To read or not to read.... The Gatsby Controversy

As a mother, I would definitely allow my high school aged child read The Great Gatsby. Even though it has been banned from many high school libraries, I feel that it is a great read and shows a lot of different lifestyles from that era. I understand that there are some parents who would feel that the topics discussed in the book are to mature for some high school aged children but I feel that it is our responsibility to teach our children right from wrong and what is acceptable behavior and what is not acceptable. I don't feel that this book is any worse than the things that children, even small children, see on tv. In fact, I think that it is very "PG" compared to most things that are seen on national tv. I think that if a parent had an issue with the content of "The Great Gatsby" they should have the right to refuse to let their child read it and that the child should be given an alternate book to read. In most cases, however, I do not think that most parents would have any issues with their child reading "The Great Gatsby".