Laurie Halse Anderson's 'Speak' almost too much for Temecula

Laurie Halse Anderson's 1999 young adult novel, "Speak," which was a finalist for the L.A. Times Book Award and the National Book Award, was selected as School Library Journal's Best Book of the Year and received numerous other honors, was the focus of controversy in Temecula this week. The school board's trustees were deciding whether or not to add "Speak" to the list of books that may be taught in high school English classes, and were concerned that it deals with the topic of rape and its aftermath.

Our blog LA Now reports that the board voted 4-1 in favor of the book's inclusion. But:

Trustee Kristi Rutz-Robbins cast the opposing vote, saying she feared that the book would become mandatory reading and that rape victims and others would be forced to read it. The district needs policies that alert parents to such assignments and ways to opt out of them, “so that rape victims, children who are emotionally and developmentally immature and those seriously interested in being prepared for college can stick to classics and other works without graphic rape scenes,” she wrote in an e-mail today.

Educators in the district have pointed out that other classic works commonly read in the community’s high schools, including Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,” deal with sensitive subjects such as rape.

It's a bit surprising that there is an issue over whether or not high school students can or should be able to read about a difficult subject like rape in school while that topic is certainly present in other media, including television. In fact, "Speak" was made into a Showtime movie in 2004 and is available on DVD. Since it stars actress Kristen Stewart of "Twilight," I'd guess some teen girls might be curious enough to have already sought it out.

The Temecula school district, which has procedures in place for parents who want to opt their children out from certain lessons, has plans to reevaluate the policy this year.

-- Carolyn Kellogg

Comments

[David Macinnis Gill]

Why is it that students can be opted out of readings so easily? At what point did we decide that teens were too fragile to face difficult subjects in the English classroom but strong enough to learn about them in math, science, history, etc.? Is it because we fear genuine stories more than we fear textbooks? Or is it because we understand intuitively how powerful the written word is and know that the most important thing that a teacher can do is connect a student with story? If so, why aren't teens reading more books and taking fewer tests?

[Gina]

When I was in high school I read 'Speak'. I thought it was a great book. Most of my classmates thought so too. We even watched the movie when we were done with it. I think that its an interesting book to read. Compared to books like Romeo and Juliet or Macbeth, that some high school students might find boring (I did not). They want stories with adventures and things that they are dealing with in high school. I have friends who are the victims of rape. They have read and enjoyed this book. I don't feel that it contains any "graphic rape scenes". The movie or the book.

[Patrick]

Rutz-Robbins loses all credibility with me with that totally unnecessary slam at the end of her quote. "...those seriously interested in being prepared for college." Give me a break. Nice attempt to cloak your obvious fear of sexuality in a "Great Books" argument.

[M. Grave]

As a researcher I would question if all of the board is every on 100 percent agreement. Aren't we taught to write contrasting views to spark debate, questions, to maintain all around critical thinking skills? Rutz-Robbins is sparking debate and contrast. And why not? That is what IS lacking in Temecula e.g. University atmosphere. Her nah would be a welcome debate in Boston, Ann Arbor, and Cambridge.

[mb]

I have read speak in 9th grade and it really hit me hard about how similar I am to the main character. I was never raped but I connected with her in personal ways. I remember when we were reading when she remembered what happened to her, when she was raped, people in class, laugh, YES they laughed. I remember a cold chill going down my spine, that was the first time I was sincerly scared of some of my classmates...The book teaches kids a lot, I wish more HS will read it and grow on a personal level and take it seriously, since a lot of people r going through what Melinda did....