A Note To Concerned Parents: Literature Promotes Brains, Not Boners
October 18, 2011 6 Comments
Parents in PEI are attempting to ban a book that they think is too sexual for their teenagers. But is it that bad?
Subversive. Indecent. Sexually explicit. These are just a few terms attempting to justify banning books.
Although I am one among many supporters of Freedom to Read Week, I can accept that educators don’t choose Harlequin novels for the high school curriculum (because it’s better to save those juicy tales for a hot bubble bath!). These passion-filled romances, overflowing with titillating descriptions of sex in all its obscene glory, are far from enlightening stories about “life choices and finding your own path.”
It may not come close to Harlequin-esque erotic fiction, but after receiving two phone calls from parents determined to protect the decency of their children, the PEI French Language School Board is reviewing the allegedly “immoral” book on the grade 11 reading list at École Francois Buote: 178 Secondes.
Apparently, “the book contains descriptions of sex, including a scene in which a character describes girls putting on different colour lipsticks to perform fellatio on boys.” My word!
Frankly, your teen is probably light years ahead of this language already. “Fellatio” is giving head or sucking cock. So what’s banning a book with a little oral sex going to achieve? Perhaps these concerned parents believe sex as it exists in their child’s imagination is worse than the abundance of sexual images they see on a daily basis.
Despite living in a sex-soaked bubble, teens realize there’s much more to life. “I know the younger reader (16-18 years-old) is intelligent enough not to focus on the sexual content of the book, but rather on the story being told, on the lessons being learned,” said Katia Canciani, the book’s author. Clearly, we need to give youth more credit.
Before censorship efforts are made we must remember that we can’t escape sex and, more importantly, a story’s overarching message is more powerful than a couple non-gratuitous sex scenes.
Contact the author here: tinybart@morningquickie.com
Should grade 11 student read a story that mentions oral sex?
Absolutely not.. Ok ok they obviously know what it is by then BUT let’s leave that for locker room talk not in the classroom
What if the book presented an accurate depiction of the teenage experience?
For example, Forever, by Judy Blume, is about a teen couple who have sex, but the book focuses mostly on their connection and about how someone can lose themselves in a relationship. The emotional side of sex is something that most people don’t talk to teens about and it can be overwhelming and confusing at times, and I think this book presents some invaluable guidance.
That said I agree that it needs to have some serious artistic merit for it to be on the syllabus. We’re not talking about banning it from the school library here — just not making it required reading.
Yeah I agree.. I mean if it’s not depicted In a dirty porno kind of way then i don’t see a problem with it.. Well said!
I support literature (in schools) based on artistic merit, theme, and the discussion worthy ideas a piece may raise. If it is literature that reflects an honest human experience, and can incite knowledge or critical thinking, then I say, hell yeah! Bring it on. Blow jobs and all. In all honesty, I don’t think a lil’ “shock value”, or lets says, adult honesty in lit aimed towards teens is necessarily a bad thing. I spent my grade 11 year analyzing sparknotes.com instead of actually reading the assigned books on my syllabus. I find that teens seem to respond more positively with raw honesty versus censorship. My mom was the notoriously raunchy sex ed teacher at my high school, and not only did the “slackers” show up for her class, but it was the one sex ed class where kid actually seemed to retain the lessons and would talk about them afterwards.
Kudos to your mom!