ATDPTI Outline
Daniel Cohen 9/27/13 Part 1: Introduction Interesting Lead In: Thousands of teenagers suffer from depression for multiple reasons; Their parents not supporting them, bullying, not enough attention in their home life,etc. Background Info: In the book, Absolutely True Diary Of a Part Time Indian, Jr. who is the main character struggles with his identity. He is originally from the Spokane Indian reservation where he was born and raised. He was a bright kid but could never excel in the school he attended because he was held back. In the book he transferred to a new school which caused the whole town to turn on him, caused him stress and on top of all that he lost his best friend. He had to overcome these struggles by making new friends which was foreign to him. Like that being not enough stress he deals with many deaths caused by the #1 source of his pain, alcohol. He lost his grandmother, sister and uncle to this horrible substance and he dealt with his father abusing it as well. Because of these many controversial topics, there have been numerous counties who have taken the book off of the reading list. Specifically in Richland, the book was taken off the reading list prematurely. The board members later admitted that the decision was reached before anyone on the board had actually read the book. It was judged solely on what they had heard about the book. They brought it back a month later after two of the board members read the book and called it outstanding. Thesis Statement: A teenager’s stress can be caused by depression. Depression can be caused by bullying from prejudiced teenagers, dealing with the outside world, new experiences and not getting enough support from their home life. Part 2: The body paragraphs Body Paragraph 1Claim: There is no escaping the fact that everyone judges things, old or young, it is inescapable. Data: “None of the board members had read Absolutely True, they conceded... These two members of the School Board had read the book after they voted to ban it, one of them finding it "outstanding." - Jacques von Lunen Commentary: This is a prime example of people judging in a way that can take away education to many. This article is from Richland, a county in Washington. Absolutely true diary was the second most banned book from school districts in 2012. The board members had heard about its sexual references, vulgar language and racist slurs and immediately decided to ban it. However none of the board members actually read it, and a month later after two had read the book, it was allowed back a month later. The member even called it an outstanding book. Data: “ ‘You’re crying,” I said. ‘No, I’m not.” ... He thought I was laughing at him. Normally, Rowdy would have absolutely murdered anyone who dared to laugh at him.” (Page 210) Commentary: Rowdy is known as the bully of the Spokane reservation. He was not afraid to speak his mind and usually resulted to violence. Everyone thought that he did not have any emotion. But the kids did not know what goes on in his home life. In the book, Rowdy has a drunk as a father and usually gets physically abused by him. He takes out his anger on others like his father does to him. But this shows that he has emotion on the inside and the view that other have on him are wrong. Data: “When I tell people that I go to High Tech High, they always refer to it as the nerdy school that is extremely easy. Usually, kids tease me and tell me I will never have a good high school experience.” Commentary: When people hear of HTH, they immediately have the image of nerds just sitting at computers. In reality we do hands on learning and different style teaching to prepare the kids for out of the box thinking that will benefit us in college and the real world. They think we don’t have tests or essays because it is a hands on school and project based learning. But that is the main concept and they do not know of all the essays we write and critique. The image is skewed just because we don’t have as much funding and sports teams like the big high schools have. We are judged just because we are different. Concluding Sentence: People should never judge based on looks and others views because in the real world, you will have to go through many learning experiences that you cannot learn from other peoples personal experiences. Body Paragraph 2Claim: Dealing with the outside world can be scary at times, but parents usually try to shelter their kids and protect them from the dangers. Data: “ There were millions of other Americans who had left their birthplaces in search of a dream.” (Page 217) “ ‘Don’t leave me,’ She said. ‘Don’t ever leave me.’ She was freaking out.” Commentary: In these pieces of evidence, it is apparent that there are kids that want to be free and parents that try to shelter their kids. In the second quote, Jr’s mother had found out that her daughter, who chose to live in Montana, had died because her house burnt down while she was intoxicated. With this news she told her son she never wanted him to leave her side. However later on in the book he had a revelation of his own. He knew that many other people had left their birthplaces and mother and fathers, in hope to find a better future for themselves. They wanted better and new experiences and many times parents hold kids back because they will miss their kids. This is unhealthy because they have to let their kids be independent. Data: “ But the same thing could be said about many great books. And if we think our teenagers aren’t exposed to both on a daily basis, we’re fooling ourselves.”