[Dean's World] Aziz P: Banning books about banned books

[notify at powerblogs.com]

Posted by Aziz P:
Banning books about banned books
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1160142678.shtml


   My initial reaction to this story was that it had to be a hoax:

     Alton Verm filed a "Request for Reconsideration of Instructional
     Materials" Thursday with the district regarding "Fahrenheit 451,"
     written by Ray Bradbury and published in 1953. He wants the
     district to remove the book from the curriculum.

     "It's just all kinds of filth," said Alton Verm, adding that he had
     not read "Fahrenheit 451." "The words don't need to be brought out
     in class. I want to get the book taken out of the class."

     He looked through the book and found the following things wrong
     with the book: discussion of being drunk, smoking cigarettes,
     violence, "dirty talk," references to the Bible and using God's
     name in vain. He said the book's material goes against their
     religions beliefs. The Verms go to Grand Parkway Church in Porter.

     "We went them to go after God," said Glen Jalowy Jr., Grand Parkway
     Church youth minister. "We encourage them that what you put in your
     mind and heart is what comes out." Alton Verm said he doesn't
     understand how the district can punish students for using bad
     language, yet require them to read a book with bad language as part
     of a class. Diana Verm and another classmate decided to read an
     alternative book. They leave the classroom when the class reads or
     discusses "Fahrenheit 451," she said. The two students were given
     "Ella Minnow Pea" by Mark Dunn because it shares common themes with
     "Fahrenheit 451," said Chris Hines, CISD assistant superintendent
     for secondary education.

     "Fahrenheit 451" is a science fiction piece that poses a warning to
     society about the preservation and passing on of knowledge as well
     as asks the question about whether the government should do the
     thinking for the people, Hines stated in an e-mail to The Courier.
     Other themes include conformity vs. individuality, freedom of
     speech and the consequences of losing it, the importance of
     remembering and understanding history and technology as help to
     humans and as hindrances to humans, Hines stated in the e-mail.

   Let's review. A man in Conroe, Texas wants to ban the book
   [1]Farenheit 451, the singular piece of literature about banned books,
   because he objects to its content. Incidentally, this comes during the
   25th annual Banned Books Week, prommoted by the [2]American Library
   Association every year. Both Verm and Hines insist the timing is
   coincidental. I think I just went into irony overload.

   I mean, I can't think of a better PR stunt for Banned Books week than
   this. But the story is [3]getting out to other media outlets so it
   seems it might actually be legit.

   I must say, the substitution of [4]Ella Minnnow Pea for F451 by the
   CISD assistant superintendent is subversively clever. Assuming the
   story is true, Chris Hines is my hero. But if it truly is a hoax, then
   Hines has nothing on Verm himself for sheer genius. I live in Houston,
   so it wasn't hard to track down Verm's phone number, but I am hesitant
   to call and possibly infuriate the poor man - whose place in history
   is already assured - by asking if he's serious.

References

   1. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307347974?ie=UTF8&tag=unmedia-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0307347974
   2. http://www.ala.org/
   3. http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=local&id=4625303
   4. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385722435?ie=UTF8&tag=unmedia-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0385722435