Educator Gets Go-Ahead on ‘Controversial Subject Matter’

By Donna Vavala, The News Herald, Panama City, Fla.

Jan. 14–For more than 20 years, teacher Mike Creamer has shared his passion for literature with English students at Rutherford High School. His path has been rocky at times because some of the world’s most acclaimed writing is peppered with expletives and sexually explicit language.

Like many scholars, Creamer believes the value of literary works should not be clouded by censorship issues. “If you read a book as a work, the message is more important than the objections some people of certain sensibilities might have,” Creamer said. When Creamer asked to include “Gilgamesh,” a 3,500-year-old epic poem with some erotic passages in next year’s curriculum, he followed proper “controversial subject matter” protocol.

He cleared it with his department head and principal, and agreed to send parents a syllabus and a letter that describes the subject matter and specifies they can have their child excluded from any studies they consider objectionable.

“Mike Creamer has a master’s (degree) in English and is one of the finest teachers we have in our school,” said Mike Kennedy, principal of Rutherford High School. “He explained to me that there were a couple of areas (in the book) that were controversial,” Kennedy said. “He had already run it by his department chairman. We told him to proceed with the procedure.”

As a final step in the approval process, Creamer requested permission from Bay District School Board members at Wednesday’s meeting.

A debate ensued. Creamer presented his case. Board members questioned him and expressed their opinions.

In the end, Creamer narrowly prevailed. Bay District School Board members voted 3-2 to support his request, with some stipulations attached.

Epic poem “Gilgamesh,” the translation by Stephen Mitchell, was published in 2004 by Free Press, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. The book is not on the state or local approved reading lists that teachers rely on when making subject-matter decisions, but Creamer contends it merits inclusion.

“I have taught the myth for years, but I have simply told it,” Creamer stressed. “I want to put the emphasis on reading, to experience the best possible translation of the book. You cannot deal with art and mythology without touching on adult subjects.”

The book is one of many translations of a Mesopotamian epic poem originally inscribed on clay tablets that were discovered during an archaeological dig in 1850. It is the “oldest story in the world, a thousand years older than the ‘Iliad’ or the Bible,” according to Mitchell in his introduction.

Gilgamesh is the story of a Mesopotamian king, who reigned in about 2750 B.C., and, with a faithful friend, battled monsters. When the friend died, a grieving Gilgamesh embarked on a journey to find “the one man who can tell him how to escape death.”

Rave reviews from The London Times, Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, the San Francisco Chronicle and others preface the paperback book, which is nearly 300 pages long. Despite the praise, some board members called it inappropriate for high school students.

“I can’t and I won’t ignore the frank content,” board member Jon McFatter told Creamer. “It also tells me you’re going to use the same vernacular.”

Creamer did not deny it.

“When I teach ‘Huckleberry Finn,’ I use the cultural vernacular and I have students who opt out,” he retorted. “Would I be willing to read the (controversial) lines if the students asked me? I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t. If I felt that way, I wouldn’t teach in the first place.”

Creamer also cited “Hamlet.”

“I teach ‘Hamlet,’ and it contains some very adult language,” Creamer said. “Ophelia sings some songs that make my students blush. These students wouldn’t respect me if I didn’t have the backbone.

“Of course, I would read (from ‘Gilgamesh’),” he continued. “I would open a meaningful dialogue about how it is a reflection about a historical group.”

Board member Ginger Littleton supported Creamer’s view.

“Our job is to expand our students’ minds,” she said, adding that dissecting epic poetry is one way to do that. “I find it almost embarrassing when this teacher has to fight tooth and nail when we have (opt-out) policies in place. These critical thinking skills will become more embedded and reinforced; I’m proud you’re here.”

Creamer also pointed out that he has won the trust of his superiors because he has been judicious in his decisions about what to teach and how to teach it over the 21 years he has taught at Rutherford.

McFatter was not appeased.

“Parents don’t care,” he said. “If somebody put this in front of their child, they would come to me and say, ‘How could you think of approving something that treats students like adults?’” Creamer countered that he doesn’t treat his students like adults — or like children.

“To treat them as children is a disservice,” Creamer said. “I can assure you that I am as frank with my students as I am with you.”

New board member Pat Sabiston objected to “Gilgamesh” for other reasons.

“The author is quite proud of how sensational his writing is,” she said. “He is also proud of his political bias. I believe this translation is a problem. I don’t have a problem with the title.”

Creamer said he has read “at least six translations” of the book and believes Mitchell’s is the best.

School Board Chairwoman Donna Allen proposed that the book be allowed, but not to just anyone.

“The bigger question is not how you would use it,” Allen told Creamer. “Once it is on an approved reading list, anyone can pick it up and have the same consideration.”

Allen suggested that, if other teachers decide they want to include the book in their classwork, their request be considered by the School Board on an individual basis.

Board member Ginger Littleton applauded the idea and carefully worded the request to make that exception.

McFatter and Sabiston did not vote in support of Creamer’s request, but the teacher and his principal were pleased he had secured the trust and support of the other board members.

“I think the vote was very fair, and I’m pleased that I’ll be able to teach it,” Creamer said after the board meeting. “I think it’s the healthiest thing in the world to debate and get it out in the open. That’s what the board is for.”

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