Patterico's Pontifications

12/4/2009

Obama “Safe Schools” Czar’s Reading List

Filed under: Education,Obama — DRJ @ 9:35 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

Breitbart co-founder Scott Baker and GatewayPundit have taken a closer look at a reading list endorsed by President Obama’s “Safe Schools” Czar Kevin Jennings:

Safe Schools Czar Kevin Jennings was the founder, and for many years, Executive Director of an organization called the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). GLSEN started essentially as Jennings’ personal project and grew to become the culmination of his life’s work. And he was chosen by President Obama to be the nation’s Safe Schools Czar primarily because he had founded and led GLSEN (scroll for bio).

GLSEN’s stated mission is to empower gay youth in the schools and to stop harassment by other students. It encourages the formation of Gay Student Alliances and condemns the use of hateful words. GLSEN also strives to influence the educational curriculum to include materials which the group believes will increase tolerance of gay students and decrease bullying. To that end, GLSEN maintains a recommended reading list of books that it claims “furthers our mission to ensure safe schools for all students.” In other words, these are the books that GLSEN’s directors think all kids should be reading: gay kids should read them to raise their self-esteem, and straight kids should read them in order to become more aware and tolerant and stop bullying gay kids.”

What did they find in 11 of the books GLSEN recommended for 7th-12th graders?

“What we discovered shocked us. We were flabbergasted. Rendered speechless.

We were unprepared for what we encountered. Book after book after book contained stories and anecdotes that weren’t merely X-rated and pornographic, but which featured explicit descriptions of sex acts between pre-schoolers; stories that seemed to promote and recommend child-adult sexual relationships; stories of public masturbation, anal sex in restrooms, affairs between students and teachers, five-year-olds playing sex games, semen flying through the air. One memoir even praised becoming a prostitute as a way to increase one’s self-esteem. Above all, the books seemed to have less to do with promoting tolerance than with an unabashed attempt to indoctrinate students into a hyper-sexualized worldview.”

Excerpts from the 11 GLSEN-recommended books are at the first link (here) and continued here.

In addition, GatewayPundit notes that, after posting the “Safe Schools” Czar reading list post, his website suffered two cyberattacks that temporarily shut down the server.

— DRJ

116 Responses to “Obama “Safe Schools” Czar’s Reading List”

  1. This is sort of dishonest of that Gateway person and that Breitbart employee person. If you click through you find this:

    All BookLink items are reviewed by GLSEN staff for quality and appropriateness of content. However, some titles for adolescent readers contain mature themes. We recommend that adults selecting books for youth review content for suitability. The editorial and customer reviews listed at Amazon.com often provide information on mature content.

    That seems pretty clear.

    happyfeet (2c63dd)

  2. It’s on the main page even.

    happyfeet (2c63dd)

  3. Some people just like to be shocked. I think they think it makes them better people.

    happyfeet (2c63dd)

  4. Yes, it sounds like a Democrat reading list to me.

    Alta Bob (e8af2b)

  5. Yes, that disclaimer is on everything from the Harvey Milk bio for elementary school students to books with illustrations recommended for teens. You can put a sign that says, “Caution, may not be suitable for anyone under 18” above a stack of loaded assault rifles, too, but I don’t think it would diminish your culpability.

    Several weeks ago Beck discussed this fellow on one of his “Know your Czars” episodes.

    MD in Philly (227f9c)

  6. feets – I’m not sure what you’re getting at. If the point is for the Safe School Czar’s former organization to promote tolerance and diversity in schools by recommending books for mainstream curriculum with a bunch of fudge packing and knob gobbling, even if there are disclaimers for the adults reading the excerpts, I’m still not real good with that. I don’t think the sex content in the regular curriculum matches what I saw in these excerpts, but I’m just a racist homophobe according to Philip Chandler, the new blog expert on the subject.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  7. But it’s still dishonest for Mr. Baker to render GLSEN’s caution what I quoted at #1 like this:

    As GLSEN’s own site says, “All BookLink items are reviewed by GLSEN staff for quality and appropriateness of content.” Really? (Note: GLSEN does advise adults to “review content for suitability.”)

    GSLEN says point blank that some of these books might have unsuitable material. Walking unscathed through the blazing flames of the obvious, Mr. Baker finds that some of these books have unsuitable material.

    It’s a bit contrived I think at best.

    happyfeet (2c63dd)

  8. feets – If they have unsuitable content then why are they on the recommended list?

    daleyrocks (718861)

  9. It looks like this is mostly just an Amazon partner program thinger, Mr. daleyrocks. I don’t think it’s an effort to corrupt yoot.

    This booklist is where? On the Internet. The 7th-12th grade set has access to the Internet. If they want unsuitable material they’re gonna get it and it’s not gonna be from the GSLEN site. The the 7th-12th grade set is a lot sharper than that.

    I think if you saw what the 7th-12th grade set was looking at these days you’d find this reading list was pretty mild in comparison.

    happyfeet (2c63dd)

  10. It looks like this is mostly just an Amazon partner program thinger, Mr. daleyrocks. I don’t think it’s an effort to corrupt yoot.

    This booklist is where? On the Internet. The 7th-12th grade set has access to the Internet. If they want unsuitable material they’re gonna get it and it’s not gonna be from the GSLEN site. The 7th-12th grade set is a lot sharper than that.

    I think if you saw what the 7th-12th grade set was looking at these days you’d find this reading list was pretty mild in comparison.

    happyfeet (2c63dd)

  11. crap. sorry. Can you kill #9 DRJ or Mr. Stashiu? Anyway..

