RFH Reading Assignments, Rumson NJ 07760

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,

Listen to him he's tall

It is clear to me that any parents here who wish to remove "inappropriate" books from the curriculum at RFH has never read these books before or had critical discussion about them. In fact, I don't think they've throught critically about anything at all. If they were to actually put some thought in here, they would realize that changing the curriculum is not the answer to keep kids safe. Real safety of our kids would require serious, immediate action. I suggest pulling your kids from school; it is far too germ-filled, and you don't want them getting sick. Not to mention, there are other kids at school who say and do such horrible things that you wouldn't want your kids exposed to. You shouldn't let them go outside either. There's terrifying things like pollen and dirt outside that could give your kids serious allergies. Don't let them work either. Being an employee means being commanded by a superior, and you can't let someone tell your kids what to do! In fact, you should make a padded room for you kid and make sure he or she never leaves. There's no way they could hurt themselves against the hard, dangerous walls if the walls are padded. Also, don't even bother with feeding them real food. They could be allergic! Nutrient supplements should do. And of course--this goes without saying--no clothes either. Clothes only lead to chafing and blisters. Hopefully, now that you've really given your kids' safety some thought, you'll realize just how scary and dangerous the real world is and understand why it is best to lock them away and keep them sheltered forever. Those were just some suggestions off the top of my head, but if you give it more thought, I'm sure you brilliant parents can come up with some even better solutions to this safety epidemic.

^SMART MAN WE HAVE HERE

THIS WHOLE ARGUMENT IS APPALLING, GO READ A BOOK OR SOMETHING

whats appalling is this whole argument lol

This is just beyond absurd, freedom of the press. 1st amendment. ever hear of that??? RFH has an excellent faculty that know what they are doing. Your kids cant hide in the bubble forever. POP THE BUBBLE!! GET A JOB!! (yes I know that is unrelated). Its kind of ironic what is going on here, Parents are arguing they want to censor stuff for their kids, meanwhile RFH is known as a crazy party school. hahahaha people have nothing better to do than stir up a useless argument.

To be honest, I think it's funny that people are advocating such censorship when, in reality, kids are DOING things much worse than what's described in these books. I recognize some names in the signatures list and your kids are FAR from innocent. Perhaps you're compensating for something? Stop helicoptering. Let your kids grow up. They have to do it some day.

Appalling content!

This isn't about banning books once and for all!! It's about concerned parents wanting educators to make better choices! I plan on reading Death and the Maiden and realize I may appreciate the work. However, just because something is written by an award winning writer, and may possibly be a classic someday, does not mean it is appropriate for every 17 year old that reads it. (I teach fourth grade and love Jerry Spinelli, but I would never bring his first book into my classroom. That's for middle school. Can't we say some books aren't right for certain ages?) Why is it not okay to think some things aren't right? Why do so many think we all should believe there is nothing off limits? I think these concerned parents are asking for the educators who choose these pieces for required reading be open-minded enough to realize there are some 17 year olds who probably are not ready for this material. And stop judging these 17 year olds and their parents, those of you who are so intolerant of others not as "worldly" and "intellectual" as you. Shame on you for thinking every person should have the same upbringing, morals, and opinions as yours. I am saddened at what I was reading on the other site. Just because a parent wants an educator to find equally or better material to teach the same standards, those who disagree resort to bullying, and acting like their way of thinking is the only way of thinking. Since when are parents not allowed to care about what their children are reading? And simply trust educators to make these decisions and not be involved? Seriously? Talk about poor parenting. Lastly, I must share what bothered me the most when I visited the opposing site. (By the way, those who are saying "we have more votes, twice as many, come to our site..." you forgot to add nanna nanna boo boo to the end of you statements.) Anyway, the thing that saddens me the most, and I see it all the time with those who oppose morality, Caitlin Waters said Siobhan Hogan believes sex i

Thank God someone is watching this stuff and fighting the good fight for our kids

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?

Banning books is as ignorant as it is ineffective. One previously banned work I enjoyed was "The Canterbury Tales." I had an entire literary analysis course dedicated to that work. Clearly, it was not banned for a lack of literary quality. There is a famous quote attributed to Aristotle that expresses our sentiments well, "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Sheilding your children from different perspectives, from an educational perspective, does much more harm than good. If you want your children to recognize what you feel to be morally wrong, as such, then they must be capable of looking directly at something and say "that is wrong." If stigma, mystery and censorship surround something, especially for a teen, it becomes forbidden fruit. Which realistically speaking, defeats the purpose of going through all this trouble.

There is a counter petition with over 500 signatures here: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/petitioning-the-rfh-reading-assignments-petition Also, the play, Death and a Maiden, is not "crap", "trash", or "porn". It is an important work written by an award winning writer who is also a highly respected Professor of Comparative Literature at Duke University. I guess you would not want your children to read a literary work written by a Professor at a university that they might aspire to attend because it might contain "bad" language and sex. I'm so grateful that my parents did not try to stifle my education when I was at RFH or I may not have had the gift of a well rounded and exceptional learning experience.

What would be the harm in picking alternate books to read.

there is a copy of Henry Miller's "Tropic of Cancer" sitting in the Library of Congress. would you like to have that removed, as well? read through the ruling on Jacobellis v. Ohio (1964). just because something is sexual doesn't mean it is "obscene" or "pornographic." these texts should be cherished for their artistic value. and if you think your kids aren't having sex, spend a day loitering around the hallways of RFH and see what you overhear. i have always known that the RFH area was decidedly conservative, but this is taking things to an entirely new (and infuriating) level.

"Inappropriate materials or language – Students may not write, use, send, download, access, or display materials that pertain to crime, violence, intolerance, obscenity, profanity, rude and disrespectful language; or that pertain to pornographic, inflammatory, threatening, and abusive text, graphics, and photo/video imagery unless expressly authorized by a teacher for a specific school assignment. Should students encounter such material by accident, they should report it to their teacher immediately." what teacher authorized this unnecessary crap?

That "trash" you are referring to is an award winning play written by Chilean author Ariel Dorfman, who is a Professor of Literature and Latin American Studies at Duke University, and a well known and highly regarded novel by award winning Irish writer Bernard MacLaverty. Perhaps you ought to read them before condemning them as "trash" . The only harm that could come to high schoolers from a book is if you smacked them in the head with one!

As a former student at RFH, I have to say that this petition is an act of sheer ignorance. Don't deprive students of the opportunity to discuss and understand some of the harsh realities of life. Don't make RFH even more of a sheltered bubble. You should hear what kids talk about in the hallways. http://yarspeaks.tumblr.com/post/129722790986/censorship