Posted on 01/26/2006 6:10:55 PM PST by wagglebee
When a high-school student magazine in Columbus, Ind., took on the subject of oral sex, it set off a hot debate in the community over proper supervision of student periodicals.
The Bartholomew School Corporation voted 5-2 Monday against a plan that would have required all student publications to be reviewed by the district superintendent before being printed and distributed.
It was a heated debate – and a complicated one.
Kim Green, the faculty adviser for the Triangle student publication, announced she would resign if the board approved the measure.
Others, including both students and board members, suggested the policy would amount to censorship.
It all began in December, when the Triangle published a four-page report called, "That Other Sex."
By most accounts, it was a responsible, well-written report promoting abstinence.
Yet, some parents were left wishing there was more accountability and responsibility asserted in the schools.
"I believe that as a Christian parent, it is my duty and responsibility to teach my children about these matters at a time and place of my choosing," said Barry Wright. "It is not the principal of the high school, not the school board, not even the pastors of our churches who determine these things. It is the responsibility and duty of each child's parents to establish the proper age and setting that sensitive matters such as this one are to be discussed."
In this case, both the faculty adviser and principal of the school, David Clark, approved the piece.
Russell Barnard, a school board member, drafted the proposal that would have required more oversight. He called the article vulgar and unsuitable for a school publication. He also said it clearly violated the current policy as it was inappropriate for much of its audience.
"I don't call it censorship," he said. "I call it responsibility."
Board member Billie Whitted had a problem with the fact that the article stimulated discussion of the "graphic details of oral sex."
Board secretary Gretchen Fisher, however, said the authors "handled the subject well." She said, "students are hearing about this from their peers" in any event.
But Wright had some advice for the students, as well as the teachers and administrators involved.
"Kids, if you want to know about these things, go talk to your parents," he said. "And then keep the information to yourselves. This information is to be shared only with one person – your husband or wife, not published in a high school newspaper."
Don't they have a faculty advisor reviewing these things?
I agree, but in a public school you have to expect this sort of thing to happen, and your options on truly changing it are limited. Public schools get their money from the taxpayer whether they are teaching abstinence or putting condoms on bananas. It really doesn't matter.
Common sense has become totally absent in schools.
Students are ruuning things when Principals should have control but the principals dont have common sense either suspending people for taking an aspirin, or a 1st grader for a butter knife.
DISCUSSION ABOUT: "Oral Sex in School Books"
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LMAO!
Sad.
What a POS.
Then fire her and hire someone who would edit the paper.
case closed
Agreed but thanks to the union it is almost impossible to fire a teacher.....I think sometimes unions just protect the bad employee
"In this case, both the faculty adviser and principal of the school, David Clark, approved the piece."
Gave new meaning to the term "humidor"
According to BJ Klintoon, it's not even sex, it's just a pre-cigar activity.
Stogie or a stoogie, that is the question.
Yeah, some things like the butter knife one are pretty dumb. Heck, I'm lucky I haven't been suspended--I've taken a butter knife once or twice myself. I had a student who accidentally brought a pocketknife to school. Instead of making a big deal about it, the principal simply told him that it wasn't something we brought to school usually and his mom did the "real" talking at home. He never did again and things moved on. Sometimes you can solve things in a simple mode if you try.
Agreed but thanks to the union it is almost impossible to fire a teacher.....
Not here at least. You mess up once and you're toast.
Gave new meaning to the term "humidor"
Humid-door.
Why do I get the feeling it was Kim's idea to publish a BJ story in the first place? Has she had some after school interactions with male newspaper staff?
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