This petition was delivered to:
Petition by
Dallas, TX
Risa Gross: "All the titles that were temporarily suspended will be restored to the approved reading list."
The parents who challenged the seven books in question were undoubtedly acting with the best of intentions: they wanted to protect their children. However, by limiting what their own children read and learn, these parents are restricting what all students at Highland Park High School read and learn.
The seven books are not so exploitative, graphic, or sensational that they merit exclusion from HPHS; indeed, Siddhartha and Song of Solomon are on many school reading lists and constitute major works of the 20th century. Allowing parents to opt out of having their children read such books, rather than depriving all students of the opportunity to read the selections, is adequate to address these parents' concerns -- and this measure is already in place.
Please reinstate these seven suspended books: The Art of Racing in the Rain; The Working Poor: Invisible in America; Siddhartha; The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian; An Abundance of Katherines; The Glass Castle: A Memoir; and Song of Solomon.
As an HPHS alumna, I decided to start this petition in response to the 9/21/2014 story in the Dallas Morning News.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
This email was just sent out to HPISD parents. Thank you to everyone who signed the petition and kept HPISD accountable!
Sept. 28, 2014
Working toward a solution on book debate
Dear Highland Park ISD Parents,
In recent weeks, we have heard from hundreds of students, parents, employees, alumni and community members representing differing viewpoints on the debate over literature selection at Highland Park High School. I want you to know that we hear you.
In listening to our stakeholders, I have heard concerns about book selection and the processes surrounding it. The debate has been vigorous, and we agree that it is time to move forward on a constructive path that allows all voices to be heard and respected.
School Board President Leslie Melson, Principal Walter Kelly and I recently met with parent leaders with differing points of view at the same table. We engaged in constructive dialogue, and we recognize that there are still issues that need to be addressed. The process for selection and review of instructional materials needs to be strengthened, and we are committed to doing that in partnership with parents and teachers.
Taking all viewpoints into consideration, I made the following decisions:
HPISD will strictly follow board Policy EFA (LOCAL) regarding the challenge and review of instructional materials. This is a reversal of the earlier decision I made to suspend seven titles that had come under question by hundreds of parents. I made the decision in an attempt to de-escalate the conflict, and I readily admit that it had the opposite effect. I take full responsibility for the decision, and I apologize for the disruption it has caused.
All the titles that were temporarily suspended will be restored to the approved reading list.
HPISD will continue its work to provide greater transparency and inclusion of all viewpoints on literature review committees. In the past, the approved book list was used as an internal resource for faculty. Over the summer, it was audited for accuracy and updated. It has now been posted, along with the rationales detailing why a book or other literary resource was chosen for instruction. We have also put together a Q&A with more details about the process.
More information will be provided about literature that might contain potentially objectionable content. In such cases, a parent permission form will be sent home. If a parent expresses concern, an alternative piece of literature will be provided for his/her child. The goal is to provide all students with excellent reading material that meets the same instructional objectives. We are committed to ensuring that the process for providing alternative choices will meet the needs of every student and parent.
As of today, one formal request for reconsideration of instructional materials has been received by the district. The title that is being challenged is The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. HPISD will strictly follow the steps outlined in policy.
A reconsideration committee will be appointed to review the book and make a recommendation concerning its use as an instructional resource. We anticipate that the committee will be made up of approximately 10 members including parents, faculty, staff and counselors representing diverse viewpoints. We are encouraged to see that several students are interested in serving, and we plan to include them, as well.
Access to challenged material will not be restricted during the reconsideration process, so the book will continue to be taught in the classroom until a formal decision has been reached. It will always be our goal to minimize the disruption to classroom instruction, and we will work with faculty to ensure that goal.
In conclusion, I want to thank all of our parents, employees and members of the HPISD community for sharing their heartfelt concerns. Our focus must always be on what is best for our students. We have made some real progress in building bridges and addressing a complex problem. I appreciate your commitment to doing what is best for our students and for this very special community.
Sincerely,
Dr. Dawson Orr
Highland Park ISD Superintendent
Copyright (c) 2014 Highland Park Independent School District, All rights reserved.
