Library Book's Sexual Content Upsets Mother

[Jeanette X]

Source: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/news/110104_local_book.html

Mother outraged by sexual content in school library book

A mother intends to file a formal complaint over a book her daughter checked out from the school library.
By Kevin Quinn
ABC13 Eyewitness News
(11/01/04 - DEER PARK, TX) — A mother is outraged by the racy reading material her 11-year-old daughter checked out from the school library. Now she has a warning for other parents.

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Cindi Lovell couldn't believe what she saw when her 11-year-old daughter recently showed her a page of the book "What My Mother Doesn't Know." It's a book the girl checked out from the library at Bonnette Junior High School.



"I just don't think that, you know, it's something that should be in the schools," Lovell explained.
The book is written from the perspective of a fictional 14-year-old girl who's trying to figure out the difference between love and lust. It includes foul language and references to masturbation.

One quote reads: "I try to imagine what it would be like to be lying naked underneath the sheet."

Another quote reads: "I'm dreaming of his lips sizzling all the cells in my body."

Lovell said, "I think, no. Not for a young girl, not for anybody… Certainly not anybody my daughter's age – 11."

Don Dean with Deer Park ISD told Eyewitness News, "In the context you're presenting it, I would have some personal questions regarding that. But not having read the book, and not having read the context in which that was presented in the book, I couldn't really comment."

Dean says the book is on a list of acceptable material compiled by state school librarians. If any parent has any issue with that, he urges them to file a formal complaint.

"Any time they find something objectionable, go through the process, because there is a process in place that could result in having that book removed from the shelves," Dean explained.

Cindi Lovell says she will file that paperwork to have this book banned.

The book at the center of the controversy has received several honors. In addition to being selected as "Best Book for Young Adults" by the American Library Association in 2002, "What My Mother Doesn't Know" was named "Young Adults Choice" by the International Reading Association in 2003. It was also included on the Texas Lone Star State Reading List.

Eyewitness News tried to contact the author, but have not heard back.
(Copyright © 2004, KTRK-TV)


[sarcasm]Right, because young girls never think about sex. And it would be just TERRIBLE if they learned the difference between love and lust.[/sarcasm]

You'd think that the poor kid was reading de Sade or something. Jeez.

[Ricky Glue]

Better read something with actual information as opposed to Anne Rice. And I have to point out that parents like that are the same people who need to be smacked with some sort of shiney toaster. I hate dumb parents.

[Emu]

I dunno. I find most times when prepubescent youngsters read about sex in the manner that book seems to describe it it actually intimidates them. But the mental health of her daughter was probably the furthest thing from that lady's mind at the time.

[Ricky Glue]

HOLY SHIT! I agree with Emu...how the FUCK did that happen?! Anyways...yea...I think that the woman was not truly aiming for the sanity of her next of kin.

[punkgrrrlie10]

Sounds alot like Forever by Judy Blume.

[Jeanette X]

This mother is so stupid. Look at the quotes I bolded. If that is the raunchiest thing she's ever read, she ought to read more.

[sadie]

every time i think of judy blume, i think, "we must, we must increase our bust." heh.

[mburbank]

I agree with the Mother. I've got young daughters and I want them to learn about sex from reading about it on the asses of their friends sweatpants, not from Library books.

[FS]

My childhood's entire sex education rests on finding books like these and giggling about them with my friends.

To this day I still can't peform in bed without bursting into delirious laughter every now and then.

[Ricky Glue]

Mr Burbank...you make me smile!

[Brandon]

Ehh, even though this part is kind of idiotic..

Lovell said, "I think, no. Not for a young girl, not for anybody… Certainly not anybody my daughter's age – 11."

I kind of agree with the mother. It's easy to call her a moron now, but if I had kids I probably wouldn't be comfortable with them reading about masturbation, either.

[BlueOatmeal]

It beats sitting down with your kid and showing him how to masterbate. Thanks a fucking lot dad!

[Mr. Vagiclean]

oh~tmeal

[Ricky Glue]

I don't want any of my days as a parent to resemble this:

"Hey Dad!"

"Hey boy, how was your day of school?"

"Pretty good. We had a sexual education class today. We read a book that says to ask our parents how to masterbate!"

"errr....that's.....swell."

"So what do ya think?"

"errr....that's...swell."

"Dad?"

"errr....that's.... swell."

[BlueOatmeal]

Boy I really hope I have a daughter!! :incestlust

[Bass]

When I figured out the whole masturbation thing I thought I was a genius, it was like "how come everyone isn't doing this?" Luckily I was smart enough to keep those comments to my self.

Oh and to be on topic, I don't think the book should be banned, if anything the parent should be happy the kid is learning about it in the book, because when parents explain sex to their children they seem to do more harm than good.

[BlueOatmeal]

I use to get all "chubby" when my mom ever brought up sex.