Challenged Book 'Beloved' to Undergo Review Today
Panel to review book at district's administration building.
Photos
Toni Morrison's award-winning Beloved will face a review today to determine whether it belongs in the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park's AP English courses.
Park parents had complained to the administration about the book's sexual, thematic and violent content. It was the second such book to be challenged in the course; Graham Swift's Waterland was removed from the class curriculum in December by superintendent Jeremy Hughes.
The removal has prompted lively debate in favor of — and opposed to — removing the book. About 100 parents and students packed a Tuesday school board meeting to speak on the issue.
The review will take place at 5 p.m. today at the E.J. McClendon Educational Center, 454 S. Harvey St. in Plymouth.
According to Hughes, a panel was assembled in accordance with administrative guidelines for handling controversial materials.
The panel, Hughes said, was expanded beyond the minimum amount of people cited in administrative guidelines to include additional parents and instructors in addition to a college instructor, because the class in question is a college-level course, and additional parents and instructors.
"It was based on people with whom we have worked," Hughes said. He said two members were asked to leave the committee for having strong opinions regarding the topic.
While most reviews for controversial materials are not made public, Hughes said because of the emotions involved — and the high profile for the issue — today's hearing will be public.
On the subject of vetting new books, Hughes said the Board of Education ultimately approves the material, but it begins with the Park Council, a curriculum group that includes 13 administrators. Instructional materials first are presented to that group, he said. If approved, the recommendation goes to the director of secondary education, or elemetnary education, depending on the level of material. At that point, Hughes said, the director establishes a vetting process before making a recommendation to the superintendent, then to the school board for approval.
As for the two challenged books, Hughes said he could find no evidence of vetting before being introduced to the classroom.
"We could find no record of the books going through that process," he said. "I'm not blaming teachers for that."
Maloney said he wasn't interested in talking about blame, chalking it up as a failure of process.
"The process, to the best of my knowledge, was not used," Hughes said.
Maloney said he wanted ensure a process was in place so in the future, the district does not encounter similar problems.
"It’s created a great divide in our community right now and that’s not a good thing," Maloney said.
Editor's note: The time of the meeting has been corrected to show that it begins at 5 p.m., not 4 p.m.
Mike
8:37 am on Wednesday, January 11, 2012
I am not a literature scholar nor have I read these books. I would like to ask whoever chose them: "What makes these books stand out above others as great works of literature?" I was dismayed at the 10th grade reading selections, Into the Wild, The Great Gatsby, and The Catcher in the Rye. It seems that when a story centers on a looser or a drunk then it is a great work in literature. I'm sure I am missing something.
GA
8:47 am on Thursday, January 12, 2012
Mike-
You are right, in not reading books and yet labeling them you are obviously not a literature scholar but also not a bright guy. See, this type of charged language is only stated by those who do not read, do not study, do not bother to understand. Using your theory of judging books: it seems that when a man centers his uninformed comments on texts that he hasn't read then he must be illterate. I'm sure I'm missing something.
Becca Simmons
4:36 am on Saturday, January 14, 2012
*loser
The Catcher in the Rye was much more than a story about a loser or a drunk, though Holden Caulfield is both. Have you even read Salinger's masterpiece? It's about the troubles of growing up and how teenagers feel isolated in society today. It's about the loss of innocence and the difficulty of moving out of childhood and into adulthood. Good sir, it is NOT simply about a loser or a drunk.
Becca Simmons
4:41 am on Saturday, January 14, 2012
Beloved and Waterland are taught in the AP English classes. The AP English class is set up to prepare students for the AP English national wide exam. Beloved and Waterland were both chosen for students to study because they show up on the AP exam. Also, they are marvelously beautiful pieces of literature.
emily
3:17 pm on Tuesday, January 17, 2012
I'm a junior at the Park and I loved reading The Great Gatsby and Catcher in the Rye in 10th grade. They are two books that I normally would not have read on my own, but I am very grateful that I read them. They are about much more than a "loser and a drunk". Both are two of the best pieces of 20th century literature that open people's eyes to different things and different situations. Just because the characters have some questionable qualities or do certain things doesn't make them bad characters or bad books. It's just something different, something that close-minded people don't seem to understand
Laurie Golden
10:20 am on Wednesday, January 11, 2012
According to reports published on the PCCS website, the review meeting today is at 5 PM, not 4 PM as reported in this article.
John McKay
11:03 am on Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Apologies; a source told me it was at 4. I wasn't able to find the link you were referring to on the PCCS website, but according to the P-CAP website, http://p-cap.org/calendar.html, it does begin at 5 in the meeting room of the E.J. McClendon Educational Center.
GA
8:49 am on Thursday, January 12, 2012
John-
As someone who works for an online media source, I seriously can't believe that you couldn't find the information needed online through the pccs website. Please refer back to the basics of your journalism classes...use the best source possible ALWAYS.
