‘Working Poor’ Complaint Withdrawn
The formal challenge of David K. Shipler’s The Working Poor: Invisible in America has been withdrawn from HPISD. The challenge was filed by HPHS parent Meg Bakich in December, and the district was in the process of forming a reconsideration committee, though one had not yet been finalized.
The book was one of seven to be temporarily suspended in the fall, though the suspension was reversed just weeks later. The Art of Racing in the Rain did go through formal review by a committee, but was upheld.
Much like complaints with the other books, Bakich’s issues with The Working Poor primarily centered around the text’s sexual material, which she felt was inappropriate for the junior-level students. She also listed what she called the book’s “Marxist” material as a complaint.
Throughout the school year, parents, students, and community members have lined the walls at HPISD meetings to voice opinions from all angles on literature selection.
The district is now working to revise EFA (LOCAL) policy on academics as it relates to literature selection, and continues to post relevant updates on the website.
