Definately not what I want my kids reading in high school, thank you for being up front enough to bring this to the school board, I wish more parents did this type of thing.

I hope there is tremendous support for this. It's time for parents to 'take back the reins' from teachers/administrators and have control over what is happening in the public schools.

I wonder what the "process" was that approved these books. I'm not familiar with "Perp", since the writer is young enough to be my child, but I'm very familiar with the "Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test", having read it during college, but would never have dreamed of this trash being used in a public high school.

The shame here is this. That it's come to the School Board level to do this kind of vetting. I agree with Stolz on this one. But I am sad that it came to the point of a school board level circus. Who makes the decision on these reading lists?

I'm not naive. These are HS students.. this isn't a case of we need to shield them from this material. They have the internet. It's out there.

Let me put it this way... I'm typically not a fan of political internet "memes"... They over simplify things and cause polarization. But there's one I love and post sometimes. "The world needs more Mayberry and Less jersey shore"... with pic of Andy and Opie walkin down a dirt road to go fishin.

Thats my thoughts really. I've never read these books. Just excerpts above and synopsis on wiki just now. "Prep" looks harmless enough. EKAAT - "Follows the Pranksters across the country driving in a psychedelic painted school bus dubbed "Further" (called "Furthur" in the book due to an initial misspelling on the bus' placard), reaching what they considered to be personal and collective revelations through the use of LSD and other psychedelic drugs. "

But my point is with less then moral content all around kids everyday and the fact they are bombarded with it daily... I'd be ok with the schools cherry picking a reading list that promotes morality, civility, responsibility, self discipline, loyalty and generosity to name a few.

This will likely be the only time I ever agree with Stoltz...but a few years ago I contacted the head of the English department with my concerns about books on the summer reading list. I never received an acknowledgment of any sort. Some of the choices are just plain old inappropriate!!

This is truly garbage that our School. Boar insist that parents have to follow a FORMAL PROCESS for something obviously harmful. This shows a lack of thought and total lack of intelligence. Someone put that book (or maybe more than one) on the list and needs to be seriously questioned on their morals and decision making process.
I agree with the parents and Stolz but I cannot stomach the idea that any parent needs to 1. go to the meeting to express their view and 2. needs to follow ANY administrator's request to submit a form (that is an embarrassing response from Seidenberger). NO FORMS - just do what is right Seidenberger!

First, this isn't Porn. Come on. It's a shame that Tom Wolfe's book is being banned. I get it parents, but this book really describes and era, a time, that I myself couldn't imagine. Hey if they are listening to the Grateful Dead it's all the same. I think you have to take those few lines in each book and put them in context of the entire piece of literary journalism. The movie Precious had some really horrible things in the movie, rape, molestation, but it's still something to watch and understand it in the context of the story. I could pick apart the bible and read much worse. They are in high school and isn't this the same school that had issues with sexting and sending naughty images to each other and putting them up on websites? Just saying. Think also of all the amazing literary pieces they still have that explain and have way more violence and death.. I would rather my kid read a few lines of naughty then read about blood, guts and gore. Othello, Hamlet, etc. What is all that? I think because it's insinuated and not written in a few sentences out right?

Website to be utilized by parents to see summer reading lists including the story prep below. Notice the description of the story clearly indicating the sexual content :
"Lee does not know how to fit in on this college campus where immature high school students behave like college students, experimenting with alcohol and sex"
http://www.eastpennsd.org/ehs/forms/Summer%20Reading/Incoming%209th%20Grade%20Summer%20Reading%20List%205.22.12%20FINAL.pdf

Also on the website:
Choose one fiction and one non-fiction title from the list below
Please Note: In the English Department's attempt to provide rich and varied reading experiences for our students, we have selected titles for the summer reading lists written mostly by contemporary authors. Some selections are focused toward mature readers. We encourage parents to read the book descriptions carefully with their children and assist them.

I support parental involvement and imput. Is censorship the answer? I guess if that is what the community wants than so be it. More of a chance that my kids will be destroyed by what is no TV and just listening to how people talk.

They banned and burnt books in Nazi Germany....enough said!

Okay, let's start thinking critically "JustMe" and "optimist". Censorship by a government body would, in my mind, mean making it illegal to have/read/distribute this particular book. Now, what is really happening is the community would like to see this book off of the list of SUGGESTED summer reading list for MINORS. The community is not demanding the government to ban the book, something we all know would be terribly wrong.
Remember, this is a list of suggested, and thus implicitly approved, extra reading material for KIDS. We should all continue to support the goal of making our school district excel and produce critical thinking adults. There are plenty of fantastic books out there that I trust quality teachers can find and suggest to the students.

