Teacher Banning 8 y.o. DS from bringing Bunny vs Monkey books to school for his friends to read

[alixpally]

First day of school, and DS, 8, has been banned by his new teacher from bringing Bunny vs Monkey books to school for his friends to read - am I being unreasonable to be a bit miffed? Last year, he developed a habit of bringing lots of his favourite books in to school to lend to his friends to read during class reading time. This included Jamie Smart books, which were very popular. Today he came home crying because his new teacher has banned him from bringing any more Jamie Smart books, deeming them "rude, violent and inappropriate". I mean, yes, there is a bit of toilet humour, but it's not exactly Marvel comics - these are award winning books and frankly pretty cute and funny actually.
I can understand she may wish to discourage anarchic behaviour (and humour, I guess) but practically every book has violence built into the plot in some way (witness Grimm bros). I feel uneasy about a teacher who would discourage children from reading and sharing books. Should I do anything?

My year4 teacher banned Enid Blyton books (some of my favourites) to be honest it just made me want to read them all the more! I suppose her classroom her rules, but it is a shame, your DS sounds like a very kind boy.

Agree completely with this.

I can understand banning books because they fight over them, but Jamie Smart books have been brilliant at getting the reluctant boys to read in my son's class.

It's a class with a high number of SEN kids.

I would actually complain officially to the school saying this.

Phoenix Comics is linked to a children's publisher - it has bunny v monkey in it - the whole initiative is about getting kids to read who possibly wouldn't otherwise.

The teacher needs educating about how value this is, instead of being snotty and judgmental and overly snobbish.

This isn't ok.

Ban for issues from fighting but not over content. Otherwise I hope she has gone through the rest of the books in the classroom and can explain why Roald Dahl and David Waillams amongst others are still on the shelves.

It's unacceptable for a teacher to be censoring books designed for that age group - especially books for reluctant readers. Who the hell does she think she is?

Inappropriate and over reaching.

Words are needed.

I'd actually not back teacher if I didn't believe they should be banned. I would catch the teacher at the pick-up and ask for the reason and explain this is a change from the last year. And see where it takes. Then, I will transmit what I gear from the teacher to my child, verbatim, and also Co firm that from my perspective the teacher is mot reasonable but "his class-his rules".

On the first day of year 4; it was a silly thing to let your son do OP, if you think about it. Such a busy time for the poor teacher

I’d speak to the teacher and find out why she made the decision. If it was to avoid books being lost or defaced, that’s one thing, but if it’s just that she doesn’t like the books, or the idea of your son bringing them to school, I’d be disappointed in her.

The teacher needs educating about how value this is, instead of being snotty and judgmental and overly snobbish.

I agree with this. Teachers like this need to do more to engage with an 8 year old boy mindset. Their own personal preferences are much less relevant.

And this is why teachers are leaving in droves🙄
fuck me….can you imagine having to put up with shit like this from parents

HER CLASS……HER RULES

Not if it's banning books designed to help kids who are struggling.

You may as well kick the SEN kids in the head with an attitude like that.

And that's why I'd raise it. Because it's effectively discriminating against them.

By all means ban books from being taken into school but then ban ALL books. Not just the ones you don't like.

Or have a bloody good explanation about why those books are not ok - and being snotty about the content isn't an acceptable one.

Normally I would agree with you but this is about educational value and it's being demonstrated that these books are helping certain boys significantly.

If the teacher is discouraging popular reading material I think parents are well within their rights to ask why.

Did your son bring in enough for the whole class to read?
Is the book included in the curriculum content the teacher needs to cover weekly to ensure the class hit their targets?
Does the fact your son owns/hands out the books change the dynamic of the group?
Are there any children in the class these books are inappropriate for?
Are you sure the whole class will love these books?
Has the teacher spend hours planning more appropriate activities in her English lessons?
This teacher doesn't need educating. It's not a free for all. Let her do her job and wind your neck in.

