I thought librarians pulling a book from the shelf because it has the word “scrotum” in it was ridiculous, but this surpasses that to an absurd and frightening level:
The office of U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Murphy has forwarded a complaint about inappropriate books assigned to Howell High School students to the FBI, a spokeswoman for Murphy said. Gina Bilaya said that while the referral is routine, it also indicates that Murphy is taking the complaint seriously.
Vicki Fyke of the Livingston Organization for Values in Education made the complaint, alleging that assignments of books by Richard Wright, Pulitzer winner Toni Morrison and Kurt Vonnegut violate laws against distribution of pornography to minors because they contain depictions of sex and rape, and obscene language. “The Freedom Writers Diary” by Erin Gruwell is also named by Fyke.
Seriously?
Link via Ed Champion. The American Family Association of Michigan — why do groups like this always have names like that? — further explains their objections to some of the books:
Please join concerned parents in urging Howell High School not to use a book (“The Bluest Eyes”) that graphically depicts the rape of an 11-year old girl by her father.
You know, it’s been awhile since I read Morrison’s novel, but I don’t remember the rape being depicted as a good thing. There’s some ugly racism in the book, too. I notice that hasn’t caught the focus of the angry Christians. The book is pretty high on the ALA 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books — and, in the 27 years since it was published, it’s been no stranger to controversy — but trying to get the FBI to classify it as child pornography seems like a new low.
This is not too far from Detroit, where I’m going to be in a couple of weeks. That scares me a little.
This is a bit more complicated than you are making it out to be.
For example, the rape scene is not an issue because it might be gratifying. It’s because of the imagery it creates.
The question is really whether we want 15 year olds reading graphic sexual content.
There’s certainly the arugment “They’ve seen it before”, but this is something that should disappoint us, and we should not be requiring schools to add more fuel to that fire.
And those that are pursuing this are calm and rational people that are concerned about their kids. I’d be more concerned about the people that have lashed out at them.
These folks are trying to make a peaceful and lawful point, and are now being attacked on blogs where people make sweeping judgements about them without knowing the details.
Your visit to Detroit will not be impacted by anyone trying to explore boundaries on books.
There is a question of context. I certainly would not agree with a teacher’s decision to assign, let’s say, an issue of Hustler as required reading, even if the kids had “seen it before.” But I do think it’s ridiculous to equate Morrison’s novel with hardcore pornography — and beyond the pale to call the FBI in to investigate it and other books as child pornography, or as an illegal distribution to minors. The assignment of those books is not an illegal act.
Perhaps we should stop to consider what happens if the FBI ultimately agrees with these people. Presumably, the teacher who assigned the book — or someone at the school — will need to be arrested, possibly sent to federal prison, possibly registered as a sex offender, almost certainly fired from their job. There are implications beyond having a book removed from the curriculum, implications that “calm and rational people” really ought to consider.
I respect a parent’s right to decide if any book is inappropriate for his or her child. But I don’t respect their right to decide for every child, or to reclassify the books they don’t like as pornography.
I understand that their intentions are good — they almost always are — but that doesn’t make them any less wrong.
I got excited when I saw the name “Howell” cause that’s where I’m from, but then I realized this was in Michigan and not New Jersey.
Do not be scared.
Go in fighting!