By Bill Santiago
Published July 1, 2024, 7:07 p.m. ET
Here I am trying everything I can to raise my young daughters right, vigilantly monitoring the assault of content they consume.
What are they watching? What are they listening to? What are they scrolling through? Is it appropriate?
Then along comes Kipp Beyond Middle School, the Harlem charter school that I was originally thrilled our preteen would attend. And all my protective efforts were brazenly violated.
No, my 12-year-old girl wasn’t peer-pressured into exploring sexually explicit content.
She was assigned to do so by her 7th-grade English teacher — without my consent or knowledge. READ THE ENTIRE OP ED HERE
Published July 1, 2024, 7:07 p.m. ET
Here I am trying everything I can to raise my young daughters right, vigilantly monitoring the assault of content they consume.
What are they watching? What are they listening to? What are they scrolling through? Is it appropriate?
Then along comes Kipp Beyond Middle School, the Harlem charter school that I was originally thrilled our preteen would attend. And all my protective efforts were brazenly violated.
No, my 12-year-old girl wasn’t peer-pressured into exploring sexually explicit content.
She was assigned to do so by her 7th-grade English teacher — without my consent or knowledge. READ THE ENTIRE OP ED HERE
FYI
The Free Press | Erika Sanzi on the ongoing moral panic around “book banning” in public schools. Listen to today’s full education debate on Honestly at our... | Instagram
Debate: How Do We Fix American Education? | The Free Press1
The Free Press | Erika Sanzi on the ongoing moral panic around “book banning” in public schools. Listen to today’s full education debate on Honestly at our... | Instagram
Debate: How Do We Fix American Education? | The Free Press1
Documentation: EXCERPTS, EMAILS, LETTERS, TEXTS
|
| ||||
|
| ||||
|
| ||||
|
| ||||
|
| ||||
|
| ||||
|
| ||||||
|
| ||||||
| 3-4-24 3rd Letter to Principal Negron re "Poet X" broken promises, abuse |
| 3-8-24 Mother's letter to Mr Negron re Poet X, sexual content |
| 3-8-24 Text from Mr. Negron, cancelling meeting with parents, more BS |
| 3-8-24 - My text response to Principal Negron re his giving parents the run around for months on inappropriate sexual content to our children |
| 3-18-24 Letter to Principal Negron and ELA teachers Gilmartin and Peterson, re sexual content , public opinion, betrayal of truust |
| 3-26-24 - Auto response from Governor Hochul - to my complaint about inappropriate sexual content assigned to underaged children |
| 3-26-24 Complaint to Senator Gillibrand re inappropriate sexual content assigned to minor children at charter middle school - Kipp Beyond |
| 3-27-24 complaint to Chancellor David Banks re graphic sexual content assigned to my 12-year-old daughter by teachers |
| 3-27-24 Complaint to Panel For Educational Policy (PEP) re sexuually-charged books assigned to my child at Kipp Beyond Middle School |
| 3-27-24 Complaint to Board of Regents - re Kipp Beyond Middle School assigning sexually graphic books to my daughter |
| 3-27-24_complaint_-_soojin_education_policy_director_for_senator_john_liu._-_gmail_-_re__fwd__help._harlem_middle_school.pdf |
| 3-28-24 response from Deputy Commissioner of P–12 Instructional Support for NYSED, re inappropriate sexual content / Kipp Beyond Middle School |
| 3-31-24 Letter from Principal Negron, standing by sexually-charged "Poet X" for 7th graders, despite months of parental objections |
| 4-14-24 Principal Negron suddenly changes mind on "Poet X," 7th graders will read "Lord of the Flies." Never mentions why the about face. |
| 4-19-24 - Response to my complaint to DOE, Kipps NYC Schools Chief Schools Officer: sexually charged books are in alignment with Kipp NYC School values |
| email addresses for complaint letters |
| the_poet_x_-_op_ed_mssachusettes_2023.pdf |
| public_comments_on_sexually_explicit_books_being_provided_by_schools_to_underaged_children_3-18-24.pdf |
| kipp_co-founder_mike_feinberg_fired_following_allegations_of_sexual_misconduct.pdf |
School reading assignments sexually harassed my child — despite parent protests
By Bill Santiago
Published July 1, 2024, 7:07 p.m. ET
Here I am trying everything I can to raise my young daughters right, vigilantly monitoring the assault of content they consume.
