They have expressed concern over the wording of some assigned reading and the way the situation was handled.
Students were assigned "No Fear Shakespeare: Romeo & Juliet".
The "No Fear Shakespeare" series of books is, by it's own description, translation of Shakespeare's classics into modern language.
A company, called SPARKNOTES, publishes the translations in book form and online.
One can view the online version here:
Parents say the "translation" contains numerous adult references to words like penis, erection, rape, and orgasm.
"I would be upset if my child brought this home, if for no other reason, than it appears to be a perverse and inaccurate translation of Shakespeare," one parent said.
Another parent, furious ... went to school, saying he didn't feel the book had appropriate content for children of this age.
According to another parent … A teacher told students the next day, "due to complaints, we will read the book in class, and won't be able to take the book home."
According to the Pickens County School District Office ... books don't have to be approved by the district. The School District has informed parents that they must go to the school and fill out a challenge request form. It then has to go before the board to review, which could take a few weeks.
One parent states, "The bigger story is that parents have to follow protocol to have inappropriate content removed, but any teacher can bring any book or content into the school without any review process."
"I'm not a prude, but this points out a bigger issue with how books can be introduced. The book is a perverse translation. It does not appear to be a literal translation," the parent continued.
To give readers an idea of how bad the translation is …
(Original version)
SAMPSON: "Gregory, on my word, we’ll not carry coals."
(No Fear Shakespeare version)
SAMPSON: "Gregory, I swear, we can’t let them humiliate us. We won’t take their garbage."
ATLIBERTYTOSAY.COM analysis:
I believe there's a huge difference between giving someone your word ~ asking for trust and one swearing. Isn't part of the beauty of Shakespeare to learn how a master of the English language writes?
atlibertytosay.com has verified the sexually explicit content of the translation versus the original.
One AMAZON.COM review states:
My daughter was given this book to read in her 8th grade class. The Plain English translation is AWFUL! The translation clearly states sexual induenedo and the Lord's name is taken in vain several times. Whether this is Shakespeare's true meaning is unclear to me....but it is COMPLETELY inapproriate for high schoolers. Please be very cautious when ordering this version.
4 COMMENTS / Make your own:
I will find out if my child is in this class. I do not agree with this translation.
SAMPSON
Me they shall feel while I am able to stand, and
’tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh.
SAMPSON
They’ll feel me as long as I can keep an erection. Everybody knows I’m a nice piece of flesh.
Thank you for bringing it to our attention.
Shakespeare was saying SAMPSON thought he was hot, poetically.
The translation says something entirely different, and vulgar.
I read the first few pages and was shocked at what I was reading. My daughters 8th grade honors english class is reading this book. I am thankful this wasn't read out loud in a mixed gender class. Could you imagine??? I personally didn't understand what the original Romeo and Juliet but I don't think it was being this expleceit.
I find it ridiculous that books of this nature are allowed in the school. The district doesn't care to vet books and those with content such as this require multiple steps for parents to have them removed from the curriculum but I have to sign a permission slip for my child to watch a PG movie. SDPC missed the boat on this one.
If this version of a literary classic is now considered education I guess Facebook can now replace Sociology textbooks.
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