    If they have unsuitable content then why are they on the recommended list?

    I think the more icky stuff is probably for the 12th graders, daley…

    they made a list and divided it into older grades/younger grades… It seems pretty logical that in the k-6 group there’s stuff for 6th graders that’s not appropriate for kindergarten kids. So the same would apply to the 7-12th grade stuff. Some of the stuff what’s ok for people what are 17-18 isn’t appropriate for people what are 13.

    happyfeet (2c63dd)

  12. Again, Obama allies himself with violent, sick people.

    Nice going, 52%. You gullible can you get?

    Patricia (b05e7f)

  13. happy – you were clear the first time

    highpockets (bb65bc)

  14. feets – It’s a GLSEN website which divides the books into agegroups and the clickthrough is to Amazon for ordering. The GLSEN site refers to Amazon for customer reviews. The GLSEN site is for both educators and individuals – if you read GLSEN’s mission.

    I see it as more corrupting teachers who are then going to corrupt yutes as opposed directly corrupting yutes, because as you point out, yutes do a great job of corrupting themselves. I just don’t think my tax dollars should be doing it through the school system.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  15. “I think if you saw what the 7th-12th grade set was looking at these days you’d find this reading list was pretty mild in comparison.”

    feets – I’ve still got one of three in that age range and I know what you mean, but reading through that long post over at GP, I’m not sure I’m in agreement.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  16. Sorry, Mr. highpockets. I try not to but sometimes I just do stupid sh*t.

    Hmm. I see your point about tax dollars but I think this program is a way of making money apart from whatever federal funding these ones get.

    But Meg Whitman’s Amazon is actually selling this filthy filthy filth. There’s every reason to think this started under her watch there, really. Why doesn’t Team Breitbart save a little of their ginned-up outrage for Van Jones’s number #1 superfly hoochie mama?

    Cause of the whole thing is conntrived is why.

    happyfeet (2c63dd)

  17. *contrived* I mean.

    happyfeet (2c63dd)

  18. crap. I got Meg confuzzled with Jeff again. I go bed now.

    happyfeet (2c63dd)

  19. Moral Panic time!

    imdw (688568)

  20. But it looks like we’re late for Banned books week. There’s always next year!

    imdw (6eb217)

  21. Introducing children to pornographic and suggestive material is a classic tactic among those molestors that prey on the young. Sounds as though Kevin is working overtime for his pals in NAMBLA.

    Have Blue (854a6e)

  22. Why not just pass out magazines like ‘Leather Daddies in Love’ and ‘Hustler’? Lets just skip over the reading bullshit and get right to the pron. I mean, that’s what it’s all about. Whatever feels good, right?

    the other JD (5e45fa)

  23. If we can’t get this ‘czar’ out of office by next week after this revelation, then this country is truly dead.

    Metallica (e4735c)

  24. “What we discovered shocked us. We were flabbergasted. Rendered speechless.

    Speechless is right.
    I guess the fact that the same liberals that have no problem with this disgusting smut being taught to our children in school are the same ones who don’t miss a chance to paint all Catholics as child molesters because a few priests committed acts just like the ones described in this “recommended reading” by yet another appointed nutjob of the Obama administration.

    This booklist is where? On the Internet. The 7th-12th grade set has access to the Internet. If they want unsuitable material they’re gonna get it and it’s not gonna be from the GSLEN site.

    Comment by happyfeet — 12/4/2009 @ 10:47 pm

    You are joking with this right.

    You can also get instructions for making bombs (like the Columbine killers did) and videos galore of bestiality on the Internet also.

    Does not mean we should promote it or teach it in our schools.

    liberals will defend anything in the name of their ideology….


    ….Ted Kennedy leaves a woman to die while he sleeps off a drunk and calls his lawyer…becomes the “liberal lion of the Senate”.


    ….Barney Frank has prostitution rings run out of his apartment and dope being grown in it.Was one of the central figures to protect and enable Fannie/Freddie to carry out their subprime corruption that helped destroy the economy and democrats love the guy to death…..no problem with Barney at all…..financial genius.

    ….The Bill Clintons,John Edwards,and Elliot Spitzers can totally humiliate their women on the world stage with little to no condemnation from women’s rights groups like NOW who think every breath a conservative takes is sexist….

    …..Obama sits in a church for 20 years listening to God Dam# America and the CIA started AIDS.Writes a book with his Marxist preacher friend,starts his political life off having a fund-raiser in the livingroom of the marxist,domestic terrorist Bill Ayers combined with pretty much all of his major associations being marxist supporters and liberals get their panties up in a wad if you call Obama a “socialist”(never mind the massive growth of government with bank,healthcare and car company take overs)…nope…nothing to these “socialist” accusations at all…just right wing,racist accusations.

    ….liberals (especially in hollywood) have defended vigorously Roman Polanski and his right to drug and rape a 13 year old girl.
    Several have called the girl a “whore” and said she wanted it.
    I guess no means no in liberal land like “War is not the Answer” when a Republican is in office becomes “War is the Answer” when a democrat is in office….oh that’s right…..super smart liberal Whoopie told everybody that it wasn’t “rape/rape”…..whatever the he!! that’s supposed to mean.

    Considering the high drop out rates we have in our schools and lagging behind many other countries education wise, you would think liberals would be more concerned with ….oh I don’t know….maybe actually teaching kids History,Math,and English instead of trying to indoctrinate them with this crap.

