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March 30, 2010
Anterpreet Kaur
For the second year in a row, AP English teacher Teri Hu submitted the novel Bastard out of Carolina (Dorothy Allison) to be reviewed by the Fremont School Board. Last year, the district officials voted 2 for and 3 against the book. The three that had voted against the book had not read it, while one of the two who voted for it had.
“Supervisors didn’t vote from a position of knowledge. Three out of the four officials straight up admitted that they hadn’t read the book,” Hu said.
“As a parent, I just feel this is not appropriate,” District Board member Ivy Wu said.
Wu is concerned about her daughter who would read this book in AP English next year if it is approved.
Board Vice President Bryan Gebhardt believes otherwise.
“Originally, I was not in favor of this book, but I did change my mind just from my perspective, and that is, when a book is brought forth to the twelfth grade AP, it really essentially is a college book,” Gebhardt said.
To approve a book, it must first be read and approved by two English teacher. It then passes through an English department, after which the textbook committee reviews it and the final decision lies upon the District School Board. Last year the book failed to make it past the District Board.
The textbook committee will review it May 5. If passed, the District Board will review it in June.
The same five officials who voted last year will be voting again. The District Board members have not changed because elections have not occurred.
The verdict for “Bastard Out of Carolina” will be announced at the June 2010 District School Board meeting.
This article originally appeared in print on March 30, 2010. It has been modified to correct style and grammatical errors.
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July 20, 2009
Anterpreet Kaur and Nicole Doan
The Fremont board of education excluded Dorothy Allison’s Bastard Out of Carolina from the AP English curriculum by a vote of 3-2 at a June 10 meeting. The semi-autobiographical book is about a girl who is beaten, molested and raped by her step-father.
“AP English students may be intellectually ready for college level studies; but emotionally, I think they are still too young to handle certain issues,” board member Ivy Wu said in an e-mail.
Board member Bryan Gebhardt’s view contrasted that of Wu.
“It is a superbly written book, and a fantastic example to all students of what great writing is,” he said in an e-mail. “Dorothy Allison did an excellent job of capturing the shame, confusion, and guilt an abuse victim feels. It is important for everyone to understand this, as unfortunately abuse is much more common than we would like in this world.”
Also a member of the Secondary Schools Textbook Adoption Committee, he, along with other supporting committee members, recommended the book only to English 12 AP students.
“In general I believe students can handle much more than we realize, especially with a trained professional teacher facilitating the discussion,” Gebhardt said.
Initially, AP English teacher Teri Hu believed the mere title of the book shaped the board’s decision. Her own son and daughter read the book at the ages of 14 and 12, respectively.
“I would never give my students anything I wouldn’t give my own children,” she said.
Hu submitted the book for approval by first reading the book, filling out a specific form and finding two other supporters, who were also required to preview the book. The English curriculum committee, consisting of secondary school department chairs and an administrator, examine the book and form. The Secondary Schools Textbook Adoption Committee, whose members are teachers, administrators, parents, and Gebhardt, then met to approve the book. The district’s board of education is the final determining factor in the book’s endorsement.
“To my knowledge, nothing that’s passed the previous two levels has ever been rejected here. I was genuinely surprised when I found out it was voted down,” Hu said in an e-mail.
If students are interested in reading Bastard out of Carolina, they will have to stop by the library to pick up a copy. After all, the Young Adult Library Association has it on its “outstanding books for the college bound” list.
“As parents and educators, it’s condescending and ignorant to prevent [students] from reading about difficult subjects,” Hu said. “The more enlightened and responsible approach is to guide them through the reading, giving them a chance to ask questions and discuss it openly with adult supervision. That is how we teach. That is how we prepare young people to enter a complicated adult world where they have to make informed decisions on difficult topics.”
