Alice on Her Way Gets Waylaid in Washington

Alice on Her Way will remain in the library at Icicle River Middle School in Leavenworth, Washington, but with borrowing privileges restricted to students who have parental consent.

Parent Dave Winters objected to Phyllis Reynolds Naylor’s novel, part of the oft-challenged Alice series, due to its depiction of sexuality, the Wenatchee World Online reported March 25. Accepting the recommendation of a review committee, the school board unanimously decided March 24 to retain the book, believing that it would be beneficial for older middle school students.

“We kind of balanced those two things and struggled with that for a while” before reaching the compromise solution, District Librarian John Mausser told the Wenatchee World. “I’m not totally satisfied, but at least we raised awareness,” Winters said in the March 27 Leavenworth Echo.

One other book, Gary Paulsen’s Harris and Me, has been similarly restricted at the school for almost a decade, the Echo reported. The library owns at least one other book in the Alice series, which Mausser said he would review for appropriateness.

Posted on March 28, 2008. Discuss.

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