    But because it is from a democratic administration and serves the liberal agenda,liberals will come out in force to defend the right for Timmy to read about the great time young boys are having blowing each other in the bathrooms during lunch..

    How sick and pathetic.

    Baxter Greene (af5030)

  25. No. I’m not joking. You’re hyperventilating.

    happyfeet (2c63dd)

  26. I think happyfeet’s point is that the best way to handle the existence of crap that can screw with kids is to focus on the kids, and not the crap.

    You can raise a kid that can loyally avoid exposure to certain things, and even handle those things when they are exposed. You can’t really raise a kid who will exist in a world where there isn’t poison everywhere. Sadly, our schools aren’t cooperating, and it really would be nice if some garbage at schools wasn’t there. I don’t know what the solution to that would look like.

    Dustin (44f8cb)

  27. the only dishonest act is to try and defend this sort of material as being even remotely appropriate for use in a classroom filled with anything besides consenting adults who are fully aware of what they are signing up for.

    should parents wish to inflict this garbage on their own kids at home, that’s one thing, but some of it appears to skirt the line of kiddy porn, so they go there at their own risk. you’re going to have a hard time charging kids with sexting if you’re putting this on their desks as a text book.

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  28. Well… I think Scott Baker found a list of books online but I don’t think he showed that these books have been used, are being used, or will be used in the way he claims. They’re just books listed online as part of an Amazon partnership thinger.

    happyfeet (2c63dd)

  29. GLSEN also strives to influence the educational curriculum to include materials which the group believes will increase tolerance of gay students and decrease bullying. To that end, GLSEN maintains a recommended reading list of books that it claims “furthers our mission to ensure safe schools for all students.” In other words, these are the books that GLSEN’s directors think all kids should be reading: gay kids should read them to raise their self-esteem, and straight kids should read them in order to become more aware and tolerant and stop bullying gay kids.”

    Most of that is just made up. It’s not backed up with anything, anyway.

    happyfeet (2c63dd)

  30. red, you’re right that it’s unacceptable if this garbage is being used in our education. Hopefully anyone who doesn’t agree with that can be kept far away from our kids.

    but I kinds suspect that’s not realistic for a lot of schools. Sick. So we have to make sure our kids understand, at some basic level, what crosses the line. It’s a nice basic first step to understanding that the government in not always here to help.

    Dustin (44f8cb)

  31. I would bet that none of these books are
    part of the curriculum at the Obama
    children’s private school. That school has standards.

    But I bet that you can find them in any
    inner city public school.

    I think one of the points made above does
    strike home: that pedophiles will be happy
    to use some of the books above to legitimize
    adult/child sex.

    jack (e383ed)

  32. Jack, if only all America’s parents had the option of sending their kids to a school like Obama’s kids go to. Our nation would prosper tremendously. I don’t like welfare of any kind, but school is a basic right our kids have in our culture, and it’s time we gave parents the choice of opting out of NEA style education.

    Education is more important than health care.

    Now, I don’t know how accurate this list is. It’s hopefully some kind of mistake, because it’s just unbelievable. But the point stands that Obama’s kids are learning, while many DC kids who want to learn are busy trying to survive in a horrible school system.

    Dustin (44f8cb)

  33. amusing: the usual suspects come out to blow smoke, claiming its “no big thing” at the same time hackers attack the source.

    i wonder if there is some sort of inference one could draw from the apparent relationship between the two acts…….

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  34. Bad timing for progressives to try and take over the world. The Internet Al Gore invented becomes their worst enemy — Who could have predicted.

    Democrats and progressives like word games,
    Like global warming became climate change and then just plain old fraud.

    If you want to destroy the people’s liberties, you poison their morals.

    bill-tb (365bd9)

  35. I think Scott Baker found a list of books online but I don’t think he showed that these books have been used, are being used, or will be used in the way he claims. They’re just books listed online as part of an Amazon partnership thinger.

    Are you being deliberately obtuse? It’s not that he found them online. Porn is probably the easiest thing to find online, and plenty worse than this. It’s that the stuff is approved and recommended by an organization that purports to improve our educational system.

    Yeah, kids get into stuff. That’s why *adults* are supposed to keep an eye on them and not put filthy stuff out there for them to get into. The GLSEN site is not putting it out there for kids – it’s encouraging teachers to do that.

    And no, I’m not hyperventilating. You’ve been smoking something.

    Gesundheit (254807)

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  37. You’ll recall needing permission slips for things like field trips, or special educational events.
    Now the schools use anti-permission slips. If the kid doesn’t come back with a paper saying his parents want him to opt out, he’s in.

    Richard Aubrey (1a4ab0)

  38. It’s not a list any person of sensibility would recommend to adults, either, happyfeet. I read some of the excerpts at GP and I’m sorry I did. It’s not erotica, it’s filth.

    nk (df76d4)

  39. ““What we discovered shocked us. We were flabbergasted. Rendered speechless.”

    So speechless that one of the passages is described as “g-rated.” Now do you think this improves or lowers their credibility?

    imdw (c06324)

  40. #

    No. I’m not joking. You’re hyperventilating.

    Comment by happyfeet — 12/5/2009 @ 12:52 am

    And your defending Obama appointees who want to push disgusting smut in our education system.

    Coming out against that is not “hyperventilating”, it’s being responsible and intelligent enough to call out negative and corrosive influences on our education system.

    But it is hilarious watching liberals like happyfeet defend this smut being pushed by the Obama administration while they whine and cry if someone says “Merry Christmas” or wants to display a nativity scene in a school.

