Gay Themed Book Banned Because Of Internet Dating Plot

[davidinalameda]

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon05/11/112105geoClub.htm

University Place school officials have removed a book about gay teens from the district's library shelves following parents' complaints.

In banning "Geography Club," Superintendent Patti Banks said she was alarmed by the "romanticized" portrayal of a teen meeting a stranger at night in a park after meeting the person — revealed to be a gay classmate — in an Internet chatroom. She said her decision was not due to the gay theme of the novel by Brent Hartinger of Tacoma.

"We want to send a strong consistent message to all our students that meeting individuals via the Internet is extremely high-risk behavior," Banks wrote in a letter Nov. 2 to two parents who requested the book's removal.

[pocket]

1. I've met dozens of people via the internet

Some I didn't like, but nobody ever tried to abduct me.

[Ian David]

2. I think a problem was they met in a secluded park at night

Meeting someone at Starbucks is relatively safe

Meeting a stranger in the fog down by the docks in the warehouse district is not.

But in any case, the majority (90%) of kids reading the book wouldn't see meeting a gay stranger as a positive thing.

It's kind of nice to think they want to "ban" a book that in effect discourages gay kids from meeting strangers in dangerous places. It's one of the first things the religious right has ever done that might actually make some gay kids safer.

[TechBear_Seattle]

3. How many when you were in your early or mid teens?

I hate to say it, but the Superintendent might have a good point if the author does not have the character in question take safety measures (such as meeting in a crowded, public place like a shopping mall, not giving home phone number or last name, etc.) Pedophiles and other predators make strong use of the Internet to find victims, and kids dealing with their sexuality in a hostile culture are particularly vulnerable to people who promise to understand and provide love.

I haven't read the book, so I can't say if the Superintendent is overreacting or not.

[pocket]

4. none

good point.

[davidinalameda]

6. that's what I was thinking as well

the whole meeting someone on the internet isn't that bad but meeting them RL in a secluded place, blah blah blah isn't cool in this day and age of cyber stalkers and all the other boogiemen from Law and Order SVU

[icymist]

5. School district bans novel about gay teenagers (Seattle PI)

School district bans novel about gay teenagers

<snip>
Parent Connie Claussen disagrees with Banks' decision and said she plans to appeal to the School Board.

"It is about gay students. However, the most important part of the book is that it's about bullying, outcasts, about tolerance. This is a really good book for any student to read."

<snip>
Banks had "Geography Club" withdrawn from Curtis Junior and Senior high school libraries after a couple with children in both schools filed a complaint Oct. 21 asking the district to remove the book.

They wrote that reading the book could result in a "casual and loose approach to sex," encourage use of Internet porn and the physical meeting of people through chat rooms.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/249113_book21.html

[Democrats_win]

7. Another homophobic lie. Shame on these false christians!!!!

GEOGRAPHY CLUB IS JUST THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT THE HOMOPHOBES SAY IT IS!

Consider the book´s concept; the students wanted to create a club in which they would be left alone so they could really be a gay club. So they figured a Geography Club was so boring that no one would want to join. This books actually suggest a way to avoid using chat rooms to be with other gay people.

True, the main characters do meet through a chat room. The main character even pauses to consider the danger of meeting someone through a chat room. They meet and are so happy to have found each other, they kiss. Kissing is the extent of their physical acts.

They do create a better place for gay people, the Geography Club, so that others won´t need a chat room. If today´s false christains would stop working so hard to prevent Gay-Straight alliances, maybe kids would not find it necessary to use chat rooms.

Homophobic christians should look at their own role in forcing kids to extreme measures such as meeting someone through chat rooms or other dangerous paths. The sermon on the mount tells them that they should take this log of lies out of their own eyes before telling someone to remove a spec of dust from their eyes. If only they would act like Christians.

This book is fiction, a discussion of this book could include the danger of meeting someone in chat rooms. The false christians only want one thing, money and they get it through hate. If they were true christians they would first pay the money they owe in taxes because Americans who do pay taxes will always have that against them. In fact the sermon on the mount insists that they make things right with others before they worship God.

[Streetdoc270]

9. True story on event due to this book

A Friend of mine is a HS english teacher. He was telling me that one of his students read that book, came to him and said that he wanted to start a club for Gay students. They went to the Principal and he gave it the OK to go to the county review board! So that book has helped at least one person.

[Democrats_win]

10. Awesome! It shows the book is about creating a safe place.

[Guy Fawkes]

8. Now how will I lure teens to the park at night?

Seriously, why don't they just admit they're homophobic morans and tell the truth about why they're banning the book?

[davidinalameda]

11. since when do homophobic morans ever address the truth

:shrug: