Somewhere in Texas, a Cybertruck owner saw the words “Wade Mode” and thought, let’s put that to the test. So he drove his Cybertruck down to Grapevine Lake, apparently to test the feature. The truck quickly became disabled. Thankfully the power windows didn’t lock up, and the people inside got out safely. Then Grapevine Fire […]
Well, I would say the test results were conclusive, if nothing else.
I was trying to figure out why that name sounded familiar. I hadn’t heard of the story you referenced. I’m also pretty sure I’ve never been near anywhere with that name, though I think I might have encountered a road with a similar one.
Eventually, I remembered a book my then 5yo gave me after it was withdrawn from the school library and offered as a “keep forever” book.
The book did tell an interesting story partially based on real life first person accounts of a famous storm / flood, but overall it was fictional. There were some details I thought were inappropriate. I don’t know if those details (casual racism and acceptance of same, both by otherwise redeemable characters and by the victims of it; fairly graphic representation of bodily harm) match the reality of the time but, to put it bluntly, I agree with whomever made the decision to withdraw the book from a children’s library.
(I’m not sure what age group has access to the library. I do think it’s important for schools to allow access to uncomfortable facts, especially of history … But again, my kid was five at the time, so presumably other similarly aged kids also had access and I don’t think that they needed to hear these stories at that age.
My kid didn’t read, nor appear to want to read, the book, but given that they get freaked out by my surgery scars I don’t think that they would have benefited from doing so.)
I don’t know if those details (casual racism and acceptance of same, both by otherwise redeemable characters and by the victims of it; fairly graphic representation of bodily harm) match the reality of the time
1900 Texas, yeah, it matches the reality of the time. We’re talking about a state that 40 years before that had voted overwhelmingly to secede from the Union and ousted their governor when he refused to join the Confederacy. We’re talking full on Jim Crow, segregation as law, redlining, employment gating, etc etc - it was very bad.
But yeah I mean I probably wouldn’t say a 5yo should be engaging with that content, but I could see a 10 year old maybe? It feels 6th grade level is about right for that?
I was trying to figure out why that name sounded familiar. I hadn’t heard of the story you referenced. I’m also pretty sure I’ve never been near anywhere with that name, though I think I might have encountered a road with a similar one.
Eventually, I remembered a book my then 5yo gave me after it was withdrawn from the school library and offered as a “keep forever” book.
The book did tell an interesting story partially based on real life first person accounts of a famous storm / flood, but overall it was fictional. There were some details I thought were inappropriate. I don’t know if those details (casual racism and acceptance of same, both by otherwise redeemable characters and by the victims of it; fairly graphic representation of bodily harm) match the reality of the time but, to put it bluntly, I agree with whomever made the decision to withdraw the book from a children’s library.
(I’m not sure what age group has access to the library. I do think it’s important for schools to allow access to uncomfortable facts, especially of history … But again, my kid was five at the time, so presumably other similarly aged kids also had access and I don’t think that they needed to hear these stories at that age.
My kid didn’t read, nor appear to want to read, the book, but given that they get freaked out by my surgery scars I don’t think that they would have benefited from doing so.)
1900 Texas, yeah, it matches the reality of the time. We’re talking about a state that 40 years before that had voted overwhelmingly to secede from the Union and ousted their governor when he refused to join the Confederacy. We’re talking full on Jim Crow, segregation as law, redlining, employment gating, etc etc - it was very bad.
But yeah I mean I probably wouldn’t say a 5yo should be engaging with that content, but I could see a 10 year old maybe? It feels 6th grade level is about right for that?
I think we’re on the same metaphorical page.