Asking for Clean Content 4 classes

It's been a time of "choosing the better part" and of working smart, and of being cordial and considerate in my actions.  You could say, I've become a volunteer, an advocate, a team member, a lobbyist.  I've been able to learn a lot and improve my pubic speaking skills.  It hasn't been easy, and many times I felt burned out or that this mountain was more than I could do.  But, the stories of those who had gone before were inspiring. We were guided in actions, wording and how to help share the message. And, I realized that it is an opportunity to stand for my values and learn how to articulate why I believe content should be clean in our High Schools.

In our School District, a great debate has been going on about what literature is appropriate in high school classrooms.  Unfortunately, a few of the books that have been "approved" contain very explicit and graphic sexual material that Scott and I not comfortable with (and neither are our kids).

Courageous parents and their students took a stand and challenged (not banned) that this book should not be used in classrooms... a book, the Bluest Eye. This book talks in detail about pedophilia.  The results of their efforts helped me to learn what was going on at the high school that my children would soon  attend.  This challenge brought the School District to rewrite the policy for instructional materials in the classroom.  I started to understand the importance of age appropriate literature.  I submitted early in the school year for our Freshman, my own "opt out form" that we gave to our son's English teacher.  He decided that he would not teach from the 2 books that I had listed as "not giving permission" for my son to read.  It was encouraging to see a teacher that was willing to understand why we felt strongly about replacing sexually explicit material (that included masturbation detailed and a main character that reveled in it). 

I did not realize that there was more work to be done on a District level.  A group of us began addressing the Board of Education for our District, sent emails to the Superintendent and many other great people employed by the District.  I met people who just as passionately opposed my views.  I know that no everyone feels the same as I do, but many parents were unaware of the book "mature themed" contents read by their students.  All the while, remembering the purpose of my actions: requesting clean content to be used in classrooms.  It gave a lot of opportunities to discuss with my family the importance of learning from good books.  Scott and I were both engaged in the cause of clarifying what we were asking. 

As I said in one School Board meeting, "It all comes down to this: my husband and I want to feel comfortable when we send our child, who is a minor, to school this year/or next year/following years, that our values have been heard and respected.  I do not want to be discriminated for our family values. I do not want my son to sit in the library, singled out because we are not comfortable with some of the mature themed content."

This opportunity has clarified my vision, helped me work on things that as a family are very important to us, and to share the why's to our concerns.  Recently, Scott and I were able to meet with a School Board Member who shares our concerns and discuss how the draft policy needs to meet the needs of parents.  Our hard working Superintendent told me there would be a finalized draft completed by March.  I'm hoping that there will be policy that outlines what will be discussed in class and how equal educational opportunities will be given for all students, including those who prefer to have clean content in classrooms.