Fired for an "Inappropriate" Book?

I’m retired from teaching now, but that doesn’t mean I’ve checked out entirely. Yes, I know teaching has changed a lot since I left my day job, but there are some things going on in education that this old-timer sees as sheer nonsense.

Case in point is this article from the New York Times: An Educator Read ‘I Need A New Butt. Then He Was Fired’ (March 11, 2022). Read it and tell me you aren’t shaking your head in disbelief.

Apparently Dawn McMillan’s book I Need a New Butt was just too risque for a Zoom read-aloud in a second grade classroom by Assistant Principal Toby Price. Why? Because the story, written for 6- to 10-year-olds, referenced farting, butt sizes, and shapes. These things apparently violate the standards of conduct section of the Mississippi Educator Code of Ethics so the Superintendent of Hinds County Schools in Mississippi first put Mr. Price on administrative leave and then terminated him.

Having been a second grade teacher for half of my 30-year teaching career, I really am struggling to relate to a school superintendent who does not know butts and farting - most bodily functions really - are of prime interest to second graders. And, as a teacher, if reading a silly and nonsensical story that appeals to the humor of 7- or 8-year-old kids hooks them into reading, I would read I Need A New Butt to my students too. Sorry not sorry.

One of my students’ favorite read aloud stories was David Shannon’s No David, a Caldecott Honor Book and ALA Notable Children’s Book. In this relatable story, the main character runs down the street sans pants (Come back here David!) and at one point picks his nose (Stop that this instant!). What happened after we read that story together? After hearing about David’s antics, even my most reluctant readers would jockey for No David or others written by David Shannon. Enticing children to reading and becoming interested in literacy - isn’t that actually the point?

It certainly seems that there has been a disconnect between the District leaders in Hinds County, MS and the children in the school system. Hopefully this kind of insane second-guessing of books “appropriate” for read-alouds isn’t all that wide-spread.

Those silly, hilarious moments are, to me, what helps students connect to learning. Learning is often challenging, but there is no reason it cannot be fun. As Mr. Price, who is a parent as well as an educator says:

“We have a lot of reluctant readers,” he said. “I am a firm believer that reluctant readers need the silly, funny books to hook them in.”

Exactly.