APPROVED—The school board voted Aug. 15 to add this Sherman Alexie novel to the district’s core literature list, making it an option for teachers.
Putting to bed weeks of allegations about a possible book ban, the Conejo Valley school board voted 4-1 Tuesday to approve Sherman Alexie’s “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” as a core literature English title.
The approval came after more than four hours of presentations from district staff, public comments and board discussion at the Aug. 15 school board meeting, the district’s first since returning from summer recess.
Over 20 speakers addressed the board. Many were upset by the delay in approving the book, but others were concerned that such a controversial title had been chosen for an instructional text.
“Part-Time Indian” is written in the voice of a Native American teenager growing up on a reservation in Eastern Washington.
Much of Tuesday’s board conversation revolved around the district’s unwritten opt-out policy, which allows parents who object to a certain book on moral, religious or other grounds to request an optional title for their child.
Trustees Sandee Everett and John Andersen both expressed concern that the policy was not explicit enough for parents, but the pair ultimately voted to approve the book based on the assurance that upcoming discussions between educators and parents would help craft a clearer policy.
The lone dissenter, board president Mike Dunn, said he couldn’t support the title.
“My position is the book is very controversial, and I will not vote to force or require a child to read this book,” he said.
Debate over the book began at the board’s June 6 meeting when it was introduced as one of two freshman literature titles proposed for the core literature list.
Dunn—a staunch conservative who has a history of opposing book titles he deems as offensive—said at the time that he thought some of the material might not be age-appropriate for freshmen. The illustrated novel includes several passages about masturbation as well as strong language.
Public uproar over an alleged book ban quickly erupted.
Before the Aug. 15 vote, Jennifer Boone, the district’s director of curriculum, gave a presentation explaining how books make their way to the board for approval.
She said teacher-recommended books are considered by multiple committees, where they are read, discussed and evaluated for their instructional merit by educators before coming to the school board for final approval.
Books without board approval cannot be taught in class.
Boone said that while California law doesn’t guarantee students the right to opt-out of core titles, CVUSD has a decades-long policy of honoring those requests.
“We do offer options,” she said. “Our focus is to find a solution.”
CVUSD is not the only district to grapple with the appropriateness of Alexie’s 2007 novel, which won a National Book Award and the California Young Reader Medal among other accolades. It was on the American Library Association’s Top Ten Most Challenged Books List for five years in a row starting in 2010.
Connolly said that, as a board member, it was not her job to decide what teachers can teach.
“The job of this board cannot be to substitute our personal beliefs for the judgment of parents or the judgment, in this case, of classroom teachers,” she said. “This is a diverse community, and I believe that it is a mistake to restrict what is taught in the classroom.”
Andersen said he would support the motion because he trusted that teachers and district staff would accommodate families who wished to opt their children out of reading controversial material.
“They will honor parents’ requests, so I’m prepared to support the motion on the basis that we will have a positive and constructive discussion session and move forward with better parent notification,” he said.
Everett said that while she had concerns that CVUSD’s opt-out policy was not clear enough for parents, she was ready to support the book because discussions to establish a clearer policy would take place before the book was taught in class.
Trustee Pat Phelps, who had voiced her support of Alexie’s work since the June 6 meeting, said teachers had made a thoughtful choice in selecting a book that explores themes of tolerance, hope and courage.
“Teachers do not make their selections in a vacuum,” she said.
After the results of the vote were announced, Dunn seemed displeased with the fact he was the only dissenting vote.
“I voted against it,” he told the audience. Then he turned to speak to Everett, whom he endorsed over Connolly in last fall’s school board election, and his comments were picked up by his microphone.
“What happened to you?” he said, shaking his head.