Wow, it's been awhile since I saw Smoke Signals -- one of the few films where you see Adam Beach with long hair. It had a good cast of First Nation actors, plus the Chris Eyre direction.

Alexie is considered so mainstream by many Native American writers -- he is certainly no Vine Deloria, Jr. To me, wanting to ban his books is like saying Reader's Digest is radical and extreme.

Thanks Len. I did see that update. There was a time when reading Native Son and the Martian Chronicles in Chicago Public High Schools was considered radical and extreme, so I look at these things as a process of evolvement.

The pros and cons of co-ed roommates:

ADVANTAGES TO COED DORM LIFE

1) You get to live and socialize with members of the opposite sex. For many students (at least the heterosexual ones), this is an irresistible option.
2) It's a helpful "real life" experience because the world isn't separated into same-sex spheres. Men and women need to learn to relate to each other, especially in the workplace, and a dorm can be good practice.
3) Living with familiar men around can be a safety advantages for female college students -- or at least can make them feel less vulnerable.
4) Coed dorms may offer students more housing options. On some campuses, only a limited number of residence halls are same-sex.
5) Living in an all-girl or all-guy environment isn't for everyone. Some college girls find other women to be catty and would prefer not to live with a whole dorm full of them.
6) Many students who live in coed dorms argue that it's not that big of a deal. Dorm life is not one big college sex party. Male and female students have the same basic housing needs-- sleeping accommodations, a place to study, and companionship. Why separate people with the same needs? After all, students are adults.

DISADVANTAGES TO COED DORM LIFE

1) Having guys in the dorm may offer safety advantages to college girls, but this also poses safety problems. College girls find themselves living in close quarters with dozens of young men.
2) Sexual harassment can be a big problem in coed dorms. College girls can find themselves the victim of pranks and "locker room talk" that crosses the line. Even if sexual harassment isn't going on, some college guys make girls uncomfortable with vulgarity and lewdness.
3) For modest students, coed dorms are not a good idea. No, people don't walk around the hallways naked, but they do walk around in bathrobes and boxer shorts.
4) Coed dorms provide lots of dating opportunities. Unfortunately, dating someone in your dorm isn't necessarily a good idea. It's kind of like living together after the first date, since there's no getting away from each other. Everyone in the hallway will know your drama, and if you break up, you're stuck with each other. There are many places on a college campus to meet dating prospects, and living in a same-sex dorm isn't going to take those away.
5) A same-sex dorm can be a fun and supportive environment. Both males and females sometimes feel more like they can be themselves when there aren't people of the opposite sex around. Freshman year can be stressful enough, so if a same-sex environment sounds more relaxing, it's probably a better option.
6) Some students (and their parents) have religious or moral reasons for not wanting to live in a coed dorm.

From: http://collegeuniversity.suite101.com/article.cfm/coed_dorms

ryandb, might you consider sharing with fellow www.windycitizen.com visitors your value perspective on one of the featured articles in the latest issue of Chicago Magazine? For example your headline & audience grabbing introduction might share Chicago Public School Chief Ron Huberman's future plans for academic reform. I look forward to your future contributions.