Good news: HPISD is again allowing The Glass Castle! Let's keep up the pressure and get the rest of the books back on the "approved" list!
One of seven suspended books at Highland Park ISD - The Glass Castle - is back on the district's approved book list. District officials said an individual withdrew a challenge Wednesday to the nonfiction book. The Glass Castle will be taught in high school English classes in the spring.
Freedom of choice .
I believe in education exposing children to many voices and ideas without being censored by self appointed judges.
"Censorship is blinding."
I'm signing because real world knowledge should not be banned simply because it's disturbing to some.
The world is full of differences and it isn't right that a few conservative parents should be able to force their narrow views onto other people's children. They should have the option for their children to read another mandatory book. However that only perpetuates continued prejudice and does their children a disservice. They will not be prepared for the real world.
High school is a great time for kids to be taking in a broader world especially with the engagement of their parents. I suggest parents also read the books about which they are concerned and discuss them with their kids.
The great irony is that HPHS has decided to ban these books as National Banned Books Week kicks off. Banned Books Week celebrates our freedom to read and to explore points of view different from our own. Not allowing students the choice to read these classic works ultimately does them a disservice. If parents are concerned with the content, they can use the opportunity as a chance to engage their children in a dialog about the subject matter.
I'm an English teacher, UP resident, and parent of two students who will begin school in HPISD next year in kindergarten. I vehemently disagree with the districts decision to ban books based on the wishes of a few parents. Those parents speaking out against these books do not represent me. If they do not want their children to read the books, simply allow them to opt out and read other grade level literature. Punishing the masses to remain PC destroys the credibility of
HPISD.
In recent weeks, multiple novels included in HPHS' literary curriculum were suspended from usage in English classes owing to parental complaints regarding their subject matter including depictions of sexual activity, abject poverty, and abuse. It is no secret that some of these topics can be traumatic to study and that some would prefer to not take part in examining them.
However, the crusade by a determined group of parents to get books such as The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein removed from the classroom is extremely disingenuous as it is assumed that the book is immoral simply due to choice sequences read out of context of its plot. One of them is a scene in which the protagonist's (a dog) owner's children are conceived, a moment establishing the love he has for his wife. It sets up her death later in the book and the realistic effect it has on her husband; it was metaphorical, not pornographic. I would wager that it is an indicator of their healthy relationship and their mutual respect of each other, a far cry from gratuitous sexual content to attract attention and sell more novels. The other scenario in question is a scene in which his owner is molested by his teenage niece who then turns the situation against him in order to punish him for rejecting her advances toward him. It is used as a literary device to create a custody conflict as his children were taken away from him during the ensuing court case; custody is a very real issue that a lot of people face today, and it is a good issue to be aware of. A well-written scenario that could happen to anyone is a great way to show students the issues that come with making rash decisions that have far-reaching consequences.
Deciding whether or not to censor a work of literature for the entire student body based on one interpretation of said literature is censorship; the beauty and value of literature is that there are many different, equally correct, ways in which to derive meaning from it. Whenever a novel like The Art of Racing in the Rain was assigned to students, it was always assigned as part of a list of many alternative reading choices. Furthermore, all of my English teachers have made it very clear that parental objections to required reading were accepted on a case by case basis, allowing the teacher and the student to choose a work that they can study while avoiding content they may deem inappropriate for their children; it is deeply disturbing that the concerns of a few could affect the outlooks of many.
As an alumnus of HPHS, I condemn the Board's decision to suspend several novels from the required reading list instead of simply allowing the English department to discuss the subject matter with those whom it may concern. The system of selecting acceptable novels and discussing the issues with the challenged ones should be used to intelligently tailor the curriculum to each student's possible needs. Sometimes the only opportunities students have to expand their horizons and minds are in the classroom and it makes sense to expose them to a wide variety of viewpoints and scenarios that increase their ability to think critically regarding the world around them and the people within it.
As an Eagle Scout, I stand with many other HP students at the moment and I hope that you will consider the implications of this censorship. Please do not go down this road and succumb to the temptation to decide what is best for everyone based on the opinions of a few.
Because we should know better than this