Brava Michelle. When I was going through school I was depressed and on the verge of being suicidal. Yet never was my state acknowledged by the establishment, my peers, or my parents. And 'why' you may ask? Well they all believed that school and childhood where a time of innocence and joy. Never did the thought that someone could be suffering cross their minds, and never did they consider the use of this type of literature in the classroom. I believe that if I had this when I was going through school I would have at least known that I was not alone, it may have saved me an attempt or two later in life. So Bravo to the parents who criticize this stuff, by all means create another generation who have no means to cope with the harsh realities of life. The road to and through hell really is paved with good intentions, too bad it will not them who will have to travel it!

Excellent article!

Considering that many school students actually do have to witness or dragged into the most awful side of living, among drug use, suicide (watching someone else or feeling it themselves) sexual molestation, domestic fighting, brawls between adults and alcohol abuse:
Perhaps a text that expresses some feelings about it, or at least, takes it off the taboo list might open up some barricades between the sufferers and the non- in both awareness and empathy?

Especially considering that experts agree the best thing for a suicidal individual is to talk to others about it.

And in terms of violence- I think the benefits of depicting real violence and its consequences to children, instead of those disgusting cartoons where the mouse bashes the cat over the head with a hammer and he just pulls a funny face, grows a bump, and is perfectly fine a few moments later- are quite obvious.
Which do you think holds the more dangerous message?
Violence harms people, or violence does NOT?

another good reason to homeschool. As if the kids don't get enough garbage on the idiot box without 'studying' more rubbish.

'Classroom discussion and assessment tasks based on this book would invite students to think about racism and sexism, affording the opportunity to talk about these attitudes in society and informing student's ability to critique them. It would not simply infuse students with sexist attitudes.'

If a teacher wants to teach respect for fellow humans they can model it rather than teach dogma. Its a bit hard for a teenage boy not to view woman as sex objects when that is all they see on TV. If a young female teacher then clothes herself scantily while teaching the kids otherwise you have a problem. Teachers modeling love and respect is far more affective than dogmas being taught in the name of critique.

If a mother sacrificing or delaying her career for the sake of raising her children is sexist then I want that aspect of sexism taught to my daughters. If proper critque was done on Islam (as opposed to Muslim people) then kids would be terrified.

All this critique usually is a well disguised social engineering exercise. KIds today are living out what they feed on (ie Neighbours, lady ga ga and all that garbage). Why feed them more.

I can remember a time when it was the parent's responsibility to raise their children, to pass on family values, and walk them through the difficulties and tough questions of life. It appears now that educators in state schools have willing assumed the role of mentor and coach rather than mum and dad.

Is the "safe setting of a classroom with a teacher and peers" really all that safe? Who ensures that the teachers worldview lines up with those of mum and dad .. or even lines up with the norms of society.

Oh that parents would stand up and teach their children values and our educators would stick to the ABCs!

In this the author is right. The classroom is a great forum for approaching adult concepts and confronting topics.I'm constantly amazed by the number of people who underestimate high schoolers and want to closet them away from so called dangerous ideas. It is often these same people who engage in a selective memory of their own teenage years, where anything was discussed. It is a fact that any dangerous subject that you can think of is already brought up in the school yard.It also seems to me that making books, films or music taboo merely shuts down communication between teachers or parents with their teenagers, but it doesn't change the reality of the world which teenagers have to negotiate.. , because it if they can't talk about with us, they will either internalize it or take their thoughts elsewhere, most likely where they are not going to be judged!

Call me presumptuous but I doubt some of you, judging by your odd, ridiculous rants, have actually read the article and have no idea what you are talking about.

It is about removing the taboo of 'adult' topics, particularly suicide, in the classroom- this has nothing to do with 'values' at all.

By all means, get back to me once you've bothered to get informed, or otherwise feel free to continue your rants and conspiracies of attempts to indoctrinate our kids, and in doing so continue to look foolish.