By Electronic Mail

September 5, 2014
Dr. Linda Clark, Superintendent of Schools
Members of the Board of Trustees
West Ada School District
1303 E Central Drive
Meridian, ID 83642
Re: Review of Supplemental Reading Lists
Dear Superintendent Clark and Members of the Board of Trustees:
We understand that the Board of Trustees has requested a review of all books on supplemental reading
lists for grades 6-12 in the West Ada School District and that the committees report will be presented
to the board on Tuesday, September 9. Wewrite in the hope that we can assist youby providing
information about thelegal and policy issues implicated by removing books from such reading lists.
The current review was initiated largely in response to a challenge to Sherman Alexies The Absolutely
True Diary of a Part-Time Indian last spring, about which we wrote you at the time, and which we
understand is currently on hold while the review committee considers potential replacements. Given
this context, we hope the board will take seriously the constitutional obligation not to exclude books
simply because they dislike the ideas contained in those books and seek by their removal to prescribe
what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion. Board of
Education v. Pico, 457 U.S. 853, 872 (1982) (plurality opinion). This is particularly applicable to
supplemental reading lists, which, unlike the compulsory environment of the classroom, are more
like libraries, where the regime of voluntary inquiryholds sway. Id. at 869. See also Campbell v. St.
Tammany Parish School Board, 64 F. 3d 184, 190 (5th Cir. 1995).
Every community is home to a diversity of opinions on moral and religious questions. Removing a
book in response to complaints privileges the political, moral, and/or religious beliefs of some
individuals, who object to the book, over others, who do not. It is precisely this form of viewpoint
discrimination by government that our constitutional system is designed to prevent. This rule is also
essential to the integrity of the educational program, since there are few instructional materials that do
not include something that is objectionable to someone. Any attempt to eliminate everything that is
objectionable...will leave public schools in shreds. Nothing but educational confusion and a discrediting
of the public school system can result.... McCollum v. Board of Educ. 332 U.S. 203 (1948) (Jackson, J.
concurring).
Decisions about instructional materials should be based on sound educational grounds, not because
some people do or do not agree with the message or content of a particular book. Because there is no
legitimate basis for its removal, we once again urge you to reinstate Absolutely True Diary to the 10
th
grade reading list and to retain all books with educational or literary value on supplemental reading
lists, so that students have the widest possible choice in selecting reading materials.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of any further assistance.
Sincerely,
Chris Finan, President
American Booksellers Foundation For Free Expression
Susanna Reich, Chair
Children's and Young Adult Book Committee
PEN American Center
Lin Oliver, Executive Director
Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators
Joan Bertin, Executive Director
National Coalition Against Censorship
Charles Brownstein, Executive Director
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
Millie Davis, Senior Developer
Affiliate Groups and Public Outreach
National Council of Teachers of English
Judy Platt, Director
Free Expression Advocacy
Association of American Publishers
Megan Tingley, Senior Vice President and Publisher
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Cc: Dr. Linda Clark, District Superintendent
clark.linda@westada.org
Anne Ritter, Vice Chairman
ritter.anne@meridianschools.org
Mike Vuittonet, Chairman
vuittonet.mike@meridianschools.org
Barbara M. Jones, Executive Director
American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom
Carol Sayles, Trustee
sayles.carol@meridianschools.org
Janet Calinsky, Trustee
calinsky.janet@meridianschools.org
Tina Dean, Trustee
dean.tina@meridianschool.org