11 YO DD1 told not to bring Twilight book into school again because it's 'unchristian'

[AgentZigzag]

DD1s teacher from last year asked her what she was reading at playtime on Friday, DD1 told her it was 'New Moon' which we'd bought her for her birthday in December.

The teacher hurried off and had quiet words with the teacher taking her class this year, they both came back and said she wasn't in trouble, but they didn't want her to bring the book in again to school because it's at odds with the christian values of the school (it's C of E).

The teacher said she'd read the first Twilight book and it's fine if her mum and dad think it's OK for her to read it, but she didn't think it was for little girls and they'd 'get into trouble if anyone saw her reading it' (DD thought the trouble would be from the vicar, although I find this hard to believe).

There are a few things I feel a bit uncomfortable about -

-this teacher had asked DD what she was reading a few times when DD took in the first Twilight book in, and just smiled and said nothing.

-they're actively encouraged to read Harry Potter books, and if you're banning Twilight because it's 'unchristian' then shouldn't that go for HP as well, and anything else with fantasy characters in? So no more fairies or Father Christmas then.

-DD was reading it at playtime, so nothing to do with lessons. Are they expecting her to spread dissent on what the Evil books are about or something?

-I feel they're somehow insinuating we're being unchristian letting her read them, although I couldn't care less about them judging me on my religious views, it annoys me because it seems a bit of a random rule when she's gone all the way through the school and no other judgments on our christian values have been mentioned.

I'm pretty much hands off when it comes to school, letting them get on with their job and do what they ask of me re homework etc. So I'm not planning on storming down there to confront them or anything, but this has really got on my wick and I'm posting to try and sort out what I think about it really.

Am I being unreasonable?

Very odd.

Banning it because it's a bag ball of shite stuffed with megative messages for girls, yes. Religious reasons

I just wouldn't discourage my child from reading anything on the basis of my subjective opinion about it, really. Even awful stuff. On the other hand, I read American Psycho when I was 14 and it totally traumatised me for years, that I might discourage at too young an age. Teenage girls do not need to read about rats or razorblades in the vicinity of female genitals .

Delphine, a lot of people can't find another school. They have only one in their catchment area.

I haven't 'wasted' any teachers time delphine, and the fact is nobody from school has ever mentioned there was any kind of book censorship in force, or that they were sitting in judgement on my christian values.

It's not a case of finding another school either, she's got six months to go and I'm entitled to have an opinion about whatever I want when it comes to her teachers.

And if you don't think the classroom is a battle of literary appropriateness and children should just be dictated to and not taught to think for themselves, what kind of teacher are you? Do you just teach parrot fashion?

I think the teacher probably wants you to keep the book out of school because though you feel it's appropriate reading for an 11 year old there will be a lot of parents who don't feel it's appropriate reading for their children.

It's a lot easier to blame the vicar than say 'I'll have parents at my door complaining that their children have been exposed to books that aren't age appropriate.'

at 'exposing' them to the book MNP, if it's about the story they'd have to read all of it to get the gist, and that would take them sharing it over the next six months worth of playtimes!

I can't see DD going for that.

Our DC went to cofe primary school and DS goes to an independent with a strong christian ethos and dd to an independent convent. There has has never been any suggestion that some books should be banned although one English teacher raised and eyebrow when 13 year old dd took in Atonment!

Fortunately dd picked up the first twilight book and though it was rubbish. The only attraction was because our children could sparkle

at the poor fictional goldfish!

I was wondering the other day about what age would Dracula (and the other classic horrors) would be for muffin, I know Dracula's sexually charged, but it's mostly implied isn't it? It's a while since I read it and I can't be arsed reading it again it's easier to ask you

Poor goldie :(

There's a hell of a lot of subtext, but looking back it passed me by on the first reading. It is a bit of a heavy read and there is a lot for an overactive imagination to fret over. I haven't read it for a few years, although I studied it along with other gothic literature. I'll have a look at the gorgeous copy OH was given for Christmas, hang on
Frankenstein is quite depressing, if brilliant, not really one for before 13/14, I would say, for the same reasons as above. It's astonishing that Mary Shelley started it when she was in her late teens, and her having already suffered a miscarriage hangs heavily over it :( I suppose it depends on how grown up a teenager is iykwim.
Having said that, I read them when I was quite young and devoured any sort of book.
Both of them are ultimately about sex, birth and death, as is most good literature

Agree that Wuthering Heights is not really good for impressionable girls as it doesn't exactly have the best example of a healthy relationship! I think Emily meant for it to be high drama/gothic/Byronic romance taken straight, which is worrying.

