1 More Chapter in Book Ban Issue

The editorial “Another Attack on Student Books” (Orange County Perspective, Feb. 5) makes it clear that parental consent is required before any “controversial” class material can be assigned to their offspring. So what’s the problem?

But that’s not good enough for Wendy Leece. Apparently she thinks all such subject matter should be proscribed for all students, parental consent notwithstanding.

She can believe the Earth is flat for all I care. But her attempts to impose personal beliefs on others are arrogant, self-righteous and obnoxious in the extreme.

DICK LEWIS

Balboa

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After reading letters in the Feb. 4 Times, I am amazed at the lack of responsible thinking in our community regarding whether two books should be placed on an approved list for student reading in the Newport Mesa School District. To justify that a book that has explicit, detailed and stimulating sexual encounters be recommended as reading material for teenagers in public schools is tantamount to giving a child a candy bar with the request that he or she should appreciate the wrapping but not sample the candy inside.

It is naive to suggest that curious, hormone-laden teenagers will not respond to the obvious stimulating temptations. Rationalizing that the books in question have wonderful other redeeming qualities is absurd and irresponsible. There are thousands of award-winning novels and classics that have absolutely nothing objectionable within them and would be much better candidates for high school reading.

NORA GARCIA

Costa Mesa

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To all who are dismayed to hear of the Newport-Mesa school board’s narrow conservative “Christian” vision of what is and is not appropriate literature for Advanced Placement students: Brace yourselves. With Bush’s appointment of John Ashcroft as attorney general, and our debonair president’s announced intention to give tax dollars to religious denominations for nebulous “social services” and to support private religious schools with voucher dollars, we are in real danger of seeing this insidious brand of ugly and narrow intolerance soon permeate our culture.

JUNE MAGUIRE

Mission Viejo