I had Mr. P for sophomore English and I still remember some of his lessons. I loved the short stories he had us read as well as the stories he would tell. Any student would be incredibly lucky to have him as a teacher!
H
Heidi Czerwiec
11 years ago
Literature teaches empathy with a number of points of view -- squashing that, and the wonderful teachers who teach it, means the end of education.
T
tess bonacci
11 years ago
stop education censorship.
I
Isaiah Montoya
11 years ago
This literature is highly regarded. It takes on challenging issues that are important to society. Labeling this as pornographic is censorship.
M
Mark Jenkins
11 years ago
Students should be exposed to a wide range of literature from different cultures and viewpoints to their own.
K
Kristen Feller
11 years ago
How are we supposed to grow as individuals and evolve as a society if we shelter ourselves from ideas that challenge our paradigms?
R
Rachel DiTullio
11 years ago
Mr.P was one of my favorite teachers in high school. If we aren't allowed to read challenging materials in high school that stimulate real thought and discussion then what differentiates high school from middle school
J
J S Liptrap
11 years ago
I do not know Mr. Paterson, but it’s apparent that the people petitioning for his removal are doing so on the basis of a subjective morality. There is no substance to the argument that the curriculum being taught in his class is offensive. Literature, by its nature, is meant to be offensive and rude. Literature serves a greater purpose than just telling a story. It teaches lessons by analogy, and forces a student to confront their own justifications for taking a position, one way or the other. Especially with younger people, they come to high school with preconceived notions about race and class systems, and politics, just touching on a few. Literature requires confrontation with these preconceived notions. Some of the truths found in literature are wretched, but they are important for growth. They are important for a better and more equipped next generation. The world is not nice: disease, famine, corruption, poverty, civil war, Apartheid, slavery, sex trafficking. I could go on, but all one need do is pick up a newspaper. Creativity and imagination, attention to detail, structured thought and problem solving skills come from being able to critically and analytically look at a piece of writing. A student cannot develop that arsenal without complex themes, three-dimensional characters and contumacious disregard for the status quo. ‘My idea is always to reach my generation. The wise writer writes for the youth of his own generation, the critics of the next, and the schoolmasters of ever afterward.’ F.S. Fitzgerald
P
Paul Boring
11 years ago
This is petty. I remember his class fondly and his assigned readings were relevant "coming of age" and identity-focused writing. Instead of reacting and using the school system to their own ends, these parents could be engaging with their kids about these assigned readings.
mr. P was the best English teacher I had at Arcadia.
J
Justin Bigos
11 years ago
A few right-wing, pro-censorship families have no justification in damaging a vital, challenging curriculum for the vast majority of students and their families who support such a wonderful teacher as Mr. David Peterson.
K
Kailey Holcombe
11 years ago
Mr. P. was one of my favorite teachers at Aracadia. I made some lifelong friends in his freshman english class back in 2004. The stuff he read was somewhat offensive but it was good for me to see this part of the world. I had come from a private school setting which didn't allow for any of these classics to be read i.e. catcher in the rye, of mice and men. These are classics that should be continued to be read, no matter how "offensive" they may be to people. Remember how for many years Uncle Tom's cabin wasn
A
Anna Chapman Crary
11 years ago
What is the danger in equipping a student with the ability to appreciate and understand literature for the rest of that student's life? Mr. Peterson - my 7th grade English teacher and high school "Indelible Ink" literary magazine advisor - is one of the most effective and inspiring teachers from whom I and countless others had the privilege to learn. The gift of his talent and devotion should not be denied to future students by persons too ignorant and fearful to understand the importance of the material he teaches.
J
Jamie Furman
11 years ago
Mr. Peterson is an amazing teacher who got me excited about literature. I have him to thank for introducing me to one of my favorite books which I've read many times over the years.
