TARGET- "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" Challenge

[Brook Berg <booklady@UNITELC.COM>]

Hello All,

The Advanced Placement (AP) English class in our high school is/was using
"Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?"  It has been challenged as okay to have in
the school library, but inappropriate for use in the classroom.
As directed by district policy, the building media specialist and other
appropriate building representatives defended the book as a Level 1
Challenge.  If the Challenge is brought to Level II (as the High School
Media Specialist believes it will) a Media Specialist from another school in
the district will be called in to make the next defense.  As I am the middle
school media person there is a good chance that I will be on the "hot seat"
to defend the book/play before the School Board.
Now, having said that - I come to the crux - I have some reservations about
the effectiveness of my case.
I have read the play, read quite a few critiques of it, and have ordered the
video (Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton circa late 60s) to watch as well.
I guess my real problem (and I realize this is somewhat unprofessional) is I
don't like the play/book.  I think studying the drunken ravings, violent
behavior and mutual humiliation is too close to the reality of many of my
students home lives.
I would be so grateful if some of you English Literature folk could give me
some good and reasonable argument addressing the value of using this type of
American Literature and this play particularly in the classroom.

Thank you All

B



The mission of the library media program is to ensure that students and
staff are effective users of ideas and information.
--Information Power: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs (1988),

~^~
Brook A. Berg, Media Specialist
ISD 22
Detroit Lakes Middle School
500 11th Ave. Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
218-847-9228
bberg@detlakes.k12.mn.us

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