Last week the CBC reported that the Halton Catholic District School Board in Ontario, Canada had placed The Golden Compass under review to decide whether it would remain on elementary school library shelves, in light of a complaint from a member of the community. The Globe & Mail reports that the book has since been pulled from shelves until the review is complete, and that other local school boards have considered a review of the book. Superintendent Rick MacDonald would not disclose the nature of the complaint but noted it is a first in several years. “… the committee is simply responding to a request for a review of the material.” The review should be complete within the first week of the New Line adaptation’s release.
School board reviews library stock
November 27, 2007
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This issue affects me personally, since I am from Ontario. I was disgusted at the news, but even more disgusted by seeing how my city’s main newspaper, which I usually see as pretty reliable, make the EXACT same fallacy as the boycott groups by taking Pullman’s quotes out of context. I was furious that they made the issue seem like a REAL threat to the school systems. None of the writers had obviously read the book.
On a better side of it, my favourite radio station CFRB 1010 talk radio had it as a topic, which was being discussed by the open atheist John Moore. He stood up wholeheartedly against removing these books, on the basis that it is the child’s decision what to read, and that the moral of these books is something worth supporting.
I am frustrated with my area right now, but also encouraged that there are still some critical minds out there.
History has never shown people who ban books in a positive light, and removing the books from schools will not prevent them being read (just go to non-school library or book shop) but will actually encourage kids to read it! Don’t these silly people understand they are doing more good than harm?
Surely the answer is clear – for every volume taken off the shelves, students buy their own copy, make sure it is visible around the school and lend it freely to their friends.
It is unforgiveable to ban any book on these grounds and even more unforgiveable for anyone in authority, such as the school superintendent, to act without having first read all three books first.
Religious fascism where the minority impose their views on the majority has no place in any society, least of all in a publicly funded education system.
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