Southern California JSA Chapter John Burroughs featured in the Burbank Leader.

During Banned Books Week, JSAers at John Burroughs High School debated the merits of banning a particularly controversial book, Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf.” The culminating discussion was held on October 5, 2007, in the school’s auditorium. The event featured Sascha Ordelhaide in support of banning the literature on campus versus JSA Chapter President Chris Rodd opposing such a notion. Both sides of the discussion were able to elicit comments from a crowd of over 100 students while chapter Treasurer Crimson-Jayde La Fortune moderated. The event was organized by Burroughs’ Library Media teacher, Dianne Sikkenga, who commented that, “the nice thing about our country is that you can oppose any book you want.”

Ordelhaide felt that debating censorship as a larger issue was extremely crucial. After all, many in attendance agreed that the banning of books violated the intrinsic values of this nation. In fighting apathy, she said “the more you educate people, the more they have the opportunity to make decisions." Levin noted,  “we have the right to open discourse; it is our constitutional right.” Teacher David Knatcal commented that his experience as a JSA member over twenty years ago differed radically from what is going on currently. His chapter plans to continue spreading the spirit of JSA by hosting more on-campus activities. Beaming with pride, Knatcal knows that that the John Burroughs JSA chapter will continue to do amazing things.

To read the article published in the Burbank Leader, please click here: