I'm so sorry about what happened to your son, and sickened that nobody was held accountable. He is friends with my granddaughter, who thinks very highly of him. In a culture where kids were encouraged to respect one another and celebrate differences, that kid would have swiftly been held accountable by his peers. Who knows, maybe he was shut down by others nearby, but the damage was done. You can't un-shout hate speech.
If we want to prepare kids to survive in a complex world, we need to teach them that they aren't the center of the universe and that there are people different from them and that's a good thing. I was disgusted when Tillamook School District this year removed an award winning book, which was nationally recommended as curriculum, from the 10th grade honors class. It was much tamer than some of the books we read in school, but it featured Latina immigrants and was written by a Latina woman. This sends a strong message to Latina students.
I appreciate everything that you said about common sense. It is sadly lacking these days in an age of extremism and ignorance.
I don't know the reach of your blogs, but you deserve to be heard at a national level as well as in Oregon. Of course, Oregon still needs to grow up and listen to what you have to say. Your voice is not just, or even, partisan. What you say and the quality of your thinking and writing are desperately needed in this country. Thank you for expressing your wisdom.
Thank you, Nelle. That’s a generous thing to say. I’m trying to offer something honest and constructive in a climate that doesn’t always reward either. I’m glad it resonates, and I’m grateful you’re reading.
Kids are cruel but this is so unacceptable! This hatred starts in the home. One of my daughters best friends in high school was a gay boy. I loved the fact that he would protect her against any other boy that gave her trouble. It was like having a big brother. I have seen photos of some sexually graphic books and I hope they put those in a locked case and away from small children.
Your son is gender confused and needs counseling/help. Perhaps seek out a pastor because the devil wants your child confused. Jesus saves. He saved me from this kind of lifestyle choice, and it's clear to me that I was heading down an UNnatural path. The devil's path. Instead of validating his confusion, get him the help he needs now. If you do this for him, he will love and honor you more that you know. What next, Cyrus? Men in women's sports is OK. Before God flooded the Earth, he warned humanity about filth and perversion by destroying Sodom and Gamorrah. Both you and your son need counseling. You shouldn't be in politics. Your kids need you right now, more than we do.
I’m going to be equally direct in return: I don’t see my son as confused. I see him as courageous.
You may think he needs to be “saved” from who he is, but I don’t. I believe God made him with love and purpose, and I will never treat my child’s identity as a sickness to be cured or a sin to be erased.
You’re free to believe what you want. You’re not free to demand that I shame my son to meet your standard of faith. That’s not parenting, that’s rejection dressed up as righteousness.
And yes, I’m in politics. Because too many kids have stood on stages, in classrooms, in pews, wondering if there’s anyone in the room who won’t turn away when they say who they really are. I’m here to be one of the people who won’t turn away.
If that disqualifies me in your eyes, so be it. But it won’t change what I believe, or who I love.
Katrina, you're a disgusting person. "Gay people deserve to participate in society" is a VERY compelling argument and no vitriol sourced from your personal religious convictions will ever come close
I understand the difficulty, my cousin ended up in a gay lifestyle..at times he did not.. influence probably made the difference.
One of my concerns about school is we EMPHASIZE SPORTS ALMOST TO A GLADIATOR STATUS.
Many of these kids become bullies and belligerent, making marriage later a huge problem with their ego and permission to physically shove people around
Children with gifts in other areas are demeaned and persecuted.. Many of the gifts like art and theatre are kids with different skills but also different makeup in a number of ways. They can be exploited in many directions.
SCHOOL SHOULD EDUCATE ALL STUDENTS AND ATHLETICS NEEDS TRIMMED DOWN
I'm a reader. Helped in high school library..have quite a kids library of my own
.I still use HONEY FOR A CHILDS HEART, which includes all books in age groups that is terrific. Ive taught kids to read and shared books with students on my bus route when I drove school bus.
I investigated the Sandy school entire list of 31 books parents wanted to remove. There's a deeper story.
All the books but one, were published by one world LEFTEST companies..stock.owners reflect.thst far left view. Some even said they developed books to indoctrinate kids.
The danger is the same as Poland invaded by Hitler. The historical records show the exact same thing. And it's specific to sexual and violent content.
To not ramble on..
I suggest that all books with graphic violence have no place in a library.. especially children's books. They should be eliminated. Bad for all people.
Content about other behaviors should not indoctrinate. Should never show sexual content in children's books..
Wind in The Willows uses a group of animals to display different character traits. A good example of good reading with a message.
Many books are sensitive to children's differences. I agree that children need to see different is uniquely made. Not better or worse.
So how will we accomplish this? We are way to far left in government and teachers union education department.. Indoctrination is occuring..no child should have that happen to them.
So my suggestion is we have library committees that work on book selection with differing view points. We use excellent sources like Honey For A Childs Heart..I'm sure there are others.
