Reading, writing, and perversity

From: Bill Johnson
To: Friends
Date: August 24, 2011

It’s back-to-school time in America as some schools are already in session and others will open soon. If you’re of a “certain generation” you probably know the little song, “School days, school days, dear old golden rule days. Readin' and 'ritin' and 'rithmetic, taught to the tune of the hickory stick …”

Little of that applies to today’s public schools. The paddle was banned long ago. The golden rule has been replaced with moral relativism where there is no right or wrong, and the “three Rs” seem to take a back seat to sex ed, “diversity” training, and the promotion of all things homosexual.

The agenda of public schools today is made graphically clear with this recent report regarding a school district in New Jersey:

A New Jersey school district has apologized to parents after requiring high school students to read books that include graphic depictions of lesbian sex and a homosexual orgy.

“Some of the language is inappropriate,” said Chuck Earling, superintendent of Monroe Township Schools in Williamstown, N.J. “We were not trying to create controversy. We were just trying to get students to read.”

The books were on a required summer reading list for middle school and high school students. The district decided to pull the book off the list, with the start of school just days away.

“There were some words and language that seemed to be inappropriate as far as the parents and some of the kids were concerned,” Earling said.

One book, “Norwegian Wood,” was on a list for incoming sophomores in an honors English class. The book includes a graphic depiction of a lesbian sex scene between a 31-year-old woman and a 13-year old girl, according to a report first published in the Gloucester County Times.

“I don’t think that’s relevant for any teenager,” parent Robin Myers told the newspaper. Her daughter was assigned to read the book. “I was just kind of in shock,” she said.

The other book in question was “Tweak (Growing up on Methamphetamines).” That book included depictions of drug usage and a homosexual orgy.

“That has created a controversy,” Earling told Fox News Radio, referring to the drug usage – along with the lesbian and gay sex scenes. “We’ve pulled them from our summer reading list.” …

So whose idea was it to put books featuring explicit sex scenes on a summer reading list for teenagers?

Earling said the school district’s summer reading list was prepared by a committee made up of teachers, librarians and school administrators. The board of education ultimately approved the list.

“They read the books,” he said. “They didn’t feel it was inappropriate based on the language that’s used, common language used on the street.” The superintendent said students have seen more graphic things on television or in the movies …
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/08/23/new-jersey-school-district-yanks-lesbian-sex-book-from-required-summer-reading/#ixzz1VxfvrKxl


I don’t know what is more disturbing, the fact that these books apparently sailed through an approval process of teachers, librarians, administrators, and the school board or the fact that the superintendent is still defending such trash! He’s like a child apologizing because he got caught – not because he’s seen the error of his ways.

Notice the superintendent’s choice of words and statements in the article above. “There were some words and language that seemed to be inappropriate as far as the parents and some of the kids were concerned.”

“Seemed” inappropriate?? For just “some” of the kids?? And notice it “seemed” inappropriate to parents – not to the educators!

Remember, we are not talking about a bit of innuendo. These books featured pedophilia – sex between a 31 year old and a 13 year old - which is criminal no matter what the sex of the persons involved. And the books also glorified drug usage and depicted a homosexual orgy. Yet the educators in this district “didn’t feel it was inappropriate” - claiming that it’s okay to expose their students to such material because Hollywood also does it!

Such rationale is completely absurd. Perhaps today’s schools should add some old-fashioned proverbs to their curriculum – such as “two wrongs don’t make a right.” But then they would have to know what is actually wrong and what is right.

And while, sadly, far too many youth are exposed to sexualized themes in television, music, and movies, many parents still do protect their children from entertainment choices that give immoral messages. Is it too much to expect schools to do the same – or at least to not undermine that protection?

This example is indicative of the mindset of the education establishment whose radical leadership follows the philosophy of “freedom to read, freedom to view” – that nothing should be off limits from children in the guise of “education.” This liberal view sees protecting young, impressionable minds from graphic sexual content as so-called “censorship” and they the educators – not parents – supposedly know what’s best for children.

This example should be a warning to parents who have no other option but to place their children in public schools to be ever vigilant in what their children are exposed to. Get involved and don’t be afraid to speak out.

There is a war waging for the hearts and minds of our children. We as parents and grandparents must be engaged in this cultural battle. Will we teach our youth what is “inappropriate” or will we allow a radical educational establishment to do it for us?

“You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Deuteronomy 6:7


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