An Educator Read ‘I Need a New Butt!’ to Children. Then He Was Fired.

[Carjosse]

Parents SHOULD be made aware of everything being taught in school. Why shouldn't they? One or two parents being mad about something shouldn't cause the curriculum to change.

Parents should be made aware but the right is pushing that parents should have that power to change curriculum and have people fired or reprimanded as they like to suit their own personal values. Whether that be teaching of slavery and it's long-term effects or reading more thought provoking or as the right calls it "inappropriate" reading.

This story just highlights that ridiculousness.

 

[NuffSaid]

Parents should be made aware but the right is pushing that parents should have that power to change curriculum and have people fired or reprimanded as they like to suit their own personal values. Whether that be teaching of slavery and it's long-term effects or reading more thought provoking or as the right calls it "inappropriate" reading.

This story just highlights that ridiculousness.

Agree 100%.

Soon parents will demand that math and science and history not be taught because it conflicts with something they heard or read on social media.

 

[reinaert]

Parents should be made aware but the right is pushing that parents should have that power to change curriculum and have people fired or reprimanded as they like to suit their own personal values. Whether that be teaching of slavery and it's long-term effects or reading more thought provoking or as the right calls it "inappropriate" reading.

This story just highlights that ridiculousness.

Not even this. This 'should be made aware'. This validates the truly stupid notion that systematic ****ery and nefarity is going on. It's not. The people alleged to have time to mess with the little ones are too busy falling asleep atop stacks of ungraded work, long after the payroll day has ended.

I don't know what's changed in the last few decades, but it cannot be all that hard to go over the course material, subsequent homework, and projects as they commence, even now in the age of distraction.

 

[Josie]

If you want that level of control, keep them home. Don't **** it up for everyone who knows the're not experts in all the things, and who want trained professionals to educate their children.

So you think parents shouldn't be made aware of the curriculum? Why?

 

[Josie]

Parents should be made aware but the right is pushing that parents should have that power to change curriculum and have people fired or reprimanded as they like to suit their own personal values. Whether that be teaching of slavery and it's long-term effects or reading more thought provoking or as the right calls it "inappropriate" reading.

This story just highlights that ridiculousness.

Yes, like I said, the curriculum shouldn't change or people be fired because a couple parents are mad. We're going through this right now in my own school (a very conservative district). A couple of parents are mad about something and everyone else wants them to shut up.

 

[poppopfox]

Yes, like I said, the curriculum shouldn't change or people be fired because a couple parents are mad. We're going through this right now in my own school (a very conservative district). A couple of parents are mad about something and everyone else wants them to shut up.

Sounds like a typical school board meeting these days.

 

[beefheart]

Oh, stop with your tribalist theatrics. I would bet that most people on the right think firing someone for this is dumb.

"The Right" isn't trying to "shield kids from everything except for math and grammar". What an asinine comment based on nothing but your imagination.

I don't see anyone on the right stopping the talibornagains.

 

[Josie]

I don't see anyone on the right stopping the talibornagains.

I'll ignore your hysterical name-calling.

I just gave you a real-life anecdote of a very conservative district fighting back against a couple of parents with unreasonable, silly demands. I had a parent once complain that her child made a black cat piece of artwork around Halloween. "MY CHILD DOESN'T CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN!!!!!! WE ARE A GOOD CHRISTIAN FAMILY!" She told me that children shouldn't be celebrating Halloween because it's evil. I told her kindly that we would continue celebrating it and a black cat is a normal, everyday animal.

And then shortly thereafter, the child got into trouble for swearing. Guess who she heard that from?

Also, I have had a few instances online where I have discussed online decorating my classroom for Christmas and you would've thought I killed puppies or something.

 

[Manc Skipper]

So you think parents shouldn't be made aware of the curriculum? Why?

How much fine detail do you require? A precis of every individual book that might be brought onto the premises? It's ludicrous. You can't teach kids to think, if everything is done by rote with scripted teachers delivering only their approved lines from books approved by morons.

 

[Josie]

How much fine detail do you require? A precis of every individual book that might be brought onto the premises/ It's ludicrous. Youcan't teach kids to think, if everything is done by rote with scripted teachers delivering only their approved lines from books approved by morons.

Read alouds are part of the curriculum. All parents should be made aware of the curriculum. If they have further questions, they should be allowed to visit their child's classroom and observe, ask questions, etc. If they have a problem, they can discuss with the teacher and admin. What exactly is wrong with that?

If you knew one of your child's teachers was very conservative, voted for Trump, watches Fox News, you wouldn't want to know exactly what was going on in that classroom?

 

[reinaert]

So you think parents shouldn't be made aware of the curriculum? Why?

No. It's not either/or. It's just what I wrote: if you want total control, just keep them home.