What are they watching? What are they listening to? What are they scrolling through? Is it appropriate?
Then along comes Kipp Beyond Middle School, the Harlem charter school that I was originally thrilled our preteen would attend.
And all my protective efforts were brazenly violated.
No, my 12-year-old girl wasn’t peer-pressured into exploring sexually explicit content.
She was assigned to do so by her 7th-grade English teacher, Sean Gilmartin — without my consent or knowledge.
“Aristotle and Dante Explore the Secrets of the Universe” is a wonderful title for a book.
The Van Gogh-inspired cover appeared in a slideshow on curriculum night, implying our children were embarking on a philosophical, cosmological journey that would open their minds to a new level of literary and intellectual inquiry.
Sneaky, sneaky: Only after students were done reading this book did parents get wind of what was actually between the covers.
“The boys in the book masturbate to each other a lot,” my daughter’s friend blurted out as several families dined together at a restaurant.
We thought our children were being exposed to philosophy, but at last discovered that the book merely featured characters named after philosophers — who obsess about exposing themselves.
Not to mention the causal heroin use, a 15-year-old hiring a trans prostitute and a prison murder, among other similarly wholesome elements, all featured in the book assigned to my underaged daughter.
Remember how the city cleaned up Times Square to make it family-friendly? It seems everything they swept away has been regurgitated onto the pages of books my child is being assigned to read in class.
If this same sexually graphic content were shared at most jobs, a human-resources SWAT team would be scrambled and heads would roll.
Lawyers would be licking their chops over million-dollar harassment lawsuits.
Why should we look the other way when teachers assign explicit books to children?
“But the book won awards!” the school’s teachers pointed out, when we parents protested.
It doesn’t matter that parents don’t approve, as long as somebody who doesn’t know or care about our kids has slapped their golden seal of approval on the book.
Meanwhile, the English Language Arts director at Kipp Beyond, Jamie Axelrod, has openly questioned whether Shakespeare is still relevant or should even be taught.
Poor guy never won a diversity award! So naturally classrooms should deprioritize the Bard in favor of lesser authors who check the right social-justice boxes.
A word about the word “diversity”: It is not synonymous with sexually graphic material, nor does it grant immunity to teachers who sexually harass minor children by assigning such content.
After six months of protests, meetings, emails, texts, phone calls and Zoom calls with the principal, teachers, staff and regional directors, what was the response?
The founding principal, Joe Negron, spitting in the face of parental values and objections, announced 7th graders would next be assigned “The Poet X,” a book that’s even more explicit and sexually charged.
My daughter’s teachers were repeatedly assigning outright erotica to 12-year-olds.
After one of my endless emails to officials throughout the NYC Department of Education finally got somebody’s attention, the school finally relented and agreed to assign “Lord of the Flies” instead — at least this year.
But the chief schools officer at Kipp NYC Public Schools, Natalie Webb, subsequently emailed me to affirm that her charter school system is still fully committed to teaching the books we objected to — as well as other sexually explicit books — in the future, because they align with its “core values.”
It amazes me that in the wake of #Metoo, so many educators still don’t understand that no means no.
Nor do parents deserve the educators’ repeated insinuations that our objections must be based on bigotry.
My own family abounds in diversity of every kind, from pronouns to pizza toppings. So spare me the tactical gaslighting.
Am I just one of those parents — a book banner? Hardly.
As a journalist, author and entertainer, none of my professional pursuits are possible without the full employment and defense of the First Amendment.
But I identify first as a father.
That’s why when it comes to accepting that any adult or institution, teacher or school system can violate the boundaries of my young girls and my values as a parent, sorry, this papi don’t play dat.
School systems engaging in these predatory practices will never cop to it.
But if a teacher is providing explicit sexual erotica to a child, somebody should call the cops.
Laws and policies exist at every workplace to protect adults from being harassed by unwelcome sexual behavior, including being presented with sexual content in a book.
The standard should be higher when it comes to schoolchildren, not more permissive — and parents must speak that truth loudly to the Diversity Industrial Complex that’s running our schools.
Bill Santiago is a stand-up comedian and author of “Pardon My Spanglish.”
FILED UNDER
Comments
Dinged Up
2 July, 2024
Seems like a heavy dose of lawfare is in order.
