no I don't think the books should be baned they are only depicting the real world out there we are not going to be able to shield our children from that it will only put them in a bubble and when they get out of their parents wing then they might have resentments towards them for shielding them

NO BOOK should ever be banned...or removed...It first of all draws the wrong kind of attention to a most likely excellent read.......second..people who have never really read the books are usually the ones who will have the strongest opinions against them.........and three... this is the united states..... censorship should be left to the parents in the home...not in public arenas such as schools the arts or literature..........if people do not want there kids to read something.......they are going to have to go a lot further than removing it from just the school library..........may I suggest poking out there eyes.....B}

well so far the religious people allways find a way to drag god and the church into it. they have no problem crammin that book down everybody throat so why not let these books be allowed?

The quickest way to make sure every kid in that school distict reads those books it to restrict them. When I was in high school my parents had to sign a permission slip for me to read JAWS, as it was on the restricted list and every kid I knew in my high school wanted to read it. This was before the movie. Hum... Waste of effort?

Restriciton of books will not achieve the goal of parents, and freedom if thought is far more important, and the ability of your kids to reconginze the difference between real values from crap when they read it is invaluable.
On the other hand, kids who read are better off and more well rounded then those kids who do not read. Do not try to restict free thought or eading.

What is so shocking from the main stream news, is no longer the sensationalism and fear based rhetoric, but rather that they seem to now be promoting the antithesis of the very liberties that allow them to produce their news - the freedom of speech and freedom of information. What drugs have the producers of this horse-sh-t been ingesting?

Freedom of speech is the backbone of democracy - if you take that away - you take away everything we cherish.

Kids process the information that they take in quite differently, so "yes" I think parents should be informed of all the books available at the schools as well as what the content of each one is. I know here in Napavine our kids are suspended for speaking profanity, although many books that they read from the school library do carry profanity in them.

No. Parental permission, I suppose, as I would have no problem with my kids having read them in school. However, these same parents are likely 'firm' or 'literal' believers of the Bible. Well now, THERE's a book that, by their same standards, should be banned! God directing a father to sacrifice a son and the father actually willing to DO IT? Stoning of adulters? Now THERE's a reason for a child to have psychological trauma! A dose of worldly reality would be good for us all and might even help us to be less violent and more understanding of others.

why is a person that exibits any kind of morals considered or presumed to be religeous? As a child I was brought up being taught not to curse, not to hate, not to kill, not to judge, not to be mean and when I grew up the world taught me that it was okay to be all these things, so I tried them! only to find myself terribly unhappy, so I guess my parents really did know better then the world. Although I must say in my own quest to find peace, happiness and contentment I did search to find out if God was real and to my suprise, He is! and He is all that is good, He is Love. Don't believe me then seek him for yourself, fore He says: "if you seek me,you shall find me" I found him! and my only regret is that I didn't come looking for him sooner.

well annie this is all fine but what in the hell does finding god have to do with the CDA school district and these books?

I say books should NEVER ever be banned for whats in them. If every book that swore or had something "inapropriate" there wouldn't be much at all in school libraries! So, I say no. These books should NOT be banned or restricted.

I say books should NEVER ever be banned for whats in them. If every book that swore or had something "inapropriate" there wouldn't be much at all in school libraries! So, I say no. These books should NOT be banned or restricted.

These books should not be banned--whats next? As far as I can see--language is worse on T.V. these days than in any book you could read and these books have a lot more value than almost every T.V. show out there. Let the students read the books.

Pretty tepid response from NWCN viewers. heh

For all we know the parent is not religious...just stupid......hey es maybe you need to seek counseling for your GOD phobia it makes you sound like that is the only thing on your mind... which is at least evidence that you have one.......and this is the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA......NOT NAZI GERMANY...if THEY want to ban books here why don't THEY just go there..........freaking Nazi's....

From a writer's standpoint, there is a reason for any content someone might find offensive. Banning a book for this reason is like saying "Your book dispels our precious illusions and isn't politically correct enough for us to read." If you don't like a book, don't read it, but don't disallow others from reading it as well.

johanna- are you having your period?
it gets old when ever something like this comes up god gets dragged into it somehow. its like they think everybody goes along with that bunch of crap. if anything needs to be banned it is the pedofile preist churches.
save the sermon for sunday and keep it out of the public.

