Texas State Board of Education Bans "Marxist" Children's Book

[Rhetts_the_Best]

Wait...What?

They make Marxist childrens books?

[OBCT]

Originally Posted by Raoul Duke

Kind of off topic because it's not "banned" per se, except by societal norms. But I've always wanted to read Mein Kampf because of it's importance in world history. Is there any way to pick it up at Chapters without looking like a complete skinheaded racist anti-semite?

I was hoping to see it in the University bookstore so it'd just be like it was for a class but no dice.

Maybe not.

In which case, my advice would be to purchase it on the mighty (anonymous) interwebs instead...

http://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_...refix=mein+kam

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by OBCT

At the same time - to steal a cheesy cliche - "common sense isn't always common." My point is that subjectivity plays a role, and trained librarians may or may not let their own biases get in the way or doing their job appropriately. I'm not sure it's best to let this whole discretionary business land on the shoulders of school librarians, generally speaking. Others will disagree.

Sure, librarians have their own biases, but if that bias blatant (or maybe even not blatant), the administration, staff and parents are going to notice.

I'm kind of confused about this book selection process. Maybe you can fill us Canuckistanis out and explain it a little. From what I gather, these people meet I suppose annually, and discuss what books they'll be allowing in the school system. Is that right?

Does anyone know if we do this in Canada? Like go through this kind of process? This kind of controversy pops up every once in a while but I don't remember (and could be way off) this happening in Canada.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Rhetts_the_Best

Wait...What?

They make Marxist childrens books?

Barney's message of love and family is clearly a metaphor for the withering of the state.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by troutman

Barney's message of love and family is clearly a metaphor for the withering of the state.

Where the Wild Things Are clearly summons the proletariat into open revolt against the paternal authority of the state. At the end, they are rewarded for their courage with a hot meal.

[Flamesguy_SJ]

Reading some of the above posts makes me feel like I'm in a Monty Python sketch...

[cheevers]

Originally Posted by Raoul Duke

Kind of off topic because it's not "banned" per se, except by societal norms. But I've always wanted to read Mein Kampf because of it's importance in world history. Is there any way to pick it up at Chapters without looking like a complete skinheaded racist anti-semite?

I was hoping to see it in the University bookstore so it'd just be like it was for a class but no dice.

Mein Kampf is definately at the University bookstore, I saw it there last week. As for not looking like a skinhead, my advice is to wear a hat to cover your skinhead.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

This is one for the ages...

The Texas State Board of education, presumably using google as their source, discovered that Bill Martin, the author of famous (and wonderful) Children's books such as "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" was secretly a Marxist!

He even wrote a book on the subject, called Ethical Marxism: The Categorical Imperative of Liberation.

Of course, the board did the only thing they could: they instantly banned Mr. Martin's books, making sure that his secret Marxism doesn't infect our youth. Phew--that was a close one! Thank goodness the Texas State Board of Education is there to protect our children from dangerous books.

Just one teensy problem--well, two, actually.

The first is that banning books is lame.

The second is that the book on Marxism was written by a different "Bill Martin" altogether. One is a renowned children's author, the other a philosophy professor at DePaul university. Not the same guy at all, it turns out.

The story is here:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...s.3e17c50.html

What are the odds though? You can't blame them. Bill Martin is such a rare name.

[Kjesse]

Mein Kampf is an impossible read IMHO... you really have to be really, really motivated to get through it. It is very long, very boring. Its one of those instances that a Coles Notes version is preferable (like Thomas Hobbes' "Leviathan".) I didn't get past the first few chapters.

I'm for banning liberally in elementary school, almost nothing in middle school, and nothing at all in highschool.

By the time they're in Grade 7, they are old enough to realize that just because it is in a book doesn't make it true.

[Raoul Duke]

Originally Posted by cheevers

Mein Kampf is definately at the University bookstore, I saw it there last week. As for not looking like a skinhead, my advice is to wear a hat to cover your skinhead.

I don't live in Calgary.

On both your points.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by OBCT

I understand your point, and I agree that common sense has to play a role. I think librarians usually get it right.

