Swearing in year 3 reading book

[babyin2020]

My 7 year old in year 3 came home today with a new book for reading at home he opened the book and handed it to me. The first line of the book opens with swearing. Do you think this is appropriate?

Have you actually highlighted the text in the book?

I suspect he picked it himself from the school library. It would be perfectly suitable for an 11 year old- younger kids love to pick books they feel are meant for older ones from the library- it makes them feel grown up- Just return the book to school!

Inappropriate, OP. Agreed.

He was given a box with a few books to choose from

@babyin2020

5)

Did he pick the books himself or did the teacher hand them to him?

The only swear words are "ass" and "pissed" , and they're not that bad either ,if at all.

However the books are definitely inappropriate for a y3 child due to the themes and things discussed-quite graphically i might add- , not the swearing.

Neither of those are Y3 reading books. They are both YA fiction. I might recommend them to mature Y6 students. Currently reading Noughts and Crosses with Y7.

Now, can someone write the full version of The Wind in the Fucking Willows? I can't wait til they meet that complete cunt Mr Toad.

@babyin2020

I’m glad I gave everyone some entertainment to get through the evening :) it is all in the same book also the first line hurt like a son of a Bitch was enough to stop my boy reading. Also the highlight bits were on iPhone and could barely get the lines straight so some are underlined some bits ended up highlighted

Is the book a compilation? Because you have two different authors and two different book titles in your photos.

@babyin2020

He was given a box with a few books to choose from

Why was he offered a box, where do the other children choose their books from?

OK, these are not good for Year 3.

From memory, noughts and crosses is probably OK for year 6, but this is one of the sequels, which contains more explicit sexual references and so isn't appropriate for primary.

Do tell the teacher. Suggest you don't do it how you did here as she (like many posters here) might assume you mean mild profanity, when the issue here is explicit sexual references and swearing. Give them one or two of the more extreme phrases/examples so that they know what is wrong. I'm certain no teacher would knowingly give this book to a 7 year old.

it is all in the same book

No, they're not.

This is weird.

These are 'Nought Forever' by Malorie Blackman and 'The Miseducation of Cameron Post' by Emily Danforth. Both are excellent books, but not intended for young children. They are YA books - indeed the Danforth book, which was made into a film, is basically an adult book, though one of interest to teenagers. I am quite sure that these books are not being used as reading-books: for one thing, the vocabulary would be way above most Year 3 children's capacity. Maybe your child got it from the school library, which is perhaps shared with secondary pupils?

My DD picked up Noughts and Crosses in probably late Y4/ early Y5 and I wasn't particularly happy, due to the subject matter rather than the language. I was a bit late to find out though so my opinion was irrelevant. I'd agree, not Y3 material, however technically competent the reader.

The main book is nought forever and near the back the second one started possibly a advertisement for the next book

It might be that books are grouped by reading level in boxes? So teacher said "Oh,go and pick a book from the grey box" or "Here's the box of grey books,pick one".

It's not necessarily a bad thing ,but it does mean that occasionally an able reader might encounter themes and language that's inappropriate, or that older kids dump books in the wrong box etc.

There is no way a primary school would have The Miseducation of Cameron Post.
That's so farfetched as to be worthy of troll hunting.

Malorie Blackman's Noughts and Crosses also aren't suitable for primary age really, so I am highly dubious about that one too.

They're both 14/15+ tbh.

Thankyou for the helpful few also a big thankyou to everyone else’s unhelpful rambling

The first line of the book opens with swearing.
You haven't photographed the first line of either book, but you have highlighted a whole bunch of stuff that isn't swearing.

The book has obviously been put in the wrong box. Send it back to the school with a note OP.

And I would be even more angry with a teacher that gave someone the fifth book in a series before they'd read the first!

thankyou to everyone else’s unhelpful rambling
😂 Sez the one who took about three days to say what the problem actually was!
Why don't you answer the questions regarding where your child actually got the book from, op? Being offered a special box sounds quite hard to believe.

Ok, I have 15 years experience working in schools. That book is not for Year 3 and I'm amazed it was available for a year 3 child. I'm assuming it's a mistake. Does your child not have a reading record where their reading books are logged? If it's a library book it should also have been logged by a member of staff.
That said...I am a great believer that no book is necessarily off limits to a child, within reason, as long as they have the comprehension, mental and emotional capacity to process what they are reading and the ability to question and have open dialogue. I was raised that way and have raised my child that way - obviously I don't apply that on other people's children before I get jumped on - we are both voracious readers. I also disagree about making swearing taboo. Obviously I don't think it should be freely used or for punctuation but if you make it "a bad word" it has power and becomes forbidden fruit. I always explained what swear words were when it came up and explained that they aren't words used in polite conversation (I do swear like a trooper among my friends though, not going to lie)
Upshot fwiw - I'd have a chat with the school, find out what this box is all about as it doesn't necessarily sound like it's a reading book or library book and essentially give them a heads up on the whole thing

@PhilODox

And I would be even more angry with a teacher that gave someone the fifth book in a series before they'd read the first!

Very true!

The book has obviously been put in the wrong box. Send it back to the school with a note OP.

NO! It cannot simply be a case that a mistake was made and an unsuitable book accidentally ended up in the wrong place!!!! Where would all the unnecessary drama and angst come from if everyone just sensibly shrugged and got on with life when faced with a possible mistake?

It is very obviously the case that the school have deliberately attempted to psychologically damage the OP's child by FORCING profanity such as 'ass' upon them, and the OP should immediately storm into the school and go fucking apeshit

Julia the question was answered he was given a box to choose a book from. I posted 6pm yesterday :) I can not be on my phone all day just to update you 👍 thankyou fractured rainbow red I will do

Had a little nosy hehe 🙃

Nought forever age rating is 9-14years so that is reasonable
But the miseducation of blah di blah is at least 15

OP @babyin2020 the books you photographed are definitely not suitable for a 7 year old, the subject matter and the agressive language are just too depressing and mature. I don’t notice swearing except “pissed” but only had a quick read.
Send a note back to the teacher, they probably didn’t know what was in the box and would appreciate the information.

I was beginning to think that if the OP was offended by a word in a Year 3 book, they'd never make it through reading this thread and maybe that's why I had read so many pages without finding what the word was. Looks like it was finally resolved.
OP probably best not let their child read Maze Runner any time soon