Stupid school rule?

[upsideup]

DC's school recently introuduced an hour of silent reading per week, dd absolutely loved this (DS doesn't but it has encouraged him to read more). Untill now they have been taking in a book from home, DD10 who spends hours reading for pleasure anyway takes in the book shes reading at home. I dont choose her books and I am also not strict about what she reads, was already aware that some of the books she enjoys were targeted at an age range slightly above hers.
We have had a letter home saying that dd's book this week was rated as 14+ so is not suitable to be read at school and I should send her in with a book suitable for her age so under 10's as teachers are not going to be closely monitoring what books the children are reading. That is ridiculous right?
She had not told us this all week as shes worried shes in trouble with the teacher but her book was taken off her and she was given a random book from the libary by the teacher which is not the sort of thing she likes and was too 'babyish' for her so she spent the whole lesson doing nothing.
To be clear the books she is reading are young teen fiction books, not gory or sexual true crime books, theres maybe mentions of kissing or mild swearing but nothing harmful or frightening for a 10 year old to hear, mine atleast and as its silent reading and not being read aloud surely its nobodies business what shes reading and it should be mine and her dads decision if its suitable or not for her, not the teachers?
We are going stuggle to find a book aimed at under 10s that she enjoys and I also have know idea how to find out what age rating a book has and surely its just a reccomendation to what age group may enjoy the book not a strict rule?
I can see the benefit of quietly reading at school and definately not one of the many parents who complained when the silent reading was introduced but what benefit is forcing her to read a book that she dosnt enjoy and is below her level? Shouldnt she be encouraged to challenge herself and have an enjoyment for reading not punished?

Do your schools do the same? AIBU to want to challenge this stupid rule?

Would you have the same opinion on films rated 15 and games? The school have a duty of care not to allow children access to inappropriate material A 14+ book will be discussing things on the emotional level of a 14+ teen not a 10 year old. Have you actually read the entire book before letting her have it?

@upsideup - I understand your frustration, but it can’t be impossible to find books that your dd will enjoy and that will be OK with the school - people have suggested a lot of good options on here. If you move towards the classics, I think you would have more latitude re. age range (so a classic that was considered suitable for 9-12s would be easier to get the school to accept than a modern book for teenagers or 9-12s).

I am sure that the combined wisdom of MN will be able to find some books that your dd will enjoy and that will pass muster with the school.

I would definitely recommend the Narnia books, the Little House on the Prairie books, the Anne of Green Gables series, Noel Streatfield’s books, Elizabeth Goudge’s children’s books, The Secret Garden etc.

If you have a local library, asking the librarian might be a good idea - set them the puzzle of finding a book that the school will accept and your dd will enjoy, and see what they suggest - plus, if it has been recommended by an expert, the school might find it harder to object, even if the book is nominally from an older age category.

Yanbu. Can you respond that you 'appreciate their concern, and wish to reassure them that you do not expect them to monitor her reading choices. You are aware of and have vetted her choice of books and are happy they are suitable for her reading level and maturity.'

If they then say it's still not allowed, ask what's wrong with it. Specifically. If it's just the age rating (where is this BTW? On the book itself or have they looked it up somewhere?) then you can have a conversation about why it has that rating, and why it doesn't concern you. If it is the content at least you can help her choose books that meet the rules, with no swearing or whatever.

Are those suggesting Austen bonkers by the way? They are horribly unsuitable for a child! Awful abusive men and arranged marriages and affairs and all sorts!

We had that with DS in Y5/6. He complained the books in the school library were too girlish - and every teacher in the school bar one, was a woman, so it did not surprise me. He was borrowing 10 books from the town library on a Saturday, and had read them by Tuesday, so we had to get another 10 out. He started on The Horrible Histories, which he loved. His teacher told me sniffly, that they did not approve of those! I had to tell them what he thought of their books!

Eventually, he read his way through our town library, the neighbouring town's library and started on another town's library. He always told us he learnt more from his reading and us, than he did at school!

He went on to get a first and a MA in history, and was offered an academic career by his university! Shows what women primary teachers know about boys!

She's not being punished.

I'm sure she'll be able to find something she likes within what is officially deemed appropriate for her age.

It's the school rules. As pointed out, the teachers have to draw some lines, or children could take wildly inappropriate books, because some parents don't care or have completely different standards.
As it stands, it's not for the teacher to verify each book's appropriateness for each children. Much easier indeed to check they are within the recommended age range.

I don't see the need to make a fuss or pit the child against the teacher.

My daughter would not have enjoyed reading any of the classics mentioned because at that point her tastes were very narrow and I was desperate for her to keep her enjoyment of reading not to be bored by something she had no interest in.

At 11 she will read pretty much anything so it hasn’t been a long term issue x

'Being punished' is a little dramatic for not being allowed to read age inappropriate books for an hour a week in school!
If she has no interest in anything other than teenage themes I would find that pretty strange for a 10 yr old.

