The Editor, Sir:

In recent times, that is over the past weeks, we have heard of instances of books being recalled at the prompting of parents.

In one instance, they were upset over one book citing a homosexual relationship as one of the types of families, while other books have indecent language in them.

It is with great concern for the Ministry of Education's policy on the recommendation of textbooks for schools that I have decided to pen this letter.

My question to the minister is: Who vets books before they are approved to be on the list of recommended texts?

Is there a committee? What is the procedure? What is involved in the vetting process?

This is quite telling about the ministry if parents are raising 'bangarang'. It shows that the parents are vetting their children's books after they are in the hands of these children, and not the other way around, as should be by the ministry.

In relation to indecent language, we should all remember that it is still against our law pursuant to the Town and Communities Act.

So, going out on a limb, when we have indecent language in textbooks for our children, what are we promoting? What are we subcon-sciously saying, especially to those under-16 years old?

Others may say that, well, why complain about what is said in a book, these children hear indecent language every day around them, even from their own parents.

The point is, the ministry needs to go back to the drawing board and ensure that books being recom-mended are in conformity to the issues we in society hold dear as moral and upright.

I am, etc.,

LUCIANA RAMSAY

lusyrams2001@hotmail.com