White Oak High School Principal Skyler Stagner presides over the Library Material Challenge Committee meeting Monday concerning “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky.
“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” will remain in the stacks at the White Oak School Community Library, but it will be ‘relocated’ following a challenge to its content.
The coming-of-age novel by Stephen Chbosky has seen the same, along with bans, nationwide since its publication in 1999. Sexual and LGBTQ+ themes along with drug and alcohol use are common complaints, and volunteers on White Oak ISD’s ‘Library Materials Challenge Committee’ highlighted similar concerns.
Ultimately, the group of parents and two WOISD staff members voted 4-1 to move the book from Young Adult Fiction to Adult Fiction. That latter section is only available during the public hours of the library (3:45 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday) and only with a public library card, which must be endorsed by a parent or guardian for underage users.
The previous set of committee members (4 out of 5 spots change for each challenge) voted 4-1 Jan. 6 to remove a graphic novel series from the library, “Heartstoppers” (Vol. 1-5) by Alice Oseman. Those books, too, face regular challenges over LGBTQ+ and sexual themes.
WO High School Principal Skyler Stagner is tasked with vetting volunteers and appointing each challenge committee. It also falls to him to run the posted meetings.
With about 20 audience members in attendance for the 2 p.m. discussion Monday, Stagner opened with a review of the state and local policies that apply when the district receives an official challenge to library material.
He thanked the committee members and visitors for their participation: “It means something for you taking the time to be here.”
White Oak High School Junior/Senior English teacher Stacy Shellhorse (right) reads an excerpt from “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” Monday afternoon alongside fellow Library Materials Challenge Committee member Lori Davis, librarian for the White Oak School Community Library.
As for “Wallflower,” committee members were asked to gauge the book according to the district’s current policies. Parent Brett Thompson said parts of the book fit the definition of ‘harmful.’
“There were references throughout the book to sexual acts… Use of recreational drugs, alcohol… that I can see are harmful to school-age children who pick up the book,” he said. “Not that they’re not already hearing that kind of stuff, but we shouldn’t be providing avenues so they’re reading about it.”
Parent Tiffany Jahr noted the same concerns, spotlighting a scene in the book involving a rape.
“The book can be seen as harmful for some students, not necessarily all students,” parent Melanie McMahon added. It has positive messages about counseling and recovery from trauma, she said, “but it normalized the drugs, alcohol and the sex…”
According to WOHS Junior/Senior English teacher Stacy Shellhorse, “I have 75 annotations on page numbers” flagged for mature content. The novel fits the “pervasively vulgar” definition, she said.
The profanity and sexual references are small parts of a larger story, according to Librarian Lori Davis, the consistent committee member, per policy.
“I do feel as though we are doing a disservice to teenagers by thinking the only thing they will remember are the quote-unquote ‘vulgar’ or ‘indecent’ parts of this book,” she said. “I think it’s a lot of things, but I think it’s a dangerous step to take.”
“I’m glad you just moved the book and did not remove it,” Jonna Anderson says. “Please, please do not deny this knowledge to our children, because I promise you it’s helping.”
The library serves both children and adults in the community. Parents can place restrictions on the books students read, whether on their school library card or the public card.
“I think that’s important for parents and the public to realize,” McMahon said, “that those safeguards and rules are in place.”
Attendee Jonna Anderson made a brief, impassioned speech following the meeting, which did not include public comment.
“I’m glad you just moved the book and did not remove it,” said the White Oak alum, whose three daughters also graduated from the district. Students today are dealing with the same challenges and trauma in the story, Anderson emphasized: “Please, please do not deny this knowledge to our children, because I promise you it’s helping.”
In addition to “Heartstoppers” and “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” the school has also received a challenge to the book “Queerfully and Wonderfully Made: A Guide for LGBTQ+ Christian Teens.” The date for consideration and committee appointments are to be determined.