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Several months ago, I asked for your recent (2004 +) challenges to school library material for a presentation I was giving at a local community college. I've compiled responses below. Thanks for the information and sorry for the delay in sharing your responses. Elementary School Challenges Book: Captain Underpants and the Preposterous Plight of the Purple Potty People by Dav Pilkey Challenge: Parent described the book as generally “horrible.” Result: Parent talked to both media specialist and principal. As a result of these discussions, media specialist agreed not to check Captain Underpants books out to her son, and the matter was dropped. Book: Curious George by H.A. Rey Challenge: Parent complained that she was choosing to “raise her children in the realm of reality” and felt that inaccurate representations in children’s books would “harm future knowledge.” In Curious George’s case, parent objected to the fact that Rey did not draw George - a monkey - with a monkey’s tail, and parent felt this book should be removed in favor of more anatomically correct titles. Result: Parent never filled out/returned “request for reconsideration of library materials” document, and the matter was dropped. Book: Elinor and Violet: A Tale of Two Naughty Chickens by Patti Murphy. Challenge: Parent objected to the naughty antics of the chickens and, further, that these antics went unpunished (She felt this was a bad message for kids). Parent, apparently, did do some research, because she mentioned that the naughty chicken was brown while the good chicken was white – a fact mentioned in a Publisher’s Weekly negative review (The book received a mediocre School Library Journal and positive Booklist, Horn Book (starred), Kirkus and Library Talk reviews. Result: In a written response to parent, media specialist pointed out that this was a great opportunity for mom to let child know what is and isn't acceptable in their home, consequences of behaving unacceptably, etc … The book remained in the library. Book: Fifteen by Beverly Cleary Challenge: Challenged by parent who thought pre-marital sex was too risqué for elementary school children. Result: The book was pulled from all elementary schools in our district. It was retained at the several K-8 schools in the district - due to its appropriateness for the middle school population. Book: King & King by Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland Challenge: Parents (husband and wife) voiced specific concerns: “The princesses looked ugly, and there would never be a church that would marry two men.” More generally, parents felt it was not an appropriate book for an elementary school library and provided a list of books of which they "approved.” On this list, there were lesbian relationships represented but no gay relationships. Result: District had an established reconsideration policy, and this policy was followed. After review, the reconsideration board decided to keep the book in the library for the following reasons: “It is representative of the diversity in our population; there are very few books about same-sex relationships of males; it received positive reviews in professional literature; it is age appropriate; it encourages discussion of an important topic; and it promotes tolerance.” Book: Science Verse by Jon Scieszka Challenge: Parent of a first grader was highly offended by a poem on evolution included in this compilation (The book was classified as Easy). Result: Media specialist made the decision to shelf the book in 811 (poetry) based on the fact that it was, indeed, poetry, and older readers would be more likely to find it in the nonfiction section. Book: Zoo by Anthony Browne Challenge: Parent lodged a formal complaint, writing that the book “undermined family values.” She asked that the book be removed from the shelf so that “no child be harmed.” Result: Reconsideration committee voted to retain the book on library shelves. Recent Middle School Challenges Book: After the First Death by Robert Cormier Challenge: Parent objected to select “words that made this book sound like porn” - particularly the word breast. Result: Review committee felt that the book should not be withdrawn just for its few references to the word breast but did feel that the violence in the book might not be suitable for all middle school students. As a result, the book stayed on the shelf, but the AR reading quiz was deleted and the AR labels were removed from the book (Thus, no student would be "tempted" to read the book just to earn AR points). Book: Give a Boy a Gun by Todd Strasser Challenge: Parent objected to the title. Result: Review committee (principal, media specialist, and curriculum director) read the book and decided it should stay in circulation. Child of the parent challenging the book had the option of reading another book. In this case, the principal was leaning toward taking the book off the shelf. The media specialist, however, reminded her of the district's selection policy. Book: Harris and Me by Gary Paulsen Challenge: Parent of a sixth grade student challenged the book based on “inappropriate content” (The book was owned by the school media center and was also required reading in a sixth grade language arts class). Result: After review by the school’s Media Advisory Committee, the book remained on the media center shelves and was also retained as a sixth grade curriculum book. The Media Advisory Committee did come up with several alternate titles - should future objections arise. Book: Harry Potter series Challenge: Parent challenged the series’ overriding themes of witchcraft and magic. Result: All titles within the series were removed (This was a parochial school). Book: The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis Challenge: Parent challenged the book’s inclusion in the eighth grade curriculum - citing “sexual innuendo and bad behavior by a character.” Result: Teacher assigned student another book; the parent, however, requested that the book be removed from all but the high school library. The review committee and the superintendent voted to keep the book. Book: Wayside School is Falling Down by Louis Sachar Challenge: Parent of a sixth grader objected to the word hate in the book. Result: The book was maintained in the collection. Recent High School Challenges Book: Bless Me Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya Challenge: Parent objected to the book’s profanity and “pagan content.” Result: Superintendent had all school copies of the book (included those used in the ninth grade curriculum) destroyed. Book: How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez Challenge: Parent objected to the sexual content and profane language within the book. Result: In a closed meeting, school board decided to remove the book from school libraries. Book: Sandpiper by Ellen Whittlinger Challenge: A student checked out the book for a report but then refused to return it - saying that its graphic descriptions of oral sex made it inappropriate for a school library. The student’s grandmother then filed a formal complaint about the book and discussed her concerns with the school’s reconsideration committee formed to review the book. Result: Committee decided to keep the book in the library. Next, grandmother appealed committee's decision to school board. In the end, school board decided that Sandpiper would stay on library shelves - but not because board wanted it there. Christine Neirink, Media Specialist, Frankenmuth High School, Frankenmuth, MI cneirink@frankenmuth.k12.mi.us -------------------------------------------------------------------- Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book. 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