Recordpub.com - Mom seeks to ban book in Ravenna Parent says material too adult for students

By Jason De Leon

Record-Courier staff writer

Because of a parent"s formal complaint, a national award winning young adult novel currently is under the microscope of the Ravenna Board of Education.

Angela Calo, mother of a seventh-grader at Brown Middle School is requesting "America," a novel by E.R. Frank, be withdrawn from the district, according to the written complaint submitted to the superintendent"s office.

"What we kept finding and going over was sexual content and profanity," Calo said. "Yes, we decided it was not suitable for any child."

The novel, which deals mostly with the effects of childhood trauma, was part of a free reading library in the classroom of Cathy Adler, who teaches gifted and talented students at Brown Middle School. It is not, however, on any required reading lists within the city"s school district.

Before allowing students to read the novel, Adler informed students the novel had "raw material," according to Calo.

The author of the novel and licensed clinical social worker with post master"s experience and training in trauma has been counseling for 15 years.

"If a parent chooses to screen what their child is reading it is all right," Frank said Tuesday.

"I don"t think one parent"s decision should limit others from reading it in the community," she added. "My style of writing is that I try to convey as much authenticity as I can. While it is unfortunate and may be disturbing, foul language and clinical references to body parts and sexual violence exist in our world and for our children, which is very sad but it is real. I do not try to write to be a sensationalist."

The novel"s main character, America, is a 15 year-old male who experienced a series of traumatic events as a child and is seeking guidance from his psychologist.

According to Calo, the novel talks about child abuse, sexual and mental abuse and it should be intended for college level students or higher.

According to Calo"s request in the formal in complaint, "America" should be replaced by a novel that "has the same story line without profanity and sexual orientation," she said.

"The book has inappropriate language and sexual activities, such as masturbation that is for adult content only," Calo added.

The formal complaint filed by Calo is a first for Superintendent Tim Calfee, who has been with the district for 6 years.

"We will review it according to our policy," Calfee said. "(The school"s administration) is reading the book. The reviews are actually pretty positive."

"The book deals with problems that unfortunately are all too common in our society but they are types of things you hear about on the news everyday," he added.

A committee will review the book and report to the school board with a recommendation.

Frank has experienced other similar cases including a school district in California that reviewed her novel.

"Several students came to the committee (in California) and testified if (the school district) banned the book they would be trying to deny the very same experiences that students have had," Frank said. "The book was not banned based on their testimony. I am touched they came forward."

"America" has received several awards including the New York Times Notable Book Award. It also was a Garden State Teen Book Award nominee. Actress and childhood neglect advocate Rosie O"Donnell has drafted a screenplay intended for its adaptation as a film.

Calo also is concerned with two novels expected to be on next year"s approved reading list for the school district, "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson and "Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes" by Chris Crutcher.

"Speak" already has been withdrawn from Aurora City School District, according to Calo.

"Books shouldn"t be censored by the distress of one parent," Frank said. "I am honored to be in the same company (of authors Anderson and Crutcher)."

Each novel addresses issues dealing with childhood trauma.

More than 1 million children in the country are assaulted, robbed or raped each year. Every year, three to 10 million children in the U.S. are exposed to domestic violence, according to Children"s Advantage in Ravenna.

More than 25 percent of the nation"s youth experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime, also according to Children"s Advantage.

For child trauma area clinic information contact Children"s Advantage at (330) 296-5552.