My friend and PHD expert in childhood education Dr. Ivy Bonk could help develope good criteria and offer training to understand what's important to a child's mind. To offer the most encouraging reading for many.
We have ethnic groups that will have needs to. I drove the Celilo Indian bus. They had requests. They needed to see tribal history, especially that many very famous and wise chiefs had existed. It's true of others. Library is supposed to be a place to do research about those things. Safe from pressure so they can self seek identity things.
Diversity can be a most valuable tool..training to understand the child's mind and age appropriate subjects they are ready for us important. Dr. Ivy is a expert.
I don't see another way. When we work in diversity with some knowledge and we get educated about differences from each other we can serve every child and leave indoctrination out of our library.
Any parent with a child not main stream interests knows how important it is to let them develope without pressures.
Liz, we may not agree on everything, but I appreciate your heart for kids and your commitment to thoughtful reading. I think we’d both agree: every child deserves stories that help them grow, not boxes that hold them in.
I will give you the best advice that my single mother gave me 60+ years ago, only those that fear the truth will ban books. Yes, we need to guide our sons and daughters but that is up to the family and not the government. If we have libraries they should reflect truth and those that seek that truth should be able to find it in libraries, all libraries. Yes, we need to guide our youth but families should be the ones guiding them.
In this day and age of anything goes on the internet, do we really think that our youth haven't seen, read or otherwise been shocked by some of the things that are easily available today? Aren't we really kidding ourselves if we think today's youth don't know so much more than we did when we were young?
Thanks, Joe. That’s solid advice. Your mom was wise. Libraries should be places where truth isn’t off-limits, and families absolutely have a role in guiding how their kids engage with it.
I wonder how this bill would have applied to rececnt events where Tillamamook School Board voted to remove Sandra Cisnerros' book from Tillamook High School curiculum for 10th. Grade Honors English. I thought the board's action was very biased and counter to the education we shoulld provide our students.
Thanks Jim. I appreciate the encouragement. It’s not always easy to navigate these conversations, but I believe our kids deserve thoughtfulness, not fear, in the decisions we make.
Thank you for sharing this compelling and very personal story. Creating policy that aupports kids and brings the world to them at appropriate times is difficult to do. Your best article so far. Your son is lucky to have such a supportive dad.
I'm so sorry about what happened to your son, and sickened that nobody was held accountable. He is friends with my granddaughter, who thinks very highly of him. In a culture where kids were encouraged to respect one another and celebrate differences, that kid would have swiftly been held accountable by his peers. Who knows, maybe he was shut down by others nearby, but the damage was done. You can't un-shout hate speech.
If we want to prepare kids to survive in a complex world, we need to teach them that they aren't the center of the universe and that there are people different from them and that's a good thing. I was disgusted when Tillamook School District this year removed an award winning book, which was nationally recommended as curriculum, from the 10th grade honors class. It was much tamer than some of the books we read in school, but it featured Latina immigrants and was written by a Latina woman. This sends a strong message to Latina students.
I appreciate everything that you said about common sense. It is sadly lacking these days in an age of extremism and ignorance.
Thoughtful and well-written as always.
Well-written and well-argued.
I don't know the reach of your blogs, but you deserve to be heard at a national level as well as in Oregon. Of course, Oregon still needs to grow up and listen to what you have to say. Your voice is not just, or even, partisan. What you say and the quality of your thinking and writing are desperately needed in this country. Thank you for expressing your wisdom.
Thank you, Nelle. That’s a generous thing to say. I’m trying to offer something honest and constructive in a climate that doesn’t always reward either. I’m glad it resonates, and I’m grateful you’re reading.
Do you understand AI? Most of his stuff is AI generated.
Kids are cruel but this is so unacceptable! This hatred starts in the home. One of my daughters best friends in high school was a gay boy. I loved the fact that he would protect her against any other boy that gave her trouble. It was like having a big brother. I have seen photos of some sexually graphic books and I hope they put those in a locked case and away from small children.
fwiw, this is my favorite thing you've ever written
Your son is gender confused and needs counseling/help. Perhaps seek out a pastor because the devil wants your child confused. Jesus saves. He saved me from this kind of lifestyle choice, and it's clear to me that I was heading down an UNnatural path. The devil's path. Instead of validating his confusion, get him the help he needs now. If you do this for him, he will love and honor you more that you know. What next, Cyrus? Men in women's sports is OK. Before God flooded the Earth, he warned humanity about filth and perversion by destroying Sodom and Gamorrah. Both you and your son need counseling. You shouldn't be in politics. Your kids need you right now, more than we do.
I’m going to be equally direct in return: I don’t see my son as confused. I see him as courageous.
You may think he needs to be “saved” from who he is, but I don’t. I believe God made him with love and purpose, and I will never treat my child’s identity as a sickness to be cured or a sin to be erased.
