Wicomico Schools Peddle Smut to Children
October 6, 2009 by Cato
Filed under Education, Maryland, Wicomico Politics
Many years ago, when I was a child, public schools had librarians. These kind, quiet ladies made sure that our schools were stocked with material that would help us learn AND was appropriate for our age. Today, at least in Wicomico County, schools don’t have librarians. They have MEDIA SPECIALISTS; and, as I have recently discovered, they don’t worry about making sure that what goes on the school library shelf is appropriate for the children they are charged with helping to educate.
A couple of weeks ago, a nine year old child came home from Pittsville Elementary School with a library book. It was a “graphic novel” (which is really a comic book bound as a book) called Dragon Ball. Fortunately, that child’s parent took the time to look through the book. What she found caused her enough distress that she paid a visit to her county councilman – Joe Holloway.
WARNING – The balance of this article contains pictures and attachments that many may (and should) find offensive.
At today’s Wicomico County Council meeting Councilman Holloway spoke about what this parent found. Whether you are a parent, or only a taxpayer, you should be as disgusted as Holloway is with what the Wicomico County Board of Education (WCBOE) is placing on library shelves. (This book is also available in the children’s section of the Wicomico Public Library)
For the moment, we’ll ignore the debate as to whether glorified comic books belong in schools. Let’s simply examine this particular book and how it found its way to the library shelves of Pittsville Elementary and into the hands of a 9 year old child.
It appears that the book was purchased using grant money. However, the book was purchased by the school’s “Media Specialist”. According to the current “Media Specialist” (I don’t know whether she was the one who actually purchased the book), it is WCBOE policy to rely on reviews when making purchasing decisions. When asked if she actually read the books prior to placing them on the shelves, the answer was an emphatic “NO”.
When I contacted the WCBOE and asked them what their policy was, I was informed that “Media Specialists are required to know the content of the materials”. I had to ask the same question about a dozen times before I could get a straight answer – the WCBOE has NO POLICY requiring librarians to actually read the books purchased prior to placing them on the shelves for children. If they did, perhaps this 9 year old’s parent wouldn’t have had to pay a visit to Councilman Joe Holloway.
The WCBOE’s policy regarding these matters is, at best, a reactive one. If your child comes home with material that you find objectionable, you are supposed to call the school. You are supposed to fill out a form. You are then supposed to meet with the principal. If you are unhappy with the principal’s decision you can appeal. The bureaucracy goes on and on … and on. This may work in many cases. Some parents may object to a book that teaches evolution. Others may get in a twist because a copy of the Bible is in a school library (I’m really not too worried about that one nowadays). Of course, we’ve all heard about The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn being banned from many libraries. But that’s not what we’re talking about here. I dare ANYONE from the WCBOE to publicly argue that this material belongs in ANY public school, much less an ELEMENTARY school.
In all fairness to the WCBOE, the book has been pulled from the shelf at PITTSVILLE ELEMENTARY. However, there are still many questions to be asked. Are there copies of THIS PARTICULAR BOOK on the shelves at ANY WICOMICO COUNTY SCHOOL? Since we know that librarians aren’t required to actually read the material prior to placing it on school shelves, is there similar material on the shelves in our public schools?
More importantly, WHY AREN’T LIBRARIANS (sorry, “Media Specialists”) REQUIRED TO READ ALL MATERIAL PRIOR TO PLACING IT ON SCHOOL SHELVES? Other school districts throughout Maryland and the country do.
Why not Wicomico County? The WCBOE always tells us that their employees are overworked and underpaid. We are told that they simply don’t have the funds for things like new books. Yet, while other county employees are taking pay cuts, WCBOE is handing out raises. Why can’t a school librarian read the material before placing it on shelves?
The answer is simple. They can. However, as long as the WCBOE is more concerned with kow-towing to their employee unions than in educating our children that won’t happen. Sure, we’ll see a new policy adopted on this matter – they won’t have much choice. They might even implement it for a while. However, don’t ever expect to see anyone held accountable. That’s just not permitted at the WCBOE. However, what we will NEVER know is how much similar material is already lying on school shelves – UNLESS parents organize and begin looking at all of the material. Admittedly, this isn’t very practical. However, I would definitely start looking at everything your child brings home.
Another issue that should also be addressed is WHY this type of material (“graphic novels”) is even allowed in a school library. Sure, I’ve heard all the arguments that it’s better for a child to read this tripe than nothing at all. I was actually convinced of this argument for a long time.
