Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Book Banning 101

(Persepolis--the sad victim of the latest in Book Banning)

Banning Books. Does is still happen? You bet. Does it happen to me??? Um, yeah.

Another name for this post could be "Mormon Mother's in Utah hate my Liberal Guts" or "Please teach your children how to NOT ask questions and to be Sheep" or "I want my child to be Uniformed about the World, thank you."

Ok, I am being a bit cheeky, and I wasn't even going to do a post on this, but it continues to be in my life and it honestly is affecting me to the point where I have been considering a new profession. So, if I've been distant lately from you, my blogger friends, it's because I've been weighed down with some questions and sadness about the closemindedness of my fellow people.

My experience from book banning is as funny as a mother coming into my 8th grade classroom and getting angry that her son had borrowed a copy of  Captain Underpants from a friend of his. I really had to try and not laugh in her face, but in the end, she got the book removed from the library ( It's a tale of a cute, unlikely hero...but the mother never read the book, she just didn't like the word "underpants" ---{and yes, her kid used MUCH worse language than this in the hallways})....this is the type of personality, to me, who uses "special" words for body parts so kids grow up uncomfortable with their bodies.

The next year I had a few LDS mothers up in arms about teaching the kids The Witch of Blackbird Pond. I assume that they were upset because they believed the book taught about witches or witchcraft? I wasn't sure. And they weren't sure either, because they NEVER read it. For those of you who have read this AMAZING novel, it's the story of a young girl coming to Puritan America and because she is different, the town wants to condemn her as a witch. It is a beautiful book of religious tolerance and appreciating each other's differences. I LOVE this book. And I kept teaching it.

This year, I have a mother who is not very fond of me. This started when she saw that I put The Power of Myth on the reading list (as an OPTION!!!). Then, I introduced the Hero's Journey in the class, as a reference for character motivation and plot interpretation. She came in very upset. Of course, she was SO upset that she couldn't even vocalize it. She typed a two page rant about me, my course, the books I chose, and she asked me to read it, while she sat there and watched me. It was seriously awkward. I sat for five minutes and read nasty things about me and my teaching methods while she stood there shaking her head. Then I asked her, when I had finished, "Have you read this book?" 

And the universal answer...No. 

"What is your problem with this book?" 

"It teaches that Jesus Christ is a myth." 

I'm not even going to justify that with a response on my blog. She also wanted to know my religion ( I have found that being 31, single, and a Democrat in Mormon society has often dubbed me as an atheist lesbian...I am NOT being dramatic here!)...which I wouldn't tell her. Then she went on to question many things I did. 

I said to her, "If you are looking for a teacher who is going to sit at the front of the class, hand out work sheets and busy work and never cause a stir, then you are in the wrong place. I am not that teacher. I am a teacher who will get these kids to think, to question, to wonder, to value, to decide, to contribute. They start college next year ( I teach at an early college high school)...don't you think we should prepare them?" 

Most LDS moms I meet don't expect this from me. They expect me to be really sweet and fake and cheesy. They expect me to say "Oh, yes, whatever you say." They don't expect me to return rant for rant. But I do. And it usually comes back to haunt me. She gave me the evil eye and then left. She has now been monitoring every thing her son is asked to do and then reporting to the principal when she thinks it is not right. 






The myth puts you there all the time, gives you a line to connect with that mystery which you are.

Shakespeare said that art is a mirror held up to nature. And that’s what it is. The nature is your nature, and all of these wonderful poetic images of mythology are referring to something in you. When your mind is simply trapped by the image out there so that you never make the reference to yourself, you have misread the image.

The inner world is the world of your requirements and your energies and your structure and your possibilities that meets the outer world. And the outer world is the field of your incarnation. That’s where you are. You’ve got to keep both going. As Novalis said, "The seat of the soul is there where the inner and outer worlds meet."     
Joseph Campbell


So, yes, when I am teaching Julius Caesar this week, I make the kids decide their political party. That means they have to research BOTH the Democrat and the Republican parties. They have to decide where they stand on the issues. That means the have to research the PROs and CONs of stem cell research, gay marriage, abortion, the war in Iraq, and etc. The parents have NO problem with their kids researching the Republican party, but wow, I can't even tell you how many have called in upset that their kids have to research the Democrats? Is anyone else trying to keep your jaw from dropping open??? Welcome to my world.

Back to the mother. Today I was informed of her latest rage against me. It is the fact that I want to teach Persepolis, a novel of a young girl coming of age in war torn Iran. Hmmmm, 10th grade is World Literature. We read stories to understand people in general and ourselves in particular. 

