Q: Are Some Books Wrong for Public Schoolers?
Item: Coeur d'Alene parents raise book concerns: Panel reviews five titles for possible restrictions/Meghann M. Cuniff, Spokesman-Review
More Info: Now "Fallen Angels" and "The Chocolate War" are under review again – this time to determine if they should be restricted for high school students. Also under review are "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou, "Snow Falling on Cedars" by David Guterson and "Beloved" by Toni Morrison. All five have been challenged repeatedly in school districts across the country and are available in Coeur d'Alene's high school libraries. None is required reading, said Jim Facciano, the district's curriculum director.
DFO: The key for me here is the phrase "none is required reading." When my kids were in school, my wife and I asked his literature instructor to allow him to switch books for an assignment because we considered the first book to be age inappropriate. The teacher readily complied. I consider that approach to be a better one than trying to censor the books for other children.
Question: Are there times when books are simply too age inappropriate for public schoolers and should be censored?
