Sorry, but I'll just never see the solution to this problem being 'take away the opportunity for discussion from the whole class because some of their parents don't like the material'.
And that is why the parents should be informed. If a majority of the parents object, then it should just go. If it's the one father, then his kid should be given the opportunity to do something else and be exempt from the discussion, because that isn't a necessary topic.
Frankly, I don't think that any of my above listed topics should ever arise in a standard classroom. It's unnecessary. Interesting? Yes. Crucial to a child's education? No. So, if there are kids that are capable and up to the challenge and their parents agree, why not have an elective or a faculty supervised book club? School is mandatory, it's absolutely necessary that a kid attend somewhere. Not all parents can afford to send their children to a private school which is why we have government funded education to begin with. In a place where children are required to be, education on sensitive topics should be a choice, not a requirement.
It's not like an entire literature class couldn't be run without breaching those subjects. There are more than enough books out there to sharpen minds and that make for great conversation that don't deal with sensitive subjects.
Not that I think you are, necessarily, but very often the same people that cry foul when a book with questionable content is removed from a school are the exact same people who cry foul louder if something promoting God is introduced.
no subject
And that is why the parents should be informed. If a majority of the parents object, then it should just go. If it's the one father, then his kid should be given the opportunity to do something else and be exempt from the discussion, because that isn't a necessary topic.
Frankly, I don't think that any of my above listed topics should ever arise in a standard classroom. It's unnecessary. Interesting? Yes. Crucial to a child's education? No. So, if there are kids that are capable and up to the challenge and their parents agree, why not have an elective or a faculty supervised book club? School is mandatory, it's absolutely necessary that a kid attend somewhere. Not all parents can afford to send their children to a private school which is why we have government funded education to begin with. In a place where children are required to be, education on sensitive topics should be a choice, not a requirement.
It's not like an entire literature class couldn't be run without breaching those subjects. There are more than enough books out there to sharpen minds and that make for great conversation that don't deal with sensitive subjects.
Not that I think you are, necessarily, but very often the same people that cry foul when a book with questionable content is removed from a school are the exact same people who cry foul louder if something promoting God is introduced.