Censorship

The idea of having to have alternate reading assingments available for students who's parents object to a book seems like a daunting task. There is already so much preparation that goes into creating the original assingment, but to prep for an alternate one as well?? Good greif. However, I know that it is important to apease what parents do and do not want their students reading in my classroom. To do the work and to keep the student interested in the topic at hand is a lot of work that we will get to do...for no extra benefit on our end might I add. I guess I take that back. The benefit will be knowing that I respect my students and their families enough to generate an entire lesson plan just for them. It has to be hard though, to find pieces that fit well enough together that the students will get the same thing out of it. If a piece is racey enough for a parent to object, then how will I find another one that will cover the same topic? Will creating a different assingment make that student an outsider from the rest of the class? Will it make them resent me or their parents for making them do alternant work? My worst fear is losing a student's interst over a topic that I assign...could this happen just because a parent feels differently than I do? How will I make the grading equal if the assignment is different? There are so many questions that I am beginning to feel like I'll have to fly by the seat of my pants when the time comes...I guess the best way to handle parental objection is to be prepared for the worst.

Response to Gee and Delpit

I am a member of a group called Shades of Promise here at CSU. SOP is in afiliation with South Carolina State University, a Historicaly Black College/University (HBCU). The goal of SOP is to experience one another's cultures (that of a predominatly white school vs an HBCU), and to have open dialogue about racial diversity. Last weekend I was at SCSU, and I brought up language, and how it can be difficult (as a teacher) to teach Standard English without undermining ethnic or regional speech. I was amazed at how this seemed to trigger many SCSU individules. Everyone who addressed the topic said that when they feel it is needed, they can all speak correctly, however, they appriciate the comfort they feel when a teacher or superior allows them to use the slang they are so accustomed to. One SCSU student asserted that she appriciated my point/question because, yes Standard English is important to be successful and respected in America today, but downplaying the cultural diversity of America can only hinder us as a society. After our discusion, I am still unclear as to where the line should be drawn between teaching Standard English and encourageing/allowing ethnic/regional speech to be used in the classroom. I do know, though, that both are very important. Like many aspects of Education, this issue is not black or white.