Parents always have a choice to have their son or daughter read an alternative book. It is one thing to monitor your own children's information, but any person who is intent on restricting others' children from knowledge is verging on thought control. Our children, esp. those about to enter the adult world need broader knowledge and awareness of the world as it is, not more insulation. The books mentioned are by the most respected authors and many are Northwest authors. I have read 4 of the books mentioned and all of the authors. I find them quite appropriate for high schoolers. In fact, very good selections. I applaud the teachers' choices. (I am a retired H.S. teacher)

WOW!!!! The US and Russia are once again fighting about missles and now we're again talking about banning books. I always wondered what it would be like to live in the 50s. Looks like I might just get my chance!! If nothing else, only 13 more years until the Beatles!!!!! Yahoooooooo....

Although I don't think the books should be banned, I applaud those with enough moral conscience to be concerned and to express caution. Those with hatred toward anything "religious" are much more dangerous than "Bible thumpers," and are more of a threat to civilization.

are you saying religion and morality are related? thats not what i have been reading in the papers. and if someone like myself hates a preist who sodomizes a child that makes me dangerous? before the churches try to influence how people live or politics id say start paying taxes and go for it until then keep your opinions out of our schools and government.

Oh great more religion. I am sorry folks but God/morality does not equal religion. Religion is the mechanism created by humans to "use" God as an excuse for their agenda of control. I find God truley lacking in relgion. Personally I find religious folk the anti-christ and all together evil.

Quoting "Personally I find religious folk the anti-christ and all together evil." A. Hitler

It seems to me that it is usually the ignorant that scream the loudest about what others should be allowed to read. If not ignorance, then it is the self-appointed morally uptight who would cast the first stones… if they thought they could get away with it.

Most kids know more about sex than can be found in books like “Snow Falling on Cedars” by the fifth grade. Regardless of how religiously strict parents are most kids will learn about these things, one way or another, well before high school. If they did not learn these things by high school, they probably should have. Raising naive children is not doing them a favor.

And yes, I have read “Snow Falling on Cedars.” I enjoyed the book for its educational value and I did not find its minimal sex content offensive in the least. I would rate it PG 13, not something that should be banned from high school.

It might be a good idea to have parents who want to have books banned actually read the books before they are allowed to cast their voices in outrage.

MACJR

Just read FAHRENHEIT 451, and think about the message. Banning books should NOT EVER be allowed. How absolutely absurd to think of banning a book/books!!!!!!!

Es, to answer your question, religion and morality go hand in hand. As George Washington said in his Farewell Address to congress in 1796, "Of all the disposition and habits . . . religion and morality are indespensible supports . . . And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion . . . reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."

I agree with Falvo; I too applaud those who have enough of a moral conscience to express concern. I don't believe books should be banned from school libraries (aside from those, of course, that are intended for adult readers only, then obviously there rightfully should be a ban on those from school libraries), but I think some sense of caution and concern should be at least expressed if there is objectionable material in those books that raise flags. Just my 2 cents.

well said brian. but how would george washington explain the leaders of the church covering up things like preists sodomizing childeren?
how can the church file bankruptsy as to settle the sex abuse claims then after we hear about the sale of assets and even ATM machines being brought into the churches so the people can pony up the millions needed to resolve all this then we find out the preists who commited the crimes will still collect thier pensions.
its not only the morality of the churches in question here but how can our laws allow this to happen?
these people have no business preaching thier morality to anyone including opinions about books in our schools.
here is a suggestion for the church. teach your preists to sodomize adults and keep your opinions to your self.

Brian, Falvo and you others I am so sick of people referring to morals and values as if they are some set written in stone kinda of list that you have to follow we as free people of this country are free to decide what our own morals and values are and some peoples are quite different from others and some peoples have no connection to religion at all. I have raised my children from day one with no religion whatsoever in fact I teach against it. i am proud to report that I have two teenagers who are straight A students have the finest character,they do not judge others unfairly, they are full of integrity and are completely free of the mind poison and predjudices that organized religion teaches. But don't get me wrong I also respect the right of religious people to worship god and develope thier morals and values from the bible if thats what floats thier boat, I am just sick of them portraying anyone who does not as lost souls or some how inferior because we choose a different path.