... That an ad hoc committee has recommended that Mark Twain's "The Prince and the Pauper" be allowed for classroom reading in 8th-grade classrooms in the Coeur d'Alene School District. You read that right. "The Prince and the Pauper." Seems all new novels suggested for required reading -- no matter who's the author -- are assigned to the ad hoc committee for review -- and then given a 30-day comment period for the public to inspect. This policy is the result of a dust-up a few years ago re: the controversy over "Snow Falling on Cedars," which has sexual references. No one has complained re: "The Prince and the Pauper" so far. At the September meeting, the Coeur d'Alene School Board will decide whether Twain's novel will make the cut.

Question: Thumbs up/down on Twain's "The Prince and the Pauper"? ;-)