Can you think of any culture in the world that American's need to learn about and identify with than that of the Middle East? 

Do we really want to continue to propagate hate and fear and lies and all the things that follow? I asked again, "Have you read this book?"  I am waiting for her response. My only idea of why she doesn't want me to teach this is either A) She thinks it's about Terrorists or B) the title "Graphic Novel" makes her think it will have naked pictures? I really can't understand it.

But, teaching is exhausting me...and it's not even the students, it's the parents.


Some of America's most commonly banned books:

1. To Kill a Mockingbird
2. Huckleberry Finn
3. I know why the Caged Bird Sings
4. The Bluest Eye
5. A Wrinkle in Time
6. The Outsiders

45 comments:

Alisa said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Alisa said...

This makes me angry that this happened to you.

The thing is, you are blowing their world. You are showing them what ideas are and how to think. The first time this happens, I guess it's frightening for people. I mean, it took me awhile before seeing my religion, which most of my fellow Mormons take 100% literally, as a myth too. And to love it for that: b/c it's a narrative that defines me and my culture. It's beautiful now that I have that new understanding to add richness to my feelings about my religion. But it took awhile.

A Wrinkle in Time is the best YA book ever, IMO. Outsiders is not bad either. And To Kill a Mockingbird? Possibly the best American novel. I think Mark Twain is totally overrated. The John Grisham of his day. But, lousy writing is not a reason to ban, unfortunately. ;)

Michelle said...

D'Arcy, those mothers should consider their kids LUCKY to be in your classroom.

Chelle said...

Oh wow. I'm so sorry. I have no idea what to say to people like that, coming from a place of such arrogance. It makes me so frustrated to hear about this, because I know what a good teacher you are, how you actually get the kids to think, much better than any of my high school English teachers.

To Kill a Mockingbird was the first "classic" I read, one of the first books I truly thought deeply about (well as deep as a ninth grader gets). Persepolis is amazing, one of my favorite books I've read in the last year. And now I want to read the Power of Myth, it sounds fascinating.

I think some people really want to be so sheltered, and keep their kids that way too and that is just so sad. They don't believe there is a place for education, understanding, questions, and real thought. Like Alisa said, it is frightening, actually thinking critically. Understanding others and even...gulp...accepting them. I think it scares people because if they examine someone else, then they might have to look at themselves, their life, their culture. It can be scary as hell. But hopefully at some point, that can happen, that is what you are teaching these kids. And then they can consciously choose what to keep and what to discard, because the good withstands scrutiny, and the other stuff just falls away.

As long as you remain teaching, keep on doing what you are doing. You are doing them such a valuable service, that eventually many will appreciate.

Stina said...

Thank God you are a teacher who cares. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you find a place that DESERVES someone like you on the faculty!

Andrea said...

You sound like a fantastic teacher. One I would hope my kids will have someday. Too bad narrow minded folks in Utah are ruining it for the others.

This reminds me of the time a man called me at work and demanded that we remove the bus advertisement that advertised the television program "King of Queens". He was certain that the show was about gay men - heaven forbid. I informed him that the show was about a man that LIVED in Queens, with his wife and children. Never saw the program.

Fletch said...

D'Arcy, seriously, are ALL the mormon mothers like that? ALL of them? Or are there just a few select quacks out there?

Because the first copy I ever owned of The Witch of Blackbird Pond (one of my favorite books of all time) was given to me by my aunt...a teacher in Utah.

And I remember reading A Wrinkle in Time...in Utah. To which I have passed on to my own daughter to read.

I KNOW there are a few crazies out there. Seriously crazy closed-minded lunatics. But they can't ALL be like that. And if they are, I wouldn't stand for it either.

I hope that didn't come across as too argumentative. You know I support you.

Funny story. Your Captain Underpants story reminded me of one of my more choice parenting moments. When Laura was about three years old, she lifted up her shirt once and pointed to her nipples and said, "Mommy, what are these?"

Honestly, in that moment, my mind went back to my Human Development class which taught that you should alway teach sex ed and related topics to your child in a very un-emotional direct fashion so that they never learn to become ashamed about such things. But as I looked down at Laura, looking WAY too young and innocent, I sort of turned bright red and sputtered and finally blurted out, "Those are your...your...your dots."

