7-0, and I'm not talking about the Saints game

7-0. That was the vote to ban a book from a school's curriculum. A book teachers were hoping to use to get teenage boys (a particularly hard demographic) to read. The score to permanently ban the book from the high school library, even with restrictions? 7-2. What book is it you ask? "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie.

Why, oh why, was is challenged and ultimately banned you say? Why are any books challenged? It depicted reality. It had profanity and discussed masturbation. When the very valid point of "well, uh, it is high school, and, uh, you know kids know about this kind of stuff" was brought up, it was outright rejected with the fingers in the ears and singing loudly. Okay, the last bit didn't happen, but it was outright rejected. It was also said that the reading level of the book is low for high schoolers. I will go ahead and disagree with that. I think the reading level is just fine for high schoolers (particularly ones in this neighborhood from the sound of things)and will not "dumb down the educational standards" of the students reading it. Once again the statement was made that the book did not meet the values of the community. Oh, thank heaven those seven people were there to save me from making a decision myself. You know, I don't know what I would have done if that vote hadn't gone through. Oh, yeah, I would have done what everyone else in the town did: go to amazon.com and order the book to see what everyone is so up in arms about. We have the freedom to read and the freedom to choose. Even high school students have that freedom. If you don't like it, close the damn book.
Once again, please visit my disclaimer page...banned books week is coming up (September 25 - October 3) and it may get kind of hot in here.