Yes. “Topics also include how to perform anal sex, oral sex and group sex.”

Really? There are instructions on how to perform group sex? Do people need instructions? Is there a protocol or custom to group sex that people need to be aware of?

I believe it is the parents DUTY to be aware of what your child is reading. I am familiar with everything my children read. We discuss the books. Why? Because I’ve read the books myself. Just last night I went to the public library and picked out a new series for my daughter to read. It was from the Teen section. Before I handed it to her I had a very good idea what the book was about and whether or not there was explicit sex.

When I gave it to her I answered her questions about it and told her that I had reviewed it for explicit sexual materials. Her response was EEEEWWW. We’ve been having a discussion about whether or not she can read the Twilight series. I don’t see a problem with the 1st book but I’m not sure about the others based on some information from a friend who has read the others. I’m not sheltering my daughter I just don’t want to introduce explicit sexual material to my daughter just yet. I have told her that I will be happy to guide her in finding books when I think or she thinks/curious about this area. One book that comes to mind that I would like to share with her is Fade by Robert Cormier but she isn’t read for this book just yet.

So essentially what I’m describing here is what I believe all parents ought to be doing. WE need to be in their lives. WE need to answer their questions honestly and appropriatley and calmly. We also need to support parents who are trying to do this. Do we need to censor the whole collection or certain books. ABSOLUTELY NOT. The Twilight discussion got started because several girls in her class have read the books already. I explained to her as I always have in the past that I don’t care what OTHER parents let THEIR kids do. I care about her.

That’s right. At the same time, sex with animals, with adults, with groups of people, etc., is not part of the curriculum. Such material may be inappropriate for a school library. It’s not “anything goes.” See that NY Post article I cited above about hundreds of books removed for containing “information” on “how to perform anal sex, oral sex and group sex.”

Michelle, can you tell us all a single typical American public school where sex with animals is part of the curriculum?

Because sex education is being taught in the school and the library is there to support the curriculum.

@K
Thanks.

@all
What I think is irrelevant. How the ALA OIF misleads local communities is what is relevant. How communities respond when they learn the full truth is what is relevant.

For example, the ALA placed a certain book in one of its top 10 lists, and an ALA librarian thereby selected it and placed it into hundreds of schools. When the community caught on, the book was removed. From hundreds of schools. In New York. http://www.plan2succeed.org/nypost-citys_ed_boobs13oct03by_carl_campanile.htm

I had nothing to do with that case. And it was one of those sex ed books like those the AL is discussing.

And I love the way the AL exposed the book reviewing cover story. This is relevant to that: “School Excoriates Book Reviews that Fail to Disclose ‘Graphic Sexual Details’ in Books for Children; Lush by Natasha Friend is ‘Wildly Inappropriate’ for Certain Children” http://safelibraries.blogspot.com/2010/12/school-excoriates-book-reviews-that.html

That said, K is right. For example, a school just stopped a play of To Kill a Mockingbird. Why? It contained the word “nigger.” While I do not think the ACLU has standing to threaten yet another school, I do believe it was wrong to cancel the play for the stated reason. But what I think is irrelevant. The community is perfectly entitled to legally act in its own interests, even if we — or the ALA/ACLU — may disagree with those interests or actions.

@AL,
You really have been knocking them out of the park.

Like the “no one ever complained about the book before” excuse? Happens all the time. Here’s the latest, from just this week: “School Removes Squirting Sperm Book After 8-Year-Old Complains To Her Mother” http://safelibraries.blogspot.com/2011/05/school-removes-squirting-sperm-book.html