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Another touchy topic: BOOKS. The left Claims They Are "Banned", But Is That Really The Truth?

Updated: Oct 10, 2024



Early Monday (October 7th), we were notified of a post put out by a Brighton School Board candidate and mother of a local Brighton high school student. Link to her post provided below:


While Mrs. Uphaus would not give us the name of the teacher involved, stating that the entire English department teaches this book in 10th grade. She was candid about the fact that this topic has been so politicized by party politics, when in reality is very much a topic about respect,  consideration and the health and wellbeing of every child.


Mrs. Uphaus stated in her video that teachers going through training and education hours are offered the ability to step out of trainings for topics that could cause a trauma or trigger them emotionally.  She asks why this small piece if respect and courtesy is not given to parents and guardians who know the background and traumas (if they exist) of their children.  Mrs. Uphaus believes that a consent slip and content notification to parents/ guardians, in advance, is not only simple  but a constitutional right.  Parents are responsible for the care and maintenance of their children physically, emotionally, monetarily and mentally as proven by the latest local verdict regarding the sentencing of the Oxford shooter's parents.


She went on to state;


"Ignoring that there could be potential traumatic circumstances in a child's history, that administration is not privey to (nor should they be), and labeling all parents as "bad" or "uncaring" is not working in partnership with those parents who leave their children in trust to our schools daily. Causing more trauma for the child when sensitive topics are part of the class discussions or focus work and the child has to endure this trauma, often silently."

Mrs. Uphaus personally experienced this type of negligence in BHS with her own daughter.


The writers of Livingston Lantern have a few questions. 


Will the teachers in question here, be held responsible for offering explicit sexual materials without notifying or gaining consent  from the responsible parties of the children?


Will the FACT, that this book has been purposely excluded from the reading list as a sexually explicit and racially charged book from many districts? This stance was also fortified locally per Matt Outlaw's (superintendent) assurance in 2022. 


Did the teachers subverted consent as well as deceive administration by making photocopies of the chapters to avoid parents inquiring about the book represented to their children?


The author of this book, a man accused by 10 women of sexual advances and assault misconduct, stated to another Native American author (he victimized) that he "could F*** her if he wanted to", later accusing her of plagiarizing his work resulting in her leaving her position with the Institute of American Indian Arts. To another victim ‘It’s just, we’re playing basketball, you remind me of the girlfriends I had in high school.’ after she went to change from playing basketball with Alexie, when he cornered her with sexual advances, invading her space while changing.


Read the excerpts and see if maybe the disturbing adult behavior, translated into his writings from his childhoodd trauma, that teachers endorse for 11+ years old.


While "banning books" has been a leftist trigger word for a while now, why is no one willing to talk about introducing sexually explicit material to children (that are not their own), and how removing innocence from them is harmful. How sexualized conversations in class can trigger any child who has suffered abuse, and perpetuate the trauma without any consideration of the child's privacy or personal experience. 


Exposure to content that a teacher may think is fine, but doesn't take into consideration the whole child when exposed to sexualized or sexually charged graphics and language is, in fact, child abuse. Anyone arguing otherwise has absolutely no ability to see past their own ignorance.


Maybe these 10th grade lit teachers could have shown the class this video...



 without sexual language, explicit racial bias (I'm an un-melanated boy raised on welfare here) and sexually charged innuendo.  It may have made the real topic, a better conversation and group discussion without alienating children in the classroom through trauma.


Just a thought.

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