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Norwood, Colorado: High School Superintendent “Burns” Critically- Acclaimed Book
February 07, 2005
PEN USA condemns the banning and destruction of multiple copies of the internationally acclaimed book Bless Me, Ultima due to “profanity.”
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Bless Me, Ultima, written by Rudolfo Anaya in 1972, deals with a 7-year-old boy, his Catholic mother and a woman named Ultima, who uses herbs and magic to heal. The book was banned by Norwood Superintendent Bob Conder due to “filthy” language. Conder then turned over two dozen copies of the book to a parent so they could be destroyed. The teacher who ordered the books was forced to publically apologize.
In 2002, President Bush awarded the author the Medal of Arts, and first lady Laura Bush has Bless Me, Ultima listed as a book she highly recommends. The book was selected by the city of Boulder, Colorado this month for its community read. It was also in the selection of “Mesa County Reads” program. Yet Conder calls the book “garbage.”
“There weren’t so many parents who were concerned, but when it was brought to my attention, I was concerned,” said Conder, who has not read the book in its entirely. “That’s not the kind of garbage I want to sponsor at this high school.”
Although the Superintendent claims he has received only one call from a parent complaining about his decision, Margo Roberts, editor of local newspaper Norwood Post, says she was inundated by messages from locals angry about Conder’s action. School employees are too afraid to speak on record, Roberts thinks. Many people contacted by the Norwood Post and The Denver Post would not speak on record.
The author, Anaya, who is 67 years old and professor emeritus at University of New Mexico in Albuquerque said in a statement, “My suggestion is: Read the book. The language is not gratuitous. It fits with the scenes. The book is about good and evil. Ultima teaches Antonio that the smallest piece of good can stand against all the evil in the world. I have hundreds of letters from students from all over the country who have been moved by this book. I would love to go to Norwood with my box full of letters.”
Christian Skyler Kelley, a junior at Norwood High school said she was going to find the book and read it, “I feel it is my obligation to read it and see what our superintendent found so dangerous that it must be destroyed.”
PEN USA is outraged at the actions of the Superintendent, who not only banned a book, but ordered multiple copies of it destroyed. “Book burning” is unconscionable for any American government official, let alone for a superintendent in our public school system.
Recommended Action:
Write Superintendent Conder, questioning his decision to ban a critically acclaimed book from Norwood’s high schools, condemning his censorship and destruction of books.
Superintendent Bob Conder
C/o Norwood High School
1225 West Summit Avenue
Norwood,CO 81423
Phone: (970) 327-4336
Write to Colorado’s Board of Education, alerting them to the situation in Norwood, and beseeching them to take the necessary actions to ensure that “book-burning” in the name of public education is eliminated from their schools.
Karen A. Gerwitz
Director of State Board Relations
201 East Colfax Avenue
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: 303/866-6809 FAX: 303/866-6938
Email: state.board@cde.state.co.us