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Instructional Materials Review Committee recommends keeping 'The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks' in AP English with alternatives offered
Summary
After reviewing a parental complaint, the Instructional Materials Review Committee recommended that Rebecca Skloot's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks remain in the AP English Language and Composition curriculum, with alternatives and parent notification.
The Instructional Materials Review Committee reviewed a parental complaint about The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and recommended on March 26 that the book remain in use in the Advanced Placement English Language and Composition course at Ward Melville High School.
Dr. Biscari (committee chair/administrator) told the board the complaint, received Jan. 25, objected to passages the parent described as "disturbing" and too graphic for the grade level. The committee read and discussed the book and professional reviews; members concluded the reading and themes are appropriate for 11th-grade AP students and noted Rebecca Skloot appears on the College Board's recommended-author list for AP English.
"Therefore, it was the recommendation of the committee that The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks remain in use by the AP English Language and Composition course, and that teachers continue to provide notification to students and parents of the themes in the book, and the availability of an alternative assignment if the student or parent find the book objectionable," Dr. Biscari said.
The committee recommended continuing the practice of offering an alternative assignment to students or parents who object, and continuing notification to families about sensitive themes. Professional reviews that recommend the book for grades nine and up were attached to the committee report, the administrator said.
The board asked no substantive questions and accepted the committee's recommendation for administrative follow-up; the meeting record does not show an individual roll-call vote on the committee's recommendation.
