Panel keeps 'Catcher' on list

[MaineDem]

It looks as if Holden Caulfield will remain a fixture on freshman reading lists at Noble High School.

A committee that considered a parent's objections to "The Catcher in the Rye" is advising the School Administrative District 60 board that teachers should continue to have the option of assigning the novel to ninth-graders.

Andrea Minnon of Lebanon says the book is inappropriate for children her son's age - 14. The school district gives students the option of reading something else when their families object to an assignment. But because Minnon did not want her son to miss out on classroom discussions, she sought to have the novel removed from the ninth-grade curriculum.

...

"I would just love to see this book never used again anywhere," she said. "I think it's a poorly written book and doesn't have much educational or moral value to it, really."

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/york/041218catcher.shtml

This is the mother who had never read the book; she "researced it on the internet."

Edited to add: Check out the poll question in the panel on the right at the link. They must use the GW Bush spelling technique. Cirriculum???

[Randi_Listener]

1. That's a fucking long shot

[HereSince1628]

3. Lol,

Any book with a baseball mit is true Americana

[Cooley Hurd]

2. "I think it's a poorly written book..."

That says it all - she's a nitwit...:eyes:

[Atlas Mugged]

4. I believe she's the one who said

"I've never read a book but if I had it wouldn't be this one".

That sums up her stand pretty nicely.

The only place on the internet that claims it's "poorly written" are customer reviews on Amazon which sound like pissed off students who are trying to vent while doing their homework.

[0007]

9. It would probably be "The Pearl"

[yellowdogintexas]

5. I did not like that book, but it was just because it did not

appeal to me.

Censorship is an abomination to me, and even though I hated the book, if that were my daughter's classroom and some nitwit mom tried to pull that stunt I would be all about the teacher's right to require what the teacher sees fit. Especially if there is going to be good discussion; I might have liked it better if I had read it for class and discussed it with others instead of just reading it independently.

and I would have to sit on my own reactions if the teacher required the kids to read something I thought was too right wing for my tastes. What I would have had to do in that case would be read the material myself so that daughter and I could have our own discussions about it!!!!!!!

[NYC Liberal]

6. Maybe she should READ the book first!

:grr:

[48pan]

12. I Read it

It sucked. Between Catcher in the Rye, Lord of the Flies and Silas Marner, I had a miserable Freshman year (1965).

There was so much good science fiction out there and we were reading that crap. Shakespeare was a relief after Catcher.

[renegade000]

20. oh the lord of the flies....

you see, usually authors tap you gently with their (what my sophmore english class deemed) "message stick"...

with the lord of the flies you were beaten senseless with it.

[sleipnir]

7. When will she get deported as a freedom hater?

Let's just put all the dumb-asses, idiots and freedom haters in Antarctica with only a hoodie.

[Demeter]

8. I Never Could Read That Book

I had a total disinterest in giving a hearing to a whiny teenager when I was a teen--and even less now. Especially a White, Male, and employed one. So the book had no attraction to me then, and I blame it for a lot of the idiocy performed by that population in the years of the book's availability.

Can't stand John Updike, either. Same reason.

[knitter4democracy]

15. Me too!

When I was a senior, we were all supposed to read Catcher, but I just didn't want to read another book about a privileged white male whining about life in general, so I asked the teacher if I could have another option. She let me read Tess of the D'Urbervilles about a young girl who gets raped and then has to live with the social consequences when her rapist doesn't--but she gets him in the end. Much more satisfying at that point in my life. ;)

[JohnLocke]

18. I hated that book (nt).

[MasonJar]

10. The book has opened a lively discussion here it seems. As an

English teacher who used to teach it years ago, I found that it was a story that teens could associate with their own feelings. Teens like to stretch the limits. This lady brings to mind the moron who held up the sign claiming liberals were morans; she has never read any book, but she has the temerity to tell others what to read. America is screwed when people like these illiterates have any influence over education.

[AliciaKeyedUp]

11. KInd of elitist don't you think?

She's a parent and, no offense, but she has just as much right to influence education as you and for kids even moreso.

[karlrschneider]

13. That isn't the point. She wants to remove the option from ALL the

students. NOBODY WAS REQUIRED to read it. :eyes:

[AliciaKeyedUp]

14. Parents should and do have that right to challenge a book

She did. She lost. Hmmm, sounds like democracy to me.

[KDLarsen]

19. Did you miss the "I haven't read the book" part?

This woman had not read the book, so there was nothing for her to base her attack on, other than what she had read/been told about it.

In some twisted mind, this could actually be compared to the current war in Iraq. We didn't know shit about what they actually had in therms of weapons, but we just made up some intelligence & off we went.

[AliciaKeyedUp]

21. I've been through this before

There is a ton of critical information about Catcher out there. You don't have to read the book to be aware of the information against it. I liked the book. I also like seeing parents get involved.

[DemOperative]

16. At least this is some good news

for today. It's sometimes hard to come by.

[jmowreader]

17. Why is this news? This book gets challenged all the time

The American Library Association rates it number 13 on their "100 most challenged books" list.

There are days when I'd like to be an English teacher. I'd assign "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail 1972" just to see the looks on their faces.

[Erika]

22. Are Our Teachers Educators or Nannys?

A teacher must be given latitude in decision making. Or do we wish them to be only an extension of individual students parents' views?

Catcher is a book that epitomizes the range of emotions that a teen feels in realizing the hypocrisy of modern society.