- Sherman Alexie Commentary: This is a quote from the author himself who wrote the book. He is addressing all the parents who told him how vulgar and inappropriate the book was. But in reality the kids of those parents go through many of the same struggles that Sherman Alexie wrote about in his book. They are so blindsided because they think they are protecting their kids but most of this happens when they go to school. kids get bullied, called names that are racist, cursed and often curse themselves. They are stuck in the world that they want their child to be perfect and not be exposed to the truth and when they get in the real world they will be totally in the dark. Data: “Where do you want to go to college? Do you want to go somewhere close or expand your distance and go somewhere further away?’ asked John. John was a brilliant man who taught in England and was familiar with our age group. He got us thinking about the definition of strict and asked how our parents were and how we wish they were. Commentary: This was a great discussion because 7/10 people answered that they wanted to go somewhere close to home. I believe many of the kids were sheltered and wanted to stay close to home to feel a sense of comfort. I, on the other hand, wanted to travel to many different places and be on my own because I had a good balance between sheltering and freedom which I think is the perfect balance of the two. I want to go on my own and experience new things, good and bad. Concluding Sentence: Although I think being overprotective to a teenager can be a bad thing, being supportive plays a huge role in a teenagers upbringing. Body Paragraph 3 Claim: Getting support from home is key to a bright and successful future. It makes the child feel confident and successful when an adult gives them support. Data: “Do you understand how amazing it is to hear that from an adult? Do you know how amazing it is to hear that from anybody? It's one of the simplest sentences in the world, just four words, but they're the four hugest words in the world when they're put together. You can do it.” (Page 189) Commentary: This is such a great example of support. Even though Jr. did not get the support needed from his father, he got it from someone who was there for him in his life. He got so much confidence from those three little words. It is amazing what kids can accomplish with boosted confidence. In the book Jr. led his team to victory by hitting the first three pointer of the game against his Ex-best friend. He left that game feeling proud and accomplished because of the support he got prior. Data: “A Richland teacher who runs a support group for students from tough backgrounds noted the tremendously positive impact the novel had on one of her Native American students.”- Mary Swift Commentary: Kids tend to look towards teachers for support if they cannot find it at home. This is clear evidence where the teachers have helped their Native American students by giving them Absolutely True Diary to read. They relate to the book and often find that other people have gone through similar struggles they go through in everyday life, which is the author’s main point in writing this book. These kids have found a connection in their life by reading this book and sharing it with many other kids who go through the same struggles. Data: “When I was going for the audition for the movie Grown Ups, I was extremely nervous on the way up to LA. As I was driving my dad turned to me and told me I would do great. I was not sure as I walked into a giant room that was filled with 100 other kids that looked like me I was extremely nervous. But my dad told me I would do great and no matter what he was proud of me. With that I went into the audition feeling more confident. The same thing happened during every singles basketball game I had. Commentary: Three months after the audition I got a call saying that I had gotten the part. I was so excited I could barely speak. My dad told me that the casting agents said I had great confidence and the right look. I honestly owe all of that experience to my dad who really helped me overcome my fears. During basketball games I would always hear my dad giving me support from the bleachers and always recording my games to show how I could improve. By having a supportive father, it kept me interested in getting better at basketball. Concluding Sentence: Kids need to have support in their life and have someone tell them that they can accomplish anything they set their mind to. Part 3: ConclusionRe-State Thesis: A teenager’s stress can be caused by many things such as; Bullying from other teenagers who judge based upon looks, Dealing with the outside world and new experiences and not getting enough support from their home life. Reflection: (Tell the reader why or how the main idea in the thesis is significant to them, why it matters) This is a very meaningful topic whether you are a child