Books More Police nonsense. Father arrested for Speaking Against Sexually Explicit Book - Page 2

Deberg_1990 · 05-07-2014, 10:17 AM

What the??? He violated the 2 minute rule.

You can jump to around 5:00 in the video.

Gilford, NH- A father of a high school student was arrested at a school board meeting Monday night after protesting the school’s sexually explicit required reading assigned to his 9th grade daughter at Gilford High School.

The book in question, ”Nineteen Minutes” by author Jodi Picoult, is about a school shooting taking place in a fictitious New Hampshire town, and it contains themes of student violence, bullying, and sexual aggression. There is one particularly provocative and graphic depiction of violent, drunken sex between two teens in the story on page 313. Click here to read the passage (warning: graphic language and explicit sexual content).

William Baer came to the meeting to voice his opposition to the school’s failure to send home notification alerting parents of the graphic content. “I’m outraged that Gilford High School would require my daughter to read this kind of material,” Baer told the Laconia Daily Sun.

Josh Youssef, a friend of Baer, spoke with Benswann.com about what preceded the school board meeting and Baer’s arrest. Youssef was at Baer’s home when they were talking about a reading assignment given to Baer’s daughter. Youssef opened the book and came across page 313, and they were shocked by the graphic description of rough sex. “His jaw dropped,” Youseff told Benswann.com.

Baer then contacted Principal Peter Sawyer of Gilford High School last Wednesday to arrange a meeting, but was told by Sawyer it would not be possible to meet before the weekend. Baer attended Monday’s meeting to make his concerns known to the school board. There was a police officer present at the meeting, Gilford Lt. James Leach. Youssef said that he had been told by other parents that it’s not common for police to be present at Gilford school board meetings.

The school board meeting allowed for public comment only; no discussion, questions or speaking more than once was permitted.

After Baer spoke for two minutes- the maximum speaking time dictated by the school board- another parent, Joe Wernig, spoke in support of the book’s content. Baer responded to Wernig’s comments, and it was then that he was asked to leave by Leach. When Baer asked if he was going to be arrested, he was escorted from the meeting by Leach and handcuffed before being placed in a police cruiser. After Baer’s arrest, Lt. Leach was not replaced by another officer for the duration of the meeting.

Baer was not the only angry parent at the school board meeting. Another parent, Sarah Carrigan, said that she was “utterly appalled that this was an ‘oversight’”. Baer’s wife, Barbara Baer, shares her husband’s frustration. “They can discuss this some other way,” she said. “They don’t need that kind of imagery.”

“Nineteen Minutes” has been part of Gilford’s 9th grade AP English curriculum since 2007 when it was published. The school issued a statement that concluded the district “will take immediate action to revise these policies to include notification that requires parents to accept controversial material, rather than opt out.” The school sent out a notice stating that the book assigned “depicts high school relationships, some of which are unhealthy.”

Baer told Benswann.com that the school’s notice was only sent out after he went to the principal to discuss it, and that the notice failed to disclose the graphic passage in the book. “I can’t believe the school requires this as reading material,” he said. “There’s no reason to expect this kind of thing.”

While some parents say that this book opens up critical dialogue between parents and their children, Baer noted that when he asked Sawyer to discuss the passage in context with the rest of the book, Sawyer said he was uncomfortable doing so.

In the extended video below, given to Benswann.com by Youssef, Baer is shown being arrested after speaking out. Youssef believes, and the video shows, at minute 5:05 the superintendent signalling Lt. Leach to confront Baer to remove him from the building.

Read more: http://benswann.com/exclusive-father...#ixzz312z4HDPa
Follow us: @BenSwann_ on Twitter

Pitt Gorilla · 05-07-2014, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

You're out of your ****ing mind.

No one had previously complained. Perhaps they were underprotective parents?

Eleazar · 05-07-2014, 11:00 AM

Do you ever hear of school boards doing things well?

saphojunkie · 05-07-2014, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El Jefe

Over protective? You would allow your 9th grade daughter (hypothetical if need be) to read that?

You're right. A 9th grade girl plays with unicorn dolls and has never ever ever thought about sex one time or ever talked to her friends and no one in 9th grade has had sex or touched another person sexually and if I keep her from reading two paragraphs in a book about sex she will stay a virgin forever and be daddy's little girl until I ascend to heaven without dying.

CoMoChief · 05-07-2014, 11:04 AM

Horrible editor. They spelled cum wrong.

