In a message dated 96-07-25 22:41:14 EDT, you write: << I have taught the novel myself and dealt with all the attendant issues which invariably arise from the community itself. More recently, my campus spent over a year dealing with challenges to Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird" sings. What at first seemed to be a scattering of parents claiming that the book was "pornographic and promoted a lesbian lifestyle" was in fact a well-organized and orchestrated effort by the Radical Right (Committee for Education Excellence and the Eagle Forum) against multiculturalism. The next two targets were Momaday's "House Made of Dawn" and Anaya's "Bless Me, Ultima." Pretty clear, isn't it? I would guess that something similar may be happening in Tempe. >> I agree with this. A local school system here recently rejected a high school American history text book after it had been carefully screened and approved by all of the teaching staff. The textbook focused on the contributions made by women and minorities. The book came highly praised and recommended, yet the school board rejected the book based on one member's objections, saying it was too "multi-cultural," and that not enough emphasis was placed on the traditional way of teaching American history. After some outcry by the teachers, it was discovered that the dissenting board member was a member of a radical right group bent on keeping multiculturalism out of the schools. A new vote was taken and the school board approved the book with only one "nay" vote (guess who). The point is, until hidden agendas are discovered by caring teachers and parents, any book is in danger of becoming banned from a school's curriculum. These people work from within local school boards and are well organized, but not vocal. My Two Cents... Kathy Method University of Akron