Carroll committee recommends keeping 'Gilbert Grape' in classroom
8:15 AM
Posted: Thursday, January 04, 2007
CARROLL, Iowa (AP) -- A review committee will recommend that the Carroll school district reinstate "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" into the district's curriculum and library.
The panel was tasked with reviewing the book after Superintendent Rob Cordes decided in November to ban it from Carroll High School's literature-to-film class due to its sexual content.
The committee -- comprised of eight district employees, community members and students -- voted 5-3 Tuesday in favor the novel, written by West Des Moines native Peter Hedges.
The committee's decision will be forwarded to the school district board, which will make the final decision.
The 1991 book deals with a young man's experiences with his troubled family in the fictional Iowa town of Endora.
Cordes removed the book after a student's parents complained that a portion of the book was inappropriate for teenagers. Cordes and the parents have acknowledged they did not read the book.
Some committee members agreed the novel has objectionable sexual content but said many reluctant readers may relate to the characters.
"I know we have kids that find themselves in families that don't have the white picket fence or the ideal situation we all think we're going to have when we walk down the aisle," said Lisa Dreesman, a committee member and Carroll Middle School media specialist. "I think this book speaks loudly to those kids in those types of families."
Committee member Sue Ruch, district curriculum director and Adams Elementary School principal, was among those who voted against the book. She said the book should be available to students through the school library but stressed that the district should be sensitive to all its students.
"(I'm) appalled that this was in the curriculum," she said.
"It doesn't strike me as a quality piece of literature."
Information from: Daily Times Herald
AP-CS-01-04-07 0105EST
The panel was tasked with reviewing the book after Superintendent Rob Cordes decided in November to ban it from Carroll High School's literature-to-film class due to its sexual content.
The committee -- comprised of eight district employees, community members and students -- voted 5-3 Tuesday in favor the novel, written by West Des Moines native Peter Hedges.
The committee's decision will be forwarded to the school district board, which will make the final decision.
The 1991 book deals with a young man's experiences with his troubled family in the fictional Iowa town of Endora.
Cordes removed the book after a student's parents complained that a portion of the book was inappropriate for teenagers. Cordes and the parents have acknowledged they did not read the book.
Some committee members agreed the novel has objectionable sexual content but said many reluctant readers may relate to the characters.
"I know we have kids that find themselves in families that don't have the white picket fence or the ideal situation we all think we're going to have when we walk down the aisle," said Lisa Dreesman, a committee member and Carroll Middle School media specialist. "I think this book speaks loudly to those kids in those types of families."
Committee member Sue Ruch, district curriculum director and Adams Elementary School principal, was among those who voted against the book. She said the book should be available to students through the school library but stressed that the district should be sensitive to all its students.
"(I'm) appalled that this was in the curriculum," she said.
"It doesn't strike me as a quality piece of literature."
Information from: Daily Times Herald
AP-CS-01-04-07 0105EST
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Claire wrote on Jan 12, 2007 3:12 PM:
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