UPDATE: It appears that the Daily Times is going into "Damage Control" mode for their pals over at the WCBOE. While not confirmed, we have been told that the Daily Times is preparing another article regarding this issue for Thursday's paper that will defend the WCBOE and possibly attack Wicomico County Councilman Joe Holloway (who brought this issue to the public's attention). It should be noted that the communications director for the WCBOE is the wife of Daily Times Managing Editor Erick Sahler. Perhaps the Daily Times will prove to be a genuine newspaper in regards to this issue. Let's see on Thursday.
How would you react if your 9 year old child came home from school with a book that had a picture like this (yes, I did edit it a little)? Well, that’s exactly what happened to the parent of a Pittsville Elementary student recently. FYI – this isn’t the worse panel in the “book”.
Molesting teenage girls, teens flashing adults, nudity – these are just some of things you’ll find if your child checks out this book. Someone thought that this was “APPROPRIATE” content for an elementary school library.
There’s more. A lot more. However, if you choose to read the rest of this article YOU MAY BE OFFENDED. While the Wicomico County Board of Education doesn’t feel an obligation to warn you (or your children), we do.
75 comments:
I know if it was my 9yr. old someone would be paying for this blunder. This definately is porn. Catch some of those Anime' "cartoons". Some of them are pure smut.
I was watching PAC 14 when Mr. Holloway addressed this issue publically but thank you for putting it in words. This is appalling! I am thanksful that the parents have someone they feel they can trust to bring an issue like this to. Otherwise, our children would be experiencing this trash and we wouldn't even know it. Thanks for the heads up. I will keep my eyes of the target from now on.
thats why i live in a 2 bedroom house with only one full bathroom, so I can afford to keep my kids OUT of the clutches of Wicomico Board of Ed.
This is no accident...it is planting the seed by perverts...
Gee, just like cable tv for unsupervised kids, but even more explicit.
that is awful it better get pulled from all libraries childrens section
frustrated
Good lord, and they wonder why our kids are so messed up. One minute there being told to abstain from sex, and then the schools push this kind of stuff, no wonder they are so confused.
That trash is also in the school library in Caroline County PS. My brother brought home 3 of them when he was 12.
Ha ha! This post is funny in light of Joe's earlier "Con vs Lib" post. We should add:
If a conservative doesn’t like a book, he tries to ban it.
If a liberal doesn't like a book, he doesn't allow his children to read it, but allows others to make that decision for themselves.
There's nothing like those good ol' freedom-loving conservatives!
Liberals always trying to molest children ! I don't want to understand their intentions or B.S. excuse I want their heads it's time to stop talking about addressing these sick bastards and take the law into our own hands !
Greg, Your nuts.
Nobody said anything about banning a book. Not wanting it offered in public schools is not a ban. I don't want them serving booze or cigs either.
Greg, this isn't about "banning" a book in the traditional sense. It's about smut being pandered in our schools. I, for one, would not allow my child to read such filth, especially at an impressionable age.
Furthermore, I think you referring to this as "banning" is inappropriate. I just think that it shouldn't be available in an ELEMENTARY school where young kids can get a hold of it. As parents, we are charged with protecting our young until they reach an appropriate time in their emotional maturity to be able to handle such a "graphic" novel (play on words). It should be the parent's decision as to when that time is, not the school's.
K Groves
Well now , this is your BOE in Wicomico County. Just look at the mess the city of Salisbury is in , they elected one of the idiots from the BOE as mayor. Go figure!
Ireton and the BOE doesn't know their a$$ from a hole in the ground. How do you expect to educate your children? Home School!
Greg;
Are the parents required to accompany these kids to the library to make a decision about what their kids read and what they don't? Or does the government make that choice for them?
See Liberals want government judgment to override parents judgment, Conservatives don't.
I didn't see any mention of a book ban here, just information. Again Liberals want the people kept in the dark about what they are doing, heck, look at all the "transparency" in the Obama administration.
Yes let's politize this smut. SMUT is what it is period!
Would you let your children eat out of a garbage can? This is pure garbage and makes people let alone children sick!
If this book had been in a teachers desk they would have been fired.
