Poll: Parent Censorship

[DaMan1500]

In my AP Literature class, we just started reading the book Loleta. For those of you who don't know, it's a novel told in the perspective of a 37-year-old man trying to seduce a 12-year-old girl. Yikes. So, the mom of one of the girls in my class (who I think is 15-ish) has refused to let her daughter read this book, so the teacher has had to come up with a seperate ciriculum for this girl during the time we're reading this book. Do you think it's okay for the girl's mom to be in control of her schoolwork like this? I think no, partially because it's not the job of the parents to control what the school teaches, but also because saying you can't do something because it "offends you" leaves a lot of wiggle room. What if someone got out of science, or history, or PE, because some part of it "offended them?"

 

[Pimppeter2]

No I don't think it is right.

But honestly, why make a problem out of something that's not a big deal?


At the same time we don't know anything about this girls past. What if her father was a peadophile? We can't judge this mom on the basis that we're just assuming she's crazy.

 

[Xpwn3ntial]

What if someone got out of science, or history, because some part of it "offended them?"

They do. The excuse is called religion.

 

[TheNumber1Zero]

Unusual book.
Meh, Chances are the overprotective mother is afraid that her daughter will get ideas from the book, which seems unlikely.
Not my problem regardless.

Neutral

 

[Dark Knifer]

What if someone got out of science, or history, because some part of it "offended them?"

They do. The excuse is called religion.

If only system of a down was a religion... Wait... So many ideas O_O

 

[dthvirus]

They do. The excuse is called religion.

Yep, my school excused religious kids from the Sexual Education part of Phys. Ed. Showers must be traumatizing for those poor kids.

And yeah, screw Lolita (it was an option for my Grade 12 final essay, heh), that girl's mom should try reading a Stephen King novel. Damn, I didn't sleep for a week after reading Cell.

 

[Xpwn3ntial]

What if someone got out of science, or history, because some part of it "offended them?"

They do. The excuse is called religion.

If only system of a down was a religion... Wait... So many ideas O_O

Keep going! You might be onto something.

 

[ribonuge]

That was an extremely influential book and was written very well. The theme is quite disturbing but censorship for a piece of literature is just ridiculous.

 

[Danpascooch]

I think this was a bad decision on the mother's part

That said, I think it is completely justified that she has the right to control aspects of her curriculum like this. After all, parents are the ones that fund the public school system, they should without a doubt be able to exercise some control over the institution that they fund. I do not agree with the mother's decision in this situation, but I do agree with the principle of parents being allowed to influence the public school system. If they do not put checks on the schools, who will? I know this is not the case, but what if the school started passing out porn in the classes for all of the kids to read? The parents would not let that happen.

 

[Dark Knifer]

If only system of a down was a religion... Wait... So many ideas O_O

Keep going! You might be onto something.

Ok... Your in class and your listening to your ipod. Teacher tells you to take those plugs out, you say "But it's part of my religion, if I don't listen to it then the allmighty system will strike me down". They will either let you keep it or take it away. If they take it away, play dead, and only come back when they give you your ipod back... That would be so much fun! Imagine heaven in that religion O_O

 

[AkJay]

I can't wait until you start learning about Sexual Education. Post another thread like this when you do. It's very entertaining.

 

[Asturiel]

Egh that just makes me pity that poor girl. Or dislike her if she's manipulating her own mother. Either one it aint pretty.
That book seems like if it got into the school system it got in there because it was good I mean that just sounds wrong...

Hah imagine if they had to read some french literature.

 

[Altorin]

She should definitely be able to. It's her kid, she can keep the schools from doing what she doesn't want them to do with her kid until her kid is 16, at which point the kid should be allowed to make their own decision.

Is she wrong to keep Loleta out of the hands of her 15 year old daughter? ehh, That's neither here nor there.. I was going to say something along the lines of "It's probably not something that should be in the school curiculum", but then I remembered what I was forced to read in school.. a book I can't recall the name of, but which included soldier gang-ass-rape.. and I gotta say, Loleta is pretty tame compared to.. well, that.

 

[Arcticflame]

Reading lolita maybe ok. It hampers a child perhaps in intellectual development, however perhaps the book does contain themes that aren't quite appropriate yet in less matured teenagers.

But other things, such as evolution, theories of the universe, sex education. The parents should just suck it up.

 

[The Anhk24]

this was a bad idea because its better she learns this if you get the information handed to you in an intellegent way...if it was public school she could walk into a classroom a hour or 2 after school, or could go to a motel

 

[lacktheknack]

Normally I'd say no, but because they want a fifteen year old to read "Lolita", I'll let it slide.

 

[ottenni]

Damn. If only i had thought of that. Then i could have used that excuse to get out of maths or something. In all honesty i don't agree with censorship on many levels. But a child refusing to take a subject i have no problem with, but when its the parent making the decisions that i think is wrong. Damn parental blinkers.

 

[bcponpcp27]

That's bullshit and that mom needs to step out of the Reagon era were censorship is fine and dandy.

Seriously, Parental censorship is one of the few things that REALLY piss me off.

 

[NIHILHATE]

It's fucking pants-on-head retarded. In a year, she can legally shag a 37 year old man herself. She shouldn't, obviously, but surely she should be allowed to read a book? Some parents... I've been reading Anne Rice books (pure filth) since I was 10, and it was my dad who recommended them and my mum who bought them.