Fish · 05-07-2014, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saphojunkie

You're right. A 9th grade girl plays with unicorn dolls and has never ever ever thought about sex one time or ever talked to her friends and no one in 9th grade has had sex or touched another person sexually and if I keep her from reading two paragraphs in a book about sex she will stay a virgin forever and be daddy's little girl until I ascend to heaven without dying.

Come on dummy... there's a huge difference between that and school required reading. Nobody is saying teens don't think about sex or get exposed to sex.

BigBeauford · 05-07-2014, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saphojunkie

You're right. A 9th grade girl plays with unicorn dolls and has never ever ever thought about sex one time or ever talked to her friends and no one in 9th grade has had sex or touched another person sexually and if I keep her from reading two paragraphs in a book about sex she will stay a virgin forever and be daddy's little girl until I ascend to heaven without dying.

That line of thought becomes a slippery slope then. Maybe they should start reading about this kind of stuff in 8th grade, I mean it's only one year's difference.

CoMoChief · 05-07-2014, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saphojunkie

You're right. A 9th grade girl plays with unicorn dolls and has never ever ever thought about sex one time or ever talked to her friends and no one in 9th grade has had sex or touched another person sexually and if I keep her from reading two paragraphs in a book about sex she will stay a virgin forever and be daddy's little girl until I ascend to heaven without dying.

An institution doesn't need to be pushing that kind of material on students. If they want to learn about sex that's for their own time out of school.

htismaqe · 05-07-2014, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish

Come on dummy... there's a huge difference between that and school required reading. Nobody is saying teens don't think about sex or get exposed to sex.

By all means, lets educate them about force and coercion. Completely healthy...

saphojunkie · 05-07-2014, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

An institution doesn't need to be pushing that kind of material on students. If they want to learn about sex that's for their own time out of school.

I agree. I listed the teacher as stupid for requiring the reading, too. But of course everyone is ignoring that.

InChiefsHeaven · 05-07-2014, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

You're out of your ****ing mind.

This. No fuggn' WAY I would have sat still for that crap being given to my kid to read by the school.

ThaVirus · 05-07-2014, 11:28 AM

I'm at a bit of a crossroads when it comes to these types of situations.

On the one hand, I understand that this book was definitely "unnecessarily graphic" and probably shouldn't be a required reading..

But on the other, I would never want to be the overprotective parent that shelters his children.

I remember knowing and even fantasizing about sex as far back as elementary school. Perhaps that's due to my lax upbringing, but even my friends knew and talked about t often. You can shield your kids only for so long. At some point they're going to start hearing about it more and more from their peers and then there will be nothing you can do for them. I guess the best thing is to be open and talk about the dangers involved and hope they make the best decision about it when the time comes.

InChiefsHeaven · 05-07-2014, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saphojunkie

I agree. I listed the teacher as stupid for requiring the reading, too. But of course everyone is ignoring that.

I think it's because calling the father overprotective is more stupider...

KCUnited · 05-07-2014, 11:31 AM

Exactly why I hide my Barely Legal's under my mattress so my kids can't see this kind of filth. Plus, they're only here every other weekend, so...

rambleonthruthefog · 05-07-2014, 11:33 AM

Oh no, semen! Hide your children, quick. All parties are dumb. For the record, I have a 9th grade daughter

**alpha_omega** · 05-07-2014, 11:43 AM

I read the article 3 times and still don't know exactly why he was arrested.