Nothing was "pandered". A mistake was made and a vigilant parent found it. That's good. This particular book has a title similar to a very popular children's cartoon. It's very understandable how someone could be misled into thinking it was suitable for kids. I would encourage you to check it out at Amazon to see just how misleading the cover is. http://www.amazon.com/Dragonball-1-Akira-Toriyama/dp/1569314950/
If nothing else this situation may alert other parents to be more vigilant with what their kids are reading, since "you can't judge a book by its cover".
Prayer was taking out of school and porn put in!
As a BOE official, I don't condone this taking place but unfortunately it did occur. As usual, comments will continue to bash the WCBOE but truthfully, I am sure that if you go to many local and school libraries around the country, inappropriate books are on their shelves.
As to the comments about media specialist managing libraries, this is true. These folks are only getting paid $15-$20K for doing a thankless job. The act as teachers but get paid nothing. If you want a librarian, you will have to pay for it but that won't happen with the budget.
To let others know, an email went out to school media specialist and principals today to see if this book is on any shelves. In the libraries and in classroom libraries. It may have been reactive but at least the BOE took action.
In most schools, graphic novels are not banned. With over $3500-$5000 of books being bought each year in schools it is impossible for media specials to read every book. Maybe parents will "volunteer" to help out...doubt it.
Finally, when ordering, book companies rate books. If the school does not heed those ratings, they should get in trouble.
4:52 - by making books available in a school library, does that mean government is "[making] a decision about what their kids read and what they don't?
Seems that people who raise their kids well shouldn't have much to worry about. Either the kid will see it and realize it's inappropriate or bring it home and ask their parents to help them understand it. But maybe that's just me and my kids.
Let's just ban all libraries since parents can not always accompany their children to pick out books.
7:31 - We should probably ban bookstores, music, television, newspapers, magazines and just about everything else, too, since parents cannot always accompany their children.
Why is there not an investigation by DCPS? I mean if a parent allowed the child to read this and a teacher saw the child reading it there is no doubt a LCSW would be beating the parents door down, and possibly holding the child in a "safe" place while an investigation was conducted. So why is the school not being investigated for distributing porn to children as young as 5???
Ahh thats right the public sector is supposed to be off limits to being held accountable for their actions.
6:24 didn't have to admit he was a BOE official, it was obvious because he is complaining about the budget. My kids graduated in the 90's from the Wicomico system and the BOE administrators and employees had the parents standing in line to plead every year at the budget hearings. Damnit, you guys need to understand there is only so much to go around. Stop thinking you are the only ones and get real. There is a crisis in Wicomico County, Maryland and the United States. We all need to be a part of the solution.
So, the librarian is supposed to read a thousand or so new books every year? How many books do each of you read? Be realistic people!
7:31 - Absolutely that IS what it means. If it's in the library, it's available to be picked up and if it's not there, it cannot be. How can the kids read what's not there? Who decides what books to include? Might it be a govt agency? How hard is that for you to understand?
Question for you... How many Bibles, Korans, Talmuds, Analects, Upanishads, or other religious books are included in our Govt school libraries? Should they be?
This is amazing.....
On a side note the line "Liberals always try to molest children" is just about the funniest thing /ive ever heard. Drink the koolaid lately???? Hilarious
What ever happened to "house on the prairie" or "pippy longstockings". Because of this, our babies have to grow up way too fast!
This book was purchased with funds presented by the Sam Seidel family through the Community Foundation. The Seidels set up a trust to help our children and their love for reading. The Seidels would be very upset that these funds had been used like this.
7:31....why don't we all just suck our thumbs and go run in a corner. that is not the solution. If you did that, schools would be critcized that they don't want kids to read.
Thats why the rich kids go to private school or Christian schools. Two societies running away from each other, as fast as they can. May your God help us all...
i'm sure it was an honest mistake
no need to get all foamy at the mouth
it is, yes, it is, absolutely inappropriate for elementary school
any school, really, 'cept maybe graphics school
did that gig
welcome to the world of the puerile japanese cartoonist still in the adolescent panty sniffing phase
i'm a liberal artsy fartsy, but don't blame this excrement on us
this isn't old times, either, so if this flips you out, volunteer to help screen the books for this crap
the media specialist handles a lot more than the sweet little old lady librarians did
welcome to the tech age and information overload
Go for it 4:50- home school. That solves all the problems in public school.
