.

i don't see how that's sensitive at all. there's no judgement, and nothing more than a superficial "this exists, too" statement.

why does this need to be discussed at home by the parent?

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

Are you teaching seven year olds?

Why does that matter?

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

my daughter is almost 10. not old enough to read college textbooks.

The book written at a 10th grade reading level not college.

 

[Dreadsox]

There needs to be communication between the parents and the school. Our health education department holds meetings throughout the year and especially offers it to parents before the fifth grade gets "the talk". Parents have the right to opt their children out of the lesson. Still, no matter what we do, there is always a phone call or two from people claiming they were not notified.

Real life, I would have expected the teacher to give me the principal a chance to view the book. I would then most likely require the teacher to notify parents that the book was being read, and they could opt their child out of the particular lesson. Parents should be given the opportunity, especially when dealing with children that old, to make a decision on this.

The parent in me, would want my child in there for the lesson. But I am the guy whose kids are travelling to Disney with his gay Aunts(together now for almost my entire life).

 

[Irvine511]

the schools could be teaching from one extreme to another on both sides. the teacher him/herself could be teaching in favor or against it. its my right as a parent to discuss this with my child. not the school.

but that's not what's going on here.

how can you be "in favor" or "against" a family unit that simply exists in the way that interracial families or interfaith families or families where children are taken care of by their grandparents exist.

these are all part of the many varieties of families that exist.

why is a family with two same-sex parents so much different that it requires you to be "for" or "against" it?

 

[Dreadsox]

Why does that matter?

Why doesn't it?

 

[BVS]

I think most of the people in this world still feel that it is un-natural. Thats is just my opinion on why you asked "why are gay people any different."

So we should cater to the majority even if they're ignorant?

 

[Irvine511]

Why doesn't it?

because this book isn't about sex. it's about different kinds of love and different kinds of families.

 

[Dreadsox]

because this book isn't about sex. it's about different kinds of love and different kinds of families.

I again would have to read the book to decide.

Amazing this is happening here in MA.

Again, I think the administrator in me feels one way, and the parent in me feels another.

There are topics that some parents feel is up to them to teach for various reasons.

 

[adrball]

I'm not at all familiar with the US education system, but I don't see why any subject should be off-limits. The key is that there should be no bias to any extreme.

Growing up for me was not just about learning the traditional key skills such as mathematics and english, but also learning about the environment in which I lived, and forming opinions of my own. Pursuing a policy of maintaining off-limit topics is very similar to brainwashing IMHO.

But we must remember that parents/close family and friend will always have a strong influence on children...it's the type of behaviour that prevents our race from repeating the mistakes of our predecessors such as not eating poisonous plants.

But let our children know the FACTS and make up their own mind.

 

[cell]

i think there is a misunderstanding on where i stand with this issue. because of my personal experiences i have a hard time dealing with this. at this time, im neither in favor or against. until i sort out this issue with myself, i would just rather be the one to discuss this issue with my daughter.

 

[Irvine511]

i think there is a misunderstanding on where i stand with this issue. because of my personal experiences i have a hard time dealing with this. at this time, im neither in favor or against. until i sort out this issue with myself, i would just rather be the one to discuss this issue with my daughter.

but what are you "for" or "against"?

 

[Dreadsox]

i would just rather be the one to discuss this issue with my daughter.

And I think it wrong to assume otherwise about any parent. i would have to sit down and talk it out with my wife....

But....we deal with this all the time.

Our Priest is A Lesbian

Our Parishioners have ALL kinds of families so my kids see it all the time and I laugh because not ONCE have they asked a anything about it.

I have two sets of lesbian Aunts who have been together with their partner for almost my entire life. My cousin grew up to be a great guy, happily married expecting their first child.

But, my wife and I chose our church carefully. We have answered any questions that may have come up about this topic, but believe me, they have not really come up other than about my aunts.

I would as a parent EXPECT the school to provide a forum to look at the book, disscuss it, and see where it fits into the curriculum.

 

[Dreadsox]

but what are you "for" or "against"?

I think her right as a parent to decide what she feels is up to her to teach and what she feels is up to the school to teach.

I see nowhere where she says she is for or against gay marriage, families, ect

 

[anitram]

So it's wrong for a school to "indoctrinate" the children that gay marriage is a reality in today's world but it's perfectly acceptable for the parents to indoctrinate their children to be intolerant?

Grim.

 

[cell]

but what are you "for" or "against"?

the topic in this thread.

 

[cell]

I think her right as a parent to decide what she feels is up to her to teach and what she feels is up to the school to teach.

I see nowhere where she says she is for or against gay marriage, families, ect

thank you, dreadsox.

 

[Irvine511]

I think her right as a parent to decide what she feels is up to her to teach and what she feels is up to the school to teach.

I see nowhere where she says she is for or against gay marriage, families, ect

how can you be "against" gay families when they exist?

would you allow parents who are "against" interfaith or interracial families the same right to "decide" whether or not their chidlren should be exposed to these different families?

