Bell Curve The Law Talking Guy Raised by Republicans U.S. West
Well, he's kind of had it in for me ever since I accidentally ran over his dog. Actually, replace "accidentally" with "repeatedly," and replace "dog" with "son."

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Language is evil

Oh, you have got to be kidding me.

Dictionaries have been removed from classrooms in southern California schools after a parent complained about a child reading the definition for "oral sex".

Merriam Webster's 10th edition, which has been used for the past few years in fourth and fifth grade classrooms (for children aged nine to 10) in Menifee Union school district, has been pulled from shelves over fears that the "sexually graphic" entry is "just not age appropriate", according to the area's local paper.

The dictionary's online definition of the term is "oral stimulation of the genitals". "It's hard to sit and read the dictionary, but we'll be looking to find other things of a graphic nature," district spokeswoman Betti Cadmus told the paper.

We should ban kids from talking because they might say mean things. Also we should block out the sun because if people stare at it, they'll go blind.

We had a good run as a country. Now it's time to turn it over to whoever's next in line. China? Is that you?

9 comments:

Raised By Republicans said...

I don't know which is funnier, that this parent has suddenly learned that most kids use dictionaries mainly to look up dirty words (and then underline them) or that this parent actually thinks that banning hard copy dictionaries will do the trick.

Anonymous said...

I wish I could say I was surprised. Frankly, I think many parents in this country have gone from viewing their job as making their children ready to face the world to protecting their children from anything involving the world.

If Law Talking Toddler can't pour a glass of milk before she hits elementary school, run an errand before junior high, or balance a checkbook before college, I feel I will have failed as a mother. Yet I meet parent after parent who want to bubblewrap their kids from any possible injury, any possible risk or any possible hurt feeling.

-Seventh Sister

Raised By Republicans said...

But what about looking up dirty words in the dictionary? I mean what if she learns what poopy means before she's ready!? Oh! Who's going to think of the CHILDREN!?

Bell Curve said...

Yes, the parent's reaction was bad. But let's not forget to blame the school district! ONE parent complains and ALL the M-W 10th editions get pulled. That's insane.

Raised By Republicans said...

Good point Bell Curve. Indeed, we might be willing to tolerate a crank parent here or there but, to paraphrase Treebeard, a school board should know better.

(do I get points for the extra dorky - albeit nonSimpsons - reference?)

Anonymous said...

Definitely blame the school district. Who puts these policies together?

-Seventh Sister

The Law Talking Guy said...

Absolutely blame the school district. Idiots are foreseeable; it's all in how you deal with them. School board members must learn to say "no" to stupidity.

gfb9+2/3 said...

Aw, shucks. When I was in 4th or 5th grade, about 50 years ago, looking up dirty words, and seeing what other dirty words they would lead to, was one of our favorite pastimes. It didn't much matter which dictionary it was, though the larger, the better.
I guess we finally got caught.

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