POST-CRESCENT
Megan Nicolai | April 23, 2012

Rejecting a campaign by a group of parents unhappy with the choice of books for a high school class, the Appleton Area School District will not offer the option of an alternative ninth-grade Communication Arts course.

Appleton’s Board of Education voted against a request to provide an alternative curriculum for Communication Arts 1010 made by members of Valley School Watch, a parent group formed after an Appleton parent challenged the use of “The Body of Christopher Creed” in 2010 because of its references to suicide and sex.

“The educational material selection policy states that the parent has the right to judge whether certain materials are acceptable for his or her child,” board member Diane Barkmeier said in a presentation. “However, no individual or organization has the right to limit the students’ access to materials that are part of the district’s educational program.”

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FOND DU LAC REPORTER
Sharon Roznik | April 11, 2012

The best-selling book “Fifty Shades of Grey” will not be found on the shelves at Fond du Lac Public Library.

Library Director Ken Hall said there were no plans to purchase the controversial book, which delves into romance and sadomasochism.

“‘We don’t collect erotica’,” Hall said he was told by the person who orders books for the library — and he supports the decision.

Meanwhile, other libraries are carrying the novel, which reached the top of the fiction charts and is the first in a trilogy by British author E.L. James. The print version had been hard to come by in bookstores, so readers have been forced to read the e-book edition, which was released first.

At Ripon Public Library, Librarian Desiree Bongers said there were 75 holds for the book in the system.

“Based on our selection policy, we do have the book in our library. It is put out by a large, mainstream publisher, there’s been a lot of publicity for it and people are asking for it,” Bongers said.

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WAUSAUDAILYHERALD.COM
September 25, 2011

A group of 34 people have asked Merrill Area Public Schools to remove the book “Montana 1948″ from its curriculum and library.

The Merrill School Board will hold a public hearing on the issue at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the auditorium of Merrill High School, 1201 N. Sales St., Merrill. The School Board then plans to convene in closed session to deliberate on the request. It will reconvene into open session to take action, if necessary.

The book, written by Larry Watson, a former University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point English professor, is a coming-of-age novel that includes mature themes of rape, sex and abuse of power, and uses obscene language.

THE CAPITAL TIMES
Pat Schneider | JUne 3, 2011

You might want to think twice about activating the “My Reading History” option on the updated computerized materials checkout system for the Madison Public Library.

Clicking “yes” to opt-in for the service means you’ll have a handy record of what you’ve been reading if you need it. But the list of what materials you’ve checked out also will be available to federal authorities if they come knocking at the library door under the Patriot Act, the controversial anti-terrorist legislation rammed through a 9/11-stunned Congress in 2001 and quickly extended last week for four more years.

Not that you have anything to hide. The question is whether it’s any business of the government what you’ve been reading

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