Sherwood parents flood board meeting to challenge book ‘Grendel’

By Barbara Sherman

The Sherwood Gazette, Oct 16, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (73 Reader comments)

The book "Grendel" by John Gardner has caused concern from some Sherwood parents who object to a graphic scene in the book.

Submitted photo / Sherwood Gazette

Grendel was the terrifying creature of the night in “Beowulf” that author John Gardner turned into the central character of his novel, “Grendel,” and the monster would have been pleased at all the attention he received at the Oct. 14 meeting of the Sherwood School Board.

At issue was whether the novel should continue to be part of the syllabus for an accelerated sophomore English class at Sherwood High School.

About 100 parents packed the multi-purpose room at Hopkins Elementary School, although only a few of them commented on the issue during the public comment portion of the meeting.

Parent Mike Grubbe, who had formally but futilely protested using the book through the district’s review process, said the book is inappropriate for high school students.

“I accept the book as literature, but is it appropriate for high school students? (District administrators) said yes, but it is a violation of our own guidelines.”

Grubbe described the most graphic scene in the book in which the monster tortures and mutilates a female, and said to the School Board, “I ask you once again to remove it from the curriculum and instruct the English Department to find a more appropriate curriculum.”

His comments were met with loud applause.

“If Mr. Jones (one of the English teachers) and the district are completely comfortable with the curriculum, then they should publicize it,” said Grubbe’s wife Marlo, adding, “The process to challenge the curriculum is long and cumbersome… The process has let us down.”

Marlo Grubbe said that although 70 of 74 parents had signed permission slips allowing their children to read the book, she did not agree with district policy of requiring students without permission to read “Grendel” to read a different book in the hallway during English class.

“We have over 100 names of people who object to ‘Grendel’ and have students at all levels in school,” she added. Grubbe named infamous teenagers who have shot and killed students at their schools in the past. “There are a lot of people here with their eyes on you,” she said.

Lance Dowdle asked, “Who is the real monster? In this case it is the school forcing our kids to read this.”

Maria Dowdle complained that parents were not adequately informed about the content of the book. Sitting in the hall reading a different book “is not an educationally appropriate alternative,” she said.

However, Laura Flannigan questioned which books would be dropped next. “Chaucer? ‘Canterbury Tales’? Shakespeare? What do we toss next? ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’?” she asked. “To me, this is about First Amendment rights…

“Please keep ‘Grendel’ in the curriculum. I think this is a good book. It’s about the justification between good and evil. The monster had fantasies. In the next chapter, he didn’t do it.”

Jane Glasser also supported keeping “Grendel” in the classroom.

“I support the curriculum, the staff and the role of artists,” she said.” They (analyze) difficult, bewildering, confusing aspects of our society… The whole point of literary analysis is to take difficult topics and think critically about them.

“Hate, joy, lust, greed – all are timeless. Our teaching staff has judged this as a great example to think critically about these issues… This is not just a book – it is a slippery slope.”

She compared Sherwood to the fictitious Mayberry, noting that schools have a responsibility to not just prepare students to live in Sherwood but also in the greater world where monsters exist.

Lance Dowdle asked, “Who is the real monster? In this case, it is the school forcing our kids to read this.”

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