J
Jann-Michael Greenburg
11 years ago
One thing you learn as a law student is that you are simply unable to comment on issues without having all the facts in front of you. It is a difficult idea to accept, given that issues you feel deeply passionate about can blind you in this regard. In this way, I accept that I do not know all the facts. I do not know whether this petition is true, but deep down I have a feeling it is. It is shocking how, in this day and age, parents are allowed to dictate how a teacher teaches and, more importantly, how anyone can find some literature “offensive” and “inappropriate” for a high school student. Literature is the entirety of human experience, knowledge, and understanding in written form. It is the highest form of critical thinking and analysis, and most likely the greatest achievement of mankind. It has been 100 years since the beginning of the First World War, and nearly 70 years since the end of the Second World War, and yet somehow the pervasive belief that banning books and art is acceptable continues to thrive on this pale blue dot we call home. It is an illness, a sickness, that we have and it must be stopped. And this problem is made all the more real when the integrity and work of an amazing teacher is called into question. It is very difficult to express just how much Mr. Peterson means to me as both a teacher and a friend. His love of literature, his understanding of this art form, is unbelievable and he has made an incredible contribution to this field. English was never a favorite subject of mine. But Mr. Peterson changed that for me, and he certainly changed that for everyone I know. In this day and age, when society seems to be slipping back into the Dark Ages, when arts funding is being cut and education is being butchered, Mr. Peterson stands out as a real hero. A man to look up to. This petition should not exist because this problem should not exist. If a parent does not like the wealth of information that Mr. Peterson has to offer, or really a
S
Salli McCartin
11 years ago
Mr. Peterson is an excellent teacher. We need more teachers like him. He challenged my son who really didn't like much about literature before entering Mr. Peterson's class. I find it a bit disturbing that people are calling for his termination based on the literature he chose for the students. I tend to be on the conservative side and read almost all of the literature Mr. Peterson chose and found the excerpts tastefully chosen. It is disturbing to me that parents can let their children wear offensive and distracting clothing, let their children listen to offensive and disgusting music, not moniter their children in anyway. Yet, they will call for the termination of a teacher who challenges a student to think outside himself and challenge the student to disect the society he lives in to become a better global citizen! Mr. Peterson is an excellent teacher and these parents need educate themselves on how narrow minded, judgmental societies have survived.
E
Erin Stalcup
11 years ago
I seek to model my own teaching after Dave Peterson’s dedication to his students. Mr. Peterson constantly modifies his curriculum to offer students the best possible learning opportunities. The stories he teaches, the assignments he offers, and the feedback he gives to his students all help them become better writers, readers, and thinkers. And because he offers students complex literature to grapple with, I believe he is helping his students become better able to deal with the challenges life offers. I believe, and his students agree, that Mr. Peterson is helping them become better people. There is no pedagogical basis for the claims these families, who are calling for his termination, have made. I have read the stories deemed inappropriate, offensive, “pornographic,” and “dark and hopeless.” First, they are not those things. They look at complex human scenarios, and watching characters struggle and succeed gives me, and others, hope. And hinting at sex—but not showing it graphically on the page—is not pornographic. There is no evidence that any students have been harmed by reading the literature offered to them by Mr. Peterson. Many, I am certain, have been helped. I would have benefitted greatly had I been offered this literature to read in my high school English class. Instead, I read The Crucible, which is about the false accusations and murders of women said to be witches; I read Romeo and Juliet, which is about teenage sexuality and suicide; I read The Scarlet Letter, which is about an adulterer. I did not and do not find this literature to be dark and hopeless, or pornographic, and I remember these stories and their complex grappling with sex and morality still, decades later. If that is appropriate for high school students, why is the literature Mr. Peterson teaches not? In addition, I would have been much better served if, as a teenager, I was offered contemporary stories where characters grappled with things I was grappling with. Stories like “Fiesta, 198
I had Mr. P for sophomore English and I still remember some of his lessons. I loved the short stories he had us read as well as the stories he would tell. Any student would be incredibly lucky to have him as a teacher!
Literature teaches empathy with a number of points of view -- squashing that, and the wonderful teachers who teach it, means the end of education.
stop education censorship.
This literature is highly regarded. It takes on challenging issues that are important to society. Labeling this as pornographic is censorship.
Students should be exposed to a wide range of literature from different cultures and viewpoints to their own.
How are we supposed to grow as individuals and evolve as a society if we shelter ourselves from ideas that challenge our paradigms?
Mr.P was one of my favorite teachers in high school. If we aren't allowed to read challenging materials in high school that stimulate real thought and discussion then what differentiates high school from middle school
I do not know Mr. Paterson, but it’s apparent that the people petitioning for his removal are doing so on the basis of a subjective morality. There is no substance to the argument that the curriculum being taught in his class is offensive. Literature, by its nature, is meant to be offensive and rude. Literature serves a greater purpose than just telling a story. It teaches lessons by analogy, and forces a student to confront their own justifications for taking a position, one way or the other. Especially with younger people, they come to high school with preconceived notions about race and class systems, and politics, just touching on a few. Literature requires confrontation with these preconceived notions. Some of the truths found in literature are wretched, but they are important for growth. They are important for a better and more equipped next generation. The world is not nice: disease, famine, corruption, poverty, civil war, Apartheid, slavery, sex trafficking. I could go on, but all one need do is pick up a newspaper. Creativity and imagination, attention to detail, structured thought and problem solving skills come from being able to critically and analytically look at a piece of writing. A student cannot develop that arsenal without complex themes, three-dimensional characters and contumacious disregard for the status quo. ‘My idea is always to reach my generation. The wise writer writes for the youth of his own generation, the critics of the next, and the schoolmasters of ever afterward.’ F.S. Fitzgerald
This is petty. I remember his class fondly and his assigned readings were relevant "coming of age" and identity-focused writing. Instead of reacting and using the school system to their own ends, these parents could be engaging with their kids about these assigned readings.
insanity
[email protected]
mr. P was the best English teacher I had at Arcadia.