"Federal law strictly prohibits the distribution of obscene matter to minors. Any transfer or attempt to transfer such material to a minor under the age of 16,...is punishable under federal law."
"Obscenity is not protected under First Amendment rights to free speech, and violations of federal obscenity laws are criminal offenses. The U.S. courts use [the] three-pronged...Miller test, to determine if... material is obscene. Obscenity is defined as anything that fits the criteria of the Miller test, which may include, for example, visual depictions, spoken words, or written text."
Win or lose, exposing these arrogant ideologues and political activists posing as "educators" would be worth the cost and effort.
(The 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) revealed that only 32% of 4th grade and 29% of 8th grade public school students performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level in reading.
N.B. :"According to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy, 2/3 of students who cannot read proficiently by the end of the fourth grade will end up in jail or on welfare")
The American public school system's creeping abrogation of parental rights (i.e. "social transitioning" a child without a parent's knowledge or consent) must end.
David Bartlett
1 July, 2024
We are w-a-a-ay beyond mere political differences. This is an existential battle for survival. And our enemy lies within.
Deb Lane
2 July, 2024
I spent many hours in my children's elementary school volunteering, working with the PTO, school banking, creating a science club, and using my own time/resources. Everything changed when my oldest moved to middle school. Parents are not needed as much and don't always see what is happening. As I learned about what was being said to my child I complained. I complained first to the teacher, then the principal, director of curriculum, and superintendent. Finally, I wrote to the school board about a book being used as part of the 9th-grade curriculum. My husband and I were confronted by the board and an organized group of folks (most of whom never attended school board meetings or had children in the school). Our issue was that the book had a Lexile level for 4-5th graders and read like Capitan Underpants or Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The book was littered with vulgarity, sexual assault, homophobia, and racism. The group one by one spoke about how we are racists, our "windows are closed," and something was wrong with us for not wanting our child to read this book. The director of curriculum said the message is more important than the academic rigor. This coming one month after the test results showed most grade levels only had 30-40% at grade level and another 30-40% at least 2 or more grade levels behind. Finally, the author was convicted of a sexual crime and I asked why we are supporting him and the director said something was wrong with every author. Upstate NY
Terence O'Neil
1 July, 2024
this along with so many other 'stories' is hard cold proof the 2020 elections were illegal. why? what is the link? think about it: SO MANY HAVE NO MORALS WHATSOEVER, that election cheating is not even on the minds of the majority as 'wrongdoing'...they call it 'saving democracy'...abortions become 'womans' health care' etc etc etc..when you deny the existence of God, there are NO MORALS PERIOD...
Vicki Stone
1 July, 2024
it's called "grooming"
Cool Breeze
2 July, 2024
Every institution is under the spell of all this WOKE nonsense - and the DOE is certainly a glaring example of that. When they feel the right to brainwash and contaminate our children - and then attempt to dissuade them from informing parents of their nefarious agenda(s) - that is beyond unethical and sick. This is nothing more than a blatant attempt by the LEFT to indoctrinate our youth into future versions of themselves.
Lasthonestblackman
2 July, 2024
“Remember how the city cleaned up Times Square to make it family-friendly?” “Remember how [Rudy Giuliani] cleaned up Times Square to make it family-friendly”
Dafi
2 July, 2024
Gosh, I know people who have been reprimanded—even fired—over a joke or showing a picture online that was “mildly” sexual. They have kids reading this!!! Unfortunately in this climate, all the parents need to leave the school (sounds crazy, but the other sides’ crazy worked) and tell every other parent whose kids may potentially go to the school know what this school is doing so they have no students at all. Shut them down. Good luck, sir! It’s tough to protect your children from maverick schools, but the best interest of your children comes first!
World full of obliviots
2 July, 2024
I guess they forgot all of Shakespeares male actors were playing female roles. Isn’t that woke enough for them, or did they not learn that part of history?
Lee palanzo
2 July, 2024
Probably should have been more vigilant. Probably should have taken you child OUT of that debauched hellhole they call schools. This is PARENTS faults for allowing the schools to become defacto parents by not knowing what was going on every minute strangers have your child. It’s YOUR FAULT your child was sexually harassed.
