Totally Unfair

“I’m not worried about you two,” he said. “I just don’t want a repeat of this discussion we just had.” Something uneasy began to creep up my spinal column. “I certainly respect your Christian beliefs,” he said. “I’m a Christian myself. BUtI want you to be very careful about expressing them in the classroom. It isn’t always appropriate.”
”Why?” I said.

He sighed. “Because this is a captive audience. Anyone who is offended can’t just walk out of the room.”

“But what Jeremy said offended ME,” I said. “And I can’t walk out of the room either.”

Irritation etched Mr. Beecher’s face. “He was stating an opinion. You have to learn to live with the differences people express.”

“But I was –“

“You were preaching. There’s a difference.”

Then he turned away, signaling the end of the conversation. I left the room feeling like his thumbprint was carved into my head.

Book: Totally Unfair ('Nama Beach High, Book 4) by Nancy Rue, Zondervan Publishers, 2005

 

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Target Audience: Girls 13-19

Subjects: Tolerance, Truth, Separation of Church and State

Summary: Their hero is in trouble and there’s nothing they can do about it! Mrs. Isaacason has been there for them so many times. She practically saved the lives of a few of them! And now she’s under attack for “proselytizing” even though she’s always been careful to follow the law. It’s nothing more than one mean spirited girl out for revenge, but no one believes that. Laura Duffy is determined to stand up for her and fight for what’s right, but it seems she’s going to be alone. The swim coach has threatened Joy-Beth with being kicked off the team for “causing disruptions”, Stevie is being threatened with losing student president for “proselytizing”, Trent is afraid because of graduation looming, K-J is afraid of losing Mrs. I as a foster parent and Celeste is just plain mad at God. But yet, it seems she’s not alone. She continues to get notes from her Secret Admirer encouraging to be One with God.

Notes: This story almost painful. A number of adults in this story do their best to use the law to take away student rights. Students are allowed free speech, but fear of hearing Biblical truth makes the officials try to take away that right. But the story is more than that. It’s about waiting on God and being One with Him. The last three books in this series were about Laura’s search for keys of power. In this book, it takes it a step further and uses the illustration of God being our Bridegroom to encourage Laura to be completely one with God.

Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Matthew 25:1-12 – "At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. "At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'  "Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.  The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'  "'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves'  "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. "Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'  "But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'  "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.