Letter to the Editor: Book Challenge an 'Attack' on Rigor of Studies

Hello Mr. McKay,

As someone who grew up in Plymouth, attending school K-12 and taught at Plymouth-Canton Educational Park during three decades, I am concerned that from AP courses are an attack on the rigor of advanced studies. Tactics used, based on reading of small excerpts which are characterized as “pornography,”  could be easily be applied to outlaw even the Bible. Not only are AP students having books yanked out of their hands, due process of board policy is still not being followed for Waterland. This book is treated as guilty until proven innocent. The American way?

This is the proverbial “slippery slope.” My point being that one can conjur fear and create divisiveness about a great many things: prize-winning college texts written by Nobel scholars, best-selling holy books, etc. If I am afraid that my son/daughter in AP Chemistry might choose to make an incendiary device, in AP Biology might discover how to inflict pain on an animal, in AP History may admire excerpts from Mein Kampf, in AP Physics develop curiosity about atomic devices, in AP Computing might create a damaging virus, in AP French might encounter writings of the Marquis de Sade, or in reading Genesis 19:30-36 might be inspired to behave as Lot's daughters — then is the problem with the complex nature of the studies and the world we live in OR is the problem with the fear we have encouraged within ourselves and the distrust we have in our own upbringing of our children? And if it is the latter, isn't that a private matter for a family to deal with, instead of foisting private fears on the majority of us who want our children to learn from the top scholars and texts?

My further concern is for the superintendent to more diligently follow rules in clear view of school children who are also asked to follow rules. I am also disheartened that board trustee Maloney was quoted in Plymouth and Canton Patch as calling the process of selecting these two books a “failure." The committees reviewing the texts had not even met and a board member has found “failure." Can’t there be a genuine coming together of board and administration to support rigor of studies and the highly qualified staff at PCEP in their selection of materials? One parent’s fear or a board member’s careless comment should not trump due process, scholarly texts and professional staff.

Embarrassing the school district and dumbing down of the curriculum do not serve community interests.

Jerry Thompson