You’re free to believe what you want. You’re not free to demand that I shame my son to meet your standard of faith. That’s not parenting, that’s rejection dressed up as righteousness.
And yes, I’m in politics. Because too many kids have stood on stages, in classrooms, in pews, wondering if there’s anyone in the room who won’t turn away when they say who they really are. I’m here to be one of the people who won’t turn away.
If that disqualifies me in your eyes, so be it. But it won’t change what I believe, or who I love.
Katrina, you're a disgusting person. "Gay people deserve to participate in society" is a VERY compelling argument and no vitriol sourced from your personal religious convictions will ever come close
I understand the difficulty, my cousin ended up in a gay lifestyle..at times he did not.. influence probably made the difference.
One of my concerns about school is we EMPHASIZE SPORTS ALMOST TO A GLADIATOR STATUS.
Many of these kids become bullies and belligerent, making marriage later a huge problem with their ego and permission to physically shove people around
Children with gifts in other areas are demeaned and persecuted.. Many of the gifts like art and theatre are kids with different skills but also different makeup in a number of ways. They can be exploited in many directions.
SCHOOL SHOULD EDUCATE ALL STUDENTS AND ATHLETICS NEEDS TRIMMED DOWN
I'm a reader. Helped in high school library..have quite a kids library of my own
.I still use HONEY FOR A CHILDS HEART, which includes all books in age groups that is terrific. Ive taught kids to read and shared books with students on my bus route when I drove school bus.
I investigated the Sandy school entire list of 31 books parents wanted to remove. There's a deeper story.
All the books but one, were published by one world LEFTEST companies..stock.owners reflect.thst far left view. Some even said they developed books to indoctrinate kids.
The danger is the same as Poland invaded by Hitler. The historical records show the exact same thing. And it's specific to sexual and violent content.
To not ramble on..
I suggest that all books with graphic violence have no place in a library.. especially children's books. They should be eliminated. Bad for all people.
Content about other behaviors should not indoctrinate. Should never show sexual content in children's books..
Wind in The Willows uses a group of animals to display different character traits. A good example of good reading with a message.
Many books are sensitive to children's differences. I agree that children need to see different is uniquely made. Not better or worse.
So how will we accomplish this? We are way to far left in government and teachers union education department.. Indoctrination is occuring..no child should have that happen to them.
So my suggestion is we have library committees that work on book selection with differing view points. We use excellent sources like Honey For A Childs Heart..I'm sure there are others.
My friend and PHD expert in childhood education Dr. Ivy Bonk could help develope good criteria and offer training to understand what's important to a child's mind. To offer the most encouraging reading for many.
We have ethnic groups that will have needs to. I drove the Celilo Indian bus. They had requests. They needed to see tribal history, especially that many very famous and wise chiefs had existed. It's true of others. Library is supposed to be a place to do research about those things. Safe from pressure so they can self seek identity things.
Diversity can be a most valuable tool..training to understand the child's mind and age appropriate subjects they are ready for us important. Dr. Ivy is a expert.
I don't see another way. When we work in diversity with some knowledge and we get educated about differences from each other we can serve every child and leave indoctrination out of our library.
Any parent with a child not main stream interests knows how important it is to let them develope without pressures.
Thank you
Liz Turner
Liz, we may not agree on everything, but I appreciate your heart for kids and your commitment to thoughtful reading. I think we’d both agree: every child deserves stories that help them grow, not boxes that hold them in.
I will give you the best advice that my single mother gave me 60+ years ago, only those that fear the truth will ban books. Yes, we need to guide our sons and daughters but that is up to the family and not the government. If we have libraries they should reflect truth and those that seek that truth should be able to find it in libraries, all libraries. Yes, we need to guide our youth but families should be the ones guiding them.
In this day and age of anything goes on the internet, do we really think that our youth haven't seen, read or otherwise been shocked by some of the things that are easily available today? Aren't we really kidding ourselves if we think today's youth don't know so much more than we did when we were young?
Thanks, Joe. That’s solid advice. Your mom was wise. Libraries should be places where truth isn’t off-limits, and families absolutely have a role in guiding how their kids engage with it.
I wonder how this bill would have applied to rececnt events where Tillamamook School Board voted to remove Sandra Cisnerros' book from Tillamook High School curiculum for 10th. Grade Honors English. I thought the board's action was very biased and counter to the education we shoulld provide our students.
I applaud you, Cyrus.
Thanks Jim. I appreciate the encouragement. It’s not always easy to navigate these conversations, but I believe our kids deserve thoughtfulness, not fear, in the decisions we make.
Thank you for sharing this compelling and very personal story. Creating policy that aupports kids and brings the world to them at appropriate times is difficult to do. Your best article so far. Your son is lucky to have such a supportive dad.
Appreciate that, Betty. This one was tough to write, but I’m glad it landed.
Well written and fair points but I have to say I'm not a fan of the hijab.
then don't wear one