Shes 10 so only books for 10 and under follow the rule.

Very little children's fiction is sold with age rating on, though; publishers don't publish books aimed at each different year group. For example, the Booktrust website, which teachers will widely use, specifies the age groups as 5-8, 9-12, 12+.
The school cannot insist on your daughter only reading books with an "age 10" label on them because that doesn't exist. I bet books from the 9-12's section of your local library will be fine.

Anoia can you give me some examples of arranged marriages in Austen? Also affairs? Having trouble thinking of any affairs outside of Mansfield Park, which, I agree might be unpalatable for a 10 year old.

married
What a child chooses to read at home is up to them/their parents.

A parent nay decide to show a 15 film at home because 'DC love scary films'. It doesn't make it an appropriate thing to show in a primary school.
Some parents allow their 11 year olds to play call of duty and other 18 rated games. I'm not about yo show or read 18 material to my y7s. I have a duty of care and professional standards.

Same for books. If as a parent you are happy for your 10 year old child to read things about substance abuse, sex, suicide then make that choice. But that doesn't make them topics of books for a primary school and it is wrong to expect schools to promote teen material to children

I read my class (9/10yo) Wildboy this year. It has a dark, gothic tone and themes of child exploitation, organised murder, drinking. They LOVED it, hung on every word. Wrote some really amazing stories of their own based on it. I have also read them Swallows and Amazons. They were like .

MaisyPops

But its silent reading? I'm not suggesting we show 18+ rated films to the rest of the whole class.

If the child has a reading age of 14yo and is enjoying the complexity of said books, then yes they ARE likely to be suitable.

she might have the reading age of 14yo, but she would be unlikely to have the emotional maturity of 14yo

Lowdoorinthewal1

Last year DD watched Oliver at school, plenty of dark adult, themes in there too.

School won't expose 1 child to material they deem inappropriate while the child is in their care.

Oliver is a U so hardly the same!

At that age, dc2 had a reading age of 17yo.

What reading tests are being done in a primary school that give a reading age of 17? How does the reading age of a 17yo differ from a 14yo or a 19yo?

I am going to focus on a different point, it was your daughter's choice not to tell you/give you the note that lead to her not having anything to read. If she had you could have picked a different book for school and no problem.

All this focusing on the school rule is actually masking a different problem. There are consequences to actions, she choose to not follow school policy (both giving you the note and continuing to bring in the book) so consequence is she had it confiscated.

(How do you have that book, it is showing as available to pre-order and not out yet?)

I was given Lorna Doone to read by school when I was 10 😱

Of course Austen and mockingbird are suitable for some primary dc. And others might find them disturbing. If ops dd is in the latter group then she's free to ignore my suggestion.

But let's be honest, nobody is accidentally going to read a paragraph of either over her shoulder and be disturbed by the themes given they'd need more than a glance. Plus the average reader of that age isn't going to be tempted to slog through them in the way they might by teen fiction.

I don't think there's anything wrong with primary dc knowing that historically many unpleasant things used to happen. I do agree that the themes in some classics, given they are based on reality at the time, are far more disturbing than any horror. But in reality adults who might be horrified if ops dd turns up with the shining probably won't bat an eyelid if she turns up with uncle toms cabin, let alone Austen.

Although if she hasn't read the children's classics I'd start there.

Jungle Book
My family and Other Animals
War of the Worlds (?) (can't remember how grown up it is)

It can't be impossible to find 20 hours of reading that the school and your DD are both happy with to last to the end of the academic year.

Young Adult novels didn't exist when I was young; there was nothing between Noel Streatfield and Agatha Christie......lots of killing. but no blood.
I had a Y6 boy who asked if he could bring in Joan Collin's autobiography.

Age recommendations are guidelines not rules, and it seems very shortsighted of the school to effectively insist that your DD reads below her reading age rather than her chronological age. Could you and your DD come up with a list of things she wants to read and get them pre-approved by the teacher? I have DGC at different primary schools that are insisting that they complete a 'reading scheme' before they are allowed any free reading, and only one school reader a day so its going to take them weeks to get through it. They are advanced readers for their age, bored witless with reading the stuff and I just don't get it. Its really putting them off the teacher(s) and school in general which is not good.

I read my class (9/10yo) Wildboy this year. It has a dark, gothic tone and themes of child exploitation, organised murder, drinking. They LOVED it, hung on every word.

By Rob Lloyd Jones? I read that - DS recommended it to me.
It's a great example of 9-12's fiction that is fast-paced, well-written and engaging. I didn't find it that dark TBH, about right for that kind of steampunk-y 9-12's fiction. Sure, highly sensitive 10 year olds might not enjoy it, but most would I think.

I don't think there is any need to worry about the restrictions putting children off reading. (There is nothing like banning something for making it deeply desirable! )