or an adult. If you want your kids to be successful in the real world you need reasonable restrictions. But they also need to be able to go out on their own and find new experiences with friends. And kids, you need to tell your parents how you feel. It may be upsetting leaving the in the beginning but you need to find new experiences for yourself and venture the world. Expand: (Add most important bits of insight from each body paragraph) The board members had heard about its sexual references, vulgar language and racist slurs and immediately decided to ban it. However none of the board members actually read it, and a month later after two had read the book, it was allowed back a month later. The member even called it an outstanding book. This is a perfect example of not judging a book by its cover. But in reality the kids of those parents go through many of the same struggles that Sherman Alexie wrote about in his book. Kids will be exposed to this no matter what and trying to protect that from their kids will make them want to do those things and learn about those things even more. Clincher: (Apply what was written to all humans which brings a finished quality to the essay) Kids being able to relate to other is so healthy and makes the feel like they aren't weird for going through struggles they do. Do not restrict kids and put more pressure on them. Instead support them so they can be the best person they can be in life. |
ATDPTI “challenge” research: graphic organizerDaniel Cohen
9/18/13 Where the challenge took place: Richland Source: http://www.cnsrdbks.com/news/richland-school-board-removes-the-absolutely-true-diary-of-a-part-time-indian-from-curriculum-reads-it-restores-it/ What do I know about the town? It’s located in Washington. The town is also agricultural and they have a pretty strong community base. Source: http://www.ci.richland.wa.us/ http://www.cnsrdbks.com/locations/richland-school-district/ Who brought the challenge?: The district’s instructional materials committee. http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/06/19/1535743/northwest-novel-removed-from-richland.html What do I know about the people who brought the challenge 1. None of the people on the board actually read the book and just judged it, solely on the fact that it was put on the list of the most challenged list by the American Library Association. Source: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/06/19/1535743/northwest-novel-removed-from-richland.html 2. A month later the board actually read and it and referred to the book as “outstanding”. It was put back on the list a month after they took it off. Source: http://www.cnsrdbks.com/news/richland-school-board-removes-the-absolutely-true-diary-of-a-part-time-indian-from-curriculum-reads-it-restores-it/ What age group was the challenge aimed at? At first the age group was just going to be aimed towards freshman and not allow them to read it but after they hear it included swearing, racism and sexualy content, they decided to ban it from all grades. Source: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/06/19/1535743/northwest-novel-removed-from-richland.html What was the specific demand of the challenge? The demand was to take it off of the whole school districts reading list. Source: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/06/19/1535743/northwest-novel-removed-from-richland.html What do I know about the arguments made for challenging it? “some IMC members objected to profanity and potentially offensive aspects of the book” Source: http://www.aclu-wa.org/blog/book-ban-reversed-sherman-alexie-novel-back-richland-classrooms 2. “Alexie uses some profanity and other potentially offensive language to describe those situations in the National Book Award winner, which has earned him challenges from schools and libraries.” Source: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/06/19/1535743/northwest-novel-removed-from-richland.html What was the procedure for handling the challenge? 1. There were five board members and they each had a say. When they voted it was a 3 - 2 vote. Then 2 days after, one of the board members decided to read it and realized it was a great piece of literature. Source: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/07/12/1563810/richland-school-board-reverses.html What was the outcome? The two board members who had previously voted against the book went home and read it. After, one called the book outstanding and both changed their vote to put the piece back on the reading list for all grades in the school district. Source: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/07/12/1563810/richland-school-board-reverses.html Useful Quotes: Quote: “On June 14, the board voted 3-2 to remove the book from the district's reading lists. At that time, Mary Guay and Rick Donahoe joined Strickler in voting against Absolutely True. That had been a mistake, Guay and Donahoe said Monday. Possible uses:
Source: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/07/12/1563810/richland-school-board-reverses.html#storylink=cpy Quote: But the final vote took it away from all students. None of the board members had read Absolutely True, they conceded. Possible uses:
