I hate stupid people

So, I thought I survived my first day of school unscathed. The kids were well behaved (for the most part), a lot of my AP kids were really excited that they had me again and things with my student teacher are better now that I have stuff for her to do.

The day was going well. I looked cute for my first day of school (new outfit) and I was feeling good.

The good vibes continued into trivia. We got third place last night. Sweet.

I got home to find an email from a parent of one of my AP kids. I should have left it till this morning but I didn't. Let me again take just a moment and remind you that yesterday was our very first day of class for the year. The parent stated that they were concerned about what they felt was inappropriate sexual content in Bernard Malamud's novel The Natural. The parent cited specific paragraphs and asked if we might discuss this, stated they felt it was inappropriate for a 16 year old (Catholic) boy to read, and wanted me to offer an alternative novel for him to read.

I wanted to cry, scream, rage and whip off an email telling this parent that I thought he's a complete idiot with his head in the sand and, having taught his child last year, while his kid is nice, funny and smart, he isn't exactly a saint. He knows about nipples. He knows about (gasp!) sex. He knows girls exist and flirts with them in his own 16-year-old-boy way.

It's so disheartening. I mean, I expected this when we get to Catcher in the Rye or Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon. I didn't expect it on the first day of school. Why are people so ridiculous about books? Why do they think that if their kid reads the word "breast" that they'll immediately become some slobbering, sexually obsessed nut-job who will run out, have sex with hundreds of people and either become pregnant or contract some horrible disease or both?

Sigh.

It's so depressing. Really. Would these same parents take their car to the shop and tell the mechanic how to fix it? Would they go to a doctor when they feel sick and tell the doctor what the problem is? Would they go to their priest or rabbi or whomever and tell him or her the tenants of their religion?

Wait. You're right. In this day and age, these people probably would do such things. That's why they feel it's ok to tell their kids' teachers how to do their jobs.

Seriously though. If we get rid of all the books that have even the slightest suggestions of sex, violence, magic, alternative religions, alternative sexual orientations, alternative anything, what's left? At that rate, even the Bible is out, there's loads of violence, sex and crime in it.

Another parent already objected to The Invisible Man and said they think the theology department at our school should choose the books that are read in English classes.

Fuck that. Seriously. If it comes to that, I'm quitting. I'm not putting up with that bullshit. Now the English department has to meet with the administration since this is likely to blow up into gigantic proportions.

That was my first day of school. My rage over the email kept me tossing all night and I'm exhausted and disgusted now.

Worst of all? I like the kid. I feel sorry he's got such a moron for a father because the kid is really quite decent. I wonder if he knows his Dad emailed me?

Is it summer yet?