Capistrano Schools and Censorship
Last January, a group of parents calling themselves Parents for Quality Education succeeded in persuading the Capistrano Unified School District Board of Education to pull out a textbook series called “Impressions” from the elementary program.
Their reasons were indeed ludicrous. (They said) the books promoted the occult and poor family values. Classics such as “Huckleberry Finn” and “Cinderella” have also been banned in some parts of the country.
There is a name for this act. It is called censorship, a total infringement of our personal liberty. I find it disturbing that a group of minority parents can dictate what I can or cannot read. What they might find offending may be interpreted by another as a masterpiece.
These parents think that everyone should live by their standard. That is wrong. In this great country of ours, we the people have the power of freedom, a freedom to say what we like, hear what we like and definitely read what we like.
MING KUO
Laguna Niguel
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