Source: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/06/19/1535743/northwest-novel-removed-from-richland.html#storylink=cpy Quote: These two members of the School Board had read the book after they voted to ban it, one of them finding it "outstanding." Possible uses:
Source: http://www.cnsrdbks.com/news/richland-school-board-removes-the-absolutely-true-diary-of-a-part-time-indian-from-curriculum-reads-it-restores-it/ Quote: “A Richland teacher who runs a support group for students from tough backgrounds noted the tremendously positive impact the novel had on one of her Native American students.” Possible uses:
Source: http://www.aclu-wa.org/blog/book-ban-reversed-sherman-alexie-novel-back-richland-classrooms Quote: "It changed his life. It made him understand his heritage and his issues with his father." Possible uses:
Source: http://www.aclu-wa.org/blog/book-ban-reversed-sherman-alexie-novel-back-richland-classrooms Quote: "This is the best freaking book I've ever read." Possible uses: This just shows how much kids value and love this book an no kids complain about reading it. Source: Quote: Those themes, and particularly the main character's perseverance in the face of these challenges, bear important lessons for students Possible uses:
Source: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/07/12/1563810/richland-school-board-reverses.html Quote: “But the same could be said about many great books. And if we think our teenagers aren’t exposed to both on a daily basis, we’re fooling ourselves.” Possible uses:
Source: http://www.aclu-wa.org/blog/book-ban-reversed-sherman-alexie-novel-back-richland-classrooms Quote: "I've been there Mr. D, honest. It's my life story." Possible uses:
Source: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/08/07/1596482/classroom-best-place-for-controversial.html |
Absolutely disgraceful? CDC PARTY
Daniel Cohen 9/24/13 1. C: Many times, teenagers feel lost in the world and feel that they don’t belong. They try to find their path in life and look towards certain things to help escape their feelings. D: He likes to pretend he lives inside the comic books. I guess a fake life inside a cartoon is a lot better than his real life. So I draw him cartoons to make him happy, to give him other worlds to live inside.” Page. - 23 C: I personally can connect with this claim in multiple ways. I, just like many other teenagers around the world, wanted to be able to find something that would help me feel like I had a purpose. In a way I found something that made me feel like I was in a completely separate world that gave me this almost faulty confidence. I found to act where I could become totally new characters every day and have new back stories. I loved to make people laugh as well so I gave other people joy when I surrounded them with my acting. 2. C: People tend to judge things by their outside appearance. Everyone does it everyday, and if you say you don’t then you should be awarded a medal. We all judge things whether it be food, people, shows, movies, whatever it is we judge things everyday. D: “ None of the board members had read ATDPTI, they conceded” “ These two members of the school board had read the book after they voted to ban it, one of them finding it ‘outstanding’ ”. C: How is it that a board member can judge the book just based on what he or she has heard about it and influence the decision to take a piece of literature out of schools? The best part is that after he judged the book without even reading it, he came back a month later after he read it and said it was “outstanding”. This is the problem, we cannot be judging things that can affect schools in such a big way without knowing the material first. 3. C: Support from family, school, and friends are some of the most important things for a teenager growing up in this world. Without it, kids can feel lost and abandoned. A lot of people’s lives would be changed if they had more attention from people in their home and school life. ATDPTI is the next best thing to help a child who is feeling lost. D: The evidence is clear in the statement, “ A Richland teacher who runs a support group for students from tough backgrounds noted the tremendously positive impact the novel had on one of her Native American students” C: From the data just shown, kids many times look towards teachers or peers to help them get through their tough times. The little things can help kids so much whether it be through books that they give them or even talks they have with them. The book was mainly geared towards people that needed help through the tough time of teenage years just like the author had. This book has helped multiple kids on multiple occasions. 4. C: Kids really need a strong support system at home. A child’s influence growing up will stick with them for the rest of their life. They need good role models to really show them how to be successful in this world. D: “Yep, my daddy was an undependable drunk. But he'd never missed any of my organized games, concerts, plays, or picnics. He may not have loved me perfectly, but he loved me as well as he could. (189)” An excerpt from Absolutely True diary. C: Although many parents give their kids what they want, they often times still feel unloved. In Jr.’s case it is the exact opposite. He may drink and may not be able to support him financially, but with all those shortcomings he finds ways to show his son he still loves him. Kids just need love from their parents more than anything else in the world. Jr. receives that love clearly throughout the whole book, even when his father drinks excessively. 