Would Parents Want their Kids to Have this "Classic" Literature? Sodomite Child Rape. Graphic Violence. Executions. Sex. Seven genders. Christian Blasphemy. Bestiality.
Kite Runner and Slaughterhouse 5; Class sets and graphic novels!
by David McKalip, M.D.
The Bartow School system has intentionally retained the books “Slaughterhouse 5” and “The Kite Runner”. Both books offer highly objectionable material, which will be described below in a censored format with links to the original. The books are defended by the school system as “classic” literary works. They offer that they demonstrate the horrors of war. They do so, indeed. In ways that are not appropriate for minors without parental guidance and involvement, if they are appropriate in any way at all.
It is odd that the Bartow County School System has chosen to retain one of the most commonly challenged books, (listed as 4th most removed in 2017) from schools in the nation: The Kite Runner.
See analysis of Slaughterhouse 5 and The Kite Runner below.
Please come no later than 5:45 to sign up to speak at the 6 pm Bartow County School Board Meeting at 6 pm on Monday, 4/15 at 65 Gilreath Road. Please email the board to have obscene and sexually explicit books removed (See footnote 1 below for instructions1)
There are many literary works available that demonstrate that war is a horrible thing. Surely the experts in our school system can find such books that don’t shock and demoralize children while also including graphic scenes of sodomite rape, bloody executions, nihilism, torture and sexual assault (The Kite Runner).
Our children need the schools to teach them reading and writing using literature. There are many great works that can accomplish that task that don’t require the terrible books like Slaughterhouse 5 and The Kite Runner.
Do they need books that also include bestiality, graphic and promiscuous sex, commentary on there being seven genders (Slaughterhouse 5)? Do they need books that claim that there could be no reproduction of the human species without gay sex (Slaughterhouse 5)?
Do our children need that? NO THEY DO NOT! They are growing and maturing and need more hope than despair in their young lives. There will be plenty of time for them to learn about such horrors as they age into young adulthood past the age of 18. Let children and teens enjoy their time as such. Let’s not convert children to cynical creatures when we need their pureness of heart more.
It is better to sow hope among our youth and turn them towards better ends. The horrors of war are easy to display in more abstract ways in History class. The joys of life are best communicated in their literature classes. At the most, there should be non-explicit tales of morality that help them understand the basis of right and wrong. These have long been around and are available still. Is there NO other literature the “experts” at the school system can find for them?
BCSS Bad Standards for Retention of Books and Inconsistency.
The standards for retaining Slaughterhouse 5 are laughable and applied inconsistently. They are based on inclusion on a biased list of books from Random House Titles - books they sell! This is cherry picked and is misinformation. They justify it as “classic” while ignoring that there are many classic novels available. They justify it as offering “accurate” depictions of war.
Retaining Slaughterhouse 5 is justified by the School System as follows:
As being on the top 100 novel list of one of the “oldest publishing houses of American History”.
List is “Modern Library” 100 best books list. This is a Random House group. NPR likes to point to this one as well.
That list from “Modern Library” also has ranked as #4: Lolita! The book about pedophilia. It is also sold by Random House!
Slaughterhouse 5 was published by “Delacorte”, which is a subsidiary of Random House. So Random House is merely promoting their own books with this recommendation. All for Profit. The School system dutifully complies.
The “Modern Library review mentions a “Love affair with a ‘Movie’ star, not mentioning she was also a “porn” star.
Other book lists of the novels do not include it. “100 Greatest Books”, “The Gaurdian” and “Discovery”.
“one of the most accurate depictions of the horrors of war”.
Comment: Is this what we want for kids? See introductory commentary at top of post.
A “Classic”. (note: it may be a classic, but that does not make it appropriate for minors).
Comment: There are no other classics?
Inconsistency on “weeding” Slaughterhouse 5
The graphic novel version of the Slaughterhouse 5 was “weeded” from the Woodland High School with a comment offered that there was only “inexplicit nudity” (this is false, see below). HOWEVER, the graphic novel of Slaughter 5 was “pulled for review” from Cass High School and no decision on retaining it is clear yet.
The original is vigorously defended text and is still on the shelf at Cass High School as of 4/12/24 in a search in Destiny Discover.
Kite Runner Justification
At Cass High School there are 72 copies available as class sets! It appears this is heavily used and it is even in SPANISH! In fact, there are study aids available in the library of Woodland High, so it is clearly being actively taught in the classroom.
The Kite Runner is justified as follows:
WHS: This book is a contemporary classic that has been praised highly by book reviewers. It deals with difficult topics, but they are reality-based topics that fit within the selection criteria.
CHS: This book is a contemporary classic that has been praised highly by book reviewers. It deals with difficult topics, but they are reality-based topics that fit within the selection criteria.
For the Graphic Novel:
WHS: The graphic novel keeps the central story of the original text, and the art in the panels do not depict anything that would violate our selection criteria.
