Zippedpinhead
Member
Banning Neil Gaiman
It may have been a few years since I read Neverwhere, but I really do not remember any questionable content. When I first saw the article I thought "oh great American Gods controversy even before HBO's TV series." I really did not think that THIS would be the book being banned.
Another Banned books example, my grade school banned Goosebumps claiming "they are not healthy reading material" so most of the boys just stopped reading entirely. It was an incredibly short sighted decision that really impacted a number of their lives (not sure some of them ever read in school ever again). I could still read Piers Anthony and Stephen King though...
Brings me to an even bigger point, as a parent, I feel responsible for the media that my son takes in. That being said, I would NEVER think that getting a book banned was the correct course of action. Talking and understanding what interests your child and what your child has to read for school should be a mandatory requirement for high school parenting...
ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (KRQE) - A determined mom has won in a fight with a New Mexico school district.
She was shocked when she saw what the local high school was forcing her teenage daughter to read, but now because of the uproar, the school district has changed its tune.
It's a book the Arizona Daily Star says is "seasoned with a very adult dose of horror."
"I cannot read this to you and put it on the news. It's too inappropriate. It's that bad," said Nancy Wilmott.
Wilmott has a sophomore daughter at Alamogordo High School where the explicit book "Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman has been required reading material since 2004. On Thursday that changed.
"I trusted the school system. I trusted the school district to pick proper material, and this is not," said Wilmott.
Wilmott says she contacted school officials last week about the book's sexual innuendos and harsh language.
"I did state to the principal that this is rated-R material, and she can't get into a rated-R movie," Wilmott said.
She says the school administration gave her very little feedback.
"She said thank you. Have a nice day and click," Wilmott said.
According to Alamogordo High's principal, Wilmott's concerns did not go unnoticed.
In fact, they prompted the school district to review the book and as of Thursday "Neverwhere" has been taken off the shelves.
Wilmott is relieved but upset she had to take action to get the book off the required reading list.
"A parent can't read a 400-page-book to find out if it's appropriate," Wilmott said. "You rely on your school to do that for you."
Alamogordo school officials say this is the first complaint they've had about the book since they started using it in their curriculum in 2004.
It may have been a few years since I read Neverwhere, but I really do not remember any questionable content. When I first saw the article I thought "oh great American Gods controversy even before HBO's TV series." I really did not think that THIS would be the book being banned.
Another Banned books example, my grade school banned Goosebumps claiming "they are not healthy reading material" so most of the boys just stopped reading entirely. It was an incredibly short sighted decision that really impacted a number of their lives (not sure some of them ever read in school ever again). I could still read Piers Anthony and Stephen King though...
Brings me to an even bigger point, as a parent, I feel responsible for the media that my son takes in. That being said, I would NEVER think that getting a book banned was the correct course of action. Talking and understanding what interests your child and what your child has to read for school should be a mandatory requirement for high school parenting...