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N.H. Parents Object To 'Offensive' Book

BEDFORD, N.H. (CBS) -- A New Hampshire family says its school system is making students read an offensive book. It's called, "Nickel and Dimed," and it was assigned to students in Bedford High School's finance class in September.

16-year-old Jordan Henderson showed it to his parents because he was alarmed by obscene language and religious references. "Jesus is referred to as a wine-guzzling vagrant and precocious socialist," says his stepfather, Dennis Taylor. "I believe in our culture of tolerance, this would not be acceptable if it were any other religion."

WBZ-TV's Christina Hager reports.

They're also concerned about a chapter in which the author describes how she beat a drug test, and about the overall economic message. "This woman is a Marxist who wrote the book, and when you read it, she's against almost everything in America and what we stand for," says the teenager's mother, Aimee Taylor.

"I don't think this book should be read by kids in school," says Jordan. His parents agree. When they brought their concerns to Bedford High School, the administration formed a committee to review the book.

"The book is acceptable as instructional material because its instructional value outweighs its shortcomings," says Assistant Superintendent Chip McGee.

While the school plans to continue assigning the book for now, McGee says parents will be informed, and will have an option to choose alternative reading.

The Taylors plan to ask the school board to remove "Nickel and Dimed" from the curriculum at a meeting next week.

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