To paraphrase the late President Ronald Reagan, "there they go again." The "they" in this instance are book banners, that perennial band of mostly narrow-minded individuals who believe they know better than most what is suitable reading material for people of all ages. Trouble is, that is a false belief. Most of the self-appointed minders of what's proper and what is not proper reading material are more interested in promoting their own agenda than in engaging in serious discussion about the value of books and the messages and the lessons they can deliver.
The latest instance of such behavior comes from Massachusetts where "It's a Book," a highly praised book for young readers by Lane Smith, has stirred up a furor. The book has a simple but powerful message. It tells kids to pay more attention to books and to spend less time and attention on electronic games and similar paraphernalia. Who can argue with that message?
Some parents and others can, it seems. They are offended by a sentence in the book in which a character says, "It's a book, jackass." The words are entirely appropriate in context. "Jackass" is a character in the book, a donkey who is so wrapped up in technology that he doesn't know much about books. The story suggests that he should.
Sure, some parents have understandable objections to the word, but those complaints should not lead to the wholesale ban of the book. Others with kids might not find the word and its use in this particular instance to be objectionable.
The trouble arose when a literacy group wanted to donate 340 copies of "It's a Book" to first-graders in two Massachusetts towns. Controversy quickly ensued, though there were sensible efforts to defuse the situation. The principal of one school, in fact, sent a letter to parents telling them that the book contained a word they might find offensive. That was a fair way to manage the situation. Parents who did not want their child to receive the book could make that known. And books could be delivered to children whose parents or guardians had no objection to them receiving it.
Some parents offended by the book - a minority, according to reports - decided, however, that no child should have the opportunity to read the book. That's just plain wrong. There's no reason that the views of the minority should prevail over the majority of parents who had no objection to the book and the message it has to teach.
The controversial "It's a Book" is in good company. Many good books have been banned. Indeed, one California elementary school banned both the Merriam-Webster and American Heritage dictionaries earlier this year because there were objections to the way certain words were defined. J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" books are regular targets of the banners. So are books by Judy Blume, Shel Silverstein, John Steinbeck, Robert Cormier, Madeleine L'Engle and Maurice Sendak.
The confrontation in Massachusetts has been resolved - sort of. Parents who want their child to have a copy of the book can pick it up from the principal's office. That's a hollow victory, though. Books ought be widely available to those who want them, not handed out in semi-secret because a few individuals seek to impose their own beliefs on others.