In November 2007, Keith Sampson who is a maintanence man and student at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis was reading a book during his break. A coworker who was black said she was offended by the book.
Sampson’s shop steward later told him the book was like bringing pornography to work. The university’s Affirmative Action Office “investigated” Sampson and wrote him a letter saying that he “demonstrated disdain and insensitivity to [his] coworkers” and ordered him not to read the book in their presence.
So what is this racially offensive book that is so inflammatory as to be considered contraband at an institution of “higher” learning? Well that would be Notre Dame vs. the Klan: How the Fighting Irish Defeated the Ku Klux Klan by Todd Tucker.
The problem that IUPUI has is that the book is not advocating support of the KKK. It describes events that occured in May 1924 where Notre Dame students got into a street fight with the KKK. Apparently IUPUI doesn’t understand that the KKK is religiously biggotted as well as racially biggotted. And that a book that documents a defeat of the KKK is not a book advocating KKK positions. Idiots.
So with great enthusiasm I have selected my next pick for Jason’s Super-Fantastic Bookclub!TM. Go pick up Notre Dame vs. the Klan: How the Fighting Irish Defeated the Ku Klux Klan and read it. You’ll be a rebel because it turns out that it is a banned book by at least one university.
Update:
I just searched IUPUI’s library catalog. Tucker’s book is part of the university collection. Currently it is checked out until 3/31/08. Makes me worry for that patron. He or she may be next in line for a harrassment investigation.
