Petitioning the "RFH Reading Assignments, Rumson NJ 07760" Petition
302 Comments
J
Jackie Bruckmann
10 years ago
The Catcher in the Rye
J
James R. Wilson
10 years ago
Proud parent of a senior at R-FH who encouraged his son to read "Death and the Maiden" aloud, because that is the best way to appreciate and understand a play.
E
Erika Etkine
10 years ago
Probably my favorite book I've ever read for the RFH curriculum is actually a play by Athol Fugard called "Master Harold and The Boys". The book isn't outwardly explicit or profane (at least not that I remember since if it was it definitely was not a big deal) but it does include the taboo subject of racism during the apartheid in South Africa. So I say: keep the RFH books in the RFH curriculum. Let the teachers decide how to teach. Not every child has the opportunity to learn about sex within the confines of their home, so let the educators educate and please stick to raising the best, most well mannered and respectable child you can. Thank you.
B
Brian Smiga
10 years ago
TEDxNavesink, 720 annual attendees, all sing in unison: "Ideas worth sharing, no banned books!"
M
Mary C. Challenger
10 years ago
The National Coalition Against Censorship has sent a letter addressing this issue to the RFH Superintendent. Link here:http://ncac.org/incident/petition-demands-only-age-appropriate-books-in-nj-high-school/
A
Alison Eakle
10 years ago
CAL is amazing and has stayed with me since SUPA circa 1997-98. This is madness and not the R-FH I attended.
B
barry isanuk
10 years ago
All 3 of my children graduated from RFH where they learned to think critically.It is sad that over protective parents want to limit their children.
E
Eva
10 years ago
Fahrenheit 451,anyone?
C
Cub Barrett
10 years ago
As a '97 RFH grad, I read both "Cal" and "Death and the Maiden" under Jack Shea's guidance. I remember thinking that the themes we discussed in class and in our writing were important and had meaning beyond the classroom -- and part of that was because the novel and the play weren't like anything else we had read in high school. Simply put, Mr. Shea gave us challenging, "grown-up" reading material he knew we could handle, and he treated us like the adults we so wanted to be. Without those kinds of experiences at RFH -- fostered by these books and others we read, and usually with Mr. Shea as steward -- I wouldn't have been half as prepared for English classes at Northwestern. Frankly, I find it ridiculous that this is even an issue at a school like RFH, and I'm embarrassed for the community.
J
Judith Landuyt
10 years ago
Informed minds make for better citizens.
M
Mary C. Challenger
10 years ago
Hey Norm, it's an opinion piece, probably written by the parent who started all of this, not the opinion of the APP, the author is not listed, but I think it is a safe guess to say it is one of the parents.
N
Norm Dannen III
· petition starter
10 years ago
The Asbury Park Press wants to Ban Books too http://www.app.com/story/opinion/editorials/2015/10/06/rumson-book-required-reading/73452460/
M
May Allaman
10 years ago
Great editorial in the Asbury Park Press
http://www.app.com/story/opinion/editorials/2015/10/06/rumson-book-required-reading/73452460/
S
Sydney Bartel
10 years ago
If you are concerned then talk to your children rather than shield them. Equus was the best play I ever read, and some of my best memories at RFH were discussions in English class. This ban is going to do more harm than good. Wake up, you are not protecting your kids from this material. They have easy access to these types of themes, so better they learn about the more adult content by the wonderful staff and faculty at RFH than on their own. Not to mention these are high school students, and they are more than capable of the maturity that goes into reading that type of material.
K
Kim Possible
10 years ago
Featured
We are 17-18 years old, what's the big deal? If we don't read it in books we will read it online. This type of material is everywhere and kids can access it at anytime. At least in school we can become educated about the types of things that are talked about in the books.
A
Adrienne Thal
10 years ago
I went to Brown after I graduated from RFH. The books I had to read for SUPA during Senior year with Jack Shea as well as the books we read Freshman-Junior year more than prepared me to stay on par with or at times be ahead of classmates who were from private high schools. RFH is one of the best public schools in the state for a reason, let the teachers and administration do their jobs - they must be doing something right after all.