For two years afterword I couldn't bring myself to say the word "nipple" and I would always call them "dots" and so did Laura. Finally, when she started kindergarten I got up enough courage to call them what they were and also call other parts by there true names so that we could arm her against, you know, molesters and such. Anyway, after the first child, it got easy to have such conversations. Thank heavens!

Olivia said...

My only objection to Persepolis was when the guy was talking about how his finger nails got ripped out, and then he says "they grew back!" That did gross me out, but I love that book.

Okay, am I misreading Joseph Campbell? It's been a while, but the impression I got was that when a belief is so powerful in a society that it will manifest itself over and over again in art and literature, because our subconsious minds keep bringing it up. If anything, it's a testimony of Christ that the Christ story gets used so many times, even in TV shows like Hereos. Whenever I spot the Christ story in a book or in the media in general, I get a thrill. No one has a problem with it in CS Lewis' The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, right?

Utah is a strange place, I'm glad I don't live there.

And it's good to be a mormon democrat, even when all your friends think the world is about to end because of the way an election turned out. :)

PS: you would love the library I've started for Anjali. It does have Mark Twain in it, and CS Lewis. Although right now we're reading "Little House on the Praire" I bet you could teach that to your 10th graders without starting a riot :)

Olivia said...

oh, and my 6th grade teacher read "The Outsiders" out loud to us. Haven't read it since, but having trouble coming up with a reason it might be banned...

Olivia said...

Jen, I don't know you, but let me add this story.

I think it's because I worked in day care too long, but I didn't think twice about teaching Anjali (who is an inquisitive two and a half year old who has to know everything) body part names.

Unfortunately, she recently started asking women, "You're a girl? You have a gina?" (she can't say vagina yet, thank goodness. Otherwise, people would understand what she's saying, lol)

Anonymous said...

Persepolis? That is such an amazing book. You should make that mother sit there and read it right in front of you. It won't take that long... it's a graphic novel. Then see if she has any complaints.

I also can't understand complaints about the Power of Myth. I was basically raised as an agnostic, but my mom did make me watch the Power of Myth series when I was 11 or 12. I ended up going to a Catholic high school and our religion teacher used the same approach when we read Genesis in the Bible. And that was at a Catholic high school in religion class.

Of course, I'm an atheist living in sin and voting democrat... so what could I possibly know.

Unknown said...

Alisa--yes, it's true, it takes a while for us to feel comfortable addressing certain things, or even for us to come to the realization of things.

The problem for me, at least, is I feel that many of m y thoughts and ideas have come SO late in the game because I NEVER felt challenged by teachers. Teachers are more comfortable playing it safe.

Here...memorize this....fill in this crossword puzzle (what purpose did those serve???) and other such drone assignments...now I know why...it takes a lot to put up with the friction caused.

But thank you for your support, I know i have been venting to you quite about bit about this whole ordeal.

Unknown said...

Michelle--thanks, and you make the most awesome Frida ever!!! Now there's an artist that many wouldn't want to teach in school!

Unknown said...

Chelle--I LOVE your words, no wonder you're my best friend...yes, that thinking critically (we are always so eloquent at Tom's Diner aren't we?) can be scary, I know you and I have had a lot of it this year, and we've had to redefine a lot of things in our lives because of it.

Unknown said...

Stina--my fingers are crossed too, I would love to teach at that school!!

Unknown said...

Andrea---that story is HILARIOUS!!! Oh my gosh, you must have been laughing so hard at the guy. Yeah, things like that kind of make and break your day all at once.

Unknown said...

Jenn--I know where you are coming from,and I also knew as I wrote this entry that I was being pretty general about the LDS mothers out there. Of course they are not all like this. In fact, the same time all this was going on, one of them stopped in, not knowing my struggles and said, "I just had to tell you how excited I was to see Joseph Campbell on the list, bless you!!"

But, I do have to say, that more than any other religion in my school, it is the LDS moms who want to shelter and dictate the thoughts and actions of their children who come in to complain. It is also these moms who have children having sex out in the parking lot, but they don't know about it because the kids pretend to be who the parents want them to be.

I hope that just because you have two things in common with them "LDS" and "mom" that you will in no way think that this is a reflection on what I think of you or my friends or anything at all. Your comments alone prove that you know how to think critically.


However, I do think that our religion does foster a need for some type of innocence that is really just masked ignorance. That we are taught to see things so much ONE way, we fear seeing it another way...does that make sense?

Unknown said...

Olivia--exactly! You ccan totally take away from Campbell's book the fact that the story of Christ is THE ultimate story, so embedded within each of us that we seek to recreate it in almost everything because our souls resinate with it so much!

