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Controversial summer reading

michael — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:26:07 +0000

Bookslut points to a story on a Chicago area school that was pressured by parents to remove a book from the school’s reading list. We had a bit of that action last year here in the Champaign Public Schools when use of The Kite Runner was first banned and then reinstated.

As soon as school ended in June my sophomore-to-be set aside his Sports Illustrated and assorted books on the Chicago Cubs to read The Kite Runner over three late-night sessions. Please, assign some more controversial summer reading material that will similarly engage his mind.

Local school board bans “Kite Runner” for incoming sophomores

michael — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:15:34 +0000

The Kite Runner challenge has been decided. According to The News-Gazette, Champaign’s Unit 4 school board “reversed a committee recommendation Monday night and ruled that the novel The Kite Runner will no longer be used for a sophomore honors English class.”

A challenge to “Kite Runner” in the local schools

michael — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:36:09 +0000

Incoming sophomores at my oldest son’s high school are given Kite Runner as a summer reading assignment (he is currently reading There Are No Children Here for his freshman assignment). Word circulating on the PTA e-mail list suggests that the district has received a written challenge to its use of Kite Runner in the schools. A committee will be formed and members will read the book before convening in August to make a recommendation to the board of education. I think The Catcher in the Rye is still approved but I better check on it.

Updated August 4, 2008: Here’s a link to the News-Gazette story on the challenge.