The Randolph County Board of Education voted 5-2 to ban  “Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison from the shelves of Randolph County Schools libraries.

All copies of the book will be removed from school libraries.

This action followed the complaint of a parent.

Committees at both the school and district levels recommended it not be removed.

The book, originally published in 1952, addresses many of the social and intellectual issues facing African-Americans in the first half of the 20th century.

It was one of three books from which rising Randleman High School juniors could choose for summer reading for the 2013-14 school year. The others on the list were “Black Like Me” by John Howard Griffin and “Passing” by Nella Larsen; honors students had to choose two books.

There was little discussion after the board was presented with the Central Services Committee recommendation concerning the parent’s complaint about the book. All board members had been supplied with copies of the book last month to read.

McDonald [a board member] asked if everyone had read the book, stating, “It was a hard read.”

Mason [a board member] said, “I didn’t find any literary value.” He also objected to the language in the book. “I’m for not allowing it to be available.”

Cutler [a board member who opposed the resolution] asked if there were other options to which Catherine Berry, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, replied that there were other choices. She also explained that the book is on the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s list of suggested supplemental works for high school students.

It was at this point that Cutler made the original motion which was defeated. Lambeth then made the motion to ban the book which passed.

The board action was prompted by a complaint about the book from Kimiyutta Parson, mother of an RHS 11th-grader. She submitted a request for reconsideration of instructional media form, which detailed, in a 12-page supplemental document, her reasons for the book’s removal.

She stated, in part, “The narrator writes in the first person, emphasizing his individual experiences and his feelings about the events portrayed in his life. This novel is not so innocent; instead, this book is filthier, too much for teenagers. You must respect all religions and point of views when it comes to the parents and what they feel is age appropriate for their young children to read, without their knowledge. This book is freely in your library for them to read.”

Parson also objected to the type of language used in the book and its sexual content.

A school-based, six-member media advisory committee met, according to board policy, and recommended it not be removed from the library.

A 10-member District Media Advisory Committee also met, agreeing with the school-level group’s decision. According to its recommendation, “the committee appreciated the parent’s concern for their child and the interest taken in their education. The District Media Advisory committee unanimously agreed that the book does relate directly to curriculum and RCS should keep the book on the shelf and as a literature piece for instruction.”