A story was in the news yesterday (11/11/11) that seems to have gotten lost in all the “11/11/11” mania. The story, Parents Upset Porn Star Sasha Grey Read a Book to Children (http://gawker.com/5858710/parents-upset-porn-star-sasha-grey-read-a-book-to-children?utm_campaign=Argyle%2BSocial-2011-11&utm_content=johnny&utm_medium=Argyle%2BSocial&utm_source=twitter&utm_term=2011-11-12-13-25-00), and later followed by this story, Former Porn Star Sasha Grey Refuses to Back Out of Elementary School Reading Program (http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/11/11/porn-star-sasha-grey-refuses-to-back-out-elementary-school-reading-program/#ixzz1dXZWpv4v).
What interested me about these stories is the fact that the parents at this elementary school are all up in arms that on November 2, a former porn star, Sasha Grey, took time out of her life and read to a bunch of children as part of a program sponsored by the National Education Association, Read Across America (http://www.nea.org/grants/886.htm).
Let’s put some perspective into play here; if any of these 1st and 3rd grade kids know of Sasha Grey by her body of work, there might exist a couple of bigger issues. The ire of these children’s parents have gotten to the point that the Compton school where this reading event took place are denying Ms. Grey’s presence in the school, much less the classroom. Wow, I’ll let some top-notch Photoshop work here speak for itself.
To be serious again for a moment, here is a picture of Ms. Grey reading to a bunch of elementary school children, who seem so dismayed by her presence, they are paralyzed with shock and awe while Ms. Grey continues to read from children’s book. Yet the school denies Ms. Grey’s presence here, “We have several celebrities who read to our students each year,” a spokesperson for the school told TMZ. “The actress you indicated was not present.”
This tweet was also posted by Ms. Grey: “Spent the am with Read Across America Compton, reading to the sweetest 1st and 3rd grade students @ Emerson Elementary.”
At this point, as shown in the following picture, to me the real tragedy of this event is the children snubbing Dr. Seuss’ “One Fish, Two Fish” for some book about a dog (Dog Breath by Dav Pikey). But hey, it’s their call. (Seriously though, snubbing Dr. Seuss? Detention for all of you until you learn some respect for the classics!)
But I digress.
One of the issues I have here is not the parental outrage, no matter how misplaced I feel it is, but rather the schools vehement denial this even happened, despite the photos of the event. !!!! So at this point the lesson we seem to be teaching these kids isn’t “you should read more” but rather “you don’t like what happened then lie and pretend it never happened in the first place”.
Excuse me? I think we may be a little (read as, a lot) off base here.
Let’s look at a fact. In the 2011 report regarding reading and math skills amongst 4th and 8th graders across the country, California, where this event took place, ranks as 44% of the 4th graders reading below the basic level, surpassed only by New Mexico, Louisiana, and Washington, DC (which is worst at 56%). This is not reading “at” a 4th grade basic level, but “below”.
We seem to be living in a world where the latest XBOX or PlayStation game cheat-code is more important than the next chapter in a book. Where are our priorities? It seems at Emerson Elementary School in Compton, CA. Of note, the school district that hosted Ms. Grey is also one of the worst districts in California, where less than half of students graduate.
“I find it disturbing that a former porn-star read to these kids.”
“It sickens me.”
“How dare the school allow this to happen?”
These are just a few of the comments I am sure to be found amongst the Compton PTA community. But I have a couple of questions here:
“Do you read to your kids?”
“Do you encourage your kids to pick up a book instead of a game controller?”
“How many of you would or have volunteered your time to do the same thing? Read to a bunch of elementary school children?”
(And for the record, yes, as a matter of fact, on more than one occasion have I volunteered my time to do same. From my senior year in high school when I tutored a handful of 5th graders in math, to many years later when I was a weekly guest speaker for several months to a room of 6th graders teaching them computer basics.)
I, for one, applaud Ms. Grey’s work here and am happy to see she is not backing down and “not live in fear of her XXX past”. Why should she live in fear? Sasha Grey had a career in porn. So what? Watch (or, and a touch of irony here, read) any interviews with Ms. Grey and you will see she is intelligent and always approached her work with a fearless attitude. I am sure these same traits were called upon when facing a room full of 1st and 3rd graders – they can be a daunting audience and will immediately voice any displeasure.
Ms. Grey further adds, "I am an actor. I am an artist. I am a daughter. I am a sister. I am a partner. I have a past that some people may not agree with, but it does not define who I am." Why should it? There was nothing wrong with the work Sasha Grey has done during her career in pornography. Porn stars, former and current, are people too. They are adults like anyone else with bills to pay, relationships to maintain, and aspiring dreams. Why should a porn star be treated any better, less, or differently from anyone else? I don't recall anything in the U.S. Constitution where one's citizenship is based on their profession. There is nothing wrong with the work Ms. Grey has done and there is nothing wrong now with her volunteering to read to a bunch of kids who frankly, would probably appreciate more. (I'm sure the issue was happily resolved with the dog's breath, but seriously kids, 2012 is the Year of the Lorax, look into it).
Sasha Grey goes on to say "I believe in the future of our children, and I will remain an active supporter and participant in education-focused initiatives." And I say good for her! I support her work and Sasha (may I call you Sasha?), if you drop me a line (mjcastelli@earthlink.net or 1.571.216.1177, or even Twitter @mjcastelli) I will send you a complete Dr. Seuss library to read and share with these, and any other, children in your endeavors. (The donate and volunteer/participate links on the NEA page aren’t working).
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