By ADAM D. KRAUSS

Democrat Staff Writer

NORTH BERWICK, Maine — A committee is meeting today in private session to begin debate over whether "The Catcher in the Rye" is appropriate for Noble High School freshmen, a day after one school board member said the novel should stay out of the classroom.

Beth O’Connor, who represents Berwick on the School Administrative District 60 board, said J.D. Salinger’s 1951 novel should be pulled from the curriculum so school administrators do not appear to be contradicting their own rules.

"I would remove it from the curriculum," but keep it in the school library, said O’Connor, who later said she’s not for "banning books."

She said her biggest problem with the issue, which began when parent Andrea Minnon demanded the school pull the book from the freshmen curriculum, is that the school is not considering its own rules governing student behavior.

"We don’t allow profanity," O’Connor said. "We don’t allow drugs or drinking. It seems rather contradictory to me that we can offer materials with this content in it."

The student handbook prohibits students from doing 15 things on school property, including using profanity or vulgar language, drinking alcohol, and using any form of tobacco. The novel’s main character, 14-year-old Holden Caulfield, does not shy away from swearing, cigarettes or liquor.

O’Connor said the controversy that began at the Dec. 2 board meeting is a "waste of valuable time." She questioned why the book is still used, given a history of it being challenged in schools across the nation and a high rank on the list of most banned books by the American Library Association. "Why don’t we just kill the issue and use another book?" O’Connor asked.

SAD 60 administrators chose to keep the committee’s first meeting private. It’s unclear whether any future meetings will be open to the public.

Assistant Superintendent Sue Austin said she did not want the 10 other members to feel "inhibited" by the public or press. Superintendent Paul Andrade said "we just want (the committee) to be able to look at the information and be objective and not feel like they’re under a microscope."

The committee — which is made up of one administrator, one principal, the high school head librarian, two high school teachers, two students, two board members, and two parents — is meeting today at 12:30 p.m. at Noble High School. It will hold no more than three meetings.

Director Lawrence Hart said he prefers to hear from the committee before saying which way he leans. But Hart said he disagreed with O’Connor’s statements about the school contradicting itself over use of the book. "I’m not sure that is a contradiction," Hart said. "There are different contexts in what things can be said and used."

Hart said he’s happy the committee is reviewing the book and will issue an opinion to the school board, likely at its Jan. 6 meeting. "I think it’s a healthy discussion to have so we can get various viewpoints," he said. "I think what we need to concentrate on is what is the expected learning value of teaching books like ‘Catcher in the Rye’."

Director Kim Bernard, who represents North Berwick and will serve on the committee, said in context Caulfield’s attitude and actions are understandable. She said some of the coarse language of the book is different from students swearing in school halls.

"Holden Caulfield is going through a very troubled period," said Bernard, who recently finished reading the book again. "In that context you can see why he drinks and is swearing. He’s confused."

Bernard said the book "speaks right to high school students. It is very appropriate for high school students." But she also said it’s possible some "freshman and some 18-year-olds may not be mature enough for the book." Bernard said she applauds Minnon’s efforts to care for her child’s education.

Chairman Kerry Briggs has not returned several calls seeking comment.

Meanwhile Minnon, whose 14-year-old son Spencer is a freshman, says she and her husband Mike are sticking to a demand that the book not be read in freshman English classes this year. Minnon, who lives in Lebanon and did not read the book before addressing the board, said she has spoken with parents who told her they agree with her and appreciate her voicing her opinion.

Minnon, who home-schooled her son up to sixth grade, has said the schools are not holding students to high enough standards by assigning "Catcher" and that there is not enough communication between schools and parents.

Dave Parker, the teacher’s representative to the Noble administration, said teachers make tremendous efforts to stay connected with parents. "Most of us are sending at least 20 e-mails a week to parents," he said. "Entire grade books are open online for parents to check them ... If they aren’t online or (if parents) don’t check e-mail then we get it to them by a telephone call or a parent coming into a meeting."

Teachers at the school who have been interviewed feel that the book is a must-read for teenagers. Diane Myers, a 24-year veteran junior and senior English teacher, said the book can be taught at any grade level in high school. She said once a parent complained about John Steinbeck’s "The Grapes of Wrath," but the student ended up reading it. The district has never pulled a book.

"One thing that I think is really important (about "Catcher") is that the main character is definitely a teenager," Myers said. "The main character is struggling with issues that adolescents struggle with. The voice is fresh. There is a lot to identify with."

Myers said students are smart enough to realize that some of the behavior Caulfield demonstrates is not appropriate. "Teenagers can tell when he is screwing himself," she said. "They can tell that Holden is flawed ... he grows through the course of the novel."

Myers said she has not heard from other teachers who feel Minnon’s request impedes their autonomy as educators. "I have heard the feelings that this is a very powerfully, richly written book and that it is engaging to adolescents," she said.

English teacher Mike Boodey said the book is used so students draw possible parallels between their lives and Caulfield’s. Teachers also want students to learn from Caulfield’s mistakes and ask critical questions of his actions, he said.