And yes, for a two year old, I am quite impressed by Anjali's library!!

Unknown said...

jen (slc)---you make me laugh. Yeah, I don't get it either, the complaints seem so unmerited. I can't wait to see your democrat self tomorrow at book club!!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
jo said...

d'arcy,
i wish i could be in your class and have you teach my kids, too.
i'm sad that so many parents are putting obstacles in the way of you teaching their kids to have open minds and critical thinking skills. the most important thing i took away from my education was how to think critically about things.
as an lds mom i can slightly see where these ladies are coming from. it's definitely difficult to shelter and protect our kids from a lot of the ugliness and yucky stuff that is out there. and i personally feel like it's such a fine balance, we want our kids to grow and be educated and know about the world they are going to be going into, but we don't want to leave them open to every message that they are being bombarded with in so many areas of their lives.
my little girl is only 5 and in kindergarten but she has come home asking me about bad words and about tv shows that other kids watch and things other kids do. she's out there, you know? she's out there without me, and that can be a hard thing for a mom to accept. all i can do is teach her the values i cherish and believe will help her to have a happy life, and tell her "we don't say those words in our family" and pray for her and hope that she gets to stay a child as long as possible.
anyway all i'm saying is i think these ladies that you're talking about have that same kind of apprehension about their kids but misapply it to new ideas, different cultures, and things that they find challenging to their religion.
all i can say is that i'm sorry you're having so much frustration and problems with them, but i'm GLAD they have you as a teacher, because think how much you're helping their kids who otherwise might never learn to think of things from different angles, to challenge their beliefs, to learn about people who are different from themselves.
they are so lucky to have you.

Unknown said...

ok, I had to delete my last comment, it didn't sit right.

Unknown said...

jo--I totallly understand that apprehension. I guess one of my main concerns is that these parents have enrolled their kids in an advanced program where their kids will begin college courses at age 16. I have them now at 15 and 16. If they are concerned about what little I am teaching them, then maybe they shouldn't send their kids to college where they will study Freud and evolution and Lolita...you know? They have to be prepared to think critically or they won't be successful in college. They just have to. And like Chelle said...if they are solid in their beliefs then the rest will fall away and they can sort out what they want to take in and what they don't....that's what each of us does every day.

We each have our moral compass and our belief system and no matter what anyone else teaches or preaches to us against that, if we are firm, it won't matter. Does that make sense?

But yes, at five...keep their innocence bright and shining!

Rowena said...

You sound like a BRILLIANT teacher. I love you. You make me want to teach again... except for all those political frustrations. Although teaching in NYC, I never had the problem with book banning, thank goodness.

How ironic that you are teaching about religious tolerance in The Witch of Blackbird pond... and yet it is a woman of a religious minority who objects. Does she realize that people outside of the LDS community look on it with much suspicion? Who better to practice religious tolerance?

I get so frustrated when you talk of your struggles with being accepted. You deserve so much better than this.

Boquinha said...

What a great post and wonderful comments. So sad about the politics you face--you're illustrating why so many homeschool parents I know are former teachers. :P

D'Arcy, I love you and you totally inspire me.

Fletch said...

Okay, one more comment. You said that LDS mothers are the ones who make a stink in your school. Not the mothers from other religions. I would submit that that is because the LDS religion is the dominant one in Utah.

HERE...you would find evangicals (the crazy ones, that is, not your everyday run of the mill evangelical) doing the same thing. Not the mormons.

Afterall, mormons did not invent book banning (not even the craziest among them). It has been unfortunately practiced by many, many others in many diverse religions and sects and groups.

Sorry. I really am just getting fed up with the way the general public views mormons these days. I was livid when I heard Jon Stewart say that Mitt Romney worships an American Savior (Joseph Smith) rather than Jesus. What the CRAP???!!! I do NOT like to go to my husband's work party and have someone say to me, "Why do you worship Joseph Smith?" Well, I DON'T!!! But that is what they heard on the Daily Show, so it must be true. And so it goes...it seems like more and more, people look at me like I'm some freaky Joseph Smith worshipping, book-banning, teetolaling, baby-making, homophobe who is the third wife of a polygamist and I am sick of it!!!

Yes, there are some crazies out there. But book banning is not preached from the pulpit of any general conference I have ever attended. In all things, I feel free to choose of my own accord.

I think my period must be about to start. Or I need to go eat some chocolate.

Don't be mad. I wasn't targeting you. Mostly the media. Darn those crazies who give us all a bad name!!!

