FARGO - A Fargo Public Schools committee has upheld a decision not to ban John Grisham's novel, "A Time to Kill," from an accelerated English course at a high school here.

A Fargo North High committee made the decision last month to keep the book in class. The parent who first asked that the book be removed appealed that decision to the district level.

"It's a continuing trend of very bad decision-making at the district level," Pamela Sund Herschlip said of the latest decision. "It's also a question of age-appropriateness. It's not an issue of banning books. It's an issue of placement of material."

Grisham's best-selling novel tells the story of a small-town Mississippi lawyer who defends a black man after he shoots two white men who raped his young daughter. The book describes a rape scene.

"It was our belief that the novel could be used to teach tolerance against discrimination, the judicial system and prejudices," said North Principal Andy Dahlen.

The district review committee said the novel's graphic scenes served a purpose and were not sensational.

Sund Herschlip said she plans to appeal the decision to Fargo Public Schools Superintendent David Flowers. If Flowers upholds the ruling, Sund Herschlip can appeal to the Fargo School Board, which would give a final recommendation.