At the same time - to steal a cheesy cliche - "common sense isn't always common." My point is that subjectivity plays a role, and trained librarians may or may not let their own biases get in the way or doing their job appropriately. I'm not sure it's best to let this whole discretionary business land on the shoulders of school librarians, generally speaking. Others will disagree.

That said, someone has to make the decision at some level, so perfection isn't a possibility.


I honestly don't know where I'd draw the line. It would obviously vary by age level, but it isn't an easy question.

I would hope that parents monitor what their kids are reaching and teach them some common sense about what is good reading material, and what isn't.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Raoul Duke

Kind of off topic because it's not "banned" per se, except by societal norms. But I've always wanted to read Mein Kampf because of it's importance in world history. Is there any way to pick it up at Chapters without looking like a complete skinheaded racist anti-semite?

I was hoping to see it in the University bookstore so it'd just be like it was for a class but no dice.

Order it online.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

Where the Wild Things Are clearly summons the proletariat into open revolt against the paternal authority of the state. At the end, they are rewarded for their courage with a hot meal.

God I love that book.

[cal_guy]

Originally Posted by Raoul Duke

Kind of off topic because it's not "banned" per se, except by societal norms. But I've always wanted to read Mein Kampf because of it's importance in world history. Is there any way to pick it up at Chapters without looking like a complete skinheaded racist anti-semite?

I was hoping to see it in the University bookstore so it'd just be like it was for a class but no dice.

You can read or download it online here if you don't mind reading it on a computer screen.

http://www.archive.org/details/meinkampf035176mbp

[OBCT]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Sure, librarians have their own biases, but if that bias blatant (or maybe even not blatant), the administration, staff and parents are going to notice.

I'm kind of confused about this book selection process. Maybe you can fill us Canuckistanis out and explain it a little. From what I gather, these people meet I suppose annually, and discuss what books they'll be allowing in the school system. Is that right?

Does anyone know if we do this in Canada? Like go through this kind of process? This kind of controversy pops up every once in a while but I don't remember (and could be way off) this happening in Canada.

I'm not entirely certain. (In my defence, I've only lived down here 3 years, so I'm pretty much a Canuckistani, too.)

This is the best I can find. Excerpt from linked wiki article:

"In the United States, many books have been challenged by a variety of groups and agencies in order to prevent a particular work from being read by the general public. In recent years, it has become more common for those challenging the availability of a book to do so on a local level, targeting public libraries and school libraries. In fact, many communities have a formal process by which a citizen can challenge the public availability of a work. That a book's availability has been challenged does not automatically indicate that it has been removed from library shelves in even one community."

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Raoul Duke

I don't live in Calgary.

On both your points.

No matter where you live, you don't want to read Mein Kampf. And that's got nothing to do with his politics either, the book is just awful. Not interesting, not compelling, it doesn't make you angry, you don't get anything out of it. It's boring and poorly written.

I was curious about it too and chose some aspect of it for a paper in uni and had to read the book. It was a terrible mistake. It does raise eyebrows to have it on your bookshelf, so that's something. And it's kinda cool to look through and maybe read certain parts, but you only want to read that entire book if you are a sadist or you are having trouble sleeping.

[Ashartus]

More censoring in US schools - the dictionary this time. http://www.calgaryherald.com/life/sc...363/story.html

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Ashartus

More censoring in US schools - the dictionary this time. http://www.calgaryherald.com/life/sc...363/story.html

It's a time honoured rite of passage for kids to look up naughty words in the dictionary. I did it, my father did it, and one day I hope my child will have the same experience.

When I was a lad we were given an orange "student's dictionary" to use in class, and it was a toned down version. Anyone with any desire to swear intelligently knew that the big one on the swivel thing in the library had the real hot stuff.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by Azure

God I love that book.

Another reason to ban Where the Wild Things Are:

Max is clearly a furry. Wearing a wolf suit? Having a "wild rumpus" with other monsters?

Sick. Just sick. Keep that stuff away from our children.