Maya Angelou Book Sparked Controversy In FDL School District

The nation and world remembers poet and author Maya Angelou during her passing this week, but the well-know author and poet once saw her autobiographical masterpiece once spark controversy in the Fond du Lac School District. In the fall of 2006 some parents asked the District to consider removing her “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” from the High School’s English curriculum. A reconsideration committee ultimately decided it should continue to be offered for advanced students in the 10th grade. Then District Superintendent Greg Maass said at the time it was the first time in his then 32 years in education he’d run into such a controversy. At the time the district heard from a lot of people about the controversy, but Maass said it was an issue between the parents, the student and the district. At the time the reconsideration committee recommended; notifying the parents of students who would be reading the book so they can be offered an alternative if they chose. Angelou was 86-year-old when she passed away at her home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina Wednesday.