Idaho School Pulls Book off Shelf

MERIDIAN, Idaho (AP) — Trustees at the Meridian School District in southwest Idaho have voted to remove an award winning novel after some parents complained. The Idaho Statesman reports in a story on Wednesday that trustees voted 2-1 to keep in place a hold on "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie. The National Book Award winning novel is narrated by a 14-year-old whose transfer makes him the only Native American in an all-white school. Objections are based on discussions of sex, abuse, alcoholism, or on racist or profane statements from some characters. Mountain View High School student Brady Kissel brought a petition with 350 signatures asking the board to keep the book. But most of the 100 people who came to the meeting spoke against keeping the book.