By Shary Lyssy Marshall, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
SPRING HILL — There's nothing like a little controversy over a book to get people reading it.
In the weeks since parent Christy Jordan discovered the Anthony Horowitz book Snakehead in her third-grader's book bag last fall, numerous Hernando County educators and community members have read it to help determine whether it belongs in the Westside Elementary School library.
Even Hernando County School board member Diane Bonfield had a copy during Tuesday's board meeting.
The board ultimately voted to follow the recommendation of school superintendent Bryan Blavatt to leave the book on the library shelf but to limit its availability to fifth-graders.
Jordan said she was disappointed the book is staying at Westside Elementary, but she hopes school personnel pay closer attention to what students check out.
"I don't think fifth-graders should read about terrorists and smuggling ...