Boosting the Signal

[janedavitt]

It was taking off before I went to yoga and gathering steam.

Basically, a small-minded idiot of a mother found out her son's teacher writes for Ellora's Cave and freaked out. An irresponsible online news channel picked it up, drooling salciously, and acted like she was making snuff movies in her spare time not writing romance novels with some sexual content the likes of which are on any local library shelf. They also published her real name. No words.

http://snydercounty.wnep.com/news/news/parents-english-teacher-writes-racy-novels/58743

The comments, apart from the original complainant's sister, are overwhelmingly supportive of the teacher -- as well they might be -- and a facebook page was set up to show support, which is here:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Support-Judy-Mays-Mrs-Buranich/125856067491517?sk=info

I have nothing but disgust and contempt for the parent who complained (she seems to be constantly doing things like this for the publicity). She says her ten-year old son is now upset about what his teacher writes -- well, who told him? You did, you stupid woman.

GAH.

The implications of this witch hunt are appalling. I hope the author's sales rocket and I hope she sues people. Lots of people.

ETA: Apology; her son's in tenth grade, not ten; my eyes read it wrong. So he's Eleanor's age, 15-16. Give me a break ::rolls eyes::

And the comments on the article have all disappeared but the messages of support are rolling in on the FB page for the news channel but you have to do a few clicks to get to them from the main page...

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=176126507500&topic=19606

Comments

[carolyn_claire]

I can't see any comments--do you have to be logged in?

[janedavitt]

You can't see them because they deleted them last night and froze new comments. They're trying to hide them on their Facebook page, too, but there are hundreds of them that keep flooding in.

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=176126507500&topic=19606

I'm still so angry I could spit. The comments I read before they disappeared, attached to the original article, seemed to say that the two parents complaining are actually sisters which makes it seem even more of a personal, non-issue. The one who diligently broke this shocking story with her Google-fu says in this article here

http://dailyitem.com/0100_news/x1250116361/Teacher-s-novels-upset-parents

Another parent, Wendy Apple, said she had Buranich as an English teacher in high school.

“I thought she was a top-of-the-line teacher,” Apple said.

But the erotica, she said, “is unethical, totally unacceptable. Period. It just sort of sickens and saddens me to know everybody’s sort of looking at this like, hey, this is OK.”

Yeah, I'm sickened and saddened too, Wendy, but not by the books.

[sarken]

Here via my network, because I saw the URL and recognized that as my local news channel. I am facepalming so hard, I cannot even tell you.

[janedavitt]

I don't blame you! That channel must be absolutely stunned by the well-deserved backlash.

[jenlev]

Seriously headdesking here. People like that woman make my hair stand on end and not in a good way.

[janedavitt]

They scare the life out of me ::shudders::

[jenlev]

I quite agree, frightening Meep.

[jdjunkie]

Oh, for god's sake.

No words. Beyond, oh, for god's sake ...

[janedavitt]

I know. I was stomping around ranting last night, practically blind with rage.