    Are you being deliberately obtuse? It’s not that he found them online. Porn is probably the easiest thing to find online, and plenty worse than this. It’s that the stuff is approved and recommended by an organization that purports to improve our educational system.
    Comment by Gesundheit — 12/5/2009 @ 5:32 am

    100% dead on.

    Baxter Greene (af5030)

  41. Now, just this week the FTC did release their 6th report on marketing violence to kids (kids, not people in 7th- 12th grade, ie, teens).

    enjoy:

    http://ftc.gov/opa/2009/12/violentent.shtm

    imdw (429ed6)

  42. “watching liberals like happyfeet”

    Now this one is hilarious.

    imdw (429ed6)

  43. We already know that you think it is appropriate for the State to be teaching this to children, imdw. You have made that abundantly clear.

    JD (f26a1d)

  44. Happyfeet is not a liberal. Just that he took only half my advice, I think. He drank the whiskey but did not go to sleep. 😉

    nk (df76d4)

  45. Sorry for the threadjack, but the worm may finally be turning for the “O” Man, even here in his hometown. Watching the local journo roundtable last night, one of the black opinion writers at the Sun – Times suggested that it was time for Desiree Rodgers to come back home and “toss some balls.” She used to run the lottery here – hilarious. It was also mentioned that she won’t be fired “unless Valerie says so.” Valerie is reference for Valerie Jarrett, another Obama crony from way back.

    When you’re starting to lose your luster with the hometown team, look out below.

    Dmac (a964d5)

  46. Now this one is hilarious.

    Comment by imdw — 12/5/2009 @ 6:47 am

    Almost as funny as watching the “smart ones” compare Mr. 57 states to FDR,Kennedy,and Lincoln.

    Almost as funny as saying “the stimulus is working”.

    Almost as funny as watching the so called “smart power” turn into an international joke.

    Almost as funny as watching liberals have to change all their bumper stickers to “War is the Answer” now that the chickenhawk,warmonger Obama is President.

    Almost as funny as watching the liberal eco-fundamentalist and their global warming scam coming crashing down around them.

    Almost as funny as liberals who can’t defend their failed policies,ideology,and rhetoric with facts and reason having to resort to their typical snarky Jon Stewart impersonations.

    …..almost as funny….except we are all having to pay for this liberal ignorance and failure.

    Baxter Greene (af5030)

  47. The “Little Black Book” – Hard-core pornographic homosexual “how-to” booklet given to kids at high school!
    This was passed out to middle school and high school students by GLSEN at a public school in Massachusetts.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  48. “VIDEOS of elementary schools normalizing homosexual lifestyle to young children!
    Unbelievable. Elementary schools in Cambridge and NY.

    Part I – Gay & Lesbian Pride Day in elementary school.

    Part II – Role-playing in the second grade.”

    http://www.massresistance.org/media/video/brainwashing.html

    daleyrocks (718861)

  49. Here is your first clue. Why is it “Gay, Lesbian ans Straight Education Network?” Why not just the Education Network? It’s a rhetorical question, but it certainly telegraphs its real mission. And it has nothing to do with education.

    Gazzer (f4dafa)

  50. “It’s a rhetorical question, but it certainly telegraphs its real mission.”

    Telegraphs? I think they spell it out:

    “GLSEN’s stated mission is to empower gay youth in the schools and to stop harassment by other students. It encourages the formation of Gay Student Alliances and condemns the use of hateful words. GLSEN also strives to influence the educational curriculum to include materials which the group believes will increase tolerance of gay students and decrease bullying.”

    Decreased bullying is sure to piss some people off.

    imdw (803b85)

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  52. I think happyfeet’s point is that the best way to handle the existence of crap that can screw with kids is to focus on the kids, and not the crap.

    I disagree with the first part of this. It would appear he’s upset at a perceived hypocrisy that it’s not all distasteful material and that the outrage is misleading. And while one can attempt to justify this as no biggie because all manner of filth can easily be viewed on the internet or elsewhere, it doesn’t alleviate the parent’s responsibility to guard their kids as much as possible from that exposure. That would indeed be focusing on the kids.

    If my kids were still in school now, and I was faced with this, here’s my take: *I’m* the parent, not the school, so keep your freaking ideology and propaganda (sexual and otherwise) out of my kid’s face, and especially out of his mind. These students are being treated with extreme disrespect as if they were little tools to be manipulated by a group of dishonest and depraved hacks who are seeking to influence through guilt, manipulation, and even a form of peer pressure bullying with their propaganda. This foul usury of kids preys on their vulnerabilities, insecurities and that makes these adults molesters of another sort.

    The responsibility to shape, determine, and lead my children through matters outside of academics is mine. That’s the responsibility I freely took on when the decision was made to have children, and that’s a responsibility I wholeheartedly guard and protect – as I should.

    The other aspect is, if I am compelled by law to pay taxes that go toward the support of public schools, then my opinion better count. I’m glad these parents are making noise and forcefully so. It is their responsibility to do so. That is what being a parent (and taxpayer!) is all about.

    Dana (e9ba20)

  53. Not as much as child molestation.

    nk (df76d4)

  54. Dana – People like imdw are willing to cede control of parenting to the State.

    JD (613ba8)

  55. But even worse, they want to impose their lack of values onto everyone else. Not only do they want the State to parent their children, but they want yours to do the same.

    JD (613ba8)

  56. Decreased bullying is sure to piss some people off.

    Fellate that strawman, imdw!

