Gay Penguin Book Causes Uproar in Charlotte
The big news of the week here in the Queen City has been the newspaper-driven controversy about the book, And Tango Makes Three.
Tango, the storybook penguin with two daddies, is headed back to the libraries of four Charlotte-Mecklenburg elementary schools until a CMS panel decides the fate of the briefly banned book next month.
Superintendent Peter Gorman spent Wednesday fielding questions about penguins, homosexuality and censorship after the Observer reported that he and his staff banned “And Tango Makes Three” on Nov. 30. The picture book, based on a true story from New York’s Central Park Zoo, is about two male penguins who pair up and hatch an adopted egg.
Gorman said he “screwed up” by yanking the book. He blamed a miscommunication between him and Chief of Staff Robert Avossa.
After the Observer questioned the ban Tuesday, Gorman had his staff brief him on CMS policy for handling challenges. The Tango books will be returned to Eastover, Hickory Grove, Mallard Creek and Myers Park elementary schools today, Gorman said.
“One of the copies I have right now,” he said Wednesday evening. “It’s in my briefcase.”
Before this, CMS hadn’t banned a library book in more than a decade. Normally, a parent or community member would file a complaint that would be reviewed at the school in question.
Frankly, it is refreshing for a leader (elected or not) to take responsibility for his or her actions. Gorman is new to his role and many things he has done have been a welcome change to the monolithic Charlotte-Mecklenberg School District.
Banning a book is not one of them, but admitting he messed up is.
Not having read the book, I can’t make a judgment on its merits. But I do think parents have a right to challenge the idea of having a sensitive subject like gay parenting presented to young children in a cartoon-like book.
Meanwhile, an update on the original gay penguins…
A quick recap: Roy and Silo, two male chinstrap penguins at New York’s Central Park Zoo, paired up and hatched baby Tango from an adopted egg. Their story was immortalized in a 2005 children’s book.
Meanwhile, Silo ditched Roy last year for Scrappy, a California gal. Wednesday’s report left some readers worried about Roy, after the Observer quoted a New York Times report saying he “has been seen alone, in a corner, staring at a wall.”
Roy remains a bachelor, says zoo spokeswoman Kate McIntyre. But she says readers shouldn’t fret.
“Penguins do that (look at the wall) when they don’t want to look at a visitor,” she said.
Silo and Scrappy nested together but failed to produce a chick. It seems Silo, a mature 19-year-old (penguins live to their mid-20s) took up with a much younger mate, who isn’t ready to reproduce.
Tango is 6 now and has found a mate of her own: Tazuni, another young female.
Ah….. what a “Will & Grace” ending.
-Bruce (GayPatriot)
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Jezzus,
New Jersey is stepping up to the platewith civil unions…….and you are talking about cartoon penquins??
Goddamn!! I can’t begin to understand you guys.
monty
Comment by monty — December 22, 2006 @ 9:58 pm - December 22, 2006
” But I do think parents have a right to challenge the idea of having a sensitive subject like gay parenting presented to young children in a cartoon-like book.”
Why?
Comment by sean — December 23, 2006 @ 1:25 am - December 23, 2006
Mr. Gorman did not screw up. The left wing got their hook into him and he folded. The book is “SUPPOSE” to be about 2 male peguing raising a baby. I think that’s a cover for a gay book within his school system tha SHOULD be band. If my daughter siad she saw a book like that I would want it band too.
Comment by Steve Jeppesen — December 23, 2006 @ 9:02 am - December 23, 2006
#2 – The book shouldn’t be read because its not very good.
Not becuase of the content. My nephew has it…
not a good read…
Comment by keogh — December 23, 2006 @ 3:57 pm - December 23, 2006
Give me Curious George any day
Comment by keogh — December 23, 2006 @ 3:58 pm - December 23, 2006
“Not having read the book, I can’t make a judgment on its merits. But I do think parents have a right to challenge the idea of having a sensitive subject like gay parenting presented to young children in a cartoon-like book.”
So what’s your take on the banning of books like “The Wizard of Oz” or “The Harry Potter” series? You fall into the same trap that others do – they let someone else make the decision for them without checking it out themselves simply because of the supposed material. How about standing up for gay parenting?
Comment by Kevin — December 23, 2006 @ 11:06 pm - December 23, 2006
If the story was cooked up by somebody in order to promote a point of view I would say yank it. But it’s a true story. A part of life and kids should be exposed to it. And the kids should be allowed to read the story for what it is without “adults” putting their relative spin on it.
Comment by Jim G — December 24, 2006 @ 12:22 am - December 24, 2006
Parents having the right to express concerns over what their own children are exposed to? God help us.
Comment by Attmay — December 24, 2006 @ 2:53 pm - December 24, 2006
Attmay, you make a valid point. My concern was that when we have a system like the Public Schools which cater to children of parents with a broad spectrum of point of view, how do we determine what it is we want our children to be exposed to without stepping on the toes of others? My point about the story was that is should be told as it happened. Simply a part of Penguin behavior without any social or political additives attached to it. You know, like how you would tell a bunch of kids about Old Faithful in Yellowstone.
Comment by Jim G — December 25, 2006 @ 1:55 am - December 25, 2006
Sheesh! Sometimes a penguin is just…a PENGUIN! On the other hand, one does support eagle rights.
Comment by C. Siegel — December 25, 2006 @ 7:38 am - December 25, 2006
I love the book
I read it to my son who likes penguins
As I am adopted myself (by a straight couple) I do find I get choked up at the ending. It is a book that beautifully teaches how love creates family. It is thoughtful, intelligent, simple and very moving. I recommend it to all readers – esp parents of adopted children
Comment by R Hart — December 27, 2006 @ 9:47 pm - December 27, 2006
i dont understand the uproar over the book…I heard it for the first time today and think that it is an amazing way to approach such a sensitive subject with little kids and despite the fact that many people think it is too early to teach this “immoral” lifestyle, I believe that the age that this book targets is the ideal age because at a young as is when children establish their beliefs of right and wronge so if they are taught to be assepting of this group now at this younger age they will be more accepting in their adult lives. There will, atleast I must hope, be some time in the not so distant future when “gay culture” will not be so readily looked at badly by society and then all the children who have been allowed to read this book will already be equiped with the ability to accept homosexuals as equal human beings as they are and those who have been “sheltered” by their parents will be stuck in this mind set that homosexuals are not equal in society and will be an outcast group because of their inability to accept this group and inability to tolorate the lifestyle that as the book points out is not so very different from the heterosexual lifestyle of the families they belong to.
Comment by Sarah Childers — January 17, 2007 @ 5:47 pm - January 17, 2007
What’s wrong about teaching kids the truth? We don’t want future generations close-minded and ignorant. Teach kids about the damn truth!
Comment by Kel White — August 28, 2008 @ 8:26 pm - August 28, 2008
I do not approve of this book because children should choose their own sexuality, and this is persaisive to them. I am also afraid they will expirament while they`re young. Sorry, but I give it a thumbs down.
Comment by Unkown — November 30, 2009 @ 1:13 am - November 30, 2009
Sorry 4 being negative, Just so ya know im not against gay lifestyle- im just saying I just want them to not 2 B in the dark about how 2 (wo)men cannot have babies.
Comment by Unkown — November 30, 2009 @ 10:07 pm - November 30, 2009