"We're gonna take you back, to the year 1939, when Charlie Chaplin and his Nazi regime enslaved Europe and tried to take over the world."
Posted on 05/16/2013 9:26:40 AM PDT by Impala64ssa
Would-be Belieber Anne Frank has been getting attention for all the wrong reasons lately. One suburban Detroit mom could have it so she gets no attention at all because of her "female genitalia."
In Northville, a well-to-do suburb about 30 miles northwest of Detroit, a parent of a 7th grader takes issue with her daughter's classroom reading an newer, unedited edition of "The Diary of a Young Girl." Frankly, I'm surprised seventh-graders are reading any edition of "Diary"; it (and "Schindler's List," while we're on the subject) didn't reach my hands until high school.
Besides the whole evils of the Holocaust thing and the massive amounts of fear, prejudice and violence that may shock a suburban seventh-grader anyway, the parent raises issue with Frank's discovery of her own womanhood, which is too "pornographic" for her tastes.
Frank writes, among other observations, "Until I was eleven or twelve, I didn't realize there was a second set of labia on the inside. What's even funnier is that I thought urine came out of the clitoris." Haha, silly clitoris. Just never know what it's doing there! The Fox 2 video alone is worth watching just to see our concerned parent hesitate over saying "female genitalia."
I'm no one's parent, but I can say firsthand as a former middle-schooler that while Frank's observations may cause some giggles, it's not going to cause the oh-my-gosh-this-is-the-end-of-decency-as-we-know-it reaction we think it might. Hell, in sixth grade, we watched "A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich," the '70s tale of prepubescent dope addicts, in class without flinching.
It goes without saying for Metro Detroiters, but it's particularly important to learn about the Holocaust considering the area's huge Jewish population.
Northville school officials say there's a process for appealing materials taught in classrooms that involves committees, appeals and meetings. In other words, by the time the issue is successfully brought to the administration's attention for review, the class will have moved on.
Well, if she’s a MILF she was obviously “bred” at some point in her life! ;)
You've seen her photo or are you just generally well disposed to suburban housewives?
I read Diary of Anne Frank BEFORE the onset of puberty, which for me, was at the age of 11.
I giggled a little at the references, but knew it hadn’t happened to me “yet”, and would, perhaps in a year or so.
Of course, I read “Crime and Punishment in the 7th grade, and eschewed the stupid books that were on my summer reading list. The 8th grade teacher found it difficult to criticize me for choosing my own reading material.
I have been fighting the system for a long, long time! LOL!
Jalopnik?
Why would Jalopnik post about Anne Franke? She didn’t drive no hoon.
***Frankly, I’m surprised seventh-graders are reading any edition of “Diary”; it (and “Schindler’s List,” while we’re on the subject) didn’t reach my hands until high school. ***
Frankly, I’m surprised that 7th grade students in Detroit CAN read this book, or ANY book.
As long as I can read it to the school board, I am good with it.
Led, in no small part by me.
We all survived.
It's like all the old movies I watch on cable now - come to find out that Hollywood has put back in, the nudity and vulgarity that American's never saw the when the movies were new.
Same with this book. America used to have a culture that kept children innocent until they were older and could be more adult about such topics.
The number of babies born out-of-wedlock and into poverty and dependence on big government shows the result of the collapse of that gentler upbringing.
This mother wants the upbringing she had for her daughter now.
Methinks mom is a closet Holocaust denier.
The point is both books are too advanced and the topics are too complex & have decision levels above the comprehension of seventh graders. Do these at the jr. or sr. level of high school when the students are able to discuss and comprehend the issues. To introduce books or topics beyond the mental development level of students does not promote good understanding of complex topics. Seventh graders should read books they have the vocabulary and mental process to get something out of the book. Some kids are reading at higher levels and those should be challenged at the proper level. The less smart kids are lucky to understand Jane and Jack books.
Most of us are familiar with the edited “Diary.”
The unedited “Diary” has explicit and pornographic sections and should not be utilized in a minors’ classroom setting.
Anne’s Dad edited out the explicit bits before offering it for publication. He did the right thing.
Never underestimate ignorance. I saw a recent posting from a teenage boy to some Internet forum in which he wrote that Anne Frank was Eve Brown’s(sic) daughter with Hitler.
Another poster had a sense of humor, and led him on by saying that she was a runaway, who was living in a “squat” in Amsterdam and doing drugs, which was why her father (Hitler) was so angry at her.
Technically, she wasn't murdered, she died of Typhus just weeks before her camp was liberated (I know, a distinction without a difference). But many people think she was gassed, which wasn't the case.
"We're gonna take you back, to the year 1939, when Charlie Chaplin and his Nazi regime enslaved Europe and tried to take over the world."
Northville Yuppies....
The difference between Detroit and Northville is like the difference between a Yugo and a Lincoln.
I recall my mom sending a letter to my teacher when I had to read “Go ask Alice” in grade school - perhaps Jr. High. The one about drugs and sex and suicide IIRC. Don’t remember if I had to read it anyway - but she was involved in my education.
Sounds like this mom is as well. That is probably the biggest factor in education, that the parents are involved. yeah we might get it “wrong” sometimes - but usually not.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.