School committee says ‘crude’ book to stay in FHS library
Posted on Wednesday, October 5, 2005
While conceding the book "Push"has crude language and explicit descriptions of sexual acts, an appointed materials review committee has ruled it can remain in Fayetteville High School library.
Local resident Laurie Taylor filed a formal complaint against the book this summer, asking that it be removed from the library. She has also been waging an ongoing campaign in recent months to restrict student access to library books with sexually explicit content.
The novel tells the story of a teenage girl who is the victim of incest and gets pregnant with her father's child. She starts to overcome her past with help from one of her teachers.
In its findings, the eightmember committee wrote," Although the book, 'Push' may not be suitable for every high school student, it does have literary merit and should remain in the library."
This is in accordance with the district's policy that library should offer books with a "diversity of appeal, and presentation of different points of view." "I think it's sad,"Taylor said, regarding the committee's recommendation.
The committee agreed in its findings that the book had crude language describing "horrible experiences involving incest and emotional and physical abuse."
However, the incidents described were realistic, as incest and abuse by family members does exist, the committee wrote. Other findings included that the language was consistent with the character and the descriptions of sexual acts were not intended to "titillate or sexually arouse the reader." "The overall message of the book is one of hope, survival and the value of human relationships and education in overcoming horrific experiences,"the committee said.
The primary area of disagreement committee members had was whether the book's crude language impeded its message. Some committee members believed it did, while others were not adversely affected by it.
Materials review committee members were FHS Principal Randy Willison; Patricia Kirkwood, an engineering and mathematics librarian with the University of Arkansas; Tom Triplett, Fayetteville Schools' director of student affairs; parents Tim Cavell and Sheila Logan; teachers Tim Chitwood and Erin McFalls; and FHS student Lauren Boudreaux.
District policy states such committees can include a student representative, and officials decided to in this case since this request at the high school level, Superintendent Bobby New said.
Over the summer, Taylor released a list of 54 books she charged were too sexually explicit for school libraries.
As a compromise to removing the books, Taylor suggested they could be placed in a restricted access section. Students would then have to have their parents'permission to check out.
At a special meeting in August, the Fayetteville School Board decided it could not restrict student access to specific books in the library. The decision was based largely on advice from school attorney Rudy Moore, who said courts have ruled that requiring parental consent to check out specific books has a "stigmatizing"effect on the student.
Taylor said she wasn't sure what the next step in her campaign would be, but she said she plans to discuss the committee's finding with her attorney, Stephen Crampton of the American Family Association.
One of the organization's stated goals is to stand for "traditional family values"and campaign against sexually explicit television programs and other media.
When asked if Fayetteville might not be the best town for waging such a campaign, Taylor said she was not deterred. She said she plans to keep filing complaints and seeking changes. "If it can get changed here, it can get changed anywhere,"she said.
Besides the book "Push,"Taylor has filed a formal complaint against the book "Deal With It! A whole new approach to your body, brain and life as a gurl."
New said the district plans to proceed with processing her complaint on "Deal With It!"On both books, Taylor has asked that it be "withdrawn from all students,"he added.
In response to Taylor's complaints on specific books and lack of parental permission, the school board directed New to form a committee to evaluate and review library book selection and procedures for reviewing books.
The administration was also asked to develop a procedure to review a group of books on a specific subject matter, in addition to individual titles. The current policy requires complaints be filed on specific books one at a time.
In August, Taylor formed an organization called Parents Protecting the Minds of Children to address the library book issue. About 60 to 70 people attended the initial meeting.
Alan Wilbourn, district director of school/community relations, said as far as he knows, Taylor is the only person who has filed an individual complaint against a library book this school year.
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