 

[Irvine511]

I would as a parent EXPECT the school to provide a forum to look at the book, disscuss it, and see where it fits into the curriculum.

my question, then, is why is "gay" so much different than everything else under the sun?

 

[redkat]

I can't see how it can be bad to teach kids that some families have two mommies or two daddies.

Without going into homosexuality at all this is just the basics of tolerance and understanding that all families are different. Just as one little girl may not have a daddy at all and many kids are raised by grandparents.

All of those kids need to know that they fit in too.

 

[BVS]

would you allow parents who are "against" interfaith or interracial families the same right to "decide" whether or not their chidlren should be exposed to these different families?

This is what I want to know...

 

[Dreadsox]

how can you be "against" gay families when they exist?

would you allow parents who are "against" interfaith or interracial families the same right to "decide" whether or not their chidlren should be exposed to these different families?

I was responding what you typed towards Icelle, who has been nothing but respectful in tone about her rights as a parent.

If somewhere in my posts you believe I or anyone else can be against gay marriage or family, it was not my point.

 

[Dreadsox]

my question, then, is why is "gay" so much different than everything else under the sun?

Ahh...its not....

In my school district, we have many restrictions placed on us by certain populations of people. I cannot get into specifics....but lets say there is another religion besides Christianity, that we have to bend over backwards for...

And the peanut allergy people want the entire school to not allow peanut products in any form into schools.

Halloween is a problem...There were complaints I played the monster mash.

The Winter sing-a-long, no matter how hard we try is offensive to someone.

Just a few off the top of my head.

 

[Irvine511]

I was responding what you typed towards Icelle, who has been nothing but respectful in tone about her rights as a parent.

If somewhere in my posts you believe I or anyone else can be against gay marriage or family, it was not my point.

i have been nothing but respectful in return. i have repeatedly asked questions, and not received answers.

people's personal feelings towards gay families aren't what's at issue here (and nowhere have i asked you what you think, since i know very well how you feel about gay families).

what is at issue is *why* gay families are subject to much, much more scrutiny and parental approval than other kinds of non-traditional families. i'm sure there are many people who disapprove of interracial families, or interfaith families, or single parents. for example, if memory serves, didn't a potential gubenetorial or senatorial candidate in South Carolina say that single mothers shouldn't be elementary school teachers because they weren't an appropriate role model?

why are gay families so much more different than other kinds of different families?

 

[Dreadsox]

i have been nothing but respectful in return. i have repeatedly asked questions, and not received answers.

people's personal feelings towards gay families aren't what's at issue here (and nowhere have i asked you what you think, since i know very well how you feel about gay families).

what is at issue is *why* gay families are subject to much, much more scrutiny and parental approval than other kinds of non-traditional families. i'm sure there are many people who disapprove of interracial families, or interfaith families, or single parents. for example, if memory serves, didn't a potential gubenetorial or senatorial candidate in South Carolina say that single mothers shouldn't be elementary school teachers because they weren't an appropriate role model?

why are gay families so much more different than other kinds of different families?

I think you are wrong on your assessment. I think most parents, due to the relatively newness of the topic in education, would react positively with a parent night explaining what will be taught and why it will be taught. You will find a MAJORITY of the population more than willing to allow their kids attend such a class once the lesson has been explained to them. You will find a small majority, just like with sex education, who feel it is their job, not the schools to teach this topic....

It happens with other issues besides gay families. It is a sign of the times...and I think you are creating a bigger problem, with increased chance of backlash, if you do not afford people the right to opt out of this lesson.

People opting out of the lesson does not = hatred of another group, in most cases.

 

[cell]

i have repeatedly asked questions, and not received answers.

im pretty sure i've answered all your questions irvine, but if i missed any, i apologize.

 

[Irvine511]

I think you are wrong on your assessment. I think most parents, due to the relatively newness of the topic in education, would react positively with a parent night explaining what will be taught and why it will be taught. You will find a MAJORITY of the population more than willing to allow their kids attend such a class once the lesson has been explained to them. You will find a small majority, just like with sex education, who feel it is their job, not the schools to teach this topic....

It happens with other issues besides gay families. It is a sign of the times...and I think you are creating a bigger problem, with increased chance of backlash, if you do not afford people the right to opt out of this lesson.

People opting out of the lesson does not = hatred of another group, in most cases.

i understand your administrative point of view, and i understand that parents want to know what is being taught, and i respect that.

but what i don't understand is, again, why a gay family engenders a right for parents to opt out of a lesson (though here it seems like its just a book read aloud) -- would you, as an administrator, even mention that there was a book that had an interracial family? would that even be a topic of discussion? can you think of examples of other family structures that would provoke such a reaction by a group of parents?

my thought is that we still can't separate gay sex from being gay, and that even mentioning the fact that men can love men and women can love women is akin to a sex ed course, when it isn't. it's the same thing as saying that black women can love white men, and jewish women can love hindu men, etc.

 

[martha]

it's the same thing as saying that black women can love white men, and jewish women can love hindu men, etc.

Now you've gone too far. Where are the permission slips?


Oh wait. That was for the parents to discuss with their own children 50 years ago.