    Rob Crawford (04f50f)

  57. Decreased bullying is sure to piss some people off.

    You know what pisses people off? Watching their children on their taxpayer – funded public school stage, having to sing the hymn to the Dear Leader, looking like a bunch of budding Maoist Stepford Wives. Know what else pisses people off? Watching their children being indoctrinated against their will, but under the cloaked meme of thinly – guised “tolerancy.” This is no different than the noxious public schools in NYC that taught 1st – graders the awesome lessons contained in the book “Heather has Two Mommies,” which didn’t exactly preach tolerance for a different family situation. In fact, it extolled it as being superior to any other family dynamic.

    Why don’t you ask a real parent what they think about all this? You don’t seem to have a clue.

    Dmac (a964d5)

  58. “Watching their children on their taxpayer – funded public school stage, having to sing the hymn to the Dear Leader, looking like a bunch of budding Maoist Stepford Wives.”

    This seemed to piss off people who weren’t parents of the kids much more than the parents.

    “This is no different than the noxious public schools in NYC that taught 1st – graders the awesome lessons contained in the book “Heather has Two Mommies,” which didn’t exactly preach tolerance for a different family situation. In fact, it extolled it as being superior to any other family dynamic. ”

    Yeah next the kids will be extolled the benefits of breastfeeding from “the Grapes of Wrath.” G-rated, of course.

    imdw (1d902f)

  59. JD, do you think it likely that imdw has children? I’m just asking questions here.

    Eric Blair (1f5216)

  60. Eric – It does not really matter whether or not it has reproduced. All that concerns me is the fact that its ilk want to have the State be more involved in raising my children, as opposed to teaching things like reading and writing. They are not satisfied to be simply irresponsible, they want to force others to sunbit to the same.

    JD (2ad2b1)

  61. Re: #61

    And you know what is funny, in a strange way, JD? The utter hypocrisy.

    This kind of person wants children to be taught things that he and she think are important, even if some extreme stuff is taught with it, no matter what the parents think.

    But this same person would be violently opposed to other issues (issues that are important to millions of voters and parents) being taught in the schools. The “shrug your shoulders, it’s on the Internet” attitude would evaporate like the morning dew, and quite a militant approach to keeping some things “out of our schools” would occur.

    That is because this person is so certain that he or she is correct, and knows better than those parents and voters.

    It reminds me of Thomas Sowell’s “Vision of the Annointed.”

    It takes a village, after all, JD. It just has to be a village with the DNC approved ideas.

    Eric Blair (bc43a4)

  62. Eric Blair, it seems to speak to the larger attempt to devalue and minimize the role of parenting, and all the weight, responsibility and seriousness that it demands.

    It’s akin to the belittlement of stay-at-home mothers.

    It’s not terribly hard to see what’s behind it.

    Dana (e9ba20)

  63. Kevin Jennings was the head of a group that recommends children read books that contain, among other things, graphic descriptions of five year olds engaging in homosexual sadomasochistic activity, and he’s now the “safe schools” czar?

    Are these the kind of people we want running our government?

    Jennings ought to be fired (and I mean right now), GLSEN ought to be investigated, and Barack Obama ought to be impeached.

    “What we discovered shocked us.”

    I wish I could say I was shocked by what I read, but I’m not. This is exactly what I would expect from these leftoid degenerates.

    Dave Surls (90efbf)

  64. “Eric – It does not really matter whether or not it has reproduced. All that concerns me is the fact that its ilk want to have the State be more involved in raising my children, as opposed to teaching things like reading and writing.”

    Reading. But not with readings.

    imdw (de7003)

  65. And, it is a disingenuous little prick. So there’s that.

    JD (42d1cb)

  66. I read a fair amount of that garbage over on GP. Yes, kids can get that and worse online. But anybody suggesting that as reading material for kids shouldn’t be within miles of a school.

    A kid’s morals and ethics are nobody’s business except parents. To suggest to a confused adolescent or younger that such behavior is appropriate is attempting to dabble in the morality of society, and is the height of arrogance. Sure, these aspects of raising kids are difficult for some parents, but that doesn’t mean somebody else gets to decide and take over.

    Presuming such reading material will increase tolerance of homosexuality and reduce bullying is absurd and simplistic. Think about bullies you have known: isn’t it just as likely to offer them better ammunition for persecution? Can’t you just see them quoting these passages to their victims? It’s also a waste of time when too many kids can’t read at grade level.

    jodetoad (059c35)

  67. To suggest to a confused adolescent or younger that such behavior is appropriate is attempting to dabble in the morality of society
    Unfortunately, that is exactly what they want to do and have wanted to do for 100 years or so with “progressive education reform”, public education as a way to train the citizenry to behave “like they should” so society “can run as it should”

    and is the height of arrogance– jodetoad
    Absolutely.

    Never, ever get your moral code from a set of beliefs that have stood the test of time for centuries, that is attributed to the One who is the standard for good and evil; rather get it from those in the train of the one “someone has been waiting for”.

    Remember a blurb how only Obama’s picture was in Fed buildings, unlike in the past when it has been both pres and VP? Not sure if that is still the case. I wonder how long before golden statues are put up.

    MD in Philly (227f9c)

  68. Hi Dana. Thanks for your comment. Isn’t it maddening that people who hire nannies to raise their own children feel that they are experts in childrearing?

    But it is a larger issue than that, I think. The conceit of the Left is that they smear the Right with charges of pushing their authority onto others. And they are doing what, again? Projection, yet again.

    Because they truly believe they know what is right for other people.

