Challenged books, parental action are issues in ‘freedom to read’ week

story by Marla Cantrell
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This past week the American Library Association celebrated the freedom to read books that were previously banned. Five of Judy Blume’s books are on the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990 to 1999. The “Twilight” series, “The Earth, My Butt, and other Big, Round Things” and “To Kill a Mockingbird” make the top 10 most list for 2009.

Deborah Busby, owner of Book Ends on Garrison Avenue in Fort Smith, is familiar with the books, and has had her own experience reading something she wasn’t mature enough to comprehend. When she was 14 she pulled “Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex but Were Afraid to Ask” from a neighbor’s house late one night after the kids she was babysitting were fast asleep.

“I didn’t understand any of it,” Busby said, and then laughed. “I’d heard so much about it and how bad it was. … I felt really guilty about it. But I didn’t know what any of it meant.”

She doesn’t see it as a bad experience; in fact, she thinks that kind of episode that can open up important discussions between parents and children.

In 2002, U.S. District (Western District of Arkansas) Judge Jimm Hendren had the final word on a case involving the “Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling, and Cedarville Schools. He ruled the requirement to have written parental permission to read or check out the books unconstitutional.

Busby said she’s had some customers object to Harry Potter.

“Some thought the story was evil, it was witchcraft,” Busby said. “But it was a story of good and evil. … Pick out any book in this store,” she said, waving her hand across its expanse, “and show me one that’s not based on good and evil.”

She has a designated children’s area, and books on the paranormal are on a shelf visible from her station at the cash register.

“Vampires, werewolves, shape shifters are so popular,” Busby said. “I have them all together. If the teenage girls are drooling over them, I’ll ask her age. Then I’ll tell the mom and let her make the decision. In my opinion, the “Twilight” series is not appropriate for an 11-year-old, but that’s not my call.”

Eva White, director of the Crawford County library system, said there is a policy in place to challenge books patrons deem inappropriate; however, no book has been banned during her tenure. During the reconsideration process, the book is pulled from the shelves, and the library board is contacted to make a decision.

Marty Dames, a St. Louis resident who was visiting Book Ends while in Fort Smith on business, believes the responsibility should fall to the parents.

“I’ve got a 16-year old,” Dames said. “When she was 8 she came into the room with an unedited version of “Stranger in a Strange Land.” No, it’s not appropriate at 8. She’s almost 16 now, and I don’t have an issue with it. This is what life is. I bought her a copy of “To Kill a Mockingbird” this year. She’d never read it. … It blew my mind. I read it in the 5th grade. Every time we’re out and we see this book, she thanks me for introducing her to it.”

But Laurie Masterson thinks there’s another way to look at the issue, especially in school libraries.

“The issue and fundamental question the way I see it: Do you and I as a parent have the right to raise our children with the views and beliefs that we believe in without being usurped by a public school system?” Masterson asked. “As it was, and mostly still remains, parents who do not want their young children exposed to wholly inappropriate sexually explicit material in a public school without the knowledge of their parents simply cannot protect them from it.

Continuing, Masterson noted: “I have not been a proponent of removing books from any library. I am, however, a proponent of empowering parents to be better parents. Most parents have no idea this type of material exists in their children’s public school libraries. I didn’t at first. I believe one solution could be a rating system. We rate everything else: movies, TV, games, music, etc. because some simply isn’t appropriate for younger minds. As far as censoring books, I contend every time anyone chooses which books will and will not be included in a library, they are in effect censoring those not chosen, right?”

While Busby remains steadfast on the other side of the issue, there is one book she would have pulled from her collection — temporarily.

“I had a couple of copies a while ago of the Koran,” Busby said. “And I was asked why they were here. They were evil. If I’d had them when the Florida controversy was going on, I would have pulled them from my shelf and not sold them. I would have done that because I wouldn’t have known the people’s motivations, and couldn’t ask if they were going to burn it.”