Hi friends,

You heard it, they have placed a ban on several books this year, supposedly via the government.

My son said that there is a large poster in his english class that explains it from a government level. He said that it was because it uses magic and spells.

I PROMISE I will get a picture of the poster and report back here.

Remember my son is in the STARS program (gifted) and feels this is a violation of the teachings he has received at home. We have every volume of the Potter series and always look forward to the opening of the new movies. We were very let down to find out from this site they have put off the newest movie slated for Nov. 2008 and that it was moved up to next July. we always like to kick off the holiday season with the new movie releases.

Other banned books were books he loves, The day no pigs would die, The Giver, Lord of the Flies, and a couple others he does not recall off hand.

What do you think? Is this a violation of their rights? Does this make me less of a parent for enjoying this literature?

I have to say my first impression was a vivid scene during the Salem witch hunts and the notorious burning of literature throughout the dark ages. If this is from the Government do they have a right to deem this unacceptable because of what they see as inappropriate content? Where will it end?

I am already considered the freakazoid parent for going before the board more than aptly ready and armed with 60+ pages of handouts to the board members, fighting for their right to eat no meat in a community which makes its living off of cattle, hogs and fowl.

What your dealing with is censorship plain and simple. ok, typically from what I understand such decisions are typically made at the school board level. You may want to investigate the school board and find out if they were the ones who made the decision. If not then find out who did. The I'd contact fellow parents and the media. Especially the media. There is no way that this should happen in this day and age.

Good luck.

wow... Lord of the Flies is banned now? I remember actually reading that one in school.

Pretty soon the only books allowed in school will all be endorsed with Orwellian "Ministry of Education" stamps.

So just to clarify here: when I was in school, "banned" just meant it was off the approved list for teachers to assign students. Are you implying that even bringing your own copy of the book to school would be met with some type of disciplinary action?

and just a guess here, that 1984 is on "the list."

[edit on 28-8-2008 by scientist]

That is odd, I can't see why any book that young readers would enjoy reading would be banned from school. Doesnt that just sound backwards? I remember when I was in school bout 15 years ago they wanted to ban certain books from the library. Everyone just laughed at the school board.

Course that's the benifit of growing up in a small community instead of a larger one.

I mean anything that gets a child reading is a good thing and should be allowed.

Ridiculous....I read Lord of the Flies for a class. It was lovely. It was a great adventure.

oy....how pathetic

-Kyo

Originally posted by antar
they are not allowed to bring them on campus

ha.. if it were me (as the kid), I would most certainly bring Harry Potter books to school everyday, just to see what the punishment would be for reading a children's book.

Or, I would probably take it a step further and bring in an actual book of Wiccan spells. I mean, kids can read bibles in school, right?

Antar, where is "here"?

As for the banning, I guess they'll have to ban the Bible as well, with all those flying chariots and parting sea's and water into wine and live-human spitting whales and dudes raising from the dead ............. magic indeed !!!

[edit on 29/8/08 by Misfit]

Originally posted by Misfit
Antar, where is "here"?

As for the banning, I guess they'll have to ban the Bible as well, with all those flying chariots and parting sea's and water into wine and live-human spitting whales and dudes raising from the dead ............. magic indeed !!!

[edit on 29/8/08 by Misfit]

Best post yet! I LMAO on that one! Excellent point. Where does it end? I was po'ed when the school chastized me as a room Mother for calling Christmas vacation just that. I was to say "Winter party"...I just said NO its Christmas! They shrunk and acted as if the walls had ears...

Originally posted by antar
Please understand that I am very sorry to have promised a picture and not deliver

HOAX HOAX HOAX FAKER LIAR DECEIVER
I CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE OP BAN AND DELETION OF THIS HOAX THREAD !!!!!

lolol

Is that the school your son is in, Baptist College in Charleston, SC?

Originally posted by antar
Aldous Huxley "Brave new world"
John Steinbeck "Of mice and men" and "The grapes of wrath"
George Orwell "1984"
Alice Walker "The color purple"
Harper Lee "To kill a mockingbird"

WOW. I mean, WOW. Now let's discuss why:

Aldous Huxley - Don't let kids think there are other ways of perceiving the world. They only need one perspective, and that's the one they are taught in school.

John Steinbeck - Poverty doesn't exist, so there's no reason to read grapes of wrath.

Orwell - 'nuff said.

Alice Walker - because racial injustices never existed. Even if they did, it's all in the past now.

Harper Lee - see above.

Originally posted by scientist

WOW. I mean, WOW. Now let's discuss why:

I just don't know what to say, I will encourage my children to read every book on the ban list. Huckleberry Fin? Come on and The Invisible man?

Get a message to Oprah Winfrey.

She'll find 'The Color Purple', among others, on the list and be outraged and will do a show on it.

I can't believe there are so many Vonnegut and Faulkner titles on that list, in fact in my day those would all be required reading.

It's a travesty of a mockery of a sham of two travesties. Tch.

I don't recall that Harry Potter books have been banned from schools by the government. They have the series in my social sciences section at my library at my community college. I guess they think Voldemort is too evil for children.