Encouraging kids to read, Not!

[Moonliner]

How is this for ironic?

My wife and I are coordinating the fall reading incentive program for our kids elementary school. The kids read books keep track of their time and it gets posted on the “goal” board. A little friendly competition that the kids enjoy. Sounds simple right?

First the county has decreed that all elementary school kids need to read 12 books/year. So several parents suggested that we FORBID our students in the reading incentive program from reading longer books (like Harry Potter) because it would make it hard for them to meet that goal. Suggesting instead that we force them to read books from an “approved” list of titles like “Henry and Mudge”. It’s hard to even count the number of ways that is just soooo wrong. Kids that are capable of reading “The Halfblood prince”, “The Hobbit” or Hank Aaron’s autobiography are not going to be interested in reading “Henry and Mudge”.

Then when we asked the school librarian to use a corner of the library for collecting the tally sheets twice a week before school. She refused the request because it would be “too disruptive”. Keep in mind that the Library is EMPTY at that hour. Seesch. Me thinks I feel he need to kick some administrative butt.