More school boards remove Golden Compass

5 comments on “More school boards remove Golden Compass”

1. Paul Vermeersch says:
   November 26th, 2007 at 6:14 pm

   An open response:

   Dear Trustees of the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board:

   I would like to thank you for your contribution to global enlightenment. By removing Philip Pullman’s books from your schools, you have helped to publicize these great works of literature in your area. Thanks to you, certainly more people in the Peterborough area are now aware of these excellent novels, and it follows that with greater awareness will come wider readership.

   As an author, however, I do find it disturbing purported educators like yourselves would attempt to deny students access to ideas, even if those ideas stand in counterpoint to your faith. Banning books is never the ethical, moral or intellectually favourable solution. It is a practice rooted in fear and ignorance. Is your faith so tenuous that it can’t withstand a dissenting opinion buried in the subtext of a children’s novel? Is your own approved work of fantasy fiction, the Bible, not filled with tales of faith put to the test? Is it not one of your virtues to face these tests and persevere?

   Why not let your pupils read these books, and then discuss with them the implications differing ideas have in terms of your faith? Why not? I think I know the pusillanimous answer. And I think you do, too.

   Perhaps it is not your way to allow young people to make intellectual or moral decisions for themselves, and that is shame. You are denying them one of the most powerful elements of education: true moral and intellectual self-discovery.

   Regards,
   Paul Vermeersch
   Author, editor, educator, atheist

2. Monica says:
   November 27th, 2007 at 9:06 am

   Bravo to you, Paul. I have to agree with that statement, about denying moral and intellectual self-discovery. It is a weak and insecure institution, that would deny its members the opportunity to discover other ways of thinking. The Catholic Church is afraid that these children will learn of other ways of thinking, and afraid that it will lose them to other ways. If they truly felt that they were “the truth and the light” they would let their members learn and explore, and be confident that they would stay in the church. They are fearful. And they should be. The Catholic faith is antiquated, and does not meet the needs of people today. I’m not saying atheism is the way to go, just that people need the opportunity to think, rather than follow an old and outdated way of perceiving the world.

3. George says:
   November 27th, 2007 at 9:11 am

   Tut, tut, tut! There’s that word again! “Thinking”’s what got us into this mess. Best to leave the thinking to messianic figures like myself. There, there, Pauly and Mony-Mony. Allow me to guide you and show you the light.

4. George says:
   November 27th, 2007 at 9:13 am

   P.S. I’ve always assumed “messianic” was a portmanteau of “messy” and “maniac”… If so, than I stand by the above…

5. Monica says:
   November 27th, 2007 at 10:21 am

   oh George. That’s what they used to call me back in the day, at Cabbage Patch College. I like that portmanteau, please consider it a compliment when i add it to my vocab. I will, from here on in, leave the heavy thinking to you, George.

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