Eager Beaver
2 July, 2024
I lost all repect for primary-school, and secondary school teachers a lifetime ago
The are nothing but a bunch of left-wing, pedøphiles and pørnogråphers.
And for those amongst them who aren't; it's called guilt by association.
Juju
2 July, 2024
This is not appropriate for any aged child.
DJ1718
1 July, 2024
Truly gross.
Michelle Hondusky
2 July, 2024
If an adult shares porn with a minor , that’s an arrest able offense. I can’t understand how schools get away with it
William C
2 July, 2024
We have gone from “don’t ask don’t tell” to full on LBQT activists grooming of our children. Forcing adult sexual content onto young children is obviously wrong and evil, but this school is not apologizing for it and intends to continue the practice. It is especially evil that they sneak the content into seemingly innocent publications.
FISA Abuse
2 July, 2024
In Florida some school boards are getting rid of these inappropriate aged books. If for some reason parents are okay with these types of books they can go to the public library or order them online. Amazing how some parents are okay with this and then call the act of removing this filth fascist. More parents need to get involved and demand to see the curriculum and books required for reading. Unfortunately some teachers take it upon themselves and push the leftist agenda and give handouts that are not allowed to be taken home.
Lasthonestblackman
2 July, 2024
If this parent speaks out about this at an open meeting of parents and teachers, Biden’s FBI will be at the door with handcuffs.
Panther40
2 July, 2024
your people vote democrat every election. Dont care anymore about your kids.
Hof Tor
2 July, 2024
Get your kids out of those schools!
ata777
2 July, 2024
"A word about the word 'diversity': It is not synonymous with sexually graphic material, nor does it grant immunity to teachers who sexually harass minor children by assigning such content."
Oh, yes it is, in terms of every practical application made by those intent on indoctrinating innocent children with a degenerate ideology.
Quintsquarry
2 July, 2024
If you want the government to pay for your child's schooling, this is what you get. They are as effective at this as they are at the war on drugs, war on poverty and defending our border.
Tim Blough
2 July, 2024
This is sick sh.. DOE makes your kids read. Let alone middle school kids. DOE needs to go.
Nomar11
2 July, 2024
DEI destroys everything it touches.
Dinged Up
2 July, 2024
Seems like a heavy dose of lawfare is in order.
"Federal law strictly prohibits the distribution of obscene matter to minors. Any transfer or attempt to transfer such material to a minor under the age of 16,...is punishable under federal law."
"Obscenity is not protected under First Amendment rights to free speech, and violations of federal obscenity laws are criminal offenses. The U.S. courts use [the] three-pronged...Miller test, to determine if... material is obscene. Obscenity is defined as anything that fits the criteria of the Miller test, which may include, for example, visual depictions, spoken words, or written text."
Win or lose, exposing these arrogant ideologues and political activists posing as "educators" would be worth the cost and effort.
(The 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) revealed that only 32% of 4th grade and 29% of 8th grade public school students performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level in reading.
N.B. :"According to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy, 2/3 of students who cannot read proficiently by the end of the fourth grade will end up in jail or on welfare")
The American public school system's creeping abrogation of parental rights (i.e. "social transitioning" a child without a parent's knowledge or consent) must end.
David Bartlett
1 July, 2024
We are w-a-a-ay beyond mere political differences. This is an existential battle for survival. And our enemy lies within.
Deb Lane
2 July, 2024
I spent many hours in my children's elementary school volunteering, working with the PTO, school banking, creating a science club, and using my own time/resources. Everything changed when my oldest moved to middle school. Parents are not needed as much and don't always see what is happening. As I learned about what was being said to my child I complained. I complained first to the teacher, then the principal, director of curriculum, and superintendent. Finally, I wrote to the school board about a book being used as part of the 9th-grade curriculum. My husband and I were confronted by the board and an organized group of folks (most of whom never attended school board meetings or had children in the school). Our issue was that the book had a Lexile level for 4-5th graders and read like Capitan Underpants or Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The book was littered with vulgarity, sexual assault, homophobia, and racism. The group one by one spoke about how we are racists, our "windows are closed," and something was wrong with us for not wanting our child to read this book. The director of curriculum said the message is more important than the academic rigor. This coming one month after the test results showed most grade levels only had 30-40% at grade level and another 30-40% at least 2 or more grade levels behind. Finally, the author was convicted of a sexual crime and I asked why we are supporting him and the director said something was wrong with every author. Upstate NY
Terence O'Neil
1 July, 2024
this along with so many other 'stories' is hard cold proof the 2020 elections were illegal. why? what is the link? think about it: SO MANY HAVE NO MORALS WHATSOEVER, that election cheating is not even on the minds of the majority as 'wrongdoing'...they call it 'saving democracy'...abortions become 'womans' health care' etc etc etc..when you deny the existence of God, there are NO MORALS PERIOD...