    Both sides can be guilty of this problem. But the Left has a plan. We are seeing it now.

    At least the polls suggest people are waking up. All the Republicans need to do now is stay out of the way. I hope.

    Eric Blair (110bde)

  69. But anybody suggesting that as reading material for kids shouldn’t be within miles of a school.

    Which means that imdw is a registered pedophile.

    Dmac (a964d5)

  70. Comment by Dmac — 12/5/2009 @ 1:22 pm

    Or should be!

    AD - RtR/OS! (14c527)

  71. I am not convinced it is vital for middle school children to receive lessons in fisting in order to reduce bullying in schools. I can understand why Massachusetts parents are upset at the inroads GLSEN has made into the school system in that state. I view it more as recruiting, especially with Jennings’ openly expressed admiration for and ties to the founders of NAMBLA.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  72. I don’t think the Left has a plan here so much as they saw there was a problem with how the gay kids were treated at the schools and they stepped up. Conservatives did not step up.

    It’s a misrepresentation to call this a “reading list” I think. There’s been nothing to show that this list of books has had any function beyond helping this group raise some Amazon money on their website what’s not particularly oriented to yoot.

    These are books about gay kids mostly written by formerly gay kids that grew up to be dirty hard left dirty socialist gay adults and they make it clear that not all of it is suitable for kids… a lot of the icky stuff came from one anthology, which is an anthology. Ironically what their group mostly does is to try to create an environment where the little gay children are much less likely to grow up to be hard left homo grievance mongers.

    But if conservatives are so bothered then they should start a be nice to gay kids club of their own with their own books and stuff. That would be helpful.

    happyfeet (2c63dd)

  73. “Which means that imdw is a registered pedophile.”

    Hey, some people found this stuff to be “child porn” and yet they still read it.

    imdw (490521)

  74. feets – I thinks it’s a misrepresentation to pretend that the link is anything other than a prescreened reading list for individuals and educators based on the descriptions on the web page and the reviews of the individual books. It’s disingenuous of you to keep pretending otherwise. It’s a side benefit to GLSEN that they get to make some money from the Amozon book link.

    “Through GLSEN’s BookLink, you can review and order any of our published works and other pre-screened videos and publications related to GLSEN’s mission or other LGBT issues in education.”

    “The BookLink is divided into four categories:

    Grades K-6

    Grades 7-12

    Educator Resources – curricula, books, and videos for classroom use, plus other resources for school faculty and administrators

    Other Ally Resources – materials for families, community activists, and others committed to making schools safe”

    “All BookLink items are reviewed by GLSEN staff for quality and appropriateness of content. However, some titles for adolescent readers contain mature themes. We recommend that adults selecting books for youth review content for suitability. The editorial and customer reviews listed at Amazon.com often provide information on mature content.”

    daleyrocks (718861)

  75. Zombie did a post on some of Mr. Jenning’s friends.

    Great group of people to have around children, eh?

    KB (f2b2b3)

  76. Ok, whiskey can hit some people hard especially if they’re not used to it and have not been eating well. Happyfeet, put away the Jack Daniels and detox with a couple of Anchor Steams.

    nk (df76d4)

  77. Comment by KB — 12/5/2009 @ 4:38 pm

    Well that was an awful read. But if it doesn’t matter who our President has associated with, why on earth would we expect it to matter who his czars have run with?

    Dana (e9ba20)

  78. …but then there was Van Jones… funny how our President’s lack of discretion is of less importance.

    Dana (e9ba20)

  79. daley, what I think is missing is any evidence of any attempt to get the offensive material into the hands of kids… and I don’t think it’s shown that the offensive stuff is actually included in these books in a way meant to affirm what’s described as good and right. Scott Baker went through some books and picked out the naughty bits. I don’t find this very compelling.

    happyfeet (2c63dd)

  80. “daley, what I think is missing is any evidence of any attempt to get the offensive material into the hands of kids… and I don’t think it’s shown that the offensive stuff is actually included in these books in a way meant to affirm what’s described as good and right.”

    feets – I’m not sure what kind of evidence you are looking for or why you feel like you need it apart from seeing a screened and approved list for individuals and educators supportings GLSEN’s mission staring you right there in the face.

    If you click on one of those massresistance links I provided earlier and poke around you’ll see a lot of anger over actual GLSEN and other activist efforts in the schools, particularly in Massachusetts. Maybe you’ll consider that “evidence” or something you feel you need.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  81. “Hey, some people found this stuff to be “child porn” and yet they still read it.”

    What would you call a story that describes, in graphic detail, a 13 year old boy being sodomized by a grown man?

    And, if we refuse to look at it, how are we supposed to tell what it is?

    Dave Surls (ec34e0)

  82. you’re skipping over whether or not it’s the intent of these books to corrupt children and if GLSEN shares that intent… I don’t think these excerpts show that that’s the case. They’re shocking excerpts but the Brietbart guy never shows that the intent is to corrupt kids. It’s just not there.

    happyfeet (2c63dd)

  83. The Rock Lobster guy, maybe… he’s pretty twisted. But maybe he has an epiphany later.

    happyfeet (2c63dd)

  84. “What would you call a story that describes, in graphic detail, a 13 year old boy being sodomized by a grown man?”

    A story? as in fiction?

    “And, if we refuse to look at it, how are we supposed to tell what it is?”

    Well, child porn is illegal. I hope you’re not lookign at it.

    imdw (c2a04b)

  85. “you’re skipping over whether or not it’s the intent of these books to corrupt children…”

    You mean it’s o.k. to show children a picture of a naked man sodomizing another naked man while a pair of boy scouts look on, as long as your intentions are pure?

