Kafka and Dostoyevsky banned from schools

[Aiculík]

Polish minister for education elaborated new list of books that will pupils read in schools. Many authors like Goethe, Kafka and Dostoyevsky were cut out.

Why, you ask?

Because their works are too pesimistic. Or they are gays.
(Yes, you see right. This is not about "children don't read classics" or "these books don't have aesthetical values", the reason for this maddness is the sexual orientation of authors!)

Not only foreign outhors are concerned: Polish disident Gombrowicz was cut out, too - though he was nominated for Nobel Prize!

So what are Polish children going to read?

Books by John Paul II, books about John Paul II, and books by other Polish catholic authors.



Sick and insane. I mean, I'm Catholic, too, I loved John Paul II and even own some of his books - but this is sick. Of course it caused great outrage in Polish society, so Ministry for Education quickly said that it is not definite list yet and that there will be public discussion about it, and also that if the book is not on the list, it doesn't mean it's banned to read.

Well I do hope common sense will win.

[kandaurov]

Dear me, I thought this unthinkable in nowadays' society. And what the hammer does it matter that they were gay? And why in heavens are pessimistic books targeted? Here, in Portugal, a Portuguese teacher is free to lecture a Fernando Pessoa's poem (actually Álvaro de Campos') in which he entices the reader to commit suicide, using various arguments to prove the reader's uselessness in the world.

These news you give me are very disturbing.

[Virgil]

When i read about this elsewhere, I thought this applied to high school students and younger. Why would it surprise you that school systems pick what's appropriate for certain ages? That's done all the time.

[Turk]

Well, Kafka and Dostoievsky really hard to understand for children who's younger than 17-18 years old (for most of people, i am not talking about exceptional geniuses). But on the other hand; they are not replacing them with authors like Jules Verne or Mark Twain, they replace them with Jean Paul II. Well, that's just funny and stupid. So children are unable to understand Dostoievski's works but they are able to understand theology of Vatican?

[SleepyWitch]

When i read about this elsewhere, I thought this applied to high school students and younger. Why would it surprise you that school systems pick what's appropriate for certain ages? That's done all the time.

is it? not over here, I believe... there is a list of books that are recommended, but those include Dorian Gray, e.g... whose author was as gay as they come :)
also, pupils are encouraged to read Shakespeare, whose plays are full of bawdy jokes and sexuality (hetero- and homo-)

[Stanislaw]

is it? not over here, I believe... there is a list of books that are recommended, but those include Dorian Gray, e.g... whose author was as gay as they come :)
also, pupils are encouraged to read Shakespeare, whose plays are full of bawdy jokes and sexuality (hetero- and homo-)

Poland has always practiced bizarre sudo-communistic cencorship, it is really unfortunate. But's it's nice to see that Lem didn't make the band list this time ;) ...and what about Sienkewicz and his epics...

[Durgamol]

Polish minister for education elaborated new list of books that will pupils read in schools. Many authors like Goethe, Kafka and Dostoyevsky were cut out.

Why, you ask?

Because their works are too pesimistic. Or they are gays.
(Yes, you see right. This is not about "children don't read classics" or "these books don't have aesthetical values", the reason for this maddness is the sexual orientation of authors!)

Not only foreign outhors are concerned: Polish disident Gombrowicz was cut out, too - though he was nominated for Nobel Prize!

So what are Polish children going to read?

Books by John Paul II, books about John Paul II, and books by other Polish catholic authors.



Sick and insane. I mean, I'm Catholic, too, I loved John Paul II and even own some of his books - but this is sick. Of course it caused great outrage in Polish society, so Ministry for Education quickly said that it is not definite list yet and that there will be public discussion about it, and also that if the book is not on the list, it doesn't mean it's banned to read.

Well I do hope common sense will win.

Pardon me, what are You talking about?! I live in Poland. The books are NOT REMOVED from the list of obligatory readings in school!!! That was just a very stupid proposition that no one agreed for! And noone ever said that the proposition was made because any of the writers is gay!!! or because they were pesimistic. In fact we don't know from were the idea came and we don't find it interesting anymore since the books are staying on the list.
I don't like the current government. I understand why people in the whole world laugh at us, but how some people are adding more than there is i don't get.

[Aiculík]

Pardon me, what are You talking about?! I live in Poland. The books are NOT REMOVED from the list of obligatory readings in school!!! That was just a very stupid proposition that no one agreed for! And noone ever said that the proposition was made because any of the writers is gay!!! or because they were pesimistic. In fact we don't know from were the idea came and we don't find it interesting anymore since the books are staying on the list.
I don't like the current government. I understand why people in the whole world laugh at us, but how some people are adding more than there is i don't get.

I'm sorry, but that is what was in media. I'm definitely NOT adding anything (and I don't laugh on Polish people, government or anything). I also checked Polish media - and found the same thing. Including exact quotes of the minister.

But I am glad they gave up the idea and that books are staying on the list. :)

[Durgamol]

I'm sorry, but that is what was in media. I'm definitely NOT adding anything (and I don't laugh on Polish people, government or anything). I also checked Polish media - and found the same thing. Including exact quotes of the minister.

But I am glad they gave up the idea and that books are staying on the list. :)

i would be grateful if You could give me some links to the quotes of our dumb minister - i didn't hear it and i am really shocked now. The only thing i saw him saying was that that is just a proposition based on many consultations with teachers.... :confused: