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Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Ruckus over E. Coweta High newspaper
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Copies of Smoke Signals, the East Coweta High School newspaper , were impounded after student Justin Jones burlesqued Jonathon Swift’s 18th-century essay “A Modest Proposal” and managing editor Caitlyn VanOrden criticized the East Coweta Princess beauty pageant.
Jonathon Swift had lampooned complaints about the drag on the economy by poor Irish families. He wrote: “A young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled.”
Justin titled his piece “Another modest proposal” and suggested that the euthanasia of low-IQ students could alleviate the world’s woes.
Principal Derek Pitts impounded 500 undistributed copies of Smoke Signals and told the staff that he wanted more positive and uplifting stories.
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