    I’m having a little trouble wrapping my brain around that one.

    Dave Surls (ec34e0)

  86. If I meant that I would have said that, Dave. The GLSEN ones don’t say that either. They caution about the suitability of the content for children.

    happyfeet (2c63dd)

  87. Well, I can tell that imdw is just a troll. And a troll who has no children. He is cracking what he thinks is wise, about some very serious stuff.

    You really should be ashamed, imdw. You are just playing games. I doubt you believe in much of anything, other than yourself.

    What a jerk.

    Eric Blair (bc43a4)

  88. “They caution about the suitability of the content for children.”

    feets – Yes and they helpfully divide the books into grade appropriate categories. But if the screened and reviewed books are not appropriate for children, why are they on the fucking website to begin with? Next excuse, please.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  89. The excerpts provided in the Gateway Pundit post were selected from the Grades 7-12, so use your judgement whether that material was approriate for kids in that age group.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  90. If an adult White Male Republican politician were reading a couple these books, the media would scream ‘evil pedophile’.

    On the hand if a adult multi-Democrat read the same book then they are enlightened and sophisticated mentors of young iminds.

    As a result, whenever the Party of Marxist Lawyers want to get rid of the Republican kid, plus the Mother and the Father, they’ll shove a couple of books down the kids throat then accuse the entire family of commiting hideous crimes against THe Children.

    When a Democrat kid reads a couple books, the Party of Marxist Lawyers will sent the entire family off to Hollwyood to make them iconic celebrity stars by giving them Oscars.

    The libertarian kids are too stone to read and will have wait for the internet pics to appear.

    syn (f21dba)

  91. Mr. daleyrocks – if you click through to the Amazon reviews of these books, they’re all well-reviewed… many by people in the age group to which they’re assigned. We just had a post not long ago about someone who had the temerity to judge Sarah Palin’s book without reading it.

    Do the math. This vendetta against Kevin is creepy and hatey I think. Very Focus on the Family.

    happyfeet (2c63dd)

  92. “they’re all well-reviewed… many by people in the age group to which they’re assigned”

    Mr. feets – That’s a truly beautiful thing. What do you think about the content for the age group?

    daleyrocks (718861)

  93. I think when they say that… some titles for adolescent readers contain mature themes. We recommend that adults selecting books for youth review content for suitability, they really mean it.

    Beyond that I think most of the books are age appropriate, and I don’t think the others should be judged on the basis of snippets from some tool with an obvious agenda.

    The aesthetics of this campaign are pure Fred Phelps I think. Waving provocative crap in people’s faces. This is totally different than the Van Jones campaign which took on Jones’ actual positions and views. This isn’t an attempt to expose what Kevin Jennings stands for. This is an attempt to obscure what Kevin Jennings stands for. It’s not right.

    happyfeet (2c63dd)

  94. For the record, there is nothing “creepy” or “hatey” about Focus on the Family. And:

    This isn’t an attempt to obscure what Kevin Jennings stands for. This is an attempt to expose what Kevin Jennings stands for.

    FTFY

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  95. These are books about gay kids mostly written by formerly gay kids that grew up to be dirty hard left dirty socialist gay adults and they make it clear that not all of it is suitable for kids…

    Surveys have indicated that a high percentage of homosexuals do favor liberal, if not ultra-liberal, socio-political policies. Of course, there are some rightwing/conservative — and, yes, centrist — gay people, but they are a statistical minority within a minority. Moreover, some of them may actually be ideologically closer to a schizoid case like Andrew Sullivan than anyone else.

    My skepticism and cynicism about the whole gay-rights, gay-this-gay-that, pro-same-sex-marriage movement and activism increases greatly whenever I see the reality of human nature and behavior along these lines:

    Gay actor Rupert Everett had an “on-off affair” with Sir Bob Geldof’s late wife Paula Yates over a six-year period.

    On the subject of their meetings, Everett says, “That side of our relationship was tenuous to say the least, and our lives (eventually) went in different directions.”

    Everett has had a string of relationships with famous women, including French actress Beatrice Dalle and Susan Sarandon, and struggles to understand why he isn’t a conventional homosexual.

    He says, “I am mystified by my heterosexual affairs – but then I am mystified by most of my relationships.”

    I’d say the politics of modern culture (including sexuality), post-1960s, is similar to the philosophy of pro-self-esteem and pro-feel-good in, for example, the public-school classroom, where “do your own thang” and embracing non-conformity for non-conformity’s sake is the motto of the day.

    Mark (411533)

  96. What is the point of having a “Safe Schools Czar” if he doesn’t do anything to make schools safe?…

    The problem isn’t that Mr Jennings’ former organization put up a repugnant reading list that sexualizes children that is the problem, but that Mr Jennings and his office don’t do anything! What is the point of having an Office for Sa…

    Common Sense Political Thought (73d96f)

  97. Mr. feets – There is an extensive article about queering the schools from the City Journal written in 2003 which has considerable background on this issue. Perhaps you are not very familiar with it or wish to claim it was a while ago. To claim it is a hatey dealio, however, is a cop out given the issues involved.

