Principal calls abrupt halt to Storytime

[Magpie]

Ottawa (Canada's capital) is in the middle of a Writer's Festival. Every year writers sign up to read to school children - but there's never enough writers, so every year there's also a waiting list of schools hoping to get a writer to come and read to them.

One local Ottawa author who always comes through is Kevin Bolger, author of "Sir Fartsalot Hunts the Booger". He doesn't claim it's highbrow stuff, but it IS just the kind of thing that makes little boys giggle madly - and read more, which is the whole point, of course.

He has a new book this year, featuring a Translyvanian witch who always replaces her W's with V's, named Mrs. Imavitch.

Monday morning he read his books at one Ottawa public school, where he was positively received. Then Monday afternoon he headed over to Manor Park PS, where in front of a gym full of 4th to 6th graders...

Ottawa author Kevin Bolger, known for his book, Sir Fartsalot Hunts the Booger, was a few minutes into reading from a new book when Shari Brodie, the principal at Manor Park Public School, pulled him aside for a talk.

Brodie then told the nearly 200 children the session was over because some words Bolger had used were inappropriate.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/arts/books/story/2010/06/15/ott-children-author-reading.html#ixzz0r7tcY36B

Tuesday, Kevin headed off to yet another school, where he was given a standing ovation.

I'm curious to know what your thoughts are on all this?

 

[taylor3297]

The principal is a bit paranoid. Kids don't read into things as much as adults. Kids like the potty humor. My dd who loves to read would roll he eyes at some of the words like fart, but I do know my ds would be laughing.

The principal should have read up on the author before allowing him to speak. She ruined a storytime that the kids would have really enjoyed.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

I'm wondering where I can buy his books for my DD. Some people are just crazy and read too much into things.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My thoughts on it are why did the principal allow him to waste his time at the school in the first place. He could have went somewhere else.

I also am wondering if his book about "Sir Fartsalot" was what inspired the South Park tale of "Scrotie"? Hmmmm.....interesting.

 

[Magpie]

I'm wondering where I can buy his books for my DD. Some people are just crazy and read too much into things.

There's links at the bottom of his website (http://www.sirfartsalot.com/) to Amazon and Barnes & Nobles. My kids are too old for his books, but I think they would have liked them when they were 4th graders.

Personally, as an author myself, I think it would be an absolute nightmare to get thrown off stage in the middle of a reading. I mean, sure eventually you'd laugh about it, but man... it's hard enough to get up there in front of an audience in the first place! (My knees always shake. )

I'm also kind of bemused by the fact that the principal is defending her actions on the basis of trying to teach the children to use "respectful language" - but she disrespected the author in front of all of them!

 

[LisaR]

I"m just glad to see that the US isn't the only country that takes being PC to a ridiculous level.