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November 19, 2015

Don Samuels, Director


Minneapolis Board of Education
1250 W. Broadway Ave Minneapolis, MN
55411-2533
Dear Director Samuels,
As a student at University of Minnesota-Duluth representing the student
body, I am writing to express my concerns regarding the offensive books that
have been found in public schools and libraries. On our behalf, parents are
concerned with their childrens education on the way they are being taught
through the Reading Horizon reading curriculum in their schools. Id advise
for this problem to be solved by switching reading companies.
Offensive books can be defined as offensive language to an unsuited age,
group, race, or violence (The Students Right to Read). An outrage has
occurred because of these specific books that teachers are teaching from. If
these books are kept in schools, it will portray the right of students to act and
behave a certain way towards certain cultures. Of course many will disagree
with my belief that this reading curriculum has an outburst of more violence
among the parents and school board due to the racial and cultural
stereotypes but on the grounds with that being said it can all be changed by
the help of the school board realizing that they shouldnt be teaching from
these books (Phillip).
Although students have the freedom of speech to say and read what they
want, these books still may offend certain culture groups (The Students
Right to Read). I believe schools should be pressured to ban these offensive
books from public schools and libraries because someone may get hurt as
others may not be towards this aggression.
As a student body it would be a good idea to distant the schools from the
writing company, Reading Horizons. These disturbing books reflect
negatively toward others (A War Over Words). If books arent pulled from the
shelves parents have considered removing their children from Minneapolis
schools and sending them to private schools where this reading program is
not found (Phillip).
Another thing to consider would be to talk to the reading company and ask if
they are able to make changes and better improve the books provided to the
schools. By doing so many people will be grateful, not only about the change
but about improving their childrens education by cutting out the
inappropriate statements made in these books. Books may not be the only

offensive thing in schools, this would also include some newspapers and
magazines (A War Over Words).
Additionally, it would be a good idea to inform teachers about how to teach
and only use certain materials. Although students should be able to read
what they want, its the fact that if material is taught to the whole class
some may get offended. If books like these continue to stay in schools, they
should be put off to the side and let students read them on their own time
and not in a school setting. Offensive books also distort the picture of the
ideas, values, and problems of a culture (Matos). Writers want to represent
their culture, and by doing so they may put another culture down and offend
them either purposely or accidentally due to the person who is ever reading
it.
I do greatly appreciate the investigation into this situation about how the
school district is slowly but surely pulling books from the shelves and
reevaluating the reading curriculum. Reading Horizons says they are working
on writing new books to solve this controversy (Matos).
Taking into account of the students it would be in your best interest to sit
down with the rest of the Board of Education and mention different plans of
how to give all of the Minneapolis students a better education without
offending their race, values, or cultural background through reading
offensive books within the public schools.
We urgently suggest that you look into this problem and try to come up with
the best solution to fix banning offensive books in classrooms and libraries.
In doing so many students and parents would greatly appreciate it. I look
forward to hearing feedback to this situation. Thanks.
Sincerely,

Gracie Ardolf,
University of Minnesota-Duluth Student
509 Niagara Court Griggs A309
Duluth, MN 55812

Bibliography
"A War Over Words." Maclean's 110.26 (1997): 102. EBSCO MegaFILE. Web. 7
Oct. 2015.
Matos, Alejandra. "Minneapolis District Officials Apologize for Offensive Books
given to Teachers." StarTribune 27 Aug. 2015. Web. 7 Oct. 2015.
Phillip, Abby. "Painfully Offensive Racial Stereotypes Lead School District to
Recall Books." Washington Post 11 Sept. 2015. Parents United for
Public Schools. Web. 7 Oct. 2015.
"The Students' Right to Read." NCTE Comprehensive News. 1 Apr. 2009. Web.
7 Oct. 2015.

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