HWHL said...

D'Arcy, stick to your guns, girl. You are TEACHING these children. And you're getting them to THINK. They are humans. They are not rabbits, and they sure are not lemmings.

As we ALL know, it's ignorance and lack of education and lack of UNDERSTANDING that causes intolerance, hatred, and ultimately.... war.

We go through this same thing here in Georgia.

Don't back down D'Arcy. You are a TEACHER. Teach.

The book I'm sending you in the mail is very appropriate to this discussion, sweetie. You should have it in just a very few days.

Love you, my friend!!

Unknown said...

Jenn Fletcher--

Of course it is because I am in Utah! That goes without saying. I read your comment last night and thought, dang, did I hurt her feelings, should I go and delete LDS out of my entire post? Should I delete the post all together?

But, here it is, it's my blog, and I am mad, and I feel I have a right to vent, and it is the LDS mothers who are causing these stirs. But, because the LDS mothers are something you identify with, then does that mean I shouldn't get upset by it? If I had said "Crazy Southern Evangelicals" would you have even batted an eyelash? Or would you have got on board and said, "Yeah!" (not that you ever get on board with anything I say :)

So, let me take your last comment and reword it to show you how we are really walking in each other's shoes here:

________________

Sorry. I really am just getting fed up with the way the general LDS public views someone who has decided to stray from the church these days.

It seems like more and more, people in the LDS church look at me like I'm some freaky liberal, lesbian loving, devil worshipping, blasphemous, feminist who doesn't know her place is in the home, immoral, Jesus hater..... and I am sick of it!!!

Yes, there are some crazies out there. But judging others on their choice of religion, on their sexual orientation, on their political stance is not preached from the pulpit of any general conference I have ever attended. And yet, it just keeps on happening.

________________________

If you get to classify the general public and spout off against them, then I get to classify the LDS public and spout against them. Dang, i am mean, aren't I. I'll probably come and delete this comment too in about 5 minutes.

Unknown said...

HWHL--I just got it!!! You are seriously the best! It looks like just what I need! Thank you friend!!!!

Fletch said...

You're right. Your blog. I should have not said anything. I should not get bugged by what people think about me. How can I control that anyway?

Consider that my first and last angry rant. (I did feel good to do it once, though.)

:)

Unknown said...

Amen Jenn. You are right, I need to stop worrying about what people think about me too. Who knew you and I were dealing with the same problem, just in complete opposites?

I love you!

Lori said...

Wow! This is a great post. I can understand your frustration as a teacher. The only thing I can relate it to is in being a daycare provider for many years, I have had some really tough kids that I have cared for over the years, but they were nothing that I couldn't handle, it was the parents of some of my kids that were hard to handle and deal with.

As I was reading this post, I was reminded of some simular incidences that occurred when my children were still in school. Every so often there were groups of parents that would be trying to get books banned from the school library or trying to stop a teacher from requiring her classes to read a certain book. I don't remember the names of these books but I do remember how ignorant these people were. I remember getting phone calls from these parents. Of them trying to get me to sign a petition or jump on board with them. I remember asking them, if they had actually read the book they were trying to ban. The answers were either "no" or "I read the parts that didn't sound good and so and so said it was bad so I take their word for it!" What the hell???? You've got to be kidding me????

Most of these people were evangelical christians. I think they thought that since I am a believer that I would just go along with them. I know what it's like to be shunned and judged because you don't go along with what "they" think you should go along with.

I know a couple of the books I had read and they were good books and I told them so. The thing is when I tried to have a discussion with them about the books, they really had nothing to back themselves up with. The only thing that they could give me was that they wanted to protect their child from reading about "that" or "that". They didn't want their child to get any "idea's".

I felt so sorry for the teachers and libraians for how they were attacked. These were good teachers trying to do their jobs. And they would have had a different view if someone would have went to them with an informed opinion or reasons and been willing to discuss it in a respectful manner instead of being attacked.

I hope that you don't stop teaching because you are a great teacher. I am sorry that you have been weighed down with all of this. I am sending you a giant ((((((((HUG))))))))))) Lori

Dottie! said...

WTF?! Persepolis is the BOMB DIGGITY! Oh man I learned so much from that series and it sparked an interest to learn more! You have those moms give me a call and I'll give them a piece of MY freak ass metaphysical pagan mormon mind!

Bwahahahahaahahaaaaaaa!!!

Sugar Jones said...