45.	Posted by paralleluniverse11 June 26, 2007
	I'd like to put out there that I am a former student of Adler's, and when I was in seventh grade, (like Alainee) I read "America". I picked it up, took it home, and started reading it. My own mother asked me what it was about, and I told her, and she wanted to read it, too. Once she got done reading it, she commented on what an excellent book it was. Never was I worried about what she'd say about all of the language and content because I knew my mother trusted both me as a person, and my maturity and brain power. Now, I understand that not all parents are going to be quite as free-spirited and easy-going as my mom is, but I'm making a point. Mrs. Calo, you saying that the book should be banned because it's "not suitable for children" is a generalizating statement. Just like not all children look the same, act the same, and dress the same, not all children take material and mature content the same way. In fact, some books, such as "America", help children deal with some problems of their own. A lot of children deal with abuse, sexual assault, and other terrible things like murder, from the people children were always told they could trust, adults. If a child reads a book with that content in it, they know that they are not alone, and that they can get help. Secondly, I'd like to say that Mrs. Adler never forces a book upon any of her students, regardless what Fox News said. But she did warn Alainee that the book was "raw", and very out there and in your face about things. So if a child knows that his or her parent won't like the book, or won't appreciate it, don't read it. All in all, what I'm saying is, adults, it's fine to manage what your child reads, but how about instead of parenting every child in the United States, you focus on your own. Let other parents do their job: parenting THEIR OWN kids. Also, know that if you ban a book, it only makes it more intriguing, and will only make the child want to read it more. Oh, and furthermore, it's summer. Stop this stuff, and enjoy it! It's going to be a new school year soon, so how about trying "out with the old, in with the new"?

41.	Posted by Josh Vitrano May 16, 2007
	Okay, so the book America has foul language. Well i am a writer and write things that are real. I write things that will one day be published, and if you dont believe me, look for my name soon. Watch you'll down me then I'll see you at a bookstore buying my books. Just because foul language is used doesnt mean that thats all it is. The book, did have language that was foul sure, but it was real. The abuse descriptions is real, and if you go through that, tell me you wouldn't swear a few times. Getting beat, and called names your whole life makes people change. They change for the good or they change for the bad, and when an author tries describe that, they ban their book. What is that about? And when people say their kids dont use foul language you must have them on house arrest, because a lot of kids do use langage that may ba a little out of order. I've heard kids, that never talk, drop a few swear words once and a while. Never use swear words? Hardly. I've heard that this mom used swear words at her 5 year old. Well, at least reading a book isnt personal between your mom and you. Banning this book, or trying to ban this book IS Un-American. Its completley insane, because it informs the reader, on and inside the mind of an abuse victim. That mother needs to meet reality, because the book is PURE educational. Josh Vitrano eh?

39.	Posted by Vi May 11, 2007
	I am the parent of a child who is in the same gifted Language Arts class as Alainee. I have spoken with Mrs Calo, Mrs Adler and the principal. Mrs Calo contacted me the week AFTER she went to and appeared on Fox news. She called to tell me about a book her daughter was reading called "America". She told me her daughter was discussing the book with her father, who then picked up the book and found profanity throughout it. Mrs Calo then asked me if I saw her on channel 5 the previous week? I told her I did not. She told me she wanted to make sure all the parents knew what kind of stuff our kids were reading at school. She told me "America" was not required and that Alainee chose it from the shelves in Mrs Adler's classroom. She also told me that Alainee was informed by Mrs Adler that the book was "raw". It is and has been my understanding all along that her intent was not to attack the teacher, or try to get her into trouble (which isn't happening anyway). The book was voluntarily removed from the classroom the moment Mrs Calo complained to the school. Then she went to the news, and the school board... then she called parents.... the next week. If you read the above article, Mrs Calo IS trying to get the book banned. She wants to decide what is right for my child, and yours. I'll copy and paste from the article: "What we kept finding and going over was sexual content and profanity," Calo said. "Yes, we decided it was not suitable for any child." "...we decided it was not suitable...." Mrs Calo certainly has the right to make decisions for her family, but she does not get to decide for my family, or yours. This is about BOOK BANNING. It is not about how good a teacher is. Anyone who knows Cathy Adler has no question about that. "America" is not a book teaching the birds and bees. It is about a troubled child and the horrible things he goes through in "the system" throughout the years. It might be about a child you know. I find it interesting that Mrs Calo went to Cleveland TV news the week before she called parents (or at least before she called me). Before you post here, please read the article again... really read it. It is titled MOM SEEKS TO BAN BOOK IN RAVENNA. Censorship. Don't tell me to teach my child about sex. I talk to my child openly and answer all questions. Don't tell me what a wonderful teacher Mrs Adler is. I know. And don't tell me what my child can or cannot read. I will decide.