A recommendation could be made this week on the use of Graham Swift's Waterland in Plymouth-Canton Community Schools' AP English classrooms.

A committee assembled by the school district was scheduled to meet Monday for the second time, following a Feb. 8 public review to hear arguments from Matt and Barb Dame, parents who called for the removal of Waterland and Toni Morrison's Beloved, and district teachers Gretchen Miller and Brian Read.

The Dames, citing the books' sexual, violent and thematic content, objected to their inclusion in the teachers' instruction of minors.

Monday's scheduled meeting was closed to the public, as the committee deliberates its recommendation, which then will go to Supintendent Jeremy Hughes, who has indicated he would support the recommendation.

In January, a similar committee made up of different members voted to keep Beloved in classrooms. Unlike Beloved, however, Waterland remains pulled from classrooms until a decision is made, and teacher Brian Read said last week it is too late to continue teaching the book this year if it is reinstated.

School board stays out of debate

Not chiming in on the book debate has been the Plymouth-Canton Board of Education, which has remained mum on offering an opinion on the matter.

Hughes said at a Jan. 30 special meeting there has been misplaced anger throughout the district directed at the board when decisions about the book have been made solely by the administration.

“There’s no reason for people to blame the board,” Hughes said at the time.

Still, board meetings have served as an active forum for both supporters and detractors of the book to make their cases heard. The Board of Education meets at 7 p.m. today at E.J. McClendon Educational Center, 454 S. Harvey in Plymouth, to discuss graduation requirements for incoming 2012-13 freshmen and district realignment.

Online groups surface to address challenge

At least three groups of community members and parents have surfaced to argue for and against the two challenged books.

Plymouth-Canton Community Schools & Common Sense, a website operated by Matt Dame, argues that the books were not properly vetted before being introduced to the classroom and makes arguments for the books' removal from Plymouth-Canton classrooms.

Supports of Academic Integrity has actively campaigned for keeping both books in classrooms. Supporters sported shirts with the group's logo and a Waterland quote at the Feb. 8 book review. The group's site has served as a hub for community members to blog and share views on the two books.

Parents and Community Advocates for Plymouth-Canton, or P-CAP, has allowed parents to air grievances about the book and other district issues, such as allegations of "dirty dancing" at school events. The group now primarily remains focused on enforcing the code of conduct for district students. The group met Monday in Canton.

Editor's note: This story has been modified from an earlier version to include Plymouth-Canton Community Schools & Common Sense as a third online group addressing the book. Matt Dame's involvement in P-CAP has shifted to this new website.