NEW EXCELLENCE

We want to thank all the community members who attended the public hearing on Ricochet River January 6, particularly those who chose to speak and share their opinions. The school board needs this kind of community input in order to first formulate a decision, and then stand by it with conviction. Your comments will help them.

Many of those who spoke at the hearing questioned who we are and what our agenda is. We are a group of parents who are concerned about the language in two books that are currently used in our schools. We are following the established process for challenging the use of those materials by the school. That’s it. Concerned parents just following the process.

Our agenda was posted on our web site when it was first launched and it has not changed. We believe that the books Ricochet River and Rats Saw God are not appropriate reading material for classroom curriculum. We believe the school district needs to establish standards to review current materials to remove those which fall below the standards, and to evaluate proposed materials before they enter the classroom. And as a last alternative, we believe objectionable reading material should require an “opt-in” parental consent form which thoroughly informs the parent of the objectionable language or material contains.

This process actually started two years ago when Ricochet River was introduced into a classroom and tied to three classes with no opt-out available. We were told that if a student didn’t want to read the book, he or she would receive a failing grade on this assignment which would have affected his or her final grade. Ricochet River is now a “choice” book, meaning it is one of five books a student may select as part of a core (combining three subjects – English, Biology, History) project. However, contrary to assurances that we were given at that time, the district has not systematically alerted parents to the sexually explicit language in the book.

Many of the parents who spoke at the public hearing felt we were dictating what their students should or shouldn’t read. While we believe that the classroom is not the place for explicit sexual materials, we do respect the right of parents to be involved in this process and encourage them to do so. We thank all parents who spoke at the public hearing. It reinforces our belief that parents need to be involved and communicate their feelings with their children, with their teachers, with the district and with each other.

We also want to commend those students who voiced their comments and concerns at the public hearing. It takes a lot of courage to speak in front of others, particularly when you are expressing passionate feelings about a topic that you know others in attendance feel differently about. We encourage you to continue to express your feelings to your parents and teachers. We believe this will create the kind of dialogue and sharing of viewpoints which is needed.

We feel one of the many good things that has come from taking this issue before the school board is the frank and lively public discussion which has occurred, and needs to continue as Rats Saw God is debated. This book is required reading by seniors at Clackamas High School. It contains much more detailed and objectionable language. It needs to be discussed and your views need to be communicated to the decision makers.

To the greater teaching staff at North Clackamas School District - we hope that it is understood that our effort was intended solely to shed light on two books we felt weren’t appropriate, not to cast doubt on professional judgment or character. We have and will continue to place our most cherished possessions – our children – in your hands. We want you to open new doors for them, introduce new concepts and help them become better observers and analysts. We agree that teaching the process of making a decision is as important, if not more important, than the decision that is made. As you consider which materials to use with which to fill our students’ minds, please consider the concerns that we have expressed about sexually explicit language. Is it really necessary?