I was at the school board meeting held April 10 and found your article in the paper very insightful. I have an issue with a comment that was made by one of the board members, Bridgit Pankonin. Bridgit made a comment after the meeting that was untrue. She said, I regret the vote of the board. It did not reflect the views of the people who were there.
What people?
Was she referring to the people with the loudest applause or the biggest cheering against the books in question? Just because you have a louder voice does not mean that you are in the majority.
I think there were just as many people who were against taking these books out of the Middle School library but they did not feel the need to applaud and cheer the school boards ruling that these books stay in the library. This is a touchy subject and I respect most of the people on each side of this issue.
With that being said I have a hard time respecting people who use Shock Value to make their points. It is my job as a parent to teach values to my child, it is not the job of the school board, community members or other religious groups to teach values to my child. If you do not want your child reading certain books because it goes against your values that is your choice as a parent. It is not your job to place your values however on my family.
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My child goes to a public school not a private school and public means an education for all children no matter their race, culture, religious affiliation or ethnic heritage. These books in question are hard to read because they deal with tough subjects such as racism, child abuse, drugs, discrimination, etc... I want my child to read them because it is my duty as a parent to teach him that this world is not fair and at times unjust. I want to have open dialogue with my child about these issues.
Calling books garbage and saying that we should throw them away will not make these issues go away it will just keep them dirty little secrets.
I wonder, if Maya Angelou were there at that meeting would these same people have put her in a garbage bag and thrown her to the curb because it was her story that I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings was about.
Sue Fresonke
