Action | Amendments Regarding Use of Controversial or Sensitive Instructional Materials |
Stage | NOIRA |
Comment Period | Ends 1/15/2014 |
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As a high school English teacher, I strongly believe that this amendment must be rejected. It is very hard to determine what material is "sensitive" and varies so much from student to student and even from day to day. This would put immense limitations on curriculum planning. Reading is such a struggle for students in our modern age. They need to read something that appeals to them and interests them. In order to meet these needs, a large array of materials must be available for the teacher to choose from. The selections that have been read and taught for years (consider "Romeo and Juliet" or "Beowulf") are classics that appeal to our modern readers. While they do contain some material that may be viewed by some as "sensitive" they also contain timeless subjects and themes that students can relate to, even though they were written ages ago. This is the type of literature that should never be subject to discrimination based on what people may or may not consider "sensitive" content.