School board votes down book ban

May 26, 2006 (Last Updated: 7:26 AM) ARLINGTON HEIGHTS (WLS) -- The state's second largest high school district denies a bid to ban nine books from the students' reading list.

After meeting into the early morning hours and hearing from parents and students on both sides of the issue, the Township High School District 214 board voted six to one to keep the books.

The lone dissenter was Leslie Pinney, who had flagged the nine books out of the more than 100 on the reading list. She said they contain vulgar language, brutal imagery or depictions of sexual situations inappropriate for students.

After much debate the board agreed to keep the nine books.

"Reaffirms that our teachers and our staff, that we have faith that they are, in fact, doing what they are supposed to be doing as educators," said William Dussling, District 214 Board President

"There's just no excuse to have pornography, obscenities or anything like this," said Jerry Dunlap, District 214 Resident

This is the first time in more than two decades that a reading list has been challenged at the northwest suburban high school district.

Get more News »

• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•