Trustees Keep ‘Of Mice And Men’

Originally posted at 10:25 p.m. Monday

The Depression-era tale of George and Lennie and their dream of a farm together will continue to be part of the literary journey for Coeur d’Alene ninth graders. The School Board voted 4-1 Monday night to keep John Steinbeck’s 1937 novella “Of Mice and Men” as an option for English teachers to assign their classes, rather than demote it to voluntary, small-group discussion as recommended by a school district committee that is reviewing novels taught in the schools. Trustee Dave Eubanks pointed out that in 13 years of tracking the book’s use in Coeur d’Alene schools, the district has received not one parent complaint about it, and no families have opted to have their children read something else in class, as district policy permits. “I think our community has already clearly made its decision: no problem, leave it where it is, require whole-group instruction,” Eubanks said/ Scott Maben , SR, More here.

Question: Are you surprised the vote was 4-1?