The Willow Glen Resident

Book of Contention: Some parents object to explicit sexual language in 'Always Running,' Luis J. Rodriguez's account of his gang days in L.A.

SJUSD won't back down from decision to use book in high schools

By Christine Frey

Those opposed to the decision of the San Jose Unified School District board to keep Always Running--La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A. on the district's supplemental reading list are considering legal action against the district, lawyers said.

Brad Dacus, an attorney for the Pacific Justice Institute, said he is meeting with parents who want the controversial book removed from the classroom. He was unable to estimate the number of parents involved but said the number is growing daily.

"The bottom line for us is [that] we've assessed the facts, we've assessed the situation, we've heard the cries and concerns of both children who have been impacted as well as parents of those children, and we, unlike the school board, see this as something that needs to be taken seriously," he said.

Always Running takes an in-depth look at the author's youth in the barrios of Los Angeles. A former gang member, Luis J. Rodriguez describes his experiences with drugs, crime and sex in detail. In one scene, Rodriguez engages in sexual intercourse in the back seat of a car. Using slang terms to describe the female anatomy, he recounts the action. One of the less graphic moments reads, "Roberta's mouth sucked at my chest, my neck and shoulders as her fingernails scraped tracks in my back."

The passage, which sparked much debate between parents and administrators, is less than a page long in Rodriguez's 251-page work.

Rodriguez used such graphic images for a reason--to deter his son, Ramiro, from following in his footsteps. In his preface to the book he writes, "My hope in producing this work is that perhaps there's a thread to be found, a pattern or connection, a seed of apprehension herein which can be of some use, no matter how slight, in helping end the rising casualty count for the Ramiros of this world, as more and more communities come under the death grip of what we called 'The Crazy Life.' "

District spokesperson Maureen Munroe said Lincoln, Broadway and Gunderson high schools include the book on reading lists because Rodriguez's message is a valuable one. "It is used in the context of a lesson plan that students and teachers felt was important to cover," she said. "It has notable value. There's no doubt of that in my mind."

But some parents objected to the book's use. After a public hearing on the matter, the school board unanimously approved on May 21 the use of Always Running in SJUSD high schools. Their decision was in accordance with recommendations from the superintendent and a committee of parents, teachers and an outside librarian who reviewed the book, Munroe said.

Under the conditions set by the board, Always Running will be taught to juniors and seniors, and a letter will be sent home informing parents that the book contains explicit passages. Students have the option of reading another book if they choose.

Munroe said the board's decision restated the policy that was already in place, and parents should have received a letter alerting them of the use of Always Running and could have requested that their student read an alternative.

Munroe added that some reports of the book's use have been inaccurate, citing two cases when it was incorrectly stated that Always Running was in middle school libraries and was required reading.

School officials are now evaluating an "opt in" rather than an "opt out" policy to have more control over who will and will not read Always Running. With such a policy, only students who return a signed parental consent form could read the book. Munroe said the issue should be resolved before the school year begins.

Dacus said the summer break has given his clients more time to investigate all their legal options. He did not know when they would decide upon a course of action.

Although 13 people spoke out against the book at the May 18 school board meeting, Munroe said such opposition will not affect the district's policy. "It's been decided," she said.

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