Unfortunately, I have not seen any real evidence that reading this type of material actually improves a child’s reading ability. However, I have seen anecdotal evidence that the opposite is true. A child who spends his time reading poorly written trash simply isn’t equipped to handle more complicated material.
However, I’m resigned to the fact that the educational establishment is more concerned with chasing the next fashionable theory than they are with using what works. Next I expect to read that text messaging helps a child in their English composition. R U K with that?
If you aren’t sufficiently disturbed by the pictures above, you can view a PDF file of more panels.
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While this is probably inappropriate for an (American) elementary school (in all honesty, reading over the scanned pages you linked to, it seems much less objectionable; apart from being visually graphic it is obviously not meant to be erotic, but I’ll set aside that question), I’m going to disagree with you on the merits of the graphic novel itself as a literary medium.
While some of what is generated in the field of graphic novels is clearly junk, the same can be said for the novel, the poem, the essay, the play, and every other literary medium as well. The fact that poorly done graphic novels exist is hardly a serious mark against the entire medium.
On the other hand, the fact that very good ones do exist is a point in its favor. This is particularly true since the graphic novel allows exploration of story-telling avenues impossible to do with any other medium. There are some truly amazing examples of this kind of work. If you’re interested, I would recommend reading Alan Moore’s “The Watchmen” or some of Neil Gaiman’s “The Sandman.”
These are just a few of the excellent work that has been done in this medium. I just want to emphasize that while we can rightfully have objections over specific examples, we shouldn’t attack the entire medium just because it doesn’t conform to traditional modes of literary expression.
I won’t disagree with you about graphic novels as an art form. However, this ain’t “Maus” or “Watchmen” or “The Sandman”.
Where we do disagree is regarding the appropriateness of this particular volume and of these types of “graphic novels” for a school environment. Perhaps this is due to our age difference. I don’t know.
While I did not object to my middle son reading “Maus” in his AP English class, I do object to my 16 year old reading “Naruto”. There are simply better things to read. These aren’t written particularly well and they appear to be too simplistic.
I wouldn’t disagree this particular volume is on the graphic side (pun a little bit intended), I don’t think it necessarily arises to the level of smut. Some of that is probably age, some of that is probably my extremely libertarian sensibilities, and some of it is probably the fact I was an English major.
While the individual panels look really bad, in the context of the whole pdf, I dont think they are anywhere near as bad as they seem. Most of the nudity is a function of a little kid not understanding the difference between dudes and ladies, some mishaps relating to his figuring that out, and some classic Calvin & Hobbes kid running around naked. It’s probably a bit much for young kids, but I don’t think that really arises to the level of smut.
As for manga in general, I tend to see more value in it. In some ways you are correct. The writing isn’t fantastic and the plots are often somewhat simplistic. On the other hand, the more well-known Shonen Manga series (Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, and Fullmetal Alchemist) have all matured over the course of their writing, and engage with some pretty interesting moral questions. I have also observed that much of Shonen manga deals with a theme of particular interest to the libertarian (and to some degree the conservative as well) – the conflict between the individual and governmental authority (with the heroic characters embracing the cause of the individual and pursuing moral action even as governmental authorities oppose it). If you’d like more on that, I have a paper on the topic; it’s not my best writing, but it’s there if you’re interested.
Everything you say has merit Kevin. My 16 year old is a huge Naruto fan. I don’t claim to understand it, nor would I want it banned. However, I do not believe that this material is appropriate for a 9 year old. Even the publisher doesn’t make that claim.
More importantly, this volume was in a SCHOOL library. I do not believe that this type of material is appropriate for a school. If a kid wants to go to the public library are check it out, I’m willing to entertain the argument.
As a recent graduate of a first rate university, you well appreciate the difference between material read for recreational purposes and material read to learn. As an English major I am sure that you would agree that there is an immense difference between Dr. Seuss, Dragon Ball, Hemingway, Cormac McCarthy and Thomas Pynchon. I wouldn’t expect an average high schooler to grasp McCarthy’s “Blood Meridian” or just about anything from Pynchon. I would expect them to understand almost anything of Hemingway’s. I would hope that their time wouldn’t be wasted on Dr. Seuss or Dragon Ball (even for recreational purposes). “Maus” or “The Watchmen” would be a different matter.