05-07-2014, 10:17 AM
Deberg_1990 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Antonio Tx. Casino cash: $3914454	More Police nonsense. Father arrested for Speaking Against Sexually Explicit Book What the??? He violated the 2 minute rule. You can jump to around 5:00 in the video. Gilford, NH- A father of a high school student was arrested at a school board meeting Monday night after protesting the school’s sexually explicit required reading assigned to his 9th grade daughter at Gilford High School. The book in question, ”Nineteen Minutes” by author Jodi Picoult, is about a school shooting taking place in a fictitious New Hampshire town, and it contains themes of student violence, bullying, and sexual aggression. There is one particularly provocative and graphic depiction of violent, drunken sex between two teens in the story on page 313. Click here to read the passage (warning: graphic language and explicit sexual content). William Baer came to the meeting to voice his opposition to the school’s failure to send home notification alerting parents of the graphic content. “I’m outraged that Gilford High School would require my daughter to read this kind of material,” Baer told the Laconia Daily Sun. Josh Youssef, a friend of Baer, spoke with Benswann.com about what preceded the school board meeting and Baer’s arrest. Youssef was at Baer’s home when they were talking about a reading assignment given to Baer’s daughter. Youssef opened the book and came across page 313, and they were shocked by the graphic description of rough sex. “His jaw dropped,” Youseff told Benswann.com. Baer then contacted Principal Peter Sawyer of Gilford High School last Wednesday to arrange a meeting, but was told by Sawyer it would not be possible to meet before the weekend. Baer attended Monday’s meeting to make his concerns known to the school board. There was a police officer present at the meeting, Gilford Lt. James Leach. Youssef said that he had been told by other parents that it’s not common for police to be present at Gilford school board meetings. The school board meeting allowed for public comment only; no discussion, questions or speaking more than once was permitted. After Baer spoke for two minutes- the maximum speaking time dictated by the school board- another parent, Joe Wernig, spoke in support of the book’s content. Baer responded to Wernig’s comments, and it was then that he was asked to leave by Leach. When Baer asked if he was going to be arrested, he was escorted from the meeting by Leach and handcuffed before being placed in a police cruiser. After Baer’s arrest, Lt. Leach was not replaced by another officer for the duration of the meeting. Baer was not the only angry parent at the school board meeting. Another parent, Sarah Carrigan, said that she was “utterly appalled that this was an ‘oversight’”. Baer’s wife, Barbara Baer, shares her husband’s frustration. “They can discuss this some other way,” she said. “They don’t need that kind of imagery.” “Nineteen Minutes” has been part of Gilford’s 9th grade AP English curriculum since 2007 when it was published. The school issued a statement that concluded the district “will take immediate action to revise these policies to include notification that requires parents to accept controversial material, rather than opt out.” The school sent out a notice stating that the book assigned “depicts high school relationships, some of which are unhealthy.” Baer told Benswann.com that the school’s notice was only sent out after he went to the principal to discuss it, and that the notice failed to disclose the graphic passage in the book. “I can’t believe the school requires this as reading material,” he said. “There’s no reason to expect this kind of thing.” While some parents say that this book opens up critical dialogue between parents and their children, Baer noted that when he asked Sawyer to discuss the passage in context with the rest of the book, Sawyer said he was uncomfortable doing so. In the extended video below, given to Benswann.com by Youssef, Baer is shown being arrested after speaking out. Youssef believes, and the video shows, at minute 5:05 the superintendent signalling Lt. Leach to confront Baer to remove him from the building. Read more: http://benswann.com/exclusive-father...#ixzz312z4HDPa Follow us: @BenSwann_ on Twitter
Posts: 66,914

05-07-2014, 11:00 AM	#17
Eleazar Beyond the Rapids Join Date: May 2003 Location: Langley, VA Casino cash: $-370000	Do you ever hear of school boards doing things well?
Posts: 80,659

05-07-2014, 11:04 AM	#19
CoMoChief Mahomes Dynasty Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Parts Unknown Casino cash: $8052254	Horrible editor. They spelled cum wrong. __________________
Posts: 39,156

05-07-2014, 11:28 AM	#26
ThaVirus Settle this once and forever Join Date: Sep 2007 Casino cash: $2092369	I'm at a bit of a crossroads when it comes to these types of situations. On the one hand, I understand that this book was definitely "unnecessarily graphic" and probably shouldn't be a required reading.. But on the other, I would never want to be the overprotective parent that shelters his children. I remember knowing and even fantasizing about sex as far back as elementary school. Perhaps that's due to my lax upbringing, but even my friends knew and talked about t often. You can shield your kids only for so long. At some point they're going to start hearing about it more and more from their peers and then there will be nothing you can do for them. I guess the best thing is to be open and talk about the dangers involved and hope they make the best decision about it when the time comes.
Posts: 44,250

05-07-2014, 11:31 AM	#28
KCUnited Cheat Death Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Land of Drincoln Casino cash: $2298244	Exactly why I hide my Barely Legal's under my mattress so my kids can't see this kind of filth. Plus, they're only here every other weekend, so...
Posts: 33,917

05-07-2014, 11:33 AM	#29
rambleonthruthefog Veteran Join Date: May 2008 Location: Austin, Texas Casino cash: $5635026	Oh no, semen! Hide your children, quick. All parties are dumb. For the record, I have a 9th grade daughter
Posts: 1,401

05-07-2014, 11:43 AM	#30
alpha_omega Supporter Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Liberty Casino cash: $1651251	I read the article 3 times and still don't know exactly why he was arrested.
Posts: 16,737