5. C: Motivation and encouragement plays a key role in the young years. When kids grow up they do not know what they want to do, or how they want to do things in their lifetime. Kids at this age, even me, look up to my elders to see how to do things and when to do them. I look for advice from my parents and learn new things about growing up every single day. D: “Coach said, ‘The quality of a man’s life is in direct proportion to his commitment to excellence, regardless of his chosen field of endeavor.” - Page 148 C: By getting motivation from any person, younger or older, it really helps you gain confidence. If you are scared of something out in the real world but you display your confidence, you will be successful. Many businessmen are successful because they know what they’re talking about but it is also because they give off confidence in what they’re doing so it makes you want to believe what they think as well. These words really seemed to push Jr. and give him confidence for the basketball game that they later ended up winning. But it teaches kids that they have a future and they must work hard at it to do it well. 6. C: Perseverance is key for anyone, no matter the age. This book, in multiple occasions, has Jr. wanting to give up but he knows he cannot. He is inspiring to the younger generation who feel like they want to quit when it gets hard. D: “Those themes, and particularly the main character's perseverance in the face of these challenges, bear important lessons for students.” C: Many professionals know that persevering through challenges is a key part for any teenager who feels lost. This is one of the most important lessons to have in life and is key to becoming successful. They even said that these lessons are very important for children to have so why would they want to ban the book in the first place? 7. C: Although it may not seem to be so, a lot of kids struggle to find themselves and are scared to venture off into the real world to make a life for themself. D: The author makes this apparent when he says, “There were millions of other Americans who had left their birthplaces in search of a dream. (217)” C: As shown by the quote above, many kids feel lost in the world but a lot take risks as well. This was also a message towards the back of the book which I found interesting. I think this was an amazing display of deeper meanings within books and you just have to do a little digging before you can find them. 8. C: Knowing, understanding and appreciating where you come from has a huge impact on someone’s life. You really want to appreciate where you come from and I think kids struggle with embarrassment of where they come from. It can be hard with every kid judging one another these days. D: “"It changed his life. It made him understand his heritage and his issues with his father." C: This data is touching to me. This book really motivated this young boy to connect with his father and understand where he came from. Having pride in something is rewarding but having pride in your heritage is priceless. This book truly can help someone enough till the point of “changing their life”. 9. C: When parents shelter their kids, it is almost like they are lying to the kids about the outside world. They are hiding them and protecting them from things that happen everyday just because they don’t want them to be exposed. But there's only so much a parent can do. D: “But the same could be said about many great books. And if we think our teenagers aren’t exposed to both on a daily basis, we’re fooling ourselves.” C: Many parents seem to contradict themselves. They will allow their kids to listen to music that has sexual themes (Like Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, etc.) however they won't allow their children to read literature because it talks about masturbation. They will also allow their kids to watch movies and just tell them not to repeat anything that was said but they will not allow their kids to read something because it may have occasional vulgar language. If they think they can protect their kids from swearing at school or sexual references at school, they are fooling themselves as well. And what happens if they go out into the real world? It will all be foreign and they will be even more lost than they were while they were sheltered by their parents. If they think they can totally shelter their kids they are only fooling themselves. 