I've had to read a few books in order to have some intelligent discussions with my daughter. Luckily, most of her reading list was a repeat of mine. We've had late night talks about so many aspects of her reads. She's a thinker, that one. Sometimes I'm uncomfortable with the direction of her thoughts, but I don't thwart them. I don't disagree with her either. I simply give her my thoughts and keep listening and chatting... but I can sort of see why the moms you deal with are responding the way they are. I grew up reading "controversial" books, so for my daughter to be reading them wasn't scary. But those moms didn't grow up that way. I'm sure it's incredibly frustrating for you, but imagine how scared they are? Their lives are about control. Being controlled and controlling. If you shed a little light on their worlds, good... great! But don't let their fears change you. We have to have compassion and grace for people that are locked up like that. Rather than asking if they've read the book (because I'm guessing they haven't) would it be an option to discuss the merits of the book? Those close-minded people will see that this story is merely a perspective of the world that their child must learn to navigate through and all you are trying to do is give them a heads up. Asking if they've read it might make them feel cornered and no self respecting control freak likes that.

As for Bill Moyers, not to be like one of those awful close-minded moms... I think that might be a wee bit too far for that demographic. I read Hero of A Thousand Faces when I was thirty, and even then, I thought, woah... could my Jesus just be a big fat lie? It took me a long time to get back on track. For an impressionable teen that wants to rebel from the fearful and controlling parents? umm... maybe... not trying to tell you what to do... but you know...

Kate Lord Brown said...

Power - especially creative power terrifies people. Stick to your guns D'Arcy! I remember working for a children's charity in London during uni vacations - a mother so furious she was practically foaming at the mouth grabbed me 'You've been showing my son pornography!' she brandished a drawing in my face. We'd taken him to the Tate Gallery the day before - he'd seen art, not porn ... and been moved enough to make some of his own! Come on over - I have something for you!

Dann said...

Uh-oh. Heaven help you if you encourage the kids to read Persepolis II. That mother's head just might explode when she meets Marjane's roommate that sleeps around and does drugs.

galen dara said...

(pesepolis was AWESOME! oh, and ditto what dann said about Persepolis II)

just a side note: my mother was the one who went and raised several stinks with school librarians about books available to check out. Books were dangerous, as was school itself in my parents view (I was homeschooled after that. to protect me from the evil influence. so much for that, huh?)

Just want to put in another plug for you: you're my hero!!!

Bored in Vernal said...

This is EXACTLY why we need teachers like you. Please keep on teaching those Utah kids to think, to read, to research the issues.

I love your reading list, and so would those Utah moms, if they would open their minds up enough to taste them!

Boquinha said...

"Asking if they've read it might make them feel cornered and no self respecting control freak likes that."

That's one of the best lines I've read in a while. God bless the Internet!

G, you were homeschooled? I didn't know that. We homeschool for VERY different reasons than your parents . . . :P

Pseudo said...

Wow. Your students are so lucky to have you. Those mothers that are that narrow minded are not doing their children any favors. A sane parent once said to me that of cuorse they want their child to learn many different points of view. How else could the child honestly say the values and perspectives they have are really their own, unless they have had the opportunity to have their beliefs challenged, or at least another perspective shown.

And how can a student learn to participate in a democracy if they only understand one side of any issue?

galen dara said...

Boquinha- oh! I hope my comment didn't come off as disparaging towards homeschoolers, homeschoolers are great! can be an amazing opportunity... just wish my folks had been a little more open minded about it all. :)

Boquinha said...

Hi G! Oh not at all! C'mon, I know you. ;) I didn't take it that way at all. I just didn't know that about you and was making reference to reasons why people homeschool--some do it to shelter and some do it for the exact opposite reason.

galen dara said...

yeah... totally.
Just makin' sure I didn't come off wrong. :)

Anonymous said...

Hey just read your post...I got Jason to love reading on Captain Underpants and have passed them on to the grandsons....also I required my BA in Eng from UNLV...you wouldn't believe what I had to read, but I did anyway and I'm not scarred--just know now what type of genre I like (murder mysteries with women sleuths) ok cheesy murder mysteries with women sleuths...anyway like Jenn Fletcher said...Utah or not, you're gonna run into all sorts of people with opinions that don't agree with yours or are afraid of something different...incidently love you post about your religion...exactly why I converted :)

Love ya Darce...

Sugar Jones said...

I just posted a video inspired by this post. I mention you a couple of times... hope you don't mind! http://livingintheory.blogspot.com/2008/11/what-do-you-mean-they-cant-read-that.html