School `Protects' Pupils From Truth About Vivisection - But Vernon Coleman Offers The Pupils Free Books

Vernon Coleman





We recently sent copies of Animal Experiments: Simple Truths to nearly 6,000 British school libraries.

Many school librarians and teachers were delighted - and wrote to say how valuable the book would be.

But one - just one - school sent the book back.

Mrs S Healey of The Hollyfield School in Surbiton, Surrey wrote to say that she was returning her school's copy of Animal Experiments: Simple Truths and had removed three of my other books from the library.

She returned my book on the grounds that `Vernon Coleman's books are in the very least biased and self-opinionated'.

Here is what she wrote to Publishing House:

`Thank you for sending a copy of Dr Vernon Coleman's new book Animal Experiments: Simple Truths. It is always a delight to receive complimentary books for the school library; however, after browsing through the book I feel very strongly that the content is most unsuitable for a secondary school library. A colleague pointed out that she had recognised other Vernon Cloeman (sic) books on the shelves and indeed we recovered three more books of Dr Coleman's. these (sic) other books were accepted by my predecessor. After reading the contents of the other books I have made a decision to remove them from the library shelves. Please find enclosed Dr Coleman's new book which I return with this letter. A school library needs to provide an equal balance of views on such topical issues to allow students the freedom to find their own beliefs.

Unfortunately Vernon Coleman's books are in the very least biased and self opinionated! Please do not send any future publications of Dr Coleman's as I am not interested in the school library being used as a soapbox through these books.

Yours Sincerely (sic)

Mrs S Healey
LRC Manager


I sent Mrs Healey the following letter:


From Vernon Coleman

Dear Mrs Healey,
Mrs Ward of Publishing House has passed your letter to me. I'd like to make a few points.

1. All books are biased and self-opiniated. (With the possible exception of the telephone directory).

2. If you ban books from your school library because you don't agree with them then you are just one step from book burning.

That's scary.

3. What qualifications do you have to make any sort of judgement on medical issues?

4. You must have very little faith in your pupils if you find my books too frightening.

5. Many school librarians have written to say how grateful they are for the books we sent - and how much they are valued by the pupils.

6. You should be ashamed of yourself. But your letter (with my comments) will appear on my website as an example of censorship in our schools.


The truth cannot be suppressed from this website. If any pupils of The Hollyfield School would like a copy of Animal Experiments: Simple Truths all they have to do is contact Publishing House. The first one hundred pupils to write in will get a copy of the book entirely free. All they have to do is give their name and class details. Books will be sent c/o the school. The other three books which Mrs Healey removed from the school library are available free on this website.


Vernon Coleman's books on animal experiments are available from the webshop on this site.


Copyright Vernon Coleman September 2006 Home