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?

A previous poster shared an excerpt from a book, to demonstrate that no, it is not “just words”. It was graphic and duly deleted. Thus proving the point I suppose. I gave a sanitised explanation to the poster who queried what was deleted/why.

Doesn't Atticus win the case in the end? I don't understand this.

No. No no no. You do not want to know.

I’m an attorney (primarily family and criminal law). I wouldn’t call myself particularly “sensitive”. I’ve unfortunately seen, heard and read considerably worse.

but that quote should never be inflicted upon unsuspecting people. Let alone children.

Wtf fiction book contains that description?

What children?!

Or Children of the Dust?

Quite a few of us 80s kids scarred by the post-nuclear holocaust genre...😁

I totally disagree. We are meant to be horrified by the Holocaust. But, yes, children now are much more protected so I suppose those documentaries aren't being shown in schools any more, which means most people will never see them. If we forget, it will happen again.
We're coming to a time when people remember WWII and none WWI.

@Ginkypig no idea, but I hope to never find said book in real life.

I suspect the OP to be American, which might explain a great deal. BTW, " A Handmaid's Tail" sounds a great deal saucier than the original.

I meant the original poster sharing that, not your account of it. You’d just highlighted that post to me and indirectly that this thread has gone nutso.

No, Atticus loses the case. IIRC he believes he can get the conviction overturned but Tom Robinson is shot and killed trying to escape from prison.

Newsflash... you are 'that' DM.

@crazymomma93 I had to support one of my dds in a similar situation a few years ago. It absolutely is ok not to want to study a book that upsets you. Children should be encouraged to take a stand in a polite and sensible way. It’s hard to go against your class and authority in that way and is admirable IMO.

The book in question imo is suitable for secondary school. It will bring up subjects entirely relevant to girls & young women today according to the synopsis. I'm thinking along the lines of arranged marriage or parental non approval of choice of partner.

I loved Children of the Dust.

I was starting to get into Stephen King at 12. Carrie was quite an eye-opener.

Ah, the worry of someone seeing her reading it? I can get that as I've had the same feeling on the bus e.g. reading a book about a certain group with members of that group sitting there!

I wouldn't go against a teacher's reading list unless my DC was really suffering. Some things can be hard/boring/sad and we've read those chapters together. He's highly sensitive so needs a handhold sometimes but I wouldn't say no, not reading that without having tried to help him deal with his feelings first.

Her dd is no longer required to read the book. It was easily resolved.

Z for Zachariah is a hard, traumatic, claustrophobic read that I did at 14/15. It’s probably why I can imagine a teacher saying “Its just words”, to a pupil.

You are being unreasonable.

Ha ha, yes, I remember something about book burning. I just found it boring at the time, but I can imagine there'd be complaints about it nowadays.

I am not shocked by the teachers response. No wonder our education system is a mess. I complained about my daughters spelling mistakes in a essay not being underlined as a mistake, the teacher told me that spelling wasn't important. That was many years ago. I wonder if their payslip was wrong and they were down a couple of hundred pounds if they would shrug and say it's just numbers.

Most of the best stories involve something negative. Even when there's a happy ending there's usually some adversity to tackle.

YABU. What a very strange thing to get so worked up over!🙄

Unpleasant.