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Some parents complained about a passage in one of the books that is part of our 7th grade curriculum (the student is not in my 7th grade class). The page talks about the female protagonist getting her period and all these feelings she is having (including her desire to touch another girl's breasts). We never read this passage aloud in the classroom or really discuss it even (I did send an e-mail home to the parents warning them of the content; no one replied with any concern). The parents' concern was taken all the way to our principal, who, after reading the passage, told the parents that he would have us REMOVE THE PAGES FROM THE BOOK. I am completely dumbfounded. If this book is listed in our curriculum, why should we have to censor it? And is it just me, or is this really upsetting? Part of me wants to refuse to do it, and take it to the board of directors if I have to (we are a charter school). What do you think?
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intrigued On 4/13/11, Sara wrote: > On 3/31/11, Concerned wrote:

That Anne Frank has to hide to protect herself isn't upsetting?? That she and her family are taken away like criminals and put in concentration camps isn't upsetting - but her incipient sexuality is?

The parents don't mind their children reading about the murder of innocen...See More
Apr 21, 2011
Fanny Phoenix Dear Concerned, As you could guess I am also a teacher. If it really was Anne Frank's Diary, I would really like to ask you something. Do you read this book with your students in English or in German? I am an English teacher you see, but my mother tongue is German. So it would be really interesting for me to know. It is rather a complex book and I ...See More
Jun 12, 2011
Fanny Phoenix Hello again! Of course if would like to rather leave it and not read it in class, I wish you good luck fighting for that too! Yours, Fanny
Jun 12, 2011
Bill Good luck. I would never want to remove pages. Sounds too controling and Big Brotherish.

On 6/12/11, Fanny Phoenix wrote: > Hello again! > Of course if would like to rather leave it and not read it in > class, I wish you good luck fighting for that too! > Yours, Fanny
Jul 2, 2011
Tom For those who haven't read the 1995 edition (not censored by Anne's dad), it is definitely tough for seventh graders to deal with. I taught it two years ago, and the kids were almost undone by Anne's directness RE her period and her sexual longings. What really took them to the brink (this was a coed class) was the entire page Anne dedicated to a d...See More
May 10, 2013


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