In looking at posts on this thread, I’m amazed to see an esoteric discussion on the fine points of the comic book medium as high art. Notwithstanding the legitimacy of “graphic novels” let’s get a grip here! The article questions the appropriateness of a particular item of comic book style content in a Wicomico elementary school library. It’s a smut book straight simple. We could debate the quality of this particular smut book But quality isn’t the issue. Any way you slice it, the item falls within the purview of pornographic comics. And as such it has no place in any elementary school library. Of course, there are much larger questions on this theme. American society has no straight-forward, honest approach to human sexuality and its consequences. Smut books are not a solution, but we might try to fathom the depth of human expression connected with them. Nevertheless, smut books do not belong in the hands of elementary school children.
I agree that this particular manga has no place in an elementary school in the United States, but to refer to it as “smut straight simple” is a bit small minded. Dragonball was not written with modern, American sensibilities in mind. It is a quarter of a century and 6500 miles removed from our world. When originally written Dragonball was published in Shounen Jump, a magazine for children (Shounen translates to little boy). As entitled to your opinion as you are, it is unfair to label something that wasn’t written with your moral code in mind (or mine for that matter; I just happen to approve of it) as smut.
Also, when was this purchased? I ask because a similar story like this popped up in ‘99, and soon after, the American publisher, VIZ media, edited all instances of nudity out of future printings.
As I have stated in other venues, NO ONE is arguing for the banning of a book. As you yourself note, this book has no business being in an elementary school. In the context of being in an elementary school library, this book is pornographic. In the context of it being in the adult section of a public library I wouldn’t make that argument.
Remember, community standards are part of what determines whether or not a piece of literature, art, etc. is deemed to be pornographic. Try to find 2% of our community who would PUBLICLY argue that this book is appropriate for the place it was found.
You may want to argue that this type of material (sans nudity, etc. of course) may be appropriate for a school library. That is an argument that we will be having here in the not too distant future. It’s also an argument that has far more merit than the WCBOE’s refusal to come clean on how this book found its way into an elementary school library and how it was paid for.
This website so retarded to post this the maker has some jokes like this in it but this is the best series there is it supose to be a action anime if you dumbasses do even know what that is noobs i’m realy angry reading this stupid article dont say bad things about my DragonBall the best series/comic book ther exsist.
Since I don’t speak Dutch, I have no right to criticize your English. That said, I am not criticizing the work but the appropriateness of placing it in a grammar school library.
I apologize if I haven’t made that point clear enough.
Sure Japanese Manga is a little too free of regulation – but that says more about us rather than them. What would your children be expected to read?
Perhaps War and The Republic? (a school history book to be found at whywefight.com) It amounts to a fantasy version of US history in which the sins of the USA are ignored and ends the last four decades based entirely on Government press releases and Leaks to the Media.
They call it the October surprise: If it had involved the Bushes directly, the Republican party would have gone down for Treason. Instead Saudi friends of the Bushes stalled the Iranian Hostage crisis long enough to get Ronald Regan elected President. But you will never know which is the true answer even when that secret is known to the US government.
They talk about the need for truth in history…so that the next generation of American can rescue the republic from the tyrants in its own ranks by refreshing the tree of liberty. That isnt going to happen if that is what a history book amounts to.
If you want to talk about protecting children – lets start protecting them from Poverty, Inequality, Religion, and the other Lies and fantasies that perpetuate the Tyranny of the status quo.
Compulsory Jobs for the Unemployed at the local Governement level.
Compulsory Education all the way to University.
Glad to hear from the “Blame America First” crowd.
I’d be interested to know the extent of your education. Given that I have never called for suppressing any book – only not using funds to stock it in a school library – your argument intro is moot.
I suspect that Noam Chomsky and Gore Vidal would be proud of you. Are you going to tell me that the Cold War was a war of imperialism?
You shouldnt have a school library at all that isnt American Scientist Magazines and Foreign Language Comics – forcing the kids to learn a language and an appreciation for Science. Certainly DragonBall isnt as naughty free as Starblazers, but hey its a world where those kids are going to grow up in charge and us oldies are going to go to the gas chambers for being a burden on the economy.
The School Curriculum on the other hand should require everything from Adolf Hitlers Mein Kampf to the Diaries of Pol Pot to be read in class under teacher Supervision. In the end those children need to know about the bad stuff so that they can develop a point of view.
