Angelou inspiring, controversial

Maya Angelou is the reason I decided to become a journalist. No, I didn't appear on an edition of Oprah's Book Club to become enlightened by the author herself. Actually, Angelou became a part of my life for the exact opposite reason.\nWhen I was in 11th grade, my high school banned Angelou's autobiography, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." The book was taught as part of the 10th grade English curriculum. A few irate parents read aloud the part of the book where Angelou describes being raped as a child in front of the school board at their monthly meeting. After that reading, the situation exploded as Angelou's book and the whole process by which my school chose literature for the curriculum was questioned. One of the more charming school board members suggested the book should be taken out of the classroom because the passage about the rape would titillate impressionable 15-year-old boys.\nTo be honest, I never finished the book when I was supposed to read it for 10th grade English class. It was a busy few weeks, and I got about halfway through. But the next year, as associate news editor for the high school news magazine, I volunteered to cover what we then thought was just some wacko, outspoken parents who wouldn't receive much attention.\nBut they did get the attention of the school board, who, like many school boards, was mostly composed of individuals who agreed with the angry parents: that the book was too mature for tenth graders. Outbursts about that one book became a way for the students, the faculty, the board and the community to divide themselves based on politics, religion and values. \nI interviewed 32 people, most of whom ended up in our magazine's first story about the debacle about the book. It was the first time I ever saw how one event can affect so many people and mean so many things. \nIt was the first time I knew I could write something with the strength to inform people, and therefore affect them. And it wasn't over. \nAlthough the board ultimately decided to change the policy teachers used to introduce books into their lesson plans, the book's future still wasn't decided. A month later, a special school board meeting was held to determine whether or not to keep the book in the classroom. Interestingly enough, the day of the meeting was the same day drug dogs swept the high school for paraphernalia for the first time. My journalism adviser had taken the day off, anticipating having to stay up late while we prepared a special edition about the board's decision. Needless to say, he ended up coming in. \nTwo hundred people filled the high school library that night. About 60 or 70 parents stood up to share their opinions on the situation. One woman brought popcorn for the district superintendent and school board members as a snack to consume while reading the book. Right before the vote was taken, the school board president (who opposed banning the book) took a dictionary off the library shelf and read the definition of the word "censor." Then she said "that is exactly what we will be doing." And that's exactly what they did as the president's vote of "no" was in the minority.\nThe rest of the newsmagazine staff and I stayed up until 3 a.m. producing a special edition about the book banning and the drug dogs. I had never stayed up that late in my entire life (I know; I'm such a dork.) But the mix of the emotion and the excitement of that night stayed with me. \nBy pursuing journalism, I'm pursuing that feeling.\nAnd, in a way, I'm pursuing Maya Angelou. We tried to call her back in 11th grade to get her opinions on the situation; unfortunately, she was on a book tour. Ever since, I've always wanted to meet her and to give her a copy of the things we did that year. I saw her speak at another university last May; I sat in the back, but the power in her voice probably carried throughout the entire campus, much less the entire lecture hall. Although I know our coverage was objective, that we didn't take sides in print, I still feel like our work was in part about doing something for her, doing her work the justice it deserves. \nIn her speech Wednesday night, Angelou told the audience "memorize some poetry and keep it in your memory. Pull it up when you need it. And you will need it." Well, since I was 17, I've had that poetry. It's Angelou's poetry.