Continue below for analysis of both books.
CAUTION OFFENSIVE (but censored) MATERIAL BELOW - AGE 18 and Over please. Cease Reading to avoid.
CAUTION OFFENSIVE (but censored) MATERIAL BELOW - AGE 18 and Over please. Cease Reading to avoid.
Slaughterhouse 5 Analysis
Slaughterhouse Five is a science fiction novel from Kurt Vonnegut. It depicts a man, Bill Pilgrim, he keeps being moved back and forth through time. It brings him to Prisoners of War Camps in Nazi Germany, An Alien Planet, at different points in his life on earth. The book is described mainly as a books about the “horrors of war”. That certainly is a large component and many horrors are described graphically in the text. Is this good for minors? However the book also contains sexual and and blasphemous themes regarding Christianity as follows. Is this good for minors?
Despite the claim from the Bartow school library that there was “inexplicit nudity, there are actually multiple sexual scenes, including with a Porn star.
The Graphic novel does NOT have just “inexplicit nudity”. There are multiple sex scenes as portrayed also in the original book.
The book indicates that there could be no reproduction without male homosexual sex.
The Books asserts that there are seven different “sexes” on earth.
There is a scene of a woman having sex with a Shetland Pony and multiple references to it throughout the text.
Slaughterhouse Five also offers blasphemy on Christ and states that Jesus was a bum who was only crucified because he had no “connections”. There is depicted a “new Gospel” for earth offered by the Aliens that indicates God would speak to people during the crucifixion and promise punishment for those “tormented a bum who had no connections”. This is portrayed in “The Bible II” that the Aliens bring to earth.
Here are excerpts and censored scenes. Links to the actual books and other uncensored excerpts are here.
Excerpts from Rated Books/Book Looks:
Complete text of Slaughterhouse 5 in PDF format. Seach for “Montana”, Sex, “Jesus”
These images from the graphic novel give an idea of the multiple sex scenes in the book. There are more than the two depicted here. The Graphic novel was removed from Woodland High, but the School Board has not yet indicated if it is permanently removed from Cass High School, merely stating it is “pulled for review. One scene depicts sex with a horse and multiple references to it throughout the book.
Kite Runner
This book is described as a classic. It depicts life in modern day Afghanistan and depicts child rape, horrific scenes of brutal murder and violence, abuse of women and ethnic cleansing and other similar adult material. It is certain that those trying to push this books in the school may believe that exposing kids to such graphic and intense material serves some greater purpose. But they seem to be trying to take on the roles best reserved to parents, not bureaucracies.
Many Parents express concern that this book should not be given to kids without parental consent after they are fully informed of content. Often this book is pushed as required reading. Can traumatize kids and expose them to things for which they may not be ready.
The “Redeemed Reader” (a Christian Books review site) has indicated that the Kite Runner is the number one book over which parents express concern. A well known Op. Ed. by a former School Board member in Bunscomb County (Asheville, NC) has been written about the Kite Runner. She points out how schools tend to force this book on kids and how parents have a very difficult time avoiding it or substituting another book for it. This lead to a flurry of parent outrage and is one of the factors that has led to “The Kite Runner” being one of the most commonly removed books from schools.
Rated Books Main Page with easy to see page shots (under the book cover image).
Rated Books Link of Excerpts.
LitCharts Analysis of “Violence and Rape” (Chapter by Chapter).
The Rape Scene, censored.
Graphic Novel depiction of Rape Scene. (Woodland High School offered: “…. the panels do not depict anything that would violate our selection criteria.”)
More scenes from the books showing graphic violence and depicting taunting about a to the son of a raped mother.
The time has come to act.
Please come no later than 5:45 to sign up to speak at the 6 pm Bartow County School Board Meeting at 6 pm on Monday, 4/15 at 65 Gilreath Road. Please email the board to have obscene and sexually explicit books removed (See footnote 1 below for instructions).
In Freedom!
Please Email School Board Members and Superintendent Dr. Phillip Page to insist they remove obscene and pornographic books from the school libraries and the classrooms. Paste these email addresses in the “to” area.
To: tony.ross@bartow.k12.ga.us; darla.williams@bartow.k12.ga.us; matt.shultz@bartow.k12.ga.us; butch.emerson@bartow.k12.ga.us; anna.sullivan@bartow.k12.ga.us; bartowfreedom@proton.me; Phillip.page@bartow.k12.ga.us
Paste to Subject: Please remove obscene books now and establish objective standards
Paste to “Body” (or create your own message).
Dear Members of the School Board and Dr. Page,
We ask that you immediately remove obscene and pornographic books from the school libraries and the classroom. We ask for action to create objective standards so that no such books are ordered again. A list of books found so far have been provided by the Bartow Freedom Coalition to the each of you. There have been some removed, and we thank you. But many remain.
Thank you,
[name]
PRESS SEND! (note that the Bartow Freedom Coalition email is included to help keep track of the campaign).