Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Bill Sienkiewicz, Comics, entertainment, pia guerra, triger warnings

Teacher Loses Job Due To Lack Of Trigger Warnings In Comics Course? Bill Sienkiewicz Raises The Alarm

Comic book industry legend Bill Sienkiewicz wants to raise awareness of what he sees as a worrying trend. Posting openly to Facebook he wrote,

We're being trigger-warned, censored, thought-policed, micro-aggressed, buzzworded, note from Mommy-ed to death.

It's 'The Andromeda Strain' meets 'The Vapors'.

My oh my, Ah do declare, screw THAT where the sun don't shine. (edited for those w delicate sensibilities)

PS: Yes- the Context is indeed everything .This isn't about someone being insensitive — this specifically concerns students who have taken offense to the explicit,yes- but germane- narrative content in a graphic novel — a graphic novel presented as part of a school lecture series.

This mentor, this artist , this friend– this TEACHER- lost their job because the school must investigate every "charge" of trigger-warning and offense [sic], and immediate suspension results while it's being "reviewed"

While only giving a few details, noting that the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is on the case, other creators joined in the discussion.

Ray Fawkes In Farenheit 451, the censorship that rampaged out of control was born of an attempt to keep from offending anyone

Larry Hama F*ck 'em if they can't take a joke.

Bill Sienkiewicz my usual MO as well Larry- in this case it's actually not a joke. a teacher lost his job for featuring a guest speaker who did a very personal graphic novel.. so a few people sh*t kittens and bam, here we are…

Larry Hama The trick is to not get offended by those getting overly offended. The vicious circle of offense-taking has to be broken somewhere.

Bob Fingerman Preach, Brother Bill. Amen!

Bill Sienkiewicz I'm sure YOU'VE NEVER upset anyone with your work Bob

While Y The Last Man artist Pia Guerra took a different tack.

Pia Guerra Our book was similarly targeted by a student but instead of being due to PCness or trigger warnings, it was because the student's delicate Christian sensibilities were hurt over bad words and "pornography". I do feel trigger warnings have a place in education, as just that, warnings, for those who have gone through a trauma and could use a moment to brace his or herself to prevent a flashback. That's all people who have advocated for trigger warnings ever wanted. Those who are using a well intended courtesy to censor content, that's wrong and not surprisingly it's being abused by people who want to impose their morality on others.

Bill Sienkiewicz we have existing Parental Advisories and Explicit Material stickers. thought that should cover it. do we need an Evolutionary Advisory or a Caution:Secular Material?

James Rambo Amen on all counts. I used to be somebody that railed against trigger warnings, thinking they were about censorship when really they're no different from a sign that reads Deer Crossing or Falling Rocks Ahead; it's a warning of things to come, not a censoring of those things. And there are absolutely people that abuse them. And those people are the worst.

Dave Stephens It's a very, very, very big world – in this very big world, is there any thing that DOESN'T trigger SOMEBODY in some way… WARNING: Life.

Bill Sienkiewicz Yes, exactly. Life. and we need to have all available info and truths to help solve major crises and move forward .Mechanisms to cope, such as religion, alcohol need to be mixed with a grip on facts and reality. I'm not necessarily equating the need for spiritual solace with substance abuse, but too much of anything ceases to be a coping mechanism and becomes the problem itself

Pia Guerra The sad part about all the blowback on trigger warnings and "Political Correctness gone mad!" is that it hurts those it was meant to help. People who are just trying to get through a tough life, now because of some isolated incidents of abuse are lumped in with the assholes. It would be great if we could still understand that people aren't asking for that much when asking for respect they deserve.

The details of the case aren't discussed any further, but it does fit in with other recent events, such as the one Pia mentions.

The four Shultz and her parents found offensive were "Fun Home" by Alison Bechdel; "Y: The Last Man, Vol. 1" by Brian Vaughan; "The Sandman, Vol. 2: The Doll's House" by Neil Gaiman; and "Persepolis" by Marjane Satrapi.

"At least get a warning on the books," Shultz said. "At most I would like the books eradicated from the system. I don't want them taught anymore. I don't want anyone else to have to read this garbage."

Shultz said if she had known what the materials were she would not have taken the course.

"I had no warning," she said. "I had nothing. The professor should have stood up the first day of class and warned us."

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