Term 1, Day 1 year 4. Utter chaos and one of the kids breaks out a pretty distracting comic style book for lendies.

I simply cannot stand imagine why the teacher wasn't absolutely thrilled to bits.

What should you do? Nothing. Let the dust settle and the uniforms go through at least two washes then ask if the Teacher might let the books once the kids are on an even keel.

Having kids bringing their own things into the classroom is a massive hassle for the teacher. If they allow it for your child they have to allow it for everyone. What happens when it goes missing? Gets damaged? Kids are arguing over it? Before you know it they've lost precious classroom time when there just isn't enough time in the day for everything anyway. You need to back the teacher and let your child enjoy his own books at home.

Every child has little extras they would enjoy but teachers simply can't accommodate all of them. They try their best. Work with them and not against them.

She’s discouraging an 8 year old kid taking it on himself to bring in some random books from home and distributing them to his class mates…..in class time…..for said class mates to read…..in class time …..who in their right mind can think that the teacher is out of order for saying no 🙄

This-small kids bringing in their own toys/books etc from home causes no end of problems. I don’t blame the teacher in the slightest! If you want to organise a book swap for your child-do it outside of school.

It can take up a stupid amount of time identifying whose stuff is whose (shock, horror-some children try to keep/take/borrow stuff that isn’t theirs and swear blind it’s theirs from home!). Let the teachers teach. It’s bad enough trying to identify the owners of unnamed water bottles, jumpers, shoes, book bags and PE kits, let alone books from home.

So you think it's ok to ban books aimed specifically at boys with SEN and reading reluctance?

Ok then.

Hill to die on here for me.

I know how much BvM has helped numerous kids in my son's class and has been a great leveller for some who have particularly struggled.

It's rare I'd even think of challenging on this because of teachers being under pressure, but this decision is counter productive and liable to discourage reading in some kids with the way she's effectively told the kids off and made the books sound dreadful to other parents not familiar with them.

I’m not familiar with bunny vs monkey but I can see both sides. I often swapped books with other kids in school(though I was a bit older) it was none of the teachers business as the teacher was never involved. It’s great that your ds is passionate about reading at this age. Agree with suggestions to do it outside the school gates. I guess the issue is that if other parents have a problem they might complain and blame the teacher. It seems very petty to me but I used to work with children and I’ve met children (very occasionally) who were banned from reading Harry Potter etc. which is bizarre to me but you just never know who you are going to encounter working with the public.

She didn’t just say no. She is out of order for the other thing that she said.

But that's not why she's banned them though is it?

She's banned them because she doesn't like the content.

Should I do anything?

Share whatever books you like with your son’s friends outside of school.

Have a polite chat with the teacher. There would be many reasons why they don't want him bringing in books

I agree with those who have said these are gateway books into proper reading. I just asked my DS (year 6) if BvM got him into reading he said definitely yes, and that he was an average reader before. He will part with his own money for these books, which is a rare thing.

He still loves reading them but moved from these to the Frostheart series which is a great first step and gripping. He also enjoyed the Skander series, Wolf Brother (a 9 book series), Arkspire and Greenwild. He's one of the most avid readers in his class and it's hugely helped his creative writing and vocabulary.

Yes they are very silly and violent but that's sort of the point.

DS has just pointed out he knew what a singularity is because of those books.

Yep…I think it’s absolutely fine….given the circumstances ….and any headteacher would back the teacher in this situation.

these books may well be in the school library….and that’s fine….but a kid cannot be bringing in stuff like it’s a Richard and Judy book club

Maybe the Head will have a firm word back at the OP

Are the people posting about it being disruptive for the teacher ignoring that this isn't the reason she banned the book!?

Sure it's disruptive bringing in and swapping books. Just say so and I'm sure most parents would be fine. It's the banning the book for being 'inappropriate' that's the problem. Like the kid took in 50 Shades of Grey in instead of Bunny v Monkey.