Beth Gannon has a problem. It seems she likes writing smutty romance novels in her spare time. Sadly, that's not her problem.
The problem is that Beth is a principal in the Lawrence, MA, school system, and she thought it'd be a good idea to bring her self-published novel to school with her and ask fellow teachers to buy the book. Now, according to whoever you believe, this is where the story gets murky.
A math teacher named Peggy Lynch apparently balked at buying the book. Peggy says that because she refused to buy the "smut" she was assigned after school detention duty. Apparently detention duty is the equivalent of the 7th level of hell, and Peggy feels like she was being singled out. The principal, Beth Gannon, says that's not the case. (Read all about it...here.)
Of course, the problem doesn't end there. No. The book apparently has graphic sex scenes, drug and alcohol use, and suicide. In other words, it's like a Jodi Picoult book, minus the fanatical book club following. And since this is a school, parents are up in arms that their beloved children are reading light porn while eating PB&J at lunch. Likewise, teachers are offended at the vulgarity on display in the book and their being forced to read it, especially math teacher Peggy Lynch. As a result, poor Beth is on paid administrative leave, and is probably going to lose her job.
Listen folks, let your friend Paddy help you all out and be the voice of reason here. Beth's only crime is a lack of imagination. She hasn't written anything that a Harlequin novel hasn't rehashed a couple hundred times at this point. She should be punished for apparently channeling Jodi Picoult's shoddy writing skills and forcing more over-the-top ridiculousness on the reading public. And do you know what the real crime is? Beth Gannon was charging $13.95 for each paerback book. $13.95! For paperback! What in the world is it coming with? A 24k gold leaf cover and winning lotto numbers?
As for the math teacher...we all know math teachers don't read books. That's why they work with numbers. It's scientific fact.
But despite all that, Beth Gannon's crime is definitely not having a book with sex, drugs, and rock & roll in a school, and any parent flustered over this needs to stop watching too many episodes of "To Catch a Predator" on Dateline. Trust me folks, little Bobby and little Suzie at school aren't kicking back at recess reading about bare-chested lotharios with flowing hair getting it on with buxom women. Kids will barely read a comic book these days, never mind an overpriced book their principal wrote. When I was in grade school my principal would've needed to pay me $13.95 and given me a back rub to get me to read anything she published.
Teachers, of course, are saying the issue is that they felt threatened--that they HAD to buy the book. Except, oddly enough, no teacher is complaining about buying the book so much as they're complaining about the raunchy tone of the book. Come on now, we all know if this book was called "The Care Bears Dance on Rainbows" then no teacher would have complained about it. The issue here doesn't seem so much to be about buying a book (how come these same teachers don't complain about buying Girl Scout cookies?), so much as they're uncomfortable about the book's topic.
And what if the kiddos did stumble on Beth's book, as entirely unlikely as it would be? (Are kids going to be crawling through the air ducts at the school so they can shimmy into the teacher's lounge and get a glance at the eye candy on the cover?) What's the worry? If parents do their job and actually raise their children correctly, then the kids will know between a poorly written book and reality. And are we to assume none of these parents have second rate Nora Roberts books on their nightstands their kids could catch a glimpse of?
In the end, Beth Gannon will probably lose her job as a principal. But let me tell you, she's going to make a fortune writing smutty romance books. Jackie Collins can't live forever.
I had read about this story and was really appalled at the actions of the principal. I teach and I write. I teach under one name and I write under another. I would never, under any circumstances allow the two to meet. Parents are interesting creatures. People who were liberal and open-minded all through college, and hip and independent thinkers in their late twenties turn into the ethics-police after giving birth. I had a parent warn me that a student had found my blog and I should be careful what I post. Where was I posting? Violin.org, a site where people who play the violin can post little blog entries about play... THE VIOLIN. I know, shocking.
ReplyDeleteWhat irks me about Gannon's activities are that, as a principal, she's the leader for the school. She can write and publish whatever she wants, and if she chooses to use her name, then all the power to her. But she should not bring her book into the school and expect people who WORK UNDER HER to buy copies. That's just terribly unprofessional.
Of course, it's a pretty interesting insight for people. Education pays so low that the principals are forced to write smut to pay for their mortgages, and the teachers are so poorlyl paid they can't afford to buy the smut!