Do Not Let Calculated Censoring Succeed In Our Schools
To the Editor:
Book bans are imposed intolerances and they are currently threatening Newtown High School.
A book called Flamer is under review by the school district pushed forth by some parents for potential removal from the high school library. It’s about a gay adolescent struggling with his sexual identity. Flamer is one of other books under review for censoring so this is an organized campaign and not just confined to the high school.
The book covers a lot of terrain in terms, situations and illustrations that are sexual, graphic, bullying, homophobic, crude, suicidal. It includes conflict between an evolving sexuality and religious beliefs. It’s autobiographical and reflects pain and shame from 30 years ago. And the theme is self-acceptance. The story may not be relatable to everyone, but like any book written about honest experiences, it can widen viewpoints and speak truths to others in need of its perspective.
I’m concerned by the dictums of parents seeking to remove content they label as “porn” from school libraries, when their students are free to read something else.
I’m concerned by the pressure exerted on school administration and educators to bend professional judgment to the personal beliefs of parents specific to their children.
I’m concerned by the ideologies of Board of Education members receptive to these demands. Challenged books could be decided by BOE vote. Ironically, this is a BOE that prepared an “academic freedom” policy over a year ago.
I’m concerned by BOE policies permitting anonymous-to-the-public challenges to educational content that affect all students’ exposure to material and the ability of educators to do their jobs. All with no recourse to challenge the challenge. A policy that is being employed by unknown objectors to suppress access for other people’s children.
I’m concerned for the students who will hurt the most from these imposed intolerances.
Let the rest of our students be exposed to and grow from what their peers may experience. Let others who are birthing a sexual identity under thoughtless or hostile conditions see themselves in the books they read knowing their peers and educators see them too. Empathy and acceptance are powerful and necessary components of an education.
Please do not let calculated censoring succeed in our schools.
Barbara Wojcik
Sandy Hook
Tax payers (and voters) should have an equal say in this issue. We elect the BOE to manage the school system based on our understanding of their ideologies. The current board reflects my beliefs while the prior board did not. Elections have consequences a wise man once said. Also, this book(?) is apparently available at Booth Library. I would say problem solved.