THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 12, 1996 TAG: 9609120007
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 29 lines
So People for the American Way has brought out its annual censorship survey (``Report details school censorship attempts,'' Sept. 5). And right-thinking people everywhere are expected to be outraged by these affronts to freedom in education, are they not?
But, wait a minute! Aren't we bombarded almost daily by claims that the only way to rescue our failing schools is through greater parental involvement? And aren't we constantly told that our society is awash in sex and violence and foul language and that these are destroying our children?
Yet, when parents are disturbed enough to question a teacher's choice of reading material, the parents are attacked as ``fundamentalists'' or as ``right-wing radicals'' and are castigated as censors.
The truth is, People for the American Way is nothing more than a pip-squeak, left-wing, rad-lib front organization. And talk about censorship. Ask them what they think about the Bible in public schools and a teacher's right - secured by the 1963 Supreme Court decision - to use it for instructional purposes.
The very people who cry the loudest about censorship are the biggest censors of all.
DENNIS J. BROWN
Elizabeth City, N.C., Sept. 6, 1996 by CNB