Board Upholds Parham Decision in Taylor Appeal
School Board Vote Is Unanimous: 'Caged Bird' Stays!
No One is Surprised; Further Appeals Expected

To no one's surprise, the Anne Arundel County School Board has rejected an attempt by Barry and Sharon Taylor to remove Maya Angelou's book "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" from the county's high school curriculum. The Board was considering an appeal by the Taylors seeking to overturn School Superintendent Carol Parham's decision reinstating the book for use in the ninth grade.

What did surprise some was the fact that the decision was unanimous. The Taylors spent the better part of three days presenting their evidence and did not manage to convince even a single Board member that their case had merit. Crofton Online and local newspapers have given the case extensive coverage.

Previously, the Taylors failed to convince even one member of a review committee consisting of parents, teachers, and students, set up to hear their case. That committee also unanimously upheld use of the book.

Observers expect further appeals to be filed, with the next one to be heard by state education officials. The Taylors must exhaust all of their administrative remedies before they can file their case in court.

Crofton Online has requested a copy of the School Board decision and will publish it in full, online, as soon as it is available.

Back to Crofton Online.