If you want to talk child endangerment – 70% of those in prison were victims of abuse.
Not that it’s the law for people to know of the notoriety of ‘Dragonball’, but this comic’s been around since the mid ’80s. Americans have seemed to lasso this thing and drag it thousands of miles through a desert and bury it 200 feet under the earth’s surface, hoping that it would never be found. When, in reality, the Dragonball Manga is the Highest-selling Manga of all-time, trailed only by Detective Conan (another Japan manga favorite). The current, mainstream of manga were all in ways inspired by the Dragonball comics, that including Bleach, One Piece and Naruto, as remarked by all of those manga artists. And none of which have made cultural impacts as profound as Dragonball did.
Those convicting, cruel, and unjustified words like: “The drawings and storylines are disgusting”, come from a troubled person who’s acting as some sort of overly-protective parent trying to shield his children from all the bloody violence and mayhem in the world, by unjustly picking apart a world-renowned comic, cartoon, and game series, for its content that was never meant for the humor and the minds of children to begin with, using sheer ignorance of a pig and the anger of a misinformed and unimaginative dork.
Surely people remember Dragonball Z. The cartoon that became a smashhit in the United States (a cartoon which landed #1 on cable tv for its demographic: 8-14, tweens, and males 12-24). A cartoon I may add was edited from its original condition and contained minor nudity at best, and not even the Japanese version had many sexual innuendos or scenes involving sexist behaviour or children nude.
The Dragonball franchise also saw success on the market as a comic, a toy, and a movie, putting it head-to-head with juggernaut Pokemon in the early 2000 era.
With all due respect to these parents and council members; you all do your jobs very well, but judging something so beloved, so treated as religion-like by millions of people across the globe, in your roles is not your duty, as it’s unjust–you’re not a critic of teenager reading material.
But it was your job to ensure the material being sent to your schools had clear labels stating the appropriate agegroups, and kept your routines intact so that you’d hire people who’d do their job properly instead of come up with some lame response when asked if the material was glanced over, like: “no.” These are typical problems that occur in region of business and education when people just stop caring.
Ryan -
I don’t know why I have to keep repeating this. Neither Councilman Holloway nor I have called for the banning of this book (or any other). The question was – IS – quite simple. Does this particular book belong in an elementary school?
IF you are going to argue that this volume was age-appropriate for 8 – 13 year olds then we will have to disagree.
You read what I said, I’d hoped. The manga is teenage appropriate. Most of the comics even have the label that suggests it’s meant be read by people 13+. In 1999, the comics were even removed from all Toys R’ Us stores worldwide for the same very reason, when a parent complained about “near soft porn” being present in them, and were later censored and then put back on shelves, to become the best-selling comic in America a couple years later.
If Viz’s rating for the Dragonball comics was “for all ages” then I blame them for not changing it for the sensitivity of America. A problem commonly overlooked, as I’ve just pointed out, with the event that occurred in 1999, too.
I agree this book doesn’t belong in an elementary school, that is kind of what my post said. The comic’s age rating is supposed to be teen +. Who in the world would remove this from high schools though? That’s just pushing it.
The latter half of the Dragonball comic, known as “Dragonball Z” is a more action-oriented comic and toned down from the original of its sexist or crude humor. The cartoon adaptation of the comic was as well, and mildy depicted child nudity.
On American television, children’s genitals were censored by added-in brush and bush, however when the genitals were exposed they were clearly in an innocent manner, and the contexts never suggested foulplay of an adult toward a minor or child.
Even the vhs and DVD’s that were released as “Uncut” still removed most nudity and sexually suggestive themes.
Oh I agree it isnt 8-13 readable – its atleas a teen PG-M comic…if in all likelyhood it was wanted by some librarian who was a manga fan…or they saw the ‘clean’ version on Dragon Ball Z and said lets get this…basically thinking outside their paygrade.
If they got it because hey this was all our school could afford on the otherhand and Dragon Ball Z is what you would call Modern Japanese Manga Art Style then perhaps it should have been disected by an Art Teacher and the Art/Comic style taught to children – only then yes it would belong in the elementary school.
The problem is you will never know why it was on a school shelf. That it was there means that school doesnt have enough funding for Librarians, Teachers, Or books.
But then again in the dark world of String theory maybe they built the school around the comic…because it, like the chicken crossing the road, was there first.