10. C: When kids hear the words “stay positive” they may think of putting on a fake smile as being positive. But in the book they completely bring a whole new meaning to staying positive and it can really influence the way you look at life. D: “When it comes to death, we know that laughter and tears are pretty much the same thing. And so, laughing and crying, we said good-bye to my grandmother. And when we said goodbye to one grandmother, we said good-bye to all of them. Each funeral was a funeral for all of us. We lived and died together.” Page. 166 All of us laughed when they lowered my grandmother into the ground. And all of us laughed when they covered her with dirt. And all of us laughed as we walked and drove and rode our way back to our lonely, lonely houses.” Page. -167 C: These quotes, although they may be long, re extremely powerful. Not only does it show kids to pay respect to loved ones, come together as a community, celebrate life, and show attributes of a good culture, it also shows the love and true appreciation they have for life and death. They really try to find the best in situations rather than just morn. They know that the person had a good life and they choose to stay positive and focus on how they choose to celebrate that persons life. Their culture is truly amazing and has given me a new perspective on life. I used to be scared of death. |
Final EssayDaniel Cohen
Patton Humanities 10/10/13 Absolutely Disgraceful? In the book, Absolutely True Diary Of a Part Time Indian, or Absolutely True Diary, by Sherman Alexie, Junior, the main character struggles with his identity. He is originally from the Spokane Indian reservation where he was born and raised. He was a bright kid but never excelled in the school he attended because he was not being pushed hard enough academically. He had more academic potential than the other kids and was eager to learn. In the book, he transferred to a new school, which caused the whole reservation to turn on him. It caused him stress and on top of all that, his best friend hated him and felt betrayed. He had to overcome these struggles by making new friends which was a foreign concept to him. He also was an Indian boy who went to an all white school which made him feel alienated. Adding to his stress, he deals with many deaths caused by the #1 source of his pain, alcohol. He lost his grandmother, sister and uncle to this horrible substance. But alcohol was not just associated with death because his father abused it and left home for weeks at a time. Because of these many controversial topics, including talk about masturbation and swearing, there have been numerous counties who have taken the book off of the reading list. Specifically in Richland, the book was taken off the reading list by the school board even though they later admitted that the decision was reached before anyone on the board had actually read the book. It was judged solely on what they had heard about the book. They brought it back a month later after two of the board members read the book and called it outstanding. The parents of the children who had the book on the reading list requested it to be taken off and were upset when they heard the book was being brought back. Their reasoning for getting it taken off was because it had racial slurs and vulgar language. They were being over protective and did not want their children reading the book. A teenager’s struggles can be caused by going through struggles in their life such as bullying from prejudiced teenagers, dealing with the outside world, parents being overprotective, new experiences and not getting enough support from their home life. There is no escaping the fact that everyone judges things, old or young. “None of the board members had read Absolutely True Diary, they conceded... These two members of the School Board had read the book after they voted to ban it, one of them finding it "outstanding." (Jacques von Lunen, Richland School Board removes The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian from curriculum, reads it, restores it). This is a prime example of people judging in a way that can take away education to many. This article is from Richland, a county in Washington. Absolutely True Diary was the second most banned book from school districts and libraries in 2012. The board members had heard about its sexual references, vulgar language and racist slurs and immediately decided to ban it after the parent requested it be taken off of the students reading list. However none of the board members actually read it, and a month later after two had read the book, it was allowed back. ‘ “You’re crying,” I said. “No, I’m not.” ... He thought I was laughing at him. Normally, Rowdy would have absolutely murdered anyone who dared to laugh at him.’ (Diary, 210) Rowdy is known as the bully of the Spokane reservation. He was not afraid to speak his mind and usually resulted to violence. Everyone thought that he did not have any other emotion besides anger. But the kids in the book did not know what goes on in his home life. In the book, Rowdy has a father who abuses alcohol and gets physically abused by him on many accounts in the story. Therefore he decides to take out his anger on others like his father does to him. But this shows that he has emotion on the inside and the view that others have on him are wrong. They judge him on the outer most layer and his physical appearance and don’t take the time to get to know him on the inside. When I tell people that I go to High Tech High, they always refer to it as the nerdy school that is extremely easy. Usually, kids tease me and tell me I will never have a good high school experience. When people hear of HTH, they immediately have the image of nerds just sitting at