But Superintendent Cox claims he was only listening to the voice of his community. Unfortunately, yet again, the heated mob-mentality of a few, fueled by emotion rather than reason, has dictated policy for the many. The Family Book by Todd Parr is a book that gives its readers a broad definition of family; it doesn’t say that your family has to look a certain way or be the same as your neighbors. As a teacher, I really appreciate the matter of fact way it embraced diversity. It mentions some families having two moms or two dads in the same vein as all the other similarities and differences like living in a house vs. an apartment or having a large or small family. Kids see that families are not all like theirs, and it’s important to validate the truth while recognizing that while families may not all look alike, all families are made with love. Great book, fantastic illustrations, and children love it.

Shape House– this shape lesson and art project is a beautiful way to talk about homes and families. Since the book was provided by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), the district has moved to ban everything the organization has provided or sponsored, which includes some very popular and successful anti-bullying programs used nationwide.

I am familiar with the artwork and themes of Todd Parr's books, and immediately enjoyed "The Family Book" with no exception. The color pallet and shapes do blind the reader due to their boldness, but it is without doubt one of the reasons children and adults of all ages return for more! Controversial Decision in Erie Gathering National Attention". WQAD 8. 5 June 2012 . Retrieved 2 May 2013. My class is learning all about families right now, and I wanted to share some of the activities we are exploring. This book is one of my favorites for exploring families, and this year, as I teach over zoom, it is especially well suited for reading over zoom. This family-themed circle time activity is one of my favorites and it helps to show children how unique every family is while working on counting. Many of these activities work well in class, but some are perfect for at-home during remote learning too. Simple enough for any family to do on any budget. Have fun exploring these preschool activities for The Family Book by Todd Parr.

DC School District Restores Gay-Themed Titles to Summer Reading Lists". SLJ . Retrieved 2 May 2013. Erie, IL School Board Bans Pro-LGBT Families Book". Matthew Shepard Foundation. June 2012 . Retrieved 2 May 2013. This circle time lesson for The Family Book combines counting, learning about how each family is unique, and of course, Todd Parr’s excellent book.

This reassuring idea is played out in a fun, vivid way that gives you plenty to giggle about. The pop-art illustrations show both human and animal family life. There are adoptive families, step families, families with two mums or two dads, noisy dog families and a single bird parent looking after its nest. Parr even shows you families without children, which is a sweet and modern touch. There are 'families [who] look like their pets' (cue two adults who look just like their pet poodle) and 'families [who] like to be quiet' (see the woman curled up on the sofa with her cat). It's a book to make you all laugh, as well as aid emotional development and allay any fears. It’s probably a bit of a misrepresentation to say that it’s just a few parents who have a concern when in fact, at the end of the day, it was a school board representing the views, values and philosophies of a community that really made the decision,” said Cox. “I think our community has very clearly said if those topics come up with 6-year-olds or 7-year-olds that they would rather have those topics discussed at home. We’re still going to teach tolerance, we’re still going to teach diversity.” Lindsay\’s daughter, Kyiah, will be in the third grade next year and took away a lot from the school\’s anti–bullying programs sponsored by GLSEN. Her favorite of which is “No Name Calling Week,” which is now banned under the new policy. Cox says that the curriculum will not be changed, only the materials that will be used to teach the students; but the district’s policy from this point on states, according to Cox, that under no circumstances will topics involving alternative lifestyles be discussed at the elementary level. House numbers ( FREE printable) – This math activity asks children to count the homes on the card and then clip the correct digit.

This book is censored because it refers to same sex parents. The book talks about how some families can have two moms or two dads. I think this should not be censored. This book is about students understanding what different families can look like. By not teaching students this, you do not allow them to understand not every family has to nor does look just like their own family. Also, singling out this book as censored because it refers to same sex parental families is demeaning. Whether you censor the book or not, children will still come from homes with parents of the same sex. If we do not allow students to hear at a young age that families can look differently, we do not give them the opportunity to understand just because someones family is different than ours does not mean they should be treated as any less than our own family.

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Todd Parr's The Family Book is a great way to share the differences of families to children. The book goes through a number of different family dynamics, from adopted children to same sex parents. There are colorful illustrations that engage early readers to the more advanced.

Todd Parr has written over 30 children’s books, and he is the winner of two National Parenting Publication Awards, as well as three Oppenheim Gold Awards; but his The Family Book (preschool-grade 2; 2004) has stirred up some controversy. The joyful art features both human and animal characters- such as pigs portraying both clean and dirty families. Some families include stepmoms, stepdads, stepsisters, or stepbrothers; some adopt children; other families have two moms or two dads, while some children have only one parent.Parr devotes time to numerous philanthropic causes supporting pet adoption, children’s hunger, health, and literacy. He is a frequent reader and fundraiser for The Ronald McDonald House and serves on the board of directors for the Virginia Children’s Book Festival. His corporate collaborations include Best Buy, Stouffer’s, and the San Francisco–Marin Food Bank, among others. Combined with these differences are the ways they are all alike: they hug each other, are sad when they lose someone they love, and enjoy celebrating together. The Family Book also serves as a teaching tool about bullying. Family Portrait –I love this simple family portrait craft because no matter how old your child or students are, they can participate. I would not read this to children, even though the message is sweet (understanding of differences and the positive attributes of families), because of issues with racism.