JUST A THOUGHT : Remember when?

FAYETTEVILLE — People forget the volatility stirred in this college community four falls ago by Laurie Taylor, who was justanother local mom until she came to the conclusion that Fayetteville Public Schools were entertaining smut in their libraries. Others saw literature. Thus the Great BookDebate.

And what a debate it was. Much of 2005, if you'll recall, was totally consumed by Taylor's accusations and the bitter divisions they brought about. Our newspaper published countless letters on this subject, with many of them batting about words like "censorship" and "un-American" as if they were prepositions. People wore buttons to packed public meetings that read "Don't ban the books." At one point Taylor removed her children from public schools and began home-schooling them.

Just like that, a minor saga had suddenly broken out - but why? Sure, the 1950s gave witness to the evils of McCarthyism, and the 1960s witnessed the "silent majority" reaction to a rapidly changing society by clubbing kids on the head and electing Richard Nixon twice. But an effort to ban books? In today's society? In progressive, open-minded Fayetteville? The debate surprised many who thought our little corner of the globe was beyond such repressive commentaries.

It all began in February 2005, when Taylor complained about the inclusion of books that she claimed were sexually explicit. She charged that upward of 70 titles that children had access to were beyond the pale, and eventually formed an organization called Parents Protecting the Minds of Children. She also proposed the creation of a "restricted access shelf" that would force kids to seek their parents' permission if they wished to read any "questionable" materials. In September, the Fayetteville School Board decided against Taylor's proposal, thus reversing a May vote to place a handful of controversial texts in the school's parent library section. Susan Heil, who has since become board president, was the crucial swing vote in a 4-3 decision.

Whether the books in question took an honest lookat heartbreaking situations ("Push") or are thought of as masterpieces in literary circles ("One Hundred Years of Solitude"), they did not escape Taylor's watchful eye. To judge by her actions, some young adults are not capable of reading thoughtprovoking material and walking away unaffected. This fear shot to the heart of concerns held by the school district's opponents.

The liberal folk in Fayetteville who fought Taylor's efforts tooth and nail would likely agree that children could well be changed by certain readings - only they would also argue that this is a good thing. Hopefully that transformation would suggest that one's perspective has grown as a result, and a deeper appreciation of the human condition (the humor, and frailties inherent) has come alive. If so, the thinking goes, both authors and readers are triumphant. Liberals, ultimately, don't get why anyone would want to deny folks a free trip to the imagination. Those on Taylor's side (and there will always be some) will never believe that all children are always ready to appreciate certain life lessons at the same age.

I can appreciate that sentiment. Parents have a right to control the stories their children absorb, especially when they are in elementary or middle school. But attempting to control and instruct the learning pattern of an entire community's kids just because a Nobel Prize-winning author made you blush once upon a time is to travel way, way beyond society's fairness boundaries.

We are fortunate Taylor lost this fight four years ago. But don't go thinking the Great Book Debate is the last we've seen of such efforts in this community. So long as the First Amendment exists, it will require our protection.

P.S. The Fayetteville Public Library will mark Banned Books Week this week with a Banished Book Lunch Club, which meets at noon each day to discuss famous titles that were prohibited at one point. Enjoy.

Scott Shackelford is editorial page editor of the Northwest Arkansas Times. His column appears on Tuesdays.