Mother Continues Fight to Remove Objectionable Material



by Rusty Pugh

(AgapePress) – An Alabama mother who has fought a long-running battle with a local school board says her biggest disappointment is having churches and school boards turn down her pleas for help.

Lisa Jeffcoat thought she could count on church members and pastors for help when she took on the Tuscaloosa County School Board in her attempt to have an objectionable book removed from the library and from a list of required reading. Last year, Jeffcoat’s daughter was forced to read aloud in class a story called “Goin' Fishin'” from a collection of short stories by Chris Crutcher entitled Athletic Shorts. Jeffcoat says the piece was laced with profanities, including the taking of the Lord's name in vain. It has taken her many months to convince the school board to finally remove that book.

Jeffcoat believes she is standing up for what is right, and she says she has received no help from churches or school administrators.

“People that I would tell — they agree but they wouldn’t go with me — they wouldn’t stand behind me to fight it,” Jeffcoats says. “They’d sign their name on a piece of paper, which I appreciate, but I need people to stand up and be counted. Nobody wants to rock the boat.”

Jeffcoat continues her battle one book at a time. The board so far has agreed to remove only the book by Crutcher, but she says she will continue to attempt to have all objectionable books removed, even if no one else wants to help.


(This update courtesy of Agape Press.)

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