<<  <  >  >>

or being suspended for fighting." Despite

and oppression of women. Those are

safety concerns, many parents and com-

common smears, they said, dating back

munity members immediately protested

to British rule over India. They wanted

the move. Eric Golgart, whose eighth-

new, more even-handed books adopted

grade daughter was threatened with sus-

by a special commission charged with

pension if she did not change her clothes,

approving California textbooks. Many

organized a petition and rally against the

historians disagreed with their com-

ban. In doing so, he said he "was just

plaints, however, arguing that right-wing

standing up for the rights of every

Hindus were trying to whitewash history.

American."79

Historian Meenakshi Jain summed up

the problem, arguing that "there is no

such thing as an objective history."77

Book Banning

· Littleton--In August, the Littleton Board

of Education banned from district

Colorado

schools The Bluest Eyes by Nobel Prize

Freedom of Expression

· Aurora--When teacher Jay Bennish com-

winner Toni Morrison after receiving

complaints from parents about the

pared President George W. Bush's rhetoric

book's explicit sex scenes, including

to Adolph Hitler's and said capitalism was

depictions of rape. In October, however,

"at odds with human rights" in a March

district English teachers vowed to bring

lecture, he likely did not know that stu-

the book back. "It's pretty shocking that

dent Sean Allen was recording him. When

any school board would ban a book by a

Allen's recording got out, Bennish found

Nobel Prize winner," said English teacher

himself on administrative leave. The

Judy Vlasin at a special meeting about the

appearance, at least, was that he was being

ban. "It's a huge step backward for the

punished for saying unpopular things.

school district." Parent Pam Cirbo, how-

However, district spokeswoman Tustin

ever, had a different take: "Do they [stu-

Amole announced that "this is not a free

dents] need to know the explicit graphic-

speech issue. . . . It's about whether

ness of rape? I don't think so," Cirbo said.

[Bennish] provided sufficient balance." A

It was student Camille Okoren, however,

little more than a week after being put on

who best summarized the problem.

leave the district reinstated Bennish, but

"Once you ban one book, parents and

not until the incident had set off debate

teachers think it's OK to ban another

nationwide about freedom of speech in

schools.78

book. Everyone is offended by different

· Westminster--With immigration protests

things."80

occurring all over the country in April,

the principal of Shaw Heights Middle

Religion

· Monument--After Erica Corder announced

School in Westminster banned all "patri-

otic" clothing at her school, believing

in a graduation speech that "if you don't

that such clothing could instigate trou-

already know (Jesus) personally, I encour-

ble. Principal Myla Shepherd said the

age you to find out more about the sacri-

move was precipitated by the arrival of

fice he made for you," school district offi-

about 20 students at school one day who

cials threatened to withhold her diploma

were wearing camouflage jackets and

unless she told the parents of other stu-

pants, which she believed were intended

dents that district personnel did not con-

to express some kind of controversial

done her remarks. Officials pointed out

patriotism. "Safety is my first concern, so

that it would be a violation of the

I'm going to do things to keep us from

Constitution had they approved of her

getting to a point where anybody is hurt

proclamation. In an e-mail, Corder told

21