He was joined by Judges Dorothy W. Nelson and Robert Boochever. All three were appointed by President Jimmy Carter and are among the more liberal members of the 28-judge appellate court. It remains unclear how much additional legal jeopardy the court's ruling may create for school districts. Both the California and national school board associations declined to comment on the ruling. While opening the door for suits against schools, the court declined to step into the controversy over texts.
Books can hurt and .
As time has gone on, critics have praised the book as a satirical indictment of racism in 19th century America. However, in recent years, parents throughout the United States, particularly African Americans, have attempted to persuade school officials to remove the book from classes or libraries on the grounds that it is demeaning to them and has a negative effect on the self-esteem of young blacks. According to the American Library Assn. The controversy has been so widespread that a Texas professor has given seminars on how to teach the book, with a special focus on its historical context and use of language. But, they concluded, for a court to ban the book would violate the 1st Amendment rights of other students.