The brainlessness of an English Tutor. Fuming

[crazymomma93]

Long time lurker, please bear with me.
My DD12 has been having some issues with her reading book. It has been making her feel uncomfortable, from the Genre and style of writing. So I have looked into it, got a jist of the book, she has pointed out some bits that made her uneasy and I looked up the age rating which was 14+. Now typically if you knew me, you would know I am not "that Mom" but I emailed her Form Tutor to ask if there was an alternative. Tutor emailed back after talking to English dept and DD dosn't need to read the book any longer, she can bring in her own. No problem. My DD has just told me she spoke with her own English Tutor, the day before I sent the email to tell her Form Tutor. After listening to DD, English Tutor responds "it's just words"
ITS JUST WORDS? Sorry is that not pretty much the Tutors whole career, teaching English?
I need calming because I am close to emailing said teacher calling her a c**t, because, you know "it's just words". See how her feelings are when she reads something that makes her uncomfortable.
My DD turned to her to ask because the book was making her uneasy and that is the response. What about children who get verbally bullied? Where is this Womans morals. AIBU?

My guess is Heroes by Robert Cormier.

And OP, you’re overreacting… massively

Totally disproportionate reaction op.

If it was American Psycho, OP might have a point. But she's displaying some Bateman-lite tendencies herself.

Thank you - saved me a job. That's going to give me nightmares.

OP won't be back now you've all attacked her will she

To be fair, yes, there are an awful lot of words in that.

Not “gate keeping” books isn’t better (or worse) than “gate keeping” any other kind of media or artistic creation.

And “not gatekeeping a book” isn’t quite the same as expecting pupils to read said specific book, is it?

Given OP hasn’t been back, I suspect the book in question was Noddy Goes to Toyland

This. Where are you getting the information that a book is 14+?

It’s only words

Well nobody, but I would prefer that when my child is taught history they are not presented with a fictional and inaccurate representation of something so terrible as death camps and told it is history.

It's probably Of Mice and Men

It has a few words considered offensive these days

It's still taught in schools but DC can get offended by some words used

Obviously they know those words were used back then but are now never used due to being highly offensive

Thank you, I was just about to make the same point.

I am not "that Mom"

Hate to break it to ya …

I have seen "14+" and/or "Warning: Mature Content" on the back of some YA novels.

Too many variables. Was it a book DD picked up in the library of her own will, decided to do a report on it and then decided it was too intense or was it a set text by the teacher?

Also... Was it said as "it's just words 🙄" or "it's just words Mary, please don't get swept up in it but if it is too distressing then..." because there's a huge difference between the two.

Either way I wouldn't email the tutor to tell her she's a cunt, I'd maybe get down to the reasons why DD is uncomfortable and go from there.

Need to know the book and the context. Were the class told to select a book each from the libabry etc? as it doesn't sound like a book the whole class are reading if she can simply choose another? FYI books do have age ratings. My oldest dc, when 6, came off the school library bus with a manga style comic that staff let her pick ( her thinking it was a comic book) and stamped for her. It stated 14+ on the cover but no staff noticed. It was quite inappropriate and I was surpised it was considered acceptable as a school library book at all, even for 14+.

Also would like to know what the book is.
I think it's important to read books from different periods in time, even if they make us uncomfortable. You don't have to agree with the views in the book; there is education in looking at how the world has moved forward or changed. Your reaction is over the top.

Absolute tosh 👍🏻

Next.

My money is on either “To Kill a Mockingbird “ or “”Of Mice and Men”.
The first one is meant to make you uncomfortable. The second is a great story with a very problematic repetition of the N word. I have never known a teacher actually read that word aloud but it’s there many times. Most preface reading it with a discussion of the word and why it was fine a hundred years ago but absolutely unacceptable now.
could also be a Heartstopper book if OP has certain views, I suppose.

You can say cunt.
What is it then?

(Fuck Boris, I want Nigel)

Wish my parents had intevened when I had to read Shakespeare. Bloody man wasn't happy to just use existing words, he even made up his own to confuse me even more.😅

I think the way you've referred to the teacher on the back of a second hand handmedown conversation is horrid.

More reasonably, I can well see how a teacher might say this in a well meaning sense and for this to be misinterpreted/taken out of context. Literature can be powerful and inhabit our thoughts and dreams. Sometimes you need someone to tell you “it’s just words”, to remind you that fiction might be frighteningly thought provoking, but it is still fiction… especially when you’re 12.

Perhaps she had read that the Centre For Holocaust Education has warned [PDF] that this book "could potentially do more harm than good"?

Poor daughter. Poor teachers. No wonder teachers are leaving in droves.