A few right-wing, pro-censorship families have no justification in damaging a vital, challenging curriculum for the vast majority of students and their families who support such a wonderful teacher as Mr. David Peterson.
Mr. P. was one of my favorite teachers at Aracadia. I made some lifelong friends in his freshman english class back in 2004. The stuff he read was somewhat offensive but it was good for me to see this part of the world. I had come from a private school setting which didn't allow for any of these classics to be read i.e. catcher in the rye, of mice and men. These are classics that should be continued to be read, no matter how "offensive" they may be to people. Remember how for many years Uncle Tom's cabin wasn
What is the danger in equipping a student with the ability to appreciate and understand literature for the rest of that student's life? Mr. Peterson - my 7th grade English teacher and high school "Indelible Ink" literary magazine advisor - is one of the most effective and inspiring teachers from whom I and countless others had the privilege to learn. The gift of his talent and devotion should not be denied to future students by persons too ignorant and fearful to understand the importance of the material he teaches.
Mr. Peterson is an amazing teacher who got me excited about literature. I have him to thank for introducing me to one of my favorite books which I've read many times over the years.
One thing you learn as a law student is that you are simply unable to comment on issues without having all the facts in front of you. It is a difficult idea to accept, given that issues you feel deeply passionate about can blind you in this regard. In this way, I accept that I do not know all the facts. I do not know whether this petition is true, but deep down I have a feeling it is. It is shocking how, in this day and age, parents are allowed to dictate how a teacher teaches and, more importantly, how anyone can find some literature “offensive” and “inappropriate” for a high school student. Literature is the entirety of human experience, knowledge, and understanding in written form. It is the highest form of critical thinking and analysis, and most likely the greatest achievement of mankind. It has been 100 years since the beginning of the First World War, and nearly 70 years since the end of the Second World War, and yet somehow the pervasive belief that banning books and art is acceptable continues to thrive on this pale blue dot we call home. It is an illness, a sickness, that we have and it must be stopped. And this problem is made all the more real when the integrity and work of an amazing teacher is called into question. It is very difficult to express just how much Mr. Peterson means to me as both a teacher and a friend. His love of literature, his understanding of this art form, is unbelievable and he has made an incredible contribution to this field. English was never a favorite subject of mine. But Mr. Peterson changed that for me, and he certainly changed that for everyone I know. In this day and age, when society seems to be slipping back into the Dark Ages, when arts funding is being cut and education is being butchered, Mr. Peterson stands out as a real hero. A man to look up to. This petition should not exist because this problem should not exist. If a parent does not like the wealth of information that Mr. Peterson has to offer, or really a
Mr. Peterson is an excellent teacher. We need more teachers like him. He challenged my son who really didn't like much about literature before entering Mr. Peterson's class. I find it a bit disturbing that people are calling for his termination based on the literature he chose for the students. I tend to be on the conservative side and read almost all of the literature Mr. Peterson chose and found the excerpts tastefully chosen. It is disturbing to me that parents can let their children wear offensive and distracting clothing, let their children listen to offensive and disgusting music, not moniter their children in anyway. Yet, they will call for the termination of a teacher who challenges a student to think outside himself and challenge the student to disect the society he lives in to become a better global citizen! Mr. Peterson is an excellent teacher and these parents need educate themselves on how narrow minded, judgmental societies have survived.
I seek to model my own teaching after Dave Peterson’s dedication to his students. Mr. Peterson constantly modifies his curriculum to offer students the best possible learning opportunities. The stories he teaches, the assignments he offers, and the feedback he gives to his students all help them become better writers, readers, and thinkers. And because he offers students complex literature to grapple with, I believe he is helping his students become better able to deal with the challenges life offers. I believe, and his students agree, that Mr. Peterson is helping them become better people. There is no pedagogical basis for the claims these families, who are calling for his termination, have made. I have read the stories deemed inappropriate, offensive, “pornographic,” and “dark and hopeless.” First, they are not those things. They look at complex human scenarios, and watching characters struggle and succeed gives me, and others, hope. And hinting at sex—but not showing it graphically on the page—is not pornographic. There is no evidence that any students have been harmed by reading the literature offered to them by Mr. Peterson. Many, I am certain, have been helped. I would have benefitted greatly had I been offered this literature to read in my high school English class. Instead, I read The Crucible, which is about the false accusations and murders of women said to be witches; I read Romeo and Juliet, which is about teenage sexuality and suicide; I read The Scarlet Letter, which is about an adulterer. I did not and do not find this literature to be dark and hopeless, or pornographic, and I remember these stories and their complex grappling with sex and morality still, decades later. If that is appropriate for high school students, why is the literature Mr. Peterson teaches not? In addition, I would have been much better served if, as a teenager, I was offered contemporary stories where characters grappled with things I was grappling with. Stories like “Fiesta, 198
Keep Mr P!