I cannot believe what I have just read on that page. I have sent the other page to my family in another state to check and see if it is in their school library. This is terrible. The country is in deep trouble when little children see this type of material. They will assume it is natural and that is the way life is... if you read it in a book it must be okay...right...wrong. An 8 year old reading this.. SAD DAY
Our morals as a community are what they are. I think that the Supreme Court ruled on the issue by saying if your community says it is porn it is porn. So, if our community does not want that type of media in the schools, demand accountability. Blame no one but yourself, if parents want review of the book or media selections, I am sure the schools would be happy to furnish it, or create a board of review with parents on it. Just ask.
Problem is no one is willing to do anything but blame others. If you want more control, take it. you are the government, it is you that have relinquished the responsibilities to others. You don't even pay attention until someone like GA makes a "stink" then you make nasty comments acuse everyone and blame everyone but yourselves.
Get a grip, it is your responsibility period.
Anonymous said...
As a BOE official....
6:24 PM
If you are so proud to state that you are a "BOE official" then why don't you have the balls to sign your name?
Joe, can you set up a link to PAC 14 so that we can hear Mr. Holloway?
kudos greg! well said.
jefferson, I agree. whats wrong with people. "liberals always try and molest children" what a terrible statement for some IDIOT to use.
whoever is responsible for "media specialists" is sitting at the BOE drawing an $80K+ salary doing one of two things: 1. Permitting kiddie porn to be placed in libraries or 2. Doing absolutely nothing! Either way I see a justified termination. Won't happen but people need to know just how inept the leadership at the BOE really is.
way to be on top of this story!
Better idea:
Let's see if Dr. Frederickson is willing to read this book aloud at a school assembly. That standard should be applied tp any media in our schools.
The WCBOE is allowed to do whatever they want..come on people..how many times ru told this??? this all goes back to our new super..he is great isnt he????
Instead of giving Tracey Shaler (the wife of Eric Shaler Daily Times editor)a$13000.00 a year raise better money could be spent on reviewing the books our children are allowed to access
that is one reason I am pulling my child from public school, I don't care if I have to eat tuna fish everynight for dinner!!
Amy said...
jefferson, I agree. whats wrong with people. "liberals always try and molest children" what a terrible statement for some IDIOT to use.
7:42 AM
But it's ok for you stupid liberal morons to attack Sarah Palin and her family every opportunity you get. It's ok to go on the warpath with false lies about good Republicans, but God forbid you say something truthful about a liberal dumbocrat. What a sin. I'm telling Osama Bin Biden!!
Anon 9;39 Eric and Tracy Sahler are neighbors and close friends with Rick Pollitt,That's the reason for the raise and that's why we get very litte infomation about what happens at the BOE
Way to go Mr Hollaway thank you for trying to look out for the children of Wicomico County. As a teacher in Wico.county we have enough problems without text such as this being allowed in our system
12:59 PM As I have said many time here. It's not ok to spread unsubstatiated rumors or untruths about anyone. Republican, Democrat, Conservative, Liberal and on and on. But come on, calling every liberal a child molestor is not only ridiculous. its also just plain stupid. If every liberal were a child molestor, there would be no children left. I would really like you to show me somewhere that I have attacked a good republican. Don't think you will find an instance of that. Think a little. Just a little.....
FYI. The supervisor of Media is Dr. Judylynn..aka..Bookie Lookie...Mitchell.
Her head should be on the block. She does nothing for the BOE. Big fat salary for someone to supervise Media Centers and be the Supervisor of Multcultural Education...WTF?
How about the BOE getting shut down at the council meeting yesterday!!!!!!!!!! Way to go Council. I couldn't believe the arrogance that after 1/5 of the county employees got furlough days, the BOE, with 4/5 of the employees, stroll in their and ask if they can hire new people. WTF, and all under the umbrella of "It's for the children". B.S. That lady talking, Mrs. Handy I believe, only seemed to know two or three phrases that she said repeatedly. I don't think it is right that our tax dollars should be spent to hire people who are only supposed to work with one student. I don't care what the law is. This is all just a front so that they can keep taking and taking. The BOE's response when the council asked for a list af all the years salary increases was, "let us find out how many hours it will take to gather this info, and then we will let you know if we will supply it" WTF, if the council asks for it, then get it. Arrogance all the way. Just like them on here trying to defend porn in the schools by blaming it on a media specialist. What about all the 80k a year employees that could be doing this. Oh, that's right, they are too busy trying to justify hiring more people and how to keep padding their wallets.
