McMinn, TN school board bans Spiegelman's Maus

[J_Dee]

And yeah pretty surprising about Maus. It’s a literary classic, even amongst the snobby literature folks. Only graphic novel to ever win a Pulitzer, and the award it got - Special Award in Letters - has only been awarded 12 times.

The school board in McMinn, Tennessee doesn't think as high of Maus as some of us do. The board claims the ban's over depictions of language and nudity. "We decided the best way to fix or handle the language in this book was to redact it", a board member said. "Considering copyright, we decided to redact it to get rid of the eight curse words and the picture of the woman that was objected to."

McMinn County, Tennessee called meeting transcript

Censorship normally pisses me off, but the ban's caused sales of the book to skyrocket, especially among young readers, which is awesome (the very same thing happened in Russia after Putin banned the book).

 

[chroix]

Have to love a school board that actively promotes ignorance. The idea that people should not feel challenged by the books they read and the lessons they learn in school is the road to really dumb kids.

 

[Ron Mehico]

Man everyday I get closer to putting my kids in private school, something I never thought I would say in a million years

 

[Deeeefense]

Book banning in schools is nothing new. Back in the early 1960s when I was in school there was a racey Novel published called Peyton Place. Our schools banned it. I have no idea what was in it that they thought was unsuitable but I'm willing to bet it would be considered benign by todays standards.

I have no problem with school boards banning X-rated stuff that's simply trash, that has nothing to do with education, OTOH banning books that do nothing more then document history, as unsavory as some episodes might be, is simply promoting ignorance, the opposite of education.

​

 

[chroix]

Man everyday I get closer to inching to putting my kids in private school, something I never thought I would say in a million years

I think that’s the point. Break the schools and get everyone onboard with vouchers. I hate it.

 

[Beatle Bum]

The school board in McMinn, Tennessee doesn't think as high of Maus as some of us do. The board claims the ban's over depictions of language and nudity. "We decided the best way to fix or handle the language in this book was to redact it", a board member said. "Considering copyright, we decided to redact it to get rid of the eight curse words and the picture of the woman that was objected to."

McMinn County, Tennessee called meeting transcript

Censorship normally pisses me off, but the ban's caused sales of the book to skyrocket, especially among young readers, which is awesome (the very same thing happened in Russia after Putin banned the book).

They took the book out of their 8th grade curriculum. Not a ban.

Do they still let HSers read To Kill A Mockingbird or Of Mice and Men?

 

[MegaBlue05]

Nudity? Aren’t the characters mice? Are these people actually afraid of nude mice and 8 cuss words?

The opening 36 seconds to damn near any rap song will have more than 8 cuss words. What a bunch of prudes. Talk about needless pearl clutching.

Lastly, prohibition doesn’t work whether it’s drugs, booze, guns or books.

 

[Bigblue2023]

This is a massive overreaction. They’re still teaching the material, but not with that book. It’s still available to get and read if you so choose.

This is not censorship or the dr suess disaster.

 

[Chuckinden]

Nudity? Aren’t the characters mice? Are these people actually afraid of nude mice and 8 cuss words?

The opening 36 seconds to damn near any rap song will have more than 8 cuss words. What a bunch of prudes. Talk about needless pearl clutching.

Lastly, prohibition doesn’t work whether it’s drugs, booze, guns or books.

"The opening 36 seconds to damn near any rap song will have more than 8 cuss words."

I wouldn't know.....

 

[funKYcat75]

RIP

 

[Beatle Bum]

This is a massive overreaction. They’re still teaching the material, but not with that book. It’s still available to get and read if you so choose.

This is not censorship or the dr suess disaster.

And, they are not prohibiting that book, just taking it out of the 8th grade curriculum. This is a massive overreaction for people who want to be offended, but don’t actually have 8th graders in this small school system.

 

[Beatle Bum]

"The opening 36 seconds to damn near any rap song will have more than 8 cuss words."

I wouldn't know.....

But, evidently they should be part of a middle school curriculum. LOL!

 

[jameslee32]

Texas banned Harry Potter. Mein Kampf appears to be safe for now. Tennessee will have something to say about that.

 

[Beatle Bum]

Texas banned Harry Potter. Mein Kampf appears to be safe for now. Tennessee will have something to say about that.

If we are generalizing in this way, California and Washington have “banned” To Kill a Mockingbird, Huck Finn, Of Mice and Men, The Cay, and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.

 

[Beatle Bum]

Texas banned Harry Potter. Mein Kampf appears to be safe for now. Tennessee will have something to say about that.

At least we now have an outrage thread.

 

[MegaBlue05]

But, evidently they should be part of a middle school curriculum. LOL!

They were part of my middle school curriculum. In 1993-94.

Snoop Doggy Dogg’s “Doggystyle” was one of the hottest albums of that year. It sold millions of copies and was massively popular throughout suburbia.

Point being, 8 cusswords in a literary work is likely less than your average middle schooler says or hears in one day of school.

 

[jameslee32]

At least we now have an outrage thread.

Been here for years called the Political Thread.

 

[DSmith21]

Who is next?

 

[Beatle Bum]

They were part of my middle school curriculum. In 1993-94.

Snoop Doggy Dogg’s “Doggystyle” was one of the hottest albums of that year. It sold millions of copies and was massively popular throughout suburbia.

Point being, 8 cusswords in a literary work is likely less than your average middle schooler says or hears in one day of school.

If you sit on a school board, you can cast your vote. But, you having an opinion that differs from those in another town should be celebrated, not demeaned.

 

[Gromcat_rivals]

Man everyday I get closer to putting my kids in private school, something I never thought I would say in a million years

My kids are in private school in Tennessee. The public school system is a **** show. Kids aren’t learning ****. My son is learning Latin, the math is advanced, and his friend that goes to Dyer Co school system (70 miles north of Memphis ) is so far behind him it’s alarming. The days of public schools are over. Once the government became the chief architect that was it.

I feel you though. I never thought I’d say it either. But it is what it is. If you want your kids to learn, have a solid spiritual foundation (mine goes to Christ Classical), and be safe, it’s private all the way.