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Original poster

DS (11) bought home a inappropriate book from school...

35 replies

LooksyBooksy · 04/04/2019 21:51

For mothers day their class made book foldings as presents.
Mine finally got given to me on Tues.
Within seconds of DS handing me the book I caught sight of the word 'whore'...

Ok, books have sex scenes in them...stuff gets missed.
Going for benefit if the doubt here!

The second to back page had a sentence containing the words 'trafficked young girls'...

You don't need to search hard in the third of the book I have to find more of the same...

The covers had been ripped off and books torn into smaller parts for the kids to use but at some point somewhere surely someone should have scanned the book just to check its suitable?

It's not the only one, my DS said his friends found others..this book there are other parts somewhere!

A quick google and the book is called Belle...its about a 15yo girl being sold into prostitution after witnessing a murder....or something along those lines but you get the just...not a book for a 11yo!

So, yesterday I phoned the school, explained what was what, got informed that it wasnt acceptable and someone will call me to discuss.

No call yet...

I'm going to call tomorrow but I'm wondering if I'm over reacting being annoyed because i was at least expecting that call yesterday with a apology and guarantee they will be more thorough and careful in future?

OP posts:
EvaHarknessRose · 04/04/2019 21:54

I think it was ok to bring it to their attention but I would not pursue it further.

SneakyGremlins · 04/04/2019 21:54

Is it not possible they're working on finding the book's origin?

Original poster
LooksyBooksy · 04/04/2019 22:00

I'm not planning on going completely apeshit on them or taking it any further but would have appreciated a call asap to explain what's what.

I've had to explain what a prostitute is which isnt really something I'd planned on doing when he gave me his mothers day gift...

I'm no prude, we are very open about sex but I'd rather he didn't have access to this type of book just right now...Confused

The books were all bought in by a teacher.

OP posts:
whiskeysourpuss · 04/04/2019 22:11

https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Belle.html?id=N01OcAAACAAJ&source=kpbookkdescription&rediresc=y

This is the book - seems to be an updated version of the old Catherine Cookson books my mum used to read - probably not appropriate for 11yo's Blush

TemporaryPermanent · 04/04/2019 22:14

A bit crap, yes. Having said that, my mum had to explain prostitution to me at about the same age and it didn't scar me for life. it's an age where the wider world comes into focus.

I'm truly shocked that any school would promote book folding though.

Original poster
LooksyBooksy · 04/04/2019 22:21

Theres no harm done here thankfully so as I said I'm not overly worried but I'm just annoyed at not having a follow up call I was told I would have but maybe that should just be that now and trust they've got it covered.

And yes, I agree with book folding HmmGrin

OP posts:
elephantoverthehill · 04/04/2019 22:27

I would guess a box of books bought at a car boot and the teacher only looked at the covers and did not read all 30 books.

Kaddm · 04/04/2019 22:31

It’s just random book pages. Not worth making a fuss over. I bet that teacher won’t bother making mother’s day stuff again.
I don’t see a problem with explaining what prostitution is to an 11yo.
My 11yo certainly is aware of this.

Survivingorthriving · 04/04/2019 22:31

Maybe the teachers were busy teaching, marking work, recording evidence, planning lessons, supervising breaktimes, rehearsing shows, sorting pupil disputes, meeting other parents or returning any number of phone calls from parents. Maybe just alerting the school was enough.

Fazackerley · 04/04/2019 22:33

I think that's hilarious and it would be going on the wall in my downstairs loo.

BertrandRussell · 04/04/2019 22:33

What’s wrong with book folding?

Original poster
LooksyBooksy · 04/04/2019 22:34

I would fully expect every book to be read by at least two separate adults before deemed suitable for children to use...Wink

A quick scan of the blurb would do it...all of two seconds which I dont think is unreasonable when giving adult books to children.

As I said...the odd sex scene fine but a whole book on exploiting young girls...maybe notHmm

OP posts:
Ilikethinkingupnewnames · 04/04/2019 22:34

What is book folding.... Off to consult Google

onemouseplace · 04/04/2019 22:37

I've just had to look up book folding as I'd never heard of it before.

Tbh I'm slightly more horrified at this than the actual content of the book.

purplepingu · 04/04/2019 22:45

Sounds like Belle by Lesley Pearse to me OP.

Yabbers · 04/04/2019 22:46

Tbh I'm slightly more horrified at this than the actual content of the book.
Yep. Goes against my “don’t fold the corners” rule for sure!
I can’t understand why they do it.

Original poster
LooksyBooksy · 04/04/2019 22:48

purplepingu That's the one!

Have you read it?
Is it worth a read?Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
LooksyBooksy · 04/04/2019 22:49

Yabbers

ArtHmm

OP posts:
MorganKitten · 04/04/2019 23:14

Am I the only one more upset the books were ripped up?

JenFromTheGlen · 04/04/2019 23:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BertrandRussell · 04/04/2019 23:20

What’s wrong with turning a crap book into something else?

Redshoeblueshoe · 04/04/2019 23:23

Isn't book folding when the pages are turned back so the book looks like a hedgehog or something like that ?
If so YABU
if not I need more information

WoollyMummoth · 04/04/2019 23:35

What exactly do you want them to say on your follow up call? “Yes we have spent several days grilling all the lazy arse teachers and feckless TAs,who are not in the slightest overworked,about why they have not scrutinised every blurb on a box of old books! “They’ve managed to cram in an imaginative activity for mother’s day into a horrifically packed curriculum and your chuntering about not getting called back. Most kids know far more choice language than they let on to their parents especially by 11 and it won’t scare them for life to find out about prostitutes.

Fazackerley · 05/04/2019 11:47

the book folding thing looks cool
I have plenty of boring old books I will never read again, perfectly happy for them to be played with by kids to do whatever they want with!

DontMakeMeShushYou · 05/04/2019 11:57

Blimey! What is with all the angst over book folding? Even as a professionally qualified librarian, I can see nothing wrong with it. Even books, especially mass-produced paperbacks, have a shelf-life so why not turn them into something else before they eventually get recycled.

I'm afraid I can't get that worked up over the content of the books either, given that we're talking about 11 year olds here. Yes, perhaps they would have been wise to have been a bit more careful but the activity was to fold the books, not read them!

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