Book Banning Controversy
Stein's book The Magician was the subject of a 1981 controversy initiated by Christian groups involving high school libraries and literature classes, the most notable of which was in the small city of Montello, Wisconsin. Members of the Montello School board, in their association with Christian right groups and, some allege, anti-Semitic right-wing hate groups, rallied to have the book banned not only at their high school but at schools throughout the country. The head of the English Department and the school administration opposed the book banning and launched a campaign for public support. In the end, the school board members responsible for the book banning proposal were not only overruled but removed from the school board. Stein later sent every resident of the town of 1100 a copy of the book. The controversy attracted national media attention and was for a time regarded as a marquee victory for free speech advocates.
Read more about this topic: Sol Stein
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