Recent Comments

1. 19 days ago on Pearls Before Swine

   I am a retired teacher so yes, I know what exactly is absolutely appropriate and inappropriate for elementary age students. When I was in high school, we had our sex education classes in high school. And it was informative and educational (and neutral) but would have been completely inappropriate for me in 2nd Grade, or even 6th Grade. That’s a parent’s job to decide when their child is ready for explicit sex instruction, not the state’s. Children can wait until they’re mature and old enough (say, 17 or 18 since they’re considered minors until then) to decide for themselves. Children in elementary school and beyond do not need to be groomed by adults for sexual activity and/or identity. Public schools are meant to teach academics, not ideology and not pushing identity onto children without parental consent. What may be appropriate for some may well be inappropriate for others. Therefore, public schools are tasked with teaching academics. Anything beyond should be at least questioned, if not rejected. It is the responsibility of the parents to raise their own kids, not the state. And, yes, many kids will sneak around to get information. That’s normal curiosity. That still doesn’t mean that it is appropriate. I’ve had several students in my career, some very young, who were very much into gun violence. There are reasons why video games and movies are rated and restricted. Restricted does not mean it’s not available; it is meant to guide parents in regards to raising their own kids. Many kids do not need to hear about transgenderism or other sexual topics in elementary school.

2. 19 days ago on Frazz

   My brain can portend the upcoming weather when I watch The Weather Channel.

3. 19 days ago on Pearls Before Swine

   You can get them elsewhere. Public schools have no business promoting sexual identity politics, especially to young children. Would you want your young children to be exposed, behind your back, to explicit ideological writings, say the pros of Mein Kampf, or The Communist Manifesto without your consent in a 2nd Grade classroom? It’s about parental consent and being age-appropriate. Children are not mature enough to make decisions for themselves on what is appropriate and what is non-appropriate. You as an adult, however, can still get the material at a public library or the local bookstore or online.

4. 19 days ago on Pearls Before Swine

   You can still get them elsewhere. They are not banned everywhere. Kids don’t need to read or be taught that junk without parent approval. It is common and expected that parental consent is required for minors to be shown explicit photos, movies, or participate in discussions regarding sex or violence in the classroom. Even at high school level. Many teachers support restricting such items in the state-run classrooms. They feel it is inappropriate for children and inconsiderate of parents who have a right to approve such materials first. You can still get the books you want elsewhere. He’s not banning them from the public; Just restricting them within the state-run public school system. Not North Korea or China as much as you love to compare them to Florida. Not even close. And the board of approval is not appointed by a communist dictator, either. Inappropriate sexual and/or violent materials have no business being snuck into the classroom of young children especially without parental approval or consent.

5. 20 days ago on Pearls Before Swine

   There’s no book-burning, kiddo. He’s just prohibiting some seriously inappropriate books from being in school libraries. Since the government is in charge of education, this is the government’s prerogative especially when supported by parents. You can still get the books elsewhere. Certain books have no place in the schools, especially at the elementary level. None of that is age-appropriate, any more than showing an R-rated movie to school age children in the classroom which are also restricted in the classrooms of public education.

   Fact: School districts are required to report the number of books removed from schools based on legislation passed in 2022. Of the 23 districts that reported removing materials, the most removed were tied at 19 in Duval and St. Johns Counties — not even close to a whole classroom library. Of the 175 books removed across the state, 164 (94%) were removed from media centers, and 153 (87%) were identified as pornographic, violent, or inappropriate for their grade level.

6. 20 days ago on Frank and Ernest

   Snakes. Why’d it have to be snakes?

   Oops, sorry. Guess I should have posted this on the Frank & Ernest strip from a few days ago…

7. 20 days ago on Back to B.C.

   Hey, Jed! Move away from there! Californy’s where you ought to be!

8. 20 days ago on Pearls Before Swine

   That’s fine. Go ahead with your delusion until a real fascist comes along.

9. 21 days ago on For Better or For Worse

   Don’t be too hard on her. All of us get ourselves into similar predicaments from time to time. Sometimes we could have thought it out but didn’t (here because of being distracted by her feelings regarding the mouse), and other times we’re just the average person who is the victim of being in the wrong place at the right time (the ditch + the car = getting stuck).

10. 21 days ago on Pearls Before Swine

    You guys think you’re so clever just because you can make up clever names for people you don’t like. No one needed to mention politics yet here you are. BTW, you have no idea what real fascist is.