To the Editor:

This letter urges the Board of Education to let the existing book review processes work, and not ban or remove any books from the high school library.

*The process for determining appropriate material for the school libraries is run by qualified professionals (who unanimously supported keeping these books), and has been working for years. It should continue.

*If people feel that a certain library book is inappropriate, that is a personal choice and they can certainly address that within their own family — not by imposing their arbitrary and subjective judgement on the rest of us. Let us all exercise our own arbitrary and subjective judgement.

*Banning books in general is counter to the principles and legal opinions of free expression this country has embraced (mostly) for over 200 years.

*Exposure to a range of real-life issues is part of growing up. Having this exposure in libraries is much more appropriate, and less traumatic, than exposure to some disturbing realities we (and our kids) can see around us every day.

Let’s support exposure to ideas, even if they’re uncomfortable, and please let the qualified professionals do their jobs.

John Fletcher

Newtown