DISTRICT DEFENDS TEEN NOVEL

Gates Chili Says Book Teaches Valuable Lesson About Drugs

While the book is controversial, Patricia Schucker and Gates Chili
school district officials believe Go Ask Alice was an important novel
for freshmen to read as part of an English Regents class last semester.

However, a parent, whom the district didn't want to name, expressed
concerns to the school this week about the book's themes of heroin
use and discussion about rape.

"In spite of the drug campaigns of 'Just Say No,' statistics still
show that teens are turning a deaf ear to adults," said Schucker,
Gates Chili's associate superintendent.

"Reading the words from one of their peers in a book may have a
greater impact than all the wise words we say as adults."

Go Ask Alice is a 15-year-old high school girl's personal diary
chronicling her drug use and her need to finally get help.

The character also writes about loathing her weight gain, being
uncomfortable at school, relating to her parents and her peaking
sexual interest.

Schucker said the book has been used for years with no parent
complaints and was a supplemental novel for a larger topic on drug
abuse for Kathryn McCullough's class.

"We know parents have a right to raise an objection ... but this book
teaches students a valuable lesson on the issue of drugs. She was
very negatively impacted by drugs and her life ended too short,"
Schucker said of the book's main character.

In addition, parents received the school reading list in the fall and
had access to McCullough's Web site, where she described the project
that started Dec. 5.

Students were assigned to select a drug and research its long-term
effects on the brain and family environment.

Gates Chili parents have the option of filing a request to speak to
the superintendent if they are not satisfied after discussions with
teachers and administrators.

Christopher Manaseri, superintendent for the Brighton school
district, said his district has a clearly defined process when
parents have a problem with reading materials, including appeals to
the superintendent's office.

"But it is relatively uncommon for parents to complain," said
Manaseri, a 30-year educator.

In the past 8 1/2 years, the Brighton district has had only one
formal complaint from a parent about reading material, he said.