Vicki Stone
1 July, 2024
it's called "grooming"
Cool Breeze
2 July, 2024
Every institution is under the spell of all this WOKE nonsense - and the DOE is certainly a glaring example of that. When they feel the right to brainwash and contaminate our children - and then attempt to dissuade them from informing parents of their nefarious agenda(s) - that is beyond unethical and sick. This is nothing more than a blatant attempt by the LEFT to indoctrinate our youth into future versions of themselves.
Lasthonestblackman
2 July, 2024
“Remember how the city cleaned up Times Square to make it family-friendly?” “Remember how [Rudy Giuliani] cleaned up Times Square to make it family-friendly”
Dafi
2 July, 2024
Gosh, I know people who have been reprimanded—even fired—over a joke or showing a picture online that was “mildly” sexual. They have kids reading this!!! Unfortunately in this climate, all the parents need to leave the school (sounds crazy, but the other sides’ crazy worked) and tell every other parent whose kids may potentially go to the school know what this school is doing so they have no students at all. Shut them down. Good luck, sir! It’s tough to protect your children from maverick schools, but the best interest of your children comes first!
World full of obliviots
2 July, 2024
I guess they forgot all of Shakespeares male actors were playing female roles. Isn’t that woke enough for them, or did they not learn that part of history?
Lee palanzo
2 July, 2024
Probably should have been more vigilant. Probably should have taken you child OUT of that debauched hellhole they call schools. This is PARENTS faults for allowing the schools to become defacto parents by not knowing what was going on every minute strangers have your child. It’s YOUR FAULT your child was sexually harassed.
Eager Beaver
2 July, 2024
I lost all repect for primary-school, and secondary school teachers a lifetime ago
The are nothing but a bunch of left-wing, pedøphiles and pørnogråphers.
And for those amongst them who aren't; it's called guilt by association.
Juju
2 July, 2024
This is not appropriate for any aged child.
DJ1718
1 July, 2024
Truly gross.
Michelle Hondusky
2 July, 2024
If an adult shares porn with a minor , that’s an arrest able offense. I can’t understand how schools get away with it
William C
2 July, 2024
We have gone from “don’t ask don’t tell” to full on LBQT activists grooming of our children. Forcing adult sexual content onto young children is obviously wrong and evil, but this school is not apologizing for it and intends to continue the practice. It is especially evil that they sneak the content into seemingly innocent publications.
FISA Abuse
2 July, 2024
In Florida some school boards are getting rid of these inappropriate aged books. If for some reason parents are okay with these types of books they can go to the public library or order them online. Amazing how some parents are okay with this and then call the act of removing this filth fascist. More parents need to get involved and demand to see the curriculum and books required for reading. Unfortunately some teachers take it upon themselves and push the leftist agenda and give handouts that are not allowed to be taken home.
Lasthonestblackman
2 July, 2024
If this parent speaks out about this at an open meeting of parents and teachers, Biden’s FBI will be at the door with handcuffs.
Panther40
2 July, 2024
your people vote democrat every election. Dont care anymore about your kids.
Hof Tor
2 July, 2024
Get your kids out of those schools!
ata777
2 July, 2024
"A word about the word 'diversity': It is not synonymous with sexually graphic material, nor does it grant immunity to teachers who sexually harass minor children by assigning such content."
Oh, yes it is, in terms of every practical application made by those intent on indoctrinating innocent children with a degenerate ideology.
Quintsquarry
2 July, 2024
If you want the government to pay for your child's schooling, this is what you get. They are as effective at this as they are at the war on drugs, war on poverty and defending our border.
Tim Blough
2 July, 2024
This is sick sh.. DOE makes your kids read. Let alone middle school kids. DOE needs to go.
Nomar11
2 July, 2024
DEI destroys everything it touches.