Mike Andro
9:42 am on Thursday, January 12, 2012
John, keep up the good work. I am thrilled that the Patch is covering local events. You are giving great information and an outlet for community comments. I'm amused by those who are critical but nameless.
Debbie Piotrowski
11:56 am on Wednesday, January 11, 2012
its best to use the school website for such info, not a parent group website.
http://pcep.pccs.k12.mi.us/
the link is the top story
Jerry Thompson
2:58 am on Thursday, January 12, 2012
I have to report confusion about comments being made about the "vetting" of materials for classes at PCEP. I was in the English Dept. during three decades, including the time when Pulitzer winning book BELOVED & Booker prize winner G.Swift's novel WATERLAND were both adopted. I'm hoping there's a misprint because statements by Supt. Hughes & Board Member-elect Maloney are preposterous. "As for the two challenged books, Hughes said he could find no evidence of vetting before being introduced to the classroom. Maloney said he wasn't interested in talking about blame, chalking it up as a failure of process."
The process required at the time was most certainly used. To discover this would have taken ONE PHONE CALL to the teacher or Dept. Head from that period. They are in the phone book. Maloney's false claim of "failure of the process" is absurd & insulting. The books have been a success for a decade until challenged by one of Maloney's election campaign partners & then mishandled by Hughes. Most disturbing comment of all -
"It’s created a great divide in our community right now and that’s not a good thing," Maloney said. This from one of the 4 Board candidates who boisterously attacked the school district for condoning "dirty dancing". Great campaign hype. Little substance. A Principal's letter issued today solved it. The "divide in the community" and the "not good thing" are being caused the the fear and misinformation coming from the mouths of these two school officials.
Mike Andro
11:18 am on Thursday, January 12, 2012
There is an administrative process to approve high school english books. It involves more than just approval from one dept. head. Now going back three decades, I can see that process becoming somewhat clouded. Being that you are a former employee of the district I am sure you followed the proper procedures.
As far as the dancing issue being solved by a single letter from the principal. The next dance is in 2 months. Stay tuned.
Mike
12:08 pm on Thursday, January 12, 2012
GA –
As most liberals you attack a person instead of dialog the topic. You must be following the teachings of Saul Alinsky. I am an Engineer extremely talented in Math and Science. I do read many books for pleasure but have not read these. So your personal attacks are silly based on your lack of understanding in a complex community.
My Simple Question Still Stands "What makes these books a better choice for Class than others?"
GA
1:58 pm on Thursday, January 12, 2012
My question still stands- why aren't you examining math & science- your area of talent? I'm actually a moderate, who is informed in math, science, literature and other varied areas...so I've read what I plan to be invested in.
.
Becca Simmons
4:46 am on Saturday, January 14, 2012
It's quite ironic that that you say, "As most liberals you attack a person instead of dialog the topic." By saying that, YOU are also doing the attacking. Great job at bringing politics into a completely unrelated subject.
Mike
11:57 pm on Thursday, January 12, 2012
GA - Can you answer my question? Or do you just want people who ask questions to mind their own business? Am I not allowed to expand my understanding?
I am not surprised you view yourself as a moderate, but your hostility betrays that.
GA
4:35 pm on Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Mike-
You missed the point earlier and so I too quickly assumed you would miss the point this time, too. Obviously you are not illiterate- this is only an attack on you personally if you take it that way. I was making the comparison for how quickly YOU came to your conclusions about the book having not read it, and how quickly I could come to conclusions about you having never met you. Both your comment (by me) and also a small section of a text (by you) could be (and were) completely taken out of context. I was paralleling, not being hostile, I'm sorry you missed that.
As far as answering your questions, I would love to do so with you when you take the time to read these materials. I've sat in on my son's classes, met with his teachers, studied and read his materials for class. Please consider doing this; consider informing yourself on a most base level and then looking to challenge others with questions.
Meg
10:33 pm on Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Beloved is the best American novel ever written. It should be mandatory reading for every high school senior throughout the country. Toni Morrison has surpassed Faulkner to become the new "American Shakespeare."
frank
8:06 am on Thursday, January 19, 2012
Now you have gone overboard.
Jerry Thompson
9:54 am on Thursday, January 19, 2012
Frank _______, perhaps we would do better to not judge so quickly ...
"What Is the Best Work of American Fiction of the Last 25 Years?" -
Winner: BELOVED by Toni Morrison (1987)
"...the Book Review's editor, Sam Tanenhaus, sent out a short letter to a couple of hundred prominent writers, critics, editors and other literary sages, asking them to please identify "the single best work of American fiction published in the last 25 years." The results - in some respects quite surprising..." - NYT Review of Books, 5/ 21/06
The original review - http://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/13/books/jaunted-by-their-nightmares.html