Greg -
Are you really this stupid?
First of all, I wrote this piece; not Joe. Second, NO ONE argued for banning the book. There is a huge difference between banning a book and simply not putting on the shelf of a school library.
Doe you believe that this is appropriate for 8 and 9 year olds?
i was just wondering why my comment wasn't "chosen" for publication. i'm a media specialist, and i understand perfectly how this mistake could happen. i'm surprised that you rejected my input. why?
Go ahead and blame the schools and the board of education for everything that is wrong with life. It is much easier than taking responsibility for raising your children.
5:31 - That's the problem, the govt schools WANT to raise the children, they WANT to usurp parents judgment in order to "spread fairness and promote the common good".
folk home school your kids so that my classroom size gets smaller and I can do a better job of teaching.
4:49
FYI...the BOE cannot put furlough days in for staff this year. Their budget is locked in per law! THe county council cannot do anything about it. This is an Annapolis issue, not Wicomico County Council.
The BOE can institute days in next years budeget if they wish. Before this happens, there will be massive cuts to programs. You think the public are whiney folks now?
Before you argue the furloughs, know the law!
I believe that this is correct....
If furlough days were instituted for BOE personnel, this would be a violation of the states Maintenance of Effort law/guideline.
Anyone know this for sure?
Please, please, please...please home school your kids. This will eliminate all over crowding in schools and keep the whiney parents out of schools.
Any thanks to all you yuppies who pay for overpriced private school. We don't want your egos in schools either!!! Nothing is ever good enough for you anyway...
GA...you should be ashamed for putting those pictures on your site.
My 10 year old son came Joe's site and clicked READ MORE under your post.
Now an innocent young boy has been exposed to something that should not even be published on your site.
You are no better than the BOE!
We'll see how happy everyone is when budget cuts force 40 kids into a classroom next year. Many teachers are retiring after this year and it is my guess that they will not be replaced. It will be a zoo and nobody will learn, not to mention the terrible behaviors. Of course kids who don't learn anything at school are the ones who turn to crime and gangs. Salisbury's future is looking brighter all the time.
"While not confirmed, we have been told..."
And THAT is the difference between a legit media outlet and a blog! Suck it, George!
To the Anon 9;39 posted at 1:00 pm
What a stupid and assinine comment - where do you people come from but more importantly, how can we get rid of you!!!!
Judy Mitchel has friends in high places. The one and only reason she currently has her job. She got her degree from a joke of a school supposedly(Sojourner-Douglass). It only requires 8 classes 24 Credit Hours http://www.sdc.edu/admissions/graduate/degree-programs-grad.asp. But she is a joke to the entire school system. No one that works with her believes she is smart enough to deserve a degree. Supposedly she is there because she causes the least harm where she is.
Anon 1713 -
No they wouldn't. You can't fire a teacher without video of them raping a student.
Anon 1742 -
You merely prove my point. The librarian admitted to me that she didn't read the book before placing it in the stacks. If she had, there wouldn't have been any "mistake".
Anon 1824 -
That's right; it's all because the taxpayers don't pony up enough. Sorry, but I am sick and tired of that excuse for everything. If Mark Thompson and John Fredericksen didn't go on taxpayer funded junkets, you'd have a little more money. If the board didn't decide to pay for more retiree health care, you'd have more money. Are you going to claim that the WCBOE doesn't waste hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of dollars each year? BTW - it's NOT impossible for librarians to read the material that's placed in the stacks. Some of that material is already screened at the board level. Other systems do it. Why not here?
Anon 1931 -
can you spell STRAW MAN! Ditto Anon 1937!
Henry -
I read two a week, and they aren't "graphic novels" either. How about you?
10001110101 -
You are correct. Unfortunately, since Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote books with spoke of Christian values, they probably aren't allowed in our public schools.
