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From: Norma Jean <nsawicki>
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2005 12:39:39 -0500
Erin Murphy makes a terrific point in her observations about how i live being a much larger story than she originally heard. Words, scenes, and themes taken out of context sometimes have little to do with the whole...or, are a small part of the whole. It is not unlike a comment once made to me by someone who said...it has a rape scene in it; to which I said...and. For anyone interested in How Far is Too Far, I enthusiastically recommend The Language Police: How Pressure Groups Restrict What Students Learn by Diane Ravitch. Among other things, the Appendix includes an extensive glossary of Banned Words, Usages, Stereotypes, and Topics in textbooks. For instance...able-bodied; offensive, replace with person who is non-disabled; Adam and Eve, replace with Eve and Adam to demonstrate that males do not take priority over females; America/Americas, use with care, because it suggests geographical chauvinism unless it applies to all people in North America, South America and Central America, refer instead to people of the United States; Founding Fathers, banned as sexist, replace with the founders, the framers; Gay, banned as it suggests homosexual, replace with happy, enlightened; Lady, banned as sexist; insane, banned as offensive, replace with person who has an emotional disorder or psychiatric illness; junk bonds, banned as elitist; heroine, banned as sexist, replace with hero...a very long list.
Stereotyped images to be avoided in the text and illustrations...women portrayed as teacher, mother, nurse or secretary; father taking children on an adventurous outing, mother comforting children, giving sympathy, hugs, kisses, hot milk at bedtime...another long list.
The book is about textbook adoptions in different states; how textbook must be edited in order to win adoptions in different states. California and Texas have the most rigid requirements although they are not necessarily the same.
If a conversation is lagging, I read from The Language Police. At a dinner party, it is better than a case of wine...and no hangover.
We all know that old adage...careful what you wish for....
Norma Jean
Received on Thu 23 Jun 2005 12:39:39 PM CDT
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2005 12:39:39 -0500
Erin Murphy makes a terrific point in her observations about how i live being a much larger story than she originally heard. Words, scenes, and themes taken out of context sometimes have little to do with the whole...or, are a small part of the whole. It is not unlike a comment once made to me by someone who said...it has a rape scene in it; to which I said...and. For anyone interested in How Far is Too Far, I enthusiastically recommend The Language Police: How Pressure Groups Restrict What Students Learn by Diane Ravitch. Among other things, the Appendix includes an extensive glossary of Banned Words, Usages, Stereotypes, and Topics in textbooks. For instance...able-bodied; offensive, replace with person who is non-disabled; Adam and Eve, replace with Eve and Adam to demonstrate that males do not take priority over females; America/Americas, use with care, because it suggests geographical chauvinism unless it applies to all people in North America, South America and Central America, refer instead to people of the United States; Founding Fathers, banned as sexist, replace with the founders, the framers; Gay, banned as it suggests homosexual, replace with happy, enlightened; Lady, banned as sexist; insane, banned as offensive, replace with person who has an emotional disorder or psychiatric illness; junk bonds, banned as elitist; heroine, banned as sexist, replace with hero...a very long list.
Stereotyped images to be avoided in the text and illustrations...women portrayed as teacher, mother, nurse or secretary; father taking children on an adventurous outing, mother comforting children, giving sympathy, hugs, kisses, hot milk at bedtime...another long list.
The book is about textbook adoptions in different states; how textbook must be edited in order to win adoptions in different states. California and Texas have the most rigid requirements although they are not necessarily the same.
If a conversation is lagging, I read from The Language Police. At a dinner party, it is better than a case of wine...and no hangover.
We all know that old adage...careful what you wish for....
Norma Jean
Received on Thu 23 Jun 2005 12:39:39 PM CDT
