School official bans “Bless Me, Ultima” at Norwood High School

Last Update: 02/04/2005 7:28:28 AM
By: Reed Upton

NORWOOD, Colo. (AP) - The Norwood, Colorado, superintendent of schools has banned Rudolfo Anaya’s novel “Bless Me, Ultima” from his 96-student high school in southwest Colorado saying it has too much profanity.

Bob Conder says some parents were offended by obscene language and paganistic practices in the book about a seven-year-old boy. It’s the first book pulled from the classroom in his six years on the job.

He gave more than two dozen books to a parent to destroy, even though the superintendent hasn’t read it entirely.

Conder says the teacher who ordered the book has apologized for her error in judgment in a letter to parents and won’t be disciplined.

First Lady Laura Bush has listed “Bless Me, Ultima” as ninth on a list of 12 books that she highly recommends. The president also awarded Anaya the National Medal of Arts in 2002.