Plymouth-Canton Community School, a district near Detroit, has been wrestling with a decision to ban two books from its high school AP English program. A husband and wife objected to Toni Morrison's Pulitzer winner "Beloved" and Graham Swift's "Waterland," Michigan Radio reports. Here are details about this debate.
* Matt Dame, a father of high school and middle school students, ran for school board in November. Dame and his wife Barb launched the campaign against "Beloved" and "Waterland," saying they have no place on an advanced English required reading list.
* "Beloved" is described by Spark Notes as a fictional story based on a true account. It is often used in high school English classes, particularly for college-bound students. It is so-named because it is the word written on the tombstone of the main character of Sethe's child, whom Sethe murdered to prevent the girl from enduring what she endured as a plantation slave. The baby's spirit returns to haunt the home where she was killed.
* According to Plymouth Patch, the Dames object to "Beloved" because it contains references to sex and particularly forced oral sex and sex with cows as part of the description of the things slave owners did to their slaves. Barb Dame calls the references gratuitous, lacking in historical context and offering the reader nothing. She also points to the book's Lexile score of 870, which makes it at fifth grade difficulty. The Dames also want it pulled because it takes God's name in vain.
* The Dames objected to "Waterland" for its violent and sexual content. According to Book Rags, "Waterland" takes place in the fens of England. It involves a girl who finds herself pregnant and seeks an abortion to avoid persecution from harsh, restrictive male members of her family. The book deals with kidnapping and murder.
* At a public meeting last week, parents and teachers voiced their concerns. One parent likened book banning to a "slippery slope" that sets a bad precedent, reports Patch. Others said it showed lack of trust in teachers to best decide what materials were appropriate and educationally valuable. Parents were informed of the decision to include the books and enrollment in the class was optional, says Michigan Radio.
* Superintendent Jeremy Hughes pulled "Waterland" immediately from the assigned reading list, saying he was uncomfortable with it. According to the Plymouth-Canton Schools website, "Waterland" will undergo further discussion and review, but a date has not been set for that process.
Marilisa Kinney Sachteleben writes about people, places, events and issues in her home state of "Pure Michigan."
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