    “No organization has been more steadfast in its support of GLSEN than the NEA. During the NEA’s annual convention in July 2001, many observers expected the teachers’ union to pass an official resolution incorporating GLSEN’s sweeping educational goals into K–12 curricula nationwide. As it turns out, the NEA, clearly trying to minimize public awareness of an unprecedented infringement on parental prerogatives, tabled the resolution and announced a task force to study how best to approach LGBT issues in the schools. But in February 2002, the NEA board of directors approved the task force’s report—a pure emanation of the GLSEN worldview, as is clear both from its numerous citations of GLSEN documents in the footnotes and from its recommendations.”

    “No compulsory public school system can be justified unless what it teaches is a worldview that the taxpayers who fund it can support. The “common schools” came into existence, after all, to acculturate immigrants to American values. For schools to try to indoctrinate children in a radical, minority worldview like that promoted by GLSEN and its allies—a vision that will form those children’s values and shape their sense of selfhood—is a kind of tyranny, one that, in addition, intentionally drives a wedge between parents and children and, as queer theorist Michael Warner boasts, “opposes society itself.” We must not let an appeal to our belief in tolerance and decency blind us to indecency—and to the individual and social damage that will result from it.”

    http://www.city-journal.org/html/13_2_queering_the_schools.html

    daleyrocks (718861)

  98. That’s a whole different issue, daley. The point here is whether this list of books is an appropriate noose for Mr. Jennings. I don’t think it is. There’s nothing to show that there’s been any effort to introduce these books into schools as part of some nefarious queering process and all we have is snippets of naughty bits to evaluate whether or not these books of the evil queering sort.

    I think most of this campaign is overwrought and … character assassinatey. And if it’s not designed to incite hate then they’re doing it wrong.

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  99. I can’t believe the Anchoress bought into this. I was gonna get my mom a rosary bracelet from these nuns the Anchoress knows last Christmas… I might still get one for my sister, maybe. But not this year.

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  100. these ones… what’s sad is cause of the stupid dirty socialist laws they can’t make them for kids anymore…

    actually though last year they didn’t have prices… you had to email for a price list and I never did… this stuff is actually not very expensive … I don’t think mom would have been too excited…

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  101. oh. *are* of of the evil queering sort I mean…

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  102. “That’s a whole different issue, daley. The point here is whether this list of books is an appropriate noose for Mr. Jennings.”

    Mr. feets – The books are discussed in that City Journal article. As I asked above, I’m not sure what kind of evidence you are looking for beyond a web site targeted at educators and students, which seems to be a bit of “evidence” by itself, when coupled with the workshops GLSEN sontinues to hold, but I must be missing several points as usual.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  103. Really, you should ask Mr. Holt why he doesn’t take a look at GSLEN’s actual policies and goals. Him and the Anchoress seem a lot more interested in inciting hate with their dishonest, hatey posts than talking about policy. Go read the comments at their site. Those are very classless and tacky people.

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  104. Mr. feets – The books, I agree, are only part of the issue surrounding Mr. Jennings current position.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  105. Mr. daley – I think it’s perfectly fair to examine GSLEN and go after Mr. Jennings hard on policy. I’m sure GSLEN is a stupid dirty socialist organization and Mr. Jennings is a stupid dirty socialist too. My point is that this is a very hatey, incitey way of going about it. It’s not right.

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  106. I have not read the Anchoress on the issue. Uhually I like her. What was dishonest about Mr. Hoft’s posts?

    daleyrocks (718861)

  107. oh. That was supposed to be stupid dirty socialist tool

    this whole book snippet thing and shoving obscene whatnot in the face of people is just tacky

    tacky tacky tacky

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  108. Mr. Hoft’s posts don’t mention that this seminar they keep mining took place at Tuft’s, not in public schools, and that the poeple who went over the line weren’t GSLEN employees, and that Mr. Jennings acknowledged that the stuff was overboard and that they’d do better in the future.

    As far as the book post goes I think that Mr. Baker was very dishonest in his representation of the disclaimer. It means exactly what it means I think. But taking a snippet form a book and using it to represent the whole is fundamentally dishonest.

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  109. *from* a book…

    Really I would think people would be more wary about jumping on a hatey bandwagon. We went years and years without going down this road, and Kevin Jennings doesn’t rise to the level of significance to change that approach I don’t think… not set against the vicious and appalling dirty socialist assault on our economy, our freedoms, and our way of life.

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  110. I think GLSEN having educators cross dress second graders as a way of promoting rolerance is tacky, tacky, tacky, but your mileage may vary. I think the City Jouranl article captured the essence of the issue. The recommended book list is just one symptom of the problem with Kevin Jennings holding this position and his organization’s involvement with our public schools.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  111. oh… *GLSEN* I mean

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  112. “Mr. Jennings acknowledged that the stuff was overboard and that they’d do better in the future.”

    But they didn’t the next year according to the City Journal article and passed out vaseline and latex gloves.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  113. I think it’s perfectly fair to raise the issues from the American Thinker article. Talk about what this organizations goals are and what they’re doing. But that’s not what the First Things people want to do. They just want to gross people out and make them mad. It’s very puerile.

    Personally I think there’s some amount of vindictiveness cause of how so many of their priest people got busted.

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  114. Well also Mr. Daley you have to wonder why this is of such import *now* when all this stuff is old news. It’s cause the First Things ones find this sort of thing incredibly empowering, maybe?

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  115. “you have to wonder why this is of such import *now* when all this stuff is old news”

    Mr. Happy – I don’t really have to wonder since the timing is explained in the post itself. Yhe people working on it finished and brought it to Gateway Pundit to put out there. GP had already done a number of pieces on Jennings so the choice made sense. You can check the archives there.

    Do you question the timing for some other reason?

    daleyrocks (718861)


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