From Staff Reports 

Following a complaint about the use of the book “The Kite Runner” in an honors English class at Reynolds High School, the Buncombe County school board — unanimously — voted July 2 to retain the novel on the school system’s approved reading list for all county high schools.

The complaint was lodged by former school board member and parent Lisa Baldwin.

A teacher had planned to use “The Kite Runner,” instead of the usual fare, Erich Maria Remarque’s “All Quiet on the Western Front.”

Prior to the complaint, the teacher had sent notes home with the students, informing the parents of the content of “The Kite Runner” — and letting them know that they could opt out their children from reading the book.

After the complaint was filed, RHS suspended the use of “The Kite Runner” —which was written by Khaled Hosseini — until a review was made of the complaint and the book.

In the interim, the students read an alternative book for the course.

Later, a school-level committee and a district-wide committee recommended keeping “The Kite Runner” on the approved reading list, pending a final decision by the school board.

During the July 2 meeting, school board member Chip Craig said, “Part of it (the book) was very troublesome. It was painful to read, at times. But overall, I’m glad I read it.”

Further, Craig added that the school system policy says the board beleives “professional educators are in the best position to determine whether a particular instructional material is appropriate.”

What’s more, Craig said “The Kite Runner” had been reviewed and its use endorsed by “an impressive list of educators.”

Balwin objected to the language and adult themes of the novel. She also complained that “The Kite Runner” was being used instead of the traditional classic “All Quiet on the Western Front.”

In an email after the July 2 school board verdict, Baldwin said, “This decision is about more than a sexually explicit novel written at a sixth-grade reading level.

“It is about disregard for academic rigor and the proper guardianship of our children. This is not about book-banning or censorship, but judging whether a book is suitable for whole-class instruction. The book has stayed in school libraries, public libraries and bookstores,” which, she previously has said, is fine with her.

Conversely, school board member Amy Churchill said, “I thought one of the things we were trying to teach our students was the ability to think for themselves, handle difficult material and not cave to what people tell them that they should think and believe, but to read something for themselves and make their own decision.”

“The Kite Runner” tells the story of a wealthy boy in Afghanistan and his best friend, who is the son of his father’s servant. The servant’s son is beaten and raped by an older boy.

After the school board’s decision, its attorney Dean Shatley said, “Unless the board decides otherwise, there could not be any challenge to it (‘The Kite Runner’)” at the other high schools.

However, Shatley noted that parents could still opt out their children if they had moral objections to the use of a book in the classroom.