About Norman, Oklahoma
Norman is the third largest city in Oklahoma, with a population of about 120,000 people. It is in central Oklahoma, 29 miles south of the state capitol.
Demographics
Knowing this information gives insight into why Norman, Oklahoma would be a likely place for censorship. Republicans tend to be more conservative and have more traditional values. It is likely that the parent who complained was republican.
This graph shows that people who live in Norman are more likely to have higher level degrees than in the rest of the state. This most likely means that they also have higher paying jobs. Upper middle class families are more likely to be involved in the specific details of their children’s lives like what they read.
Information for these graphs comes from http://worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities/norman-ok-population/ and http://www.clevelandcountyelectionboard.com/voter-registration/voter-registration-statistics
About Whittier Middle School
Whittier is one of four middle schools in Norman, teaching 1,120 sixth through eighth graders. It filters into one of two high schools, Norman North High School. The middle school is comprised of students who mostly live in the north west part of the city. It is ranked in the top 20% of schools in the state, with test scores in math and reading both over 10% higher than the state average.
Demographics
This graph indicates the type of background most of the students at Whittier come from. Compared to the rest of Norman they have significantly less students whose parents struggle financially. Most of the students are presumably from upper middle class families, even compared to the rest of the city.
A former Whittier teacher had this to say about the school:
Anyone who teaches in Norman knows that North of Main Street- the Whittier area- is the most affluent part of town. Because of that, the level of parent involvement at Whittier is definitely different than what you would find at another school. Their expectations are sometimes unreasonable, and they often aren’t satisfied with making decisions for only their own children.
This information comes from https://www.publicschoolreview.com/whittier-middle-school-profile