I hope that by petitioning the Bethlehem School Board and other administrators they will see that there is a need for alternate texts in their ELA curriculum for students that have religious objections to reading profanity, vulgarity, or sexual content. Students should not have to choose between doing their required reading and maintaining their religious or moral values. ***I am NOT suggesting that these texts be censored or removed from the school  ***  This is a plea to educators to support their students by allowing alternative texts.

My child just started at the Bethlehem Central High School this year. The English 9 class was told that two of the required texts for the year (Of Mice and Men and Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian) contained profanity, vulgar language, sexual references, sex acts, and racist language. My child expressed concern to the teacher that he did not feel comfortable reading  books that contain those elements but was told there was no choice but to read all the assigned texts for the year.

I emailed the teacher and was contacted by Dan Hash (ELA curriculum for K-12) by phone. I explained my child's concerns and that his religious faith led him to decide that reading the content and language as presented in the book was not in his best interest. I suggested use of alternate texts, an independent study option, or even an accredited online class if no other text could be given. I agreed to re-read the currently assigned book (Of Mice and Men) in the mean time. I was told that after consultation with Principal Doemel and Assistant Superintendent David Hurst that the school required he read the assigned text. I was surprised to find 52 uses of profanity in one chapter of the book. I looked ahead to other assigned books and found that this is also the case for Absolutely True Diary as well as containing sex acts and slurs.

Even if you are okay with your child reading all these texts in their entirety I invite you to support other students and families who are trying to live by their values and still participate in and receive a rigorous education.