A fair campaign in Grayslake English class

Concerns about Barack Obama's presence in an eighth-grade literature book - minus representation from presidential opponent John McCain - have prompted Grayslake Elementary District 46 to seek political balance.

Obama's "Dreams from My Father" autobiography and a speech are excerpted in McDougal Littell Literature's edition for Illinois eighth-graders. The 2008 release, which includes authors ranging from Ray Bradbury to Mark Twain, is part of the curriculum at Grayslake District 46.

District 46 resident Lennie Jarratt said he recently learned about the book's Obama chapter and raised the fairness issue with M. Lynn Barkley, assistant superintendent of teaching, learning and assessment.

"It's not like it's a history book," Jarratt said Tuesday.

Barkley said she discussed the situation with District 46 Superintendent Ellen Correll after hearing from Jarratt. The administrators agreed the best course of action is to provide the students with writings about McCain when they reach the Obama section.

"There were two things we looked at," Barkley said. "One was just not doing the Obama speech and autobiography this year. But the reality is, it's in the book."

Correll said principals at Grayslake Middle School and Park Campus in Round Lake, where eighth-graders attend classes, were informed about the book and the concerns about its contents Tuesday.

Students in District 46's eighth-grade language-arts classes aren't expected to reach the Obama chapter until after the Nov. 4 election.

In an e-mail to Barkley, Greg Long, senior marketing vice president of Holt McDougal, said the Obama passages were selected by editors in 2005 as an example of a life story influencing an individual's work.

Long said the tome was edited in 2005 and published in 2007, before Obama officially began his presidential campaign. Obama had become a Democratic U.S. senator when he was selected for the book.

All Obama references will be removed from subsequent editions of McDougal Littell Literature, including the books for Florida and California to be released in 2009, according to Long's e-mail. He didn't return telephone or e-mail messages for comment Tuesday.

Obama is referenced on 20 of the new school book's 1,067 pages. Along with the "Dreams from My Father" and 2004 Democratic convention speech excerpts, children are provided with personal information about Obama and must answer questions about the autobiography.

Barkley said students will have to distinguish between fact and opinion and identify elements of an argument when they reach the Obama chapter.

"The important thing to me is the kids need the content and skills in this unit," she said.

Jarratt has been the only resident to complain about Obama's presence in the book so far, Barkley said. Jarratt complimented District 46 for deciding to include McCain in the language-arts classes.