L
Louis Mangiavillano
10 years ago
Americans don't ban books
P
Phil Chompkins
10 years ago
this is merica we should be able to read any book we want becuase this is america and we live in america which is the united states in the us in america in the united states of america is the united states of america in the america states of the united states of america freedom is key boii
The Catcher in the Rye
Proud parent of a senior at R-FH who encouraged his son to read "Death and the Maiden" aloud, because that is the best way to appreciate and understand a play.
Probably my favorite book I've ever read for the RFH curriculum is actually a play by Athol Fugard called "Master Harold and The Boys". The book isn't outwardly explicit or profane (at least not that I remember since if it was it definitely was not a big deal) but it does include the taboo subject of racism during the apartheid in South Africa. So I say: keep the RFH books in the RFH curriculum. Let the teachers decide how to teach. Not every child has the opportunity to learn about sex within the confines of their home, so let the educators educate and please stick to raising the best, most well mannered and respectable child you can. Thank you.
TEDxNavesink, 720 annual attendees, all sing in unison: "Ideas worth sharing, no banned books!"
The National Coalition Against Censorship has sent a letter addressing this issue to the RFH Superintendent. Link here:http://ncac.org/incident/petition-demands-only-age-appropriate-books-in-nj-high-school/
CAL is amazing and has stayed with me since SUPA circa 1997-98. This is madness and not the R-FH I attended.
All 3 of my children graduated from RFH where they learned to think critically.It is sad that over protective parents want to limit their children.
Fahrenheit 451,anyone?
As a '97 RFH grad, I read both "Cal" and "Death and the Maiden" under Jack Shea's guidance. I remember thinking that the themes we discussed in class and in our writing were important and had meaning beyond the classroom -- and part of that was because the novel and the play weren't like anything else we had read in high school. Simply put, Mr. Shea gave us challenging, "grown-up" reading material he knew we could handle, and he treated us like the adults we so wanted to be. Without those kinds of experiences at RFH -- fostered by these books and others we read, and usually with Mr. Shea as steward -- I wouldn't have been half as prepared for English classes at Northwestern. Frankly, I find it ridiculous that this is even an issue at a school like RFH, and I'm embarrassed for the community.
Informed minds make for better citizens.
Hey Norm, it's an opinion piece, probably written by the parent who started all of this, not the opinion of the APP, the author is not listed, but I think it is a safe guess to say it is one of the parents.
The Asbury Park Press wants to Ban Books too http://www.app.com/story/opinion/editorials/2015/10/06/rumson-book-required-reading/73452460/
Great editorial in the Asbury Park Press http://www.app.com/story/opinion/editorials/2015/10/06/rumson-book-required-reading/73452460/
If you are concerned then talk to your children rather than shield them. Equus was the best play I ever read, and some of my best memories at RFH were discussions in English class. This ban is going to do more harm than good. Wake up, you are not protecting your kids from this material. They have easy access to these types of themes, so better they learn about the more adult content by the wonderful staff and faculty at RFH than on their own. Not to mention these are high school students, and they are more than capable of the maturity that goes into reading that type of material.
We are 17-18 years old, what's the big deal? If we don't read it in books we will read it online. This type of material is everywhere and kids can access it at anytime. At least in school we can become educated about the types of things that are talked about in the books.
I went to Brown after I graduated from RFH. The books I had to read for SUPA during Senior year with Jack Shea as well as the books we read Freshman-Junior year more than prepared me to stay on par with or at times be ahead of classmates who were from private high schools. RFH is one of the best public schools in the state for a reason, let the teachers and administration do their jobs - they must be doing something right after all.
Americans don't ban books
this is merica we should be able to read any book we want becuase this is america and we live in america which is the united states in the us in america in the united states of america is the united states of america in the america states of the united states of america freedom is key boii
What happened to freedom????????
Reed. it gud four u