Friday, March 07, 2008

Update on the Deerfield High School situation - The things the anti-gay industry omitted in their hyperbole

This is from an article by the Lake County News Sun regarding the controversy surrounding Angels in America and Deerfield High School. I bolded the more interesting parts:

North Shore Student Advocacy called for School District 113 Superintendent George Fornero, Deerfield High School Principal Sue Hobson, and all involved teachers to resign or be fired by the School Board.

The group claimed a victory when, after its complaints, the school district made "Angels" an "opt in" book rather than required reading in the Advanced Placement English literature course. Parents and students have to opt in to read that book, "The Plague" or both . . .

Lora Sue Hauser, executive director of NSSA, complained that the book is replete with profanity, overt racism, an explicit description of a sex act involving Mother Theresa, and vivid depictions of sodomy.

"After almost 15 years of school advocacy and reviewing many objectionable books and curricula, I have never seen anything this vulgar and harmful to students," Hauser said.

She said NSSA also talked to the Lake County state's attorney's office and claimed that office concurred that the play violated the state's obscenity statute prohibiting adults from "distributing harmful material to minors.

State's Attorney Michael Waller disputed that claim, saying it did not violate any criminal statute.

Carol Votsmier, school spokeswoman, said there was a problem with NSSA extracting passages of the play out to illustrate vulgarity.

The book and the class curricula were approved by the Advanced Placement College Board, she added. The students who "opted in" for the class will not be reading it until April. The class is limited to seniors, and 51 signed up to take it, but not all have made their choice of one or both books.

Votsmier said the play also has been taught in Highland Park High School.

The school district and NSSA clashed last year over a freshman orientation session where students talked about bullying and other issues and included gay students relating their experience in high school.

Matt Barber, director of cultural issues with Concerned Women for America, said his jaw dropped when he read the book.

"This isn't a First Amendment issue. This is about school officials betraying the community trust. Heads need to roll here. Assigning this racist, pornographic smut to high school kids is nothing short of child abuse," Barber said.

Votsmier said no one has been asked to resign, and there have been no voluntary resignations. She said the teacher of the course feels the students have the maturity and thoughtfulness to read this book and learn from it .


Let's clear up a few things:

No one is required to read Angels in America.

By offering it, Deerfield High School is not breaking any laws.

The class in which the book is offered is an AP class limited to seniors.

The book and the class curricula have been approved by the Advanced Placement College Board.
Now tell me something - just who is pushing a negative agenda? Is it Deerfield High School or someone pushing the following headlines:

Taxes provide free porn to teens

Deerfield High School Promotes Porn

Deerfield High School outside Chicago Offers Homosexual Pornography To Students

My friends, hyperbole and truth just don't mix.

1 comment:

Lily said...

AP Senior English at DHS was the best class I took while a student there and Angels in America was a great addition to the curriculum. I am glad the school is staying firm in their support of the teacher (who I won't name) and the curriculum.