Yet another banned book
By Marjorie Kehe | 05.18.09
Apparently winning both the Pulitzer and Nobel prizes does not guarantee an author easy access to the classroom. A high school English teacher in Shelby, Mich., has been ordered to remove a book by Toni Morrison from her curriculum after parents complained about profanity, sexual references, and violence.
The book is “Song of Solomon,” the story of the quest for identity of an African-American man living in Michigan. The title had been one of several that students could choose to read in Jane Glerum’s advanced placement English class.
But after protestors handed out information at community and school activities contesting the book’s use, Shelby Public Schools Superintendent Dana McGrew ordered “Song of Solomon” removed from the curriculum, although it is still available in the school library.
“That was my decision,” McGrew told the Muskegon Chronicle. “It was based on the fact that I have a community divided over this.” He added, “It’s a very difficult topic to work with because people are very passionate on both sides of the issue.”
Some community members are also reported to oppose the use in the school of “The Color Purple,” the 1983 Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Alice Walker and 1938 anti-war novel “Johnny Got his Gun” by Dalton Trumbo.
McGrew told the Chronicle that he has heard “through the grapevine” that “The Color Purple” is the next book to be targeted by the protesters.
Comments
2. Glenn Merrill-Skoloff | 05.18.09
I think the diary of Anne Frank should be next. It portrays distrubing events that no child should be exposed to. It also reflects poorly on one of our nations established political parties: the Nazis. I personally think it’s a great book and should be read by everyone but standards should be applied across the board. If it offends some (vocal) portion of the community then we should all be protected from it.
3. Deborah T. | 05.18.09
My daughter has taken several AP or advanced placement classes. These types of classes are for those students who are working above the normal high school level. So I see this issue as one for advanced students (and their parents) to make a decision to choose or NOT choose this particular book as one on a list of books offered to the class.
Since there are other options and the book is not required reading, why keep it off the list? The teacher/school could simply put a description by each choice with a “disclaimer” by the choice that was thought to be objectionable.
I’m sure that the teacher chose the book because of a lesson that was to be gained by reading/discussing it, rather than for its risque nature.
4. Nikola | 05.18.09
@ Jabli: they were for an advanced placement class — college-level reading — so most likely the students are high school seniors, not young children. Maybe the teacher assigned it because she thought a story about finding your identity (in Michigan) would resonate with young adults (in Michigan).
…Makes me wonder what the protesters would have done if the teacher had assigned the Song of Solomon from the Bible.
5. Shelby Citizen | 05.19.09
The teacher DID read the Song of Solomon from the Bible with her class before they read the Morrison book. Nobody complained about that, though.
6. Paul Prentice | 05.20.09
The self-appointed monitors of reading material are trying to impose their own narrow views on the reading public. Ban it for children, but for teens in High School? High school kids are exposed to and are reading far more damaging and explicit books and, in many cases, nothing is said to challenge this.
Paul Prentice — Adamstown, Maryland 21710 301-874-5612
7. Laura B | 05.20.09
By giving in at this stage the Superintendent does guarantee that there will be another one that will be targeted and another one after that. Where will the line be drawn, Huck Finn? Maybe a more appropriate question is when will the Superintendent grow a spine?
8. Janet Salmon | 05.20.09
Well now this story has been broken wide open … let’s all get a copy … and let’s all get a little wiser!
9. Kaylyn | 05.27.09
this website is wierd…it doesnt help me at all w/my research project for englishhh
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4. Parents protest prompts removal “Song of Solomon” from a high school curriculum « RanyaChantal | 05.19.09
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1. Jabli Izvesti | 05.18.09
Winning a Nobel prize does not make the author or her books appropriate for young children.As to the Pulitzer prize.the lesss said the better, as it has become a highly controversial and political award that tries to prmote some preferred points of view to the complete exclusion of others.