BOOK SPARKS CONTROVERSY AT SCHOOL; EGYPTIAN BOARD WON'T BAN PLAY

TAMMS, Ill. -- Despite efforts of about 50 people to ban "Death of a Salesman," the Egyptian Board of Education Monday night renewed its support of a policy that allows parents to decide individually if their children should read the play.

Last week the parents of Angela Phillips, a student at Egyptian High School, and about 15 supporters asked the school board to remove Arthur Miller's play from the literature being taught in Nancy Leatherman's advanced English III class.

Phillips said she was offended by a profanity in the play and had shown her parents the book containing the play. "I found some words in it that I did not approve of," Phillips said. "It shouldn't even be taught. There's a big difference between society and teaching it."

Wayne and Sharron Phillips cited school policy against profane language being spoken by students as the reason for wanting "Death of a Salesman" banned. About 80 people attended the meeting, about 50 in support of the Phillipses' position.

"We just don't talk that way at home, and I don't think they should be teaching it here," Wayne Phillips said.

Egyptian High School principal Bill Hatfield said there are approximately 10 instances of the objectionable profanity in "Death of a Salesman."

Hatfield said the work has been part of the school's advanced American literature class, and that until now there had been no complaints about it. "We have a policy that states if a person has an objection to something that's being taught, for whatever reason, they have the right to request an alternate assignment," said Hatfield.

Angela Phillips requested and was assigned another book to read for the class, he said.

"I think the policy is sufficient," Hatfield said. "I think it protects the right of the parents, and the parents I've talked to from that class seem to agree with that. Some of them do say they find the word offensive, but they feel like they are capable of taking care of the needs of their own sons or daughters."

Two Egyptian High School seniors -- Travis Sutton, 17, of Thebes, and Nicholas McCrite, 17, of Olive Branch -- had collected signatures of 56 students who were in support of the school's policy.

"A lot of people here have a high opinion of the constitutionality of the subject," Sutton said. "We have one of the best English teachers a high school could hope to have. If they hired her to do her job they can't regulate her curriculum, not in that sense. As long as she's within the law she's doing her job."

Dr. Charles Hearn, an English professor at Southeast Missouri State University, told the Southeast Missourian he uses "Death of a Salesman" in many of his classes.

"Arthur Miller is one of the great playwrights of the 20th century, and this is one of his great plays," Hearn said. "It's about a subject matter that is truly central to American society. The main character has a struggle to succeed, and his values are sort of warped. I don't think you could find a more relevant play for American subject matter."

"There's no gratuitous swearing," he said. "If it's there, it's there to portray the character realistically."

Members of the audience threatened lawsuits at the close of the school board meeting.