Gently steer her towards Austen. I read her novels after the BBC P&P (how disappointed about the lack of a lake scene was I? ) and they're exquisite, glittering and sharp. Much better your daughter takes the sparky Elizabeth Bennet as a heroine than the insipid Bella Swan!

On the other hand, I read American Psycho when I was 14 and it totally traumatised me for years, that I might discourage at too young an age. Teenage girls do not need to read about rats or razorblades in the vicinity of female genitals

Ha, that was one, along with Misery, that was passed around school with the gory bits highlighted! Sick, teenagers are.

I read it properly for the first time in Lanzarote last year having seen the film when it came out. Not sure why I thought it would make for holiday reading but a great book. I was twitchy for ages afterwards, still am. Been meaning to work my way through the rest of his work. I have my theory on what goes on in Batteman's head but I'm not quite ready for a re-read yet to prove it

Havn't read the books but have seen the movies and can't say they're suitable for an 11yr old, the most recent one shocked me with it's sex scenes and constant references to sex. Can't believe they have a 12 rating

When I was at primary school I was reading my way through my mum's Dennis Wheatley black magic books (she knew I was) and remember my teacher being horrified - especially at the picture of devil worship on the front! I was forbidden from taking them into school as well.

I'm going to run in, remind everyone that we all probably read Judy Blume books at that age, and run out again.

The Essex 11+ test in 2010 included comprehension on a passage from Captain Corelli's Mandolin.

Young adult is 11/12+

Really? 11/12 is NOWHERE near adult in my head. That's a child still.

Young adult, 16-18 at a push, but not 11/12!

Totally get delphinedownunder's point.

My DD is a long way from 11 years old, but I'd be pissed off if other girls were bringing Twilight books into school, and I can see that this sort of thing must be such a total eye-rolly headache for teachers.

I have to say though - as someone who thinks Twilight are the worst kind of tosh for young girls to read - I'd actually far rather my DD read those than go to a faith school. :-/

I don't understand how you can really object to their finding utterly arbitrary things 'unChristian' when you've chosen a Christian (utterly arbitrary belief-based system) school for your child. But then I put my hand up and fully admit I don't 'get' organised religion.

By the way, I don't agree with banning books - I covertly read all sorts of shite at that age.

But the school aren't banning them. Just asking them to be read at home. Fair enough. Their school, their rules.

Not a big deal, she can read them at home after all.

If you're worried your DD will think they're 'bad' and won't list them on her reading log, then you could always tell her the teachers are worried that some of the younger pupils might be scared by them if they heard the plot.

I don't think it's particularly "Un-Christian" myself, but I do think the school has a right to say what they do or don't find appropriate.

Make a fake cover, possibly wiht a Bible or Christian title - maybe "Life of the saints" and put it around whatever she is reading.

Our school has separate shelves for YA books in the library and if younger children want to read any of them their parents have to sign a form giving permission. This strikes me as a good way to deal with it.

However the school is an international one where there is no religion full stop. Personally I think there should be no religion inflicted on under 18s. This sort of thing only hardens my opinion on the matter.

differentnameforthis, of course in real life, that's not a "young adult" but it is for the purposes of marketing books. I remember well the thrill of knowing I could buy books from Waterstone's YA section and I didn't like bookstores that put "my" books in the children's section!

However, while I was impressionable on that front, I did read a lot of the classics, not many of which were good in terms of providing female role models but I knew that. I think even young teenagers can be quite aware and opinionated regarding what a good relationship (in fiction) is/isn't. Not so much so in real life, perhaps... . I read all sorts of nonsense but it didn't make me rush out and find the next Edward Heathcliff in town, I didn't even have my first boyfriend til nearly 17 and he was the greatest sap known to man, the most he opened his soul to me was that sometimes, just sometimes he forgot to have a second bowl of cornflakes in the morning and he wouldn't feel quite right all day. Hardly self-injury, loathing or repressed sexual torment!

As I have not read the book, I don't know if it is unsuitable for school.
I wouldn't make a stink over it, she can read something else at school.
I bought my friends daughter age 10 The Secret Garden and A Little Princess, then the next year Anne of Green Gables. (a year ago) She has not read any of them, but has read all of the Twilight books. I am very disappointed.

By the way - have just remembered the goldfish book was 'Lace' (I think) although I don't recommend your daughter takes that one in.

Oh and Frankenstein is just fantastic isn't it although I fidn't read that one til my 30's. I used to have a penguin version of Dracula which I enjoyed very much, the full text is, I think, genuinely creepy.

Did anyone ever read Interview with the Vampire? Now that was lurid...