 

[Credence]

Haven't read the book but it sounds hilarious. Just the type of silly book that draws in a kid's attention and inspires them to read. Shame.

 

[Carjosse]

Not even this. This 'should be made aware'. This validates the truly stupid notion that systematic ****ery and nefarity is going on. It's not. The people alleged to have time to mess with the little ones are too busy falling asleep atop stacks of ungraded work, long after the payroll day has ended.

I don't know what's changed in the last few decades, but it cannot be all that hard to go over the course material, subsequent homework, and projects as they commence, even now in the age of distraction.

By made aware I mean curriculums can be published online and of course parents can ask for reading lists and stuff like that, they will have no input on them though outside of the regular processes.

 

[reinaert]

Read alouds are part of the curriculum. All parents should be made aware of the curriculum. If they have further questions, they should be allowed to visit their child's classroom and observe, ask questions, etc. If they have a problem, they can discuss with the teacher and admin. What exactly is wrong with that?

If you knew one of your child's teachers was very conservative, voted for Trump, watches Fox News, you wouldn't want to know exactly what was going on in that classroom?

That bottom one is my brother. He's an excellent history teacher, and a professional. He's why I know about passing out on top of stacks of ungraded work. We don't agree about any politics or sports, but it's from him that I know there's no time for ****ery. He spends all summer building his syllabus, and coaching, and mowing lawns. He's got two major testing cycles for which to prepare, and two young children to raise. Like nearly every teacher in the US, he doesn't have time to **** up his class politicking.

 

[reinaert]

By made aware I mean curriculums can be published online and of course parents can ask for reading lists and stuff like that, they will have no input on them though outside of the regular processes.

It takes a very long time to develop a single class curriculum, and there are standards and guidelines to follow.

For older students, it's pretty comprehensive work, and it doesn't need to be made more difficult by parents who don't know the subject matter.

For younger children, there are templates and district initiatives that must be followed. Any actually interested parent can go there, instead of bothering the parties making the least money, doing the hardest work.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

There was a minor scandal in my daughter's high school in Mansfield TX back around 2009 when
"The Earth, My Butt & Other Big Round Things" made its debut.

I'd imagine that it's now on the banned books list by this point.

 

[beefheart]

I'll ignore your hysterical name-calling.

I just gave you a real-life anecdote of a very conservative district fighting back against a couple of parents with unreasonable, silly demands. I had a parent once complain that her child made a black cat piece of artwork around Halloween. "MY CHILD DOESN'T CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN!!!!!! WE ARE A GOOD CHRISTIAN FAMILY!" She told me that children shouldn't be celebrating Halloween because it's evil. I told her kindly that we would continue celebrating it and a black cat is a normal, everyday animal.

And then shortly thereafter, the child got into trouble for swearing. Guess who she heard that from?

Also, I have had a few instances online where I have discussed online decorating my classroom for Christmas and you would've thought I killed puppies or something.

Anecdotal stories mean nothing. Keep your religion in your church or parochial schools, not public school.

 

[Josie]

No. It's not either/or. It's just what I wrote: if you want total control, just keep them home.

I agree with you. But asking what is being taught isn't wanting "total control".

 

[Josie]

Anecdotal stories mean nothing. Keep your religion in your church or parochial schools, not public school.

I agree. Did you think I disagreed?

 

[reinaert]

I agree with you. But asking what is being taught is wanting "total control".

The curriculum is already available, which is why I just don't trust the impulse to meddle.

 

[Josie]

That bottom one is my brother. He's an excellent history teacher, and a professional. He's why I know about passing out on top of stacks of ungraded work. We don't agree about any politics or sports, but it's from him that I know there's no time for ****ery. He spends all summer building his syllabus, and coaching, and mowing lawns. He's got two major testing cycles for which to prepare, and two young children to raise. Like nearly every teacher in the US, he doesn't have time to **** up his class politicking.

That's great. Sounds like he's an excellent teacher. That doesn't mean all super political people who are teachers are like that.

 

[Citizen]

The book was published in the UK with the title I Need a New Bum. It was reissued in the USA with the title I Need A New Butt.
The NYT got it right.

Exactly, because in the UK, bum is the word they use.

 

[Josie]

The curriculum is already available, which is why I just don't trust the impulse to meddle.

The curriculum is more than just what was purchased for millions of dollars using the parents' money. It's a large chunk of it, but it's also anything read aloud, articles discussed, topics of discussion or paper, rubrics, etc. There's no reason why parents shouldn't have full access to all of that and be made known that they have full access to all of that.

 

[Josie]

What do you all think about public school employees' in-district emails being public record and available to anyone who wants to read them?

 

[Liberal7360]

Impressive of NYT to not even quote the title correctly. It’s “bum” not butt.

Regardless how dumb. Pretty sure your little angel already knows he/she/they have a butt crack.