COEUR d'ALENE — A recommendation this week by the Coeur d'Alene School District's ad-hoc literature committee to disapprove a book conjured memories of mice and men.

The committee recommended excluding "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri from the high school curriculum. Last year, the same committee garnered national headlines when it attempted to remove "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck from a list of optional books English instructors can choose to assign to ninth-graders. The push failed, but Board Chair Christa Hazel told The Press Wednesday that both attempts highlight the importance of the volunteer-based committee.

"I think input from the committee gives the board an idea as to what the community threshold is for appropriate literature," Hazel said. "I use it as a guidepost as far as knowing if there is a particular book I need to pay attention to."

When controversy was swirling around Steinbeck's novella for example, Hazel said she was prompted to pick up the work that she had also read in high school.

"But when I read it again, it was as a trustee and parent," she added.

Established more than five years ago, the ad-hoc committee is composed of volunteers and tasked with reviewing possible literature for whole-group K-12 instruction. The committee is split into elementary and high school groups, and reviews five titles each month.

Once the ad-hoc literature committee makes recommendations to the board of trustees, a 30-day review period begins. This period of time allows members of the community to examine the selection of titles and provide input to trustees via email through Board Clerk Lynn Town, who can be reached at ltowne@cdaschools.org.

"One of the most important functions of a local board is getting local input; without that it's more individual governance," Hazel said. "We need to have local representation and it's hard to represent when we don't hear from the people we are representing."

Five copies of each of the books are made available to the public at the district's office, located at 1400 N. Northwood Center Court in Coeur d'Alene. Those books can be checked out, free of charge, for as long as a week at a time.

However, according to district spokeswoman Laura Rumpler, only one individual has taken advantage of the program and checked out a book.

"It is important for our entire community, not just parents, to take advantage of reading the books that our educators and the ad hoc literature committee are recommending to the school board," Rumpler added. "Having the books available for public review is not only a great service, it is vital to our public participation process and we want to easily offer the opportunity for individuals to read the books we are discussing."

At the Lakeland Joint School District, Assistant Superintendent Lisa Sexton said titles are added only in years slated for new English and Language Arts adoption. Teachers have a strong voice in the selection of the materials and Sexton said the current process has served the district well.

"Parents participate on the district level committee that is tasked with making recommendations to the board of trustees," Sexton said. "Because we do not typically add new titles outside of an adoption year, we do not currently have a need for an ongoing literature committee, but we find a great deal of value in the voices of the parents who do participate in the adoption process."

Post Falls School District Superintendent Jerry Keane pointed The Press to the current curriculum policy, which places the onus of selecting instructional materials on teachers. The board of trustees has the final say in approval, and if a particular title is challenged, the principal of that school appoints a committee of two parents and two instructors or staff members to review the material.