computers. In reality we do hands on learning and different style teaching to prepare the kids for out of the box thinking that will benefit us in college and the real world. They think we don’t have tests or essays because it is a hands on school and project based learning. But that is the main concept and they do not know of all the essays we write and critique. The image is skewed just because we don’t have as much funding and sports teams like the big high schools have. We are judged just because we are different. Jr. was judged in the beginning of the book, for being an Indian kid in a totally white school. He went through struggles with social problems, being the new kid, but quickly adapted to the new culture of his school. He started to become more and more accepted. People should never judge based on looks and others views because in the real world, you will have to go through many learning experiences that you cannot learn from other peoples personal experiences. Dealing with the outside world can be scary at times, but parents usually try to shelter their kids and protect them from the dangers. “There were millions of other Americans who had left their birthplaces in search of a dream.” (Diary 217). “‘Don’t leave me,’ She said. ‘Don’t ever leave me.’ She was freaking out.” (Diary 207). In these pieces of evidence, it is apparent that there are kids that want to be free and parents that try to shelter their kids. In the second quote, Jr’s mother had found out that her daughter, who chose to live in Montana, had died because her house burnt down while she was intoxicated. With this news she told her son she never wanted him to leave her side. However later on in the book he had a revelation of his own. He knew that many other people had left their birthplaces and mother and fathers, in hope to find a better future for themselves. They wanted better and new experiences and many times parents hold kids back because they will miss their kids. This is unhealthy because they have to let their kids be independent. “ But the same thing could be said about many great books. And if we think our teenagers aren’t exposed to both on a daily basis, we’re fooling ourselves.” (Sherman Alexie, BOOK BAN REVERSED: SHERMAN ALEXIE NOVEL BACK IN RICHLAND CLASSROOMS). This is a quote from the author himself who wrote the book. He is addressing all the parents who told him how vulgar and inappropriate the book was. But in reality the kids of those parents go through many of the same struggles that Sherman Alexie wrote about in his book. They are so blindsided because they think they are protecting their kids but most of this happens when they go to school. Kids get bullied, called names that are racist, cursed at and often curse themselves. They are stuck in the world that they want their child to be perfect and not be exposed to the truth and when they get in the real world they will be totally in the dark. Where do you want to go to college? Do you want to go somewhere close or expand your distance and go somewhere further away? asked John. John was a brilliant man who taught in England and was familiar with our age group introduced to us by Dr. Patton. He got us thinking about the definition of strict and asked how our parents were and how we wish they were. This was a great discussion because 7/10 people answered that they wanted to go somewhere close to home. I believe many of the kids were sheltered and wanted to stay close to home to feel a sense of comfort. I, on the other hand, wanted to travel to many different places and be on my own because I had a good balance between sheltering and freedom which I think is the perfect balance of the two. I want to go on my own and experience new things, positive and negative. this is just like how Jr. felt when he realized he needed to go to Reardan to make a better future for himself. He did not want to be educationally restricted. Although I think being overprotective to a teenager can be a bad thing, being supportive plays a huge role in a teenagers upbringing. Getting support from home is key to a bright and successful future. It makes the child feel confident and successful when an adult gives them support. “Do you understand how amazing it is to hear that from an adult? Do you know how amazing it is to hear that from anybody? It's one of the simplest sentences in the world, just four words, but they're the four hugest words in the world when they're put together. You can do it.” (Diary, 189). This is such a great example of support from his coach on the basketball team. Even though Jr. did not get the support needed from his father, he got it from someone who was there for him in his life. He got so much confidence from those four little words. It is amazing what kids can accomplish with boosted confidence. In the book Jr. led his team to victory by hitting the first three pointer of the game against his Ex-best friend. He left that game feeling proud and accomplished because of the support he got prior. “A Richland teacher who runs a support group for students from tough backgrounds noted the tremendously positive impact the novel had on one of her Native American students.”