On the Anaheim Book Controversy and the Attempt to Recall Trustees

* The trustees’ recall in Anaheim is not about “banning books” as your reporters are wont to describe it. It is about quality of education.

Minors are protected by law from adults giving them sexually explicit material. When teachers give students books featuring bestiality, sexual fantasies centering on Catholic worship, the foulest of language, and other offensive tripe, then parents have a duty to protect not only their teens but others as well. If they don’t, who will? We are not asking to ban books. We’re asking that students be given the highest quality books we can find. Only so many books can be on the core list. Let’s make it the best.

Any book that uses foul language, adult themes and is sexually explicit should have a disclaimer on it and should be given only on written parental consent, and most certainly not be on any recommended or core list. Let those who want to get it do so on their own.

I am greatly distressed that reporters constantly write that one book won an Academy Award, yet never once mention that the book is filled with foul language unprintable in the newspaper, a teen sex scene and rated R as a movie, meaning that it is for adults and not for teens. I suppose this is to give the impression that anyone opposing an Academy Award-winning movie or the book must be the fanatical fringe. That’s a canard.

Wouldn’t you be a little bit more than upset if someone you trusted tried to rape your child’s mind under color of authority?

I repeat: The battle in Anaheim is not about banning books. At least not on the part of the parents. It seems that the powers that be in Anaheim Union High School are the ones who are banning good books. As for us, we want to give our teens the best that we can and find someone who will support rather than attack parents who bring it to their attention.

TREVA BROWN

Anaheim

* I can only give Treva Brown and her cronies the benefit of the doubt that their efforts are misguided out of love for their children (“4 School Trustees Targeted for Recall in Book Dispute,” Sept. 10).

However, they must realize that by high school age the youth of our society should have available to them every book from every way of thinking we can give them.

Books, regardless of their content, are windows to other people’s minds and foster the expansion of the mind of the reader. High school students are capable of knowing right from wrong and should be given every opportunity to discuss the realities brought up in “Ordinary People” and “The Great Santini.” How else will they ever be prepared for life outside their parents’ protection?

I realize no parents want their children affected by the harsh realities of life, but ignorance is not the answer!

At high school age your children are still at home and you have the chance to discuss these realities of life with them and possibly influence their thinking. Robbing them of the chance to think about them will only hurt them in the long run.

MARK WOODSIDE

Laguna Beach