Anon 1731 -
I don't blame the WCBOE for anything that is wrong with life. I merely want to hold them accountable for their actions. I expect them to follow the same rules as everyone else. That begins with living within their means. An earlier commenter was dead on when he/she stated that people need to seize their government back. They are right. However, I don't think that's what the crowd over at the WCBOE want. Taxpayers are going to have to start standing up and saying NO!
Anon 1842 -
Before you open your mouth (or tap your keyboard) you should know the law. Annapolis has nothing to do with furloughs (except that Wicomico could lose its Thornton money). As the comptroller of the WCBOE stated on Tuesday, it is the board's union contracts that prohibit them from furloughing teachers or staff.
Anon 1938 -
Sorry, but I did post a rather stern warning. Besides, what are you doing letting your 10 year old to surf the net unsupervised?
Anon 1945 -
Why doesn't the WCBOE do something about bad classroom behavior? Have we no workhouses? No reformatories? That would have been tongue in cheek a couple of years ago, but not anymore. When I see good teachers being rewarded and bad teachers being disciplined (or shown the door), I'll be more inclined to listen to this drivel. When I see more effort and less whining at the BOE, I'll be more sympathetic. Simply look across the Bay! DC and Baltimore prove that throwing money at schools does not equate to a quality education. It merely leads to waste, sloth, and corruption.
Anon 1948 -
"'While not confirmed, we have been told...'
And THAT is the difference between a legit media outlet and a blog! Suck"
Really? Given the fact that the "Daily Times" often does no more than take dictation of what their reporters KNOW to be lies, I can only assume that you don't consider them "legit" either. Unfortunately, you probably do.
We'll see what runs Thursday morning. However, if the DT runs a piece attacking Holloway or defending this tripe found in the Pittsville school library I will be proven right - again. You, however, will still be a coward who snipes from anonymity.
I suppose you would prefer that I take the DT's approach and simply print falsehood as fact without any disclaimer.
A few points- my wife received this same grant money for books- she ordered the books and then took her own time to go through them to make sure that the were appropriate for her studnets. Media Centers do not receive that many books that they are unable to flip through them and check them out before shelving, many have one day a week as an "administrative day" with no classes, plenty of time then. Besides, all the pictures in this book, you telling me that someone can't lazily flip through these and see this?
Secondly- AMEN ON ON T. SAHLER!! WASTE OF MONEY!! COME ON!! The same day she was hired, we found out my childs after school STARS program would be closed because of lack of funding. We close after school programs, but hire ANOTHER waste of a position in the board. If they are for teh students, then why cut programs that are working directly with the students and hire a waste of space?
If I know my toons, That is Master Roshie being flashed by Chi Chi. from Dragonball Z.
i am absolutely OUTRAGED!!!
those are clearly not 34C's. how dare they try to decieve our children.
I saw get over it...you're precious children are not always the angels that you think they are! I assure you this won't scar them for life!
Screw the DT! They littered my yard yesterday with a crap publication called Wicomico Weekly - just because its "free" does not mean I want it!
The Bd should fire either T. Sahler or F. Wilson. Who believes the Bd needs 2 public relations people? What is their defense for this ridiculous situation? It would be wasteful if economic times were good. Presently it's just stupid. Also positions as math coordinator, reading coordinator, and staff development coordinator can be ended. For Dr. Fredericksen and the Bd to act as if all of those positions are needed is incredibly ignorant.
The infiltration of unsuitable material is by no means limited to Wicomico county.
At Delmar High School, a student was approved to do a book report and class presentation about a book called Forever. It is a book about a girl's first sexual experience in graphic description.
It was in a twelth grade English class taught by English teacher Mrs. Sonnier. I was shocked to say the least. Whatever happened to doing book reports on the classics?
When I went to school (1960-1972) my private Catholic school had no less than 36 students in a class, and we all made it out into the world just fine. Having 1 teacher per 12 or so students is in no way improving on anything, and may be going in the wrong direction. When there were 36, we ALL had to be quiet to hear the lesson, and with less "one on one" there was no talking back; you had 35 others to answer to if you did. And, if the whole class got a detention if you did not fess up as to who dunnit?... you quickly had 35 enemies, not 11! Rather take the ruler than the after school a$$ kickin'!
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