- (Mary Swift, BOOK BAN REVERSED: SHERMAN ALEXIE NOVEL BACK IN RICHLAND CLASSROOMS). Kids tend to look towards teachers for support if they cannot find it at home. This is clear evidence where the teachers have helped their Native American students by giving them Absolutely True Diary to read. They relate to the book and often find that other people have gone through similar struggles they go through in everyday life, which is the author’s main point in writing this book. These kids have found a connection in their life by reading this book and sharing it with many other kids who go through the same struggles. When I was going for the audition for the movie Grown Ups, I was extremely nervous on the way up to LA. As I was driving my dad turned to me and told me I would do great. I was not sure as I walked into a giant room that was filled with 100 other kids that looked like me I was extremely nervous. But my dad told me I would do great and no matter what he was proud of me. With that I went into the audition feeling more confident. The same thing happened during every single basketball game I had. Three months after the audition I got a call saying that I had gotten the part. I was so excited I could barely speak. My dad told me that the casting agents said I had great confidence and the right look. I honestly owe all of that experience to my dad who really helped me overcome my fears. During basketball games I would always hear my dad giving me support from the bleachers and always recording my games to show how I could improve. This is relevant to Jr.’s life because he also played for the varsity basketball team and he had a father like figure that motivated him. We both got words of encouragement to help us achieve a goal. By having a supportive father, it kept me interested in getting better at basketball. Kids need to have support in their life and have someone tell them that they can accomplish anything they set their mind to. A teenager’s stress can be caused by going through struggles in their life such as bullying from prejudiced teenagers, dealing with the outside world, new experiences and not getting enough support from their home life. This is a very meaningful topic whether you are a child or an adult. If you want your kids to be successful in the real world you need reasonable restrictions. But they also need to be able to go out on their own and find new experiences with friends. I feel it is equally as important for kids to tell their parents how they feel. It may be upsetting leaving them in the beginning but you need to find new experiences for yourself and venture the world. The board members had heard about its sexual references, vulgar language and racist slurs and immediately decided to ban it. However, none of the board members actually read it, and a month later after two had read the book, it was allowed back a month later. The member even called it an outstanding book. This is a perfect example of not judging a book by its cover. But in reality the kids of those parents go through many of the same struggles that Sherman Alexie wrote about in his book. Kids will be exposed to this no matter what and trying to protect that from their kids will make them want to do those things and learn about those things, such as vulgar language, masturbation and racism, even more. All of the controversial topics that parents are concerned about in Absolutely True Diary, happen everyday and trying to hide it from their kids is nearly impossible. Kids being able to relate to others is so healthy and makes them feel like they aren't weird for going through struggles that they go through. Do not restrict kids and put more pressure on them. Instead support them so they can be the best person they can be in life. Reference Page Deatherage, J. (2011, August 7). Classroom best place for controversial novel | Editorials | Tri-CityHerald.com. Retrieved September 17, 2013, from http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/08/07/1596482/classroom-best-place-for-controversial.html Lunen, J. V. (2011, July 12). Richland School Board reverses course on book ban | Local News | Tri-CityHerald.com. Retrieved September 16, 2013, from http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/07/12/1563810/richland-school-board-reverses.html Lunen, J. (2011, June 19). Northwest novel removed from Richland schools' reading list | Local News | Tri-CityHerald.com. Retrieved September 18, 2013, from http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/06/19/1535743/northwest-novel-removed-from-richland.html Northwest novel removed from Richland schools' reading list | Local News | Tri-CityHerald.com. (2011, June 19). Retrieved September 17, 2013, from http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/06/19/1535743/northwest-novel-removed-from-richland.html Richland School Board removes. (2011, June). Retrieved September 17, 2013, from http://www.cnsrdbks.com/news/richland-school-board-removes-the-absolutely-true-diary-of-a-part-time-indian-from-curriculum-reads-it-restores-it/ Swift, M. (2011, July 13). Book Ban Reversed: Sherman Alexie Novel Back in Richland Classrooms | American Civil Liberties Union of Washington. Retrieved September 16, 2013, from http://www.aclu-wa.org/blog/book-ban-reversed-sherman-alexie-novel-back-richland-classr ooms |