I generally disagree with the pussification of America's youth. All of this " don't use red pen on homework assignments because it will have a negative impact on their delicate minds" stuff really gets to me.
Young adults tend to develop anxiety disorders and depression between the ages 18 and 24. Why? Because they have to deal with the real world which is harsh and cruel and unpredictable and they haven't been raised to know how to deal with that. If we could stop coddling children maybe they would have a decent shot at making it in the real world without the idea that every criticism they receive will be written in a calming color of ink.
How does this relate to Price of Salt? Lesbians exist whether we let children read about them or not. If you try to shelter your children from such ideas while they are in school by banning the book, the result is rather predictable. They will grow up. They will meet lesbians. They may even have to work with them. So how does that person know how to cope? They don't. So they engage in interactions based on ignorance.
Do you want to have an ignorant interaction with anyone? Neither do I.
Now do I think this book has enough literary merit to be taught in a curriculum? God no. But I don't see how it benefits anyone to go out of your way to keep it out of the hands of children.
We can't keep these things from them, all the cruel or rough parts of life, cause sooner or later they have to deal with them.
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