The school board confirmed today that the new curriculum policy and book review procedures are officially in place. This happened only because you chose to speak up and hold our administration to a higher standard. I am truly humbled by the persistence you all showed until we reached this point.
November 25, 2015
Final supporters
PETITION : Apologies in advance for the offensive language/passages you are about to read. It has not been redacted because it is exactly what the students are exposed to for mandatory reading assignments at RFH.
Petition to remove books such as Cal by Bernard MacLaverty & Death & The Maiden by Ariel Dorfman from Rumson Fair Haven’s Curricula and any other material that is not age appropriate. This material should be replaced with material that uses age appropriate language & situations. In addition, we ask that the administration institute a policy, whereby parents must sign a permission slip if assigned reading material, films or any media contains profanities, explicit sexual passages or vulgar language such as Fuck, Twat, Tits, Dick, etc. Theses words and sexual excerpts that are explicit in nature and describe encounters that include orgasms, “shot wetly” or otherwise overtly excessive language require a permission slip similar to the permission slips that are currently used if students are exposed to certain foods in science labs.
We, the undersigned are concerned parents of RFH, and urge our Board Of Education and Administration to take immediate action on the removal of the above inappropriate material and all inappropriate material and institution of new policy of permission slips:
Updates
September 22, 2015
I have spent the last few days reading through the many thoughtful messages you have left here. It is genuinely humbling to see so many families who care this deeply about what reaches our students in the classroom. This momentum belongs entirely to you and your willingness to speak up for our children.
September 22, 2015
I am honestly a bit overwhelmed by the momentum behind this request. This progress belongs entirely to the parents who decided it was time to speak up for our students.
Reached 100 supporters
September 22, 2015
103 Comments
I fully support insightful, thought provoking reading choices, but my perspective is those books mentioned are more for college level reading.
I agree, that any vulgar language should not be included in any educational material taught in our schools. My question to the educators is..... Would you allow your children to be exposed to this inappropriate material that is/was taught to our children without permission?
The supporters of this petition are clearly not trying to ban books. They are looking for books that are better choices and more age appropriate in a world where these kids are bombarded with sexually graphic material constantly. Why can't the classroom be a place where students don't have to be exposed to sexually explicit material?
While I am usually opposed to censorship, I think this material is far too sexually explicit for a high school classroom. I support this petition.
As a Rumson resident my entire life who also sent my 4 children through 12 years of Rumson public schools, I am saddened and dismayed that our once excellent public school system has lowered its values to this extent.
and im santa
what is society coming to? Books are learning tools. without the correct tool, the job simply cannot be done. So what if there are a few little dodgy scenes in there. It is the real world. The whole purpose of high school is to prepare your children for college. College is a big, grown up world. It is hilarious because most of the kids at RFH party... ALOT. Also, what goes on at these parties is MUCH WORSE than what is in these books. I just view this as RFH parents who have nothing better to do, want to stir up a useless argument to get their controlling power fix. After all, what is RFH without trying to overthrow the school system just for poops and giggles. The faculty know what they are doing. After all, education is their profession, they are the experts, not you people. As a wise person stated before me, your children cannot live in the bubble forever!!! This whole petition is a huge joke. If you do not agree with the faculty's methods, then home school your kids yourself,
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The school board confirmed today that the new curriculum policy and book review procedures are officially in place. This happened only because you chose to speak up and hold our administration to a higher standard. I am truly humbled by the persistence you all showed until we reached this point.
November 25, 2015
Final supporters
PETITION : Apologies in advance for the offensive language/passages you are about to read. It has not been redacted because it is exactly what the students are exposed to for mandatory reading assignments at RFH.
Petition to remove books such as Cal by Bernard MacLaverty & Death & The Maiden by Ariel Dorfman from Rumson Fair Haven’s Curricula and any other material that is not age appropriate. This material should be replaced with material that uses age appropriate language & situations. In addition, we ask that the administration institute a policy, whereby parents must sign a permission slip if assigned reading material, films or any media contains profanities, explicit sexual passages or vulgar language such as Fuck, Twat, Tits, Dick, etc. Theses words and sexual excerpts that are explicit in nature and describe encounters that include orgasms, “shot wetly” or otherwise overtly excessive language require a permission slip similar to the permission slips that are currently used if students are exposed to certain foods in science labs.
We, the undersigned are concerned parents of RFH, and urge our Board Of Education and Administration to take immediate action on the removal of the above inappropriate material and all inappropriate material and institution of new policy of permission slips:
Updates
September 22, 2015
I have spent the last few days reading through the many thoughtful messages you have left here. It is genuinely humbling to see so many families who care this deeply about what reaches our students in the classroom. This momentum belongs entirely to you and your willingness to speak up for our children.
September 22, 2015
I am honestly a bit overwhelmed by the momentum behind this request. This progress belongs entirely to the parents who decided it was time to speak up for our students.
Reached 100 supporters
September 22, 2015
103 Comments
If my kids said those words in the hallway; they would be suspended. The language and scenes in these books would be classified as "R" rated (18+) if they were in a movie, so why should my 15 year old be reading it? This is NOT about banning books. This is about choosing more age appropriate literature. Lots of much better choices out there.
I fully support insightful, thought provoking reading choices, but my perspective is those books mentioned are more for college level reading.
I agree, that any vulgar language should not be included in any educational material taught in our schools. My question to the educators is..... Would you allow your children to be exposed to this inappropriate material that is/was taught to our children without permission?
The supporters of this petition are clearly not trying to ban books. They are looking for books that are better choices and more age appropriate in a world where these kids are bombarded with sexually graphic material constantly. Why can't the classroom be a place where students don't have to be exposed to sexually explicit material?
While I am usually opposed to censorship, I think this material is far too sexually explicit for a high school classroom. I support this petition.
As a Rumson resident my entire life who also sent my 4 children through 12 years of Rumson public schools, I am saddened and dismayed that our once excellent public school system has lowered its values to this extent.
and im santa
what is society coming to? Books are learning tools. without the correct tool, the job simply cannot be done. So what if there are a few little dodgy scenes in there. It is the real world. The whole purpose of high school is to prepare your children for college. College is a big, grown up world. It is hilarious because most of the kids at RFH party... ALOT. Also, what goes on at these parties is MUCH WORSE than what is in these books. I just view this as RFH parents who have nothing better to do, want to stir up a useless argument to get their controlling power fix. After all, what is RFH without trying to overthrow the school system just for poops and giggles. The faculty know what they are doing. After all, education is their profession, they are the experts, not you people. As a wise person stated before me, your children cannot live in the bubble forever!!! This whole petition is a huge joke. If you do not agree with the faculty's methods, then home school your kids yourself,
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If my kids said those words in the hallway; they would be suspended. The language and scenes in these books would be classified as "R" rated (18+) if they were in a movie, so why should my 15 year old be reading it? This is NOT about banning books. This is about choosing more age appropriate literature. Lots of much better choices out there.