Teacher Suspended For Reading 'Ender's Game' To Middle School Students?

BenG · 03-26-2012, 11:39 AM

Reports are conflicting about why she was suspended.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain...hool-students/

Quote:

In South Carolina a teacher has been placed on administrative leave for reading excerpts of Orson Scott Card’s science fiction classic Ender’s Game to his middle school students.

“The parent that reported him to the school district complained that the book was pornographic,” Tod Kelly writes. “[T]hat same parent also asked the local police to file criminal charges against the teacher. As of today, the police have not yet decided whether or not to file charges (which is probably a good sign that they won’t). The school district, however, appears to agree with the parent, is considering firing the teacher and will be eliminating the book from the school.

JoeD · 03-26-2012, 11:58 AM

"pornographic" am I thinking of the same "Ender's Game" as in the one about kids training to be space combat tacticians and

Spoiler:

whilst it has been a few years since I read it, I certainly don't recall anything that would come close to the term pornographic. As for violence, all I can recall is "bullying" which imo is exactly the kind of thing kids need to be made aware of and of course the spoiler part, but that's "fantasy" violence and no more damaging than the murder of 100's of thousands of people on the death star

There really must be more to the story than just the book or my lack of memory

QuantumIguana · 03-26-2012, 12:38 PM

Stories like this are pretty common in some parts. Odd that someone would even think of filing charges, there wouldn't be a case.

mrscoach · 03-26-2012, 12:40 PM

When I saw the headline I thought it would be because of the violence. But porn?I remember thinking there was little distinction between the sexes at their age.
I guess I need to find a copy and reread.

Hellmark · 03-26-2012, 12:51 PM

The only thing I can say is vaguely pornographic, is that the later ones about Bean make mentions of hookers in Rotterdam. The thing is though, that is so fleeting, that nothing is really made of it.

RainingLemur · 03-26-2012, 12:52 PM

Well, looks like they were saying he was reading pornographic things off the net, and not necessarily out of Ender's Game.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain...minal-charges/

ProfCrash · 03-26-2012, 01:19 PM

There is a fight scene in a shower that includes two naked boys. I would not deem it pornographic, I won't go into details here (mainly because spoiler tags do not work at work) but I can see where someone with an over active case of homophobia would see it as problematic. There are also many mentions of naked boys because you are dealing with an almost all male military school and that type of thing happens.

I cannot think of any scene in the book that is overtly sexy or includes anything that anyone with half a brain would call sexy.

ProfCrash · 03-26-2012, 01:22 PM

The most recent story update says that the teacher was not reading anything porongraphic from the internet.

Hellmark · 03-26-2012, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

The most recent story update says that the teacher was not reading anything porongraphic from the internet.

Yeah, some people were spreading false reports about the teacher. May have been due to some agenda.

DiapDealer · 03-26-2012, 03:42 PM

Quote:

I would not deem it pornographic, I won't go into details here (mainly because spoiler tags do not work at work) but I can see where someone with an over active case of homophobia would see it as problematic.

Like maybe Orson Scott Card himself? How ironic.

AlexGrama · 03-26-2012, 04:45 PM

This is silly.

Keloff · 03-26-2012, 05:22 PM

Well, at least this hullabaloo means another sale for the author. It's a great read so far.

JoeD · 03-26-2012, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keloff

Well, at least this hullabaloo means another sale for the author. It's a great read so far.

The entire series is worth reading, although I didn't find them as good as Ender's game I'm still glad I read the lot (well, up to Shadow of the Giant, not read the more recent novels)

I think my second favourite in the series is the retelling of Ender's Game in Ender's Shadow.

askyn · 03-26-2012, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keloff

Well, at least this hullabaloo means another sale for the author. It's a great read so far.

If you enjoy Enders Game, after you finish get his book called Enders Shadow.

Same basic story, but from Beans view point. Bean is way more intelligent then ender and has a very unique perspective on the story.

Very well worth the read.

ProfCrash · 03-26-2012, 05:44 PM

The Shadow series is better then the other sequels.

03-26-2012, 11:58 AM	#2
JoeD Guru Posts: 895 Karma: 4383958 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: na	"pornographic" am I thinking of the same "Ender's Game" as in the one about kids training to be space combat tacticians and Spoiler: eventual genocide of an entire alien race whilst it has been a few years since I read it, I certainly don't recall anything that would come close to the term pornographic. As for violence, all I can recall is "bullying" which imo is exactly the kind of thing kids need to be made aware of and of course the spoiler part, but that's "fantasy" violence and no more damaging than the murder of 100's of thousands of people on the death star There really must be more to the story than just the book or my lack of memory

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03-26-2012, 12:38 PM	#3
QuantumIguana Philosopher Posts: 2,034 Karma: 18736532 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2 gen, Kindle Fire 1st Gen, Kindle Touch	Stories like this are pretty common in some parts. Odd that someone would even think of filing charges, there wouldn't be a case.

03-26-2012, 12:40 PM	#4
mrscoach Guru Posts: 767 Karma: 4837659 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: San Angelo Texas Device: Samsung Galaxy tab	When I saw the headline I thought it would be because of the violence. But porn?I remember thinking there was little distinction between the sexes at their age. I guess I need to find a copy and reread.

03-26-2012, 12:51 PM	#5
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,592 Karma: 4290425 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Foristell, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3, Kobo Libra 2	The only thing I can say is vaguely pornographic, is that the later ones about Bean make mentions of hookers in Rotterdam. The thing is though, that is so fleeting, that nothing is really made of it.

03-26-2012, 12:52 PM	#6
RainingLemur Spork Connoisseur Posts: 2,355 Karma: 16780603 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	Well, looks like they were saying he was reading pornographic things off the net, and not necessarily out of Ender's Game. http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain...minal-charges/

03-26-2012, 01:19 PM	#7
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	There is a fight scene in a shower that includes two naked boys. I would not deem it pornographic, I won't go into details here (mainly because spoiler tags do not work at work) but I can see where someone with an over active case of homophobia would see it as problematic. There are also many mentions of naked boys because you are dealing with an almost all male military school and that type of thing happens. I cannot think of any scene in the book that is overtly sexy or includes anything that anyone with half a brain would call sexy.

03-26-2012, 01:22 PM	#8
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	The most recent story update says that the teacher was not reading anything porongraphic from the internet.

03-26-2012, 04:45 PM	#11
AlexGrama Writer Posts: 275 Karma: 345042 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Nexus 7	This is silly.

03-26-2012, 05:22 PM	#12
Keloff Electronic media explorer Posts: 64 Karma: 169796 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Pretoria, South Africa Device: Kindle (6" Display, Global Wireless, Latest Generation), iPad 2	Well, at least this hullabaloo means another sale for the author. It's a great read so far.

03-26-2012, 05:44 PM	#15
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	The Shadow series is better then the other sequels.