"JustMe", I will also add, after reading the Bible cover to cover many times, that you should look at it again to see just how it references sexual perversion. The Bible does not condone that behavior in any verse at all because such behavior serves to debase a human being, not lift them up.

Paula and Jeff are dear friends of mine and I love their civic connection. On this issue, I feel they are wrong (and that is strictly my opinion). We must look at literature differently than movies. If we ban two books because of objectionable content to us personally, then we are opening up the floodgates to other books being banned because some content is found to be objectionable to others. Before you know it, all literature is eliminated. I don't necessarily like all works of are, but I recognize their importance. I read "Go Ask Alice" in sixth grade (from the Jefferson School library) and it was quite eye opening at that age. It also taught me very valuable lessons.
I love and appreciate anybody who is looking out for our youth but taking away things that they "might" read is a very slippery slope, indeed.
Respectfully submitted...

Every yr. I read a couple books, if not several books from the summer reading list & every yr. I am appalled/amazed at the content of the books. Every yr. I find myself saying "WHO picks these books for kids to read!" The things I read in the books teach ME things that I never knew....I am a grown adult. I don't see ANY educational value in reading books filled with detailed sex and/or drug content. I read them for the purpose of reading/entertainment but this is supposed to be an educational thing which is why the school requires it. In a way it is eye opening & does offer a view of what your life could be if one persues such a life style of (for ex.) drugs but if kids did or said ANY of the things in these books they would be arrested..not disiplined..arrested. I am smart enough to know that a person is responsible for their own actions & should be able to properly conduct themselves, know the difference between appropriate & inappropriate, safe/not safe but I have to admit that it seems hypocritical that the very school who doesn't skip a beat on disipline and having the police involved in behavioral matters would recommend books w/ content like this. Again, I have found & read some great books from this reading list but I am an adult looking for entertainment not a young person being told there is educational value in this stuff. A great example of a book w/ lots of educational value that IS on the reading list could be Fast Food Nation, this book has education to offer.

No need to ban them, just remove them from the summer reading list...... why is everything such a huge problem. Leave them in the library and just don't emphasis them. I agree we have enough eroding of our liberties lets not start on what we can or can't read.

These books are optional reading. If you don't want your kid to read it, tell them not to. Be a parent. If they had an adult video or magazine, you would take it from them, dole out some punishment and use it as a teachable moment. If you, as a parent, review the list and find particular works objectionable, feel free to encourage your kids to wait a few years before reading them.

Feel free to exercise as much parenting as you like over YOUR children. Please do not police my children or attempt to censor their access to works of art and literature.

If an English teacher sees value in a work of art or literature, it's their role as educators to "educate" our kids that those works are out there. How about we agree that we won't tell teachers how to teach, and they won't tell us how to parent. If each individual just keeps doing his or her job, then your kids will have exactly as much censorship as you can manage.

And, as a former 10th grader, I must confess that the more you tell me not to read a book, the more I'm going to want to read it. But that's just me. I'm sure your 10th grader appreciates your censorship way more than I would have at that age.

--Abel Anderson

A manifestation of the liberal government rot permeating the system from the inside.

In my opinion, it was obscene that I had to explain the events of 9/11/2001 to my then 8-year old daughter during the 10th anniversary last year. Mass murder in the name of religious overzealousness is obscene. Reacting to that same terrorism with sweeping generalizations about a particular religion or race is equally obscene. High school kids generally do not experiment with murder or racism. But sex and drugs are two things that I guarantee high school kids hear about everyday in the school cafeteria. I see no reason to avoid teaching them to think critically about topics they almost certainly cannot avoid exposure to during their non-classroom time at school. These two books were on a summer reading list from which students and their parents could select which books their kid would read and which they would not. I respect a parent's decision to have their kids NOT read these two books. But at the same time, I think it may be helpful for certain kids to read stuff like this so that they can fully process what they are hearing about in high school or will certainly witness to some degree at nearly any non-suitcase college. Bottom line, in my opinion as a parent, is that I would prefer to make the decision as to whether my daughter is mature enough to process certain elements of books like these when they are presented as choices on a summer reading list. It would then be my responsibility as a parent to have a dialogue with my daughter about what she has read.

This controversy reminds me of a song from my high school days - Devo's Freedom of Choice:
"Freedom of choice
Is what you got.
Freedom from choice
Is what you want."

First off songs we grew up too were sex related or drug related unless our parents listened to disco or solid gold oldies. Second if this were a movie it would probably be R rated, not NC-17, and 3rd The electric kool- aid acid test sounds like a drug also since acid is a drug. I understand banning things from elementary kids but not 9th and 10th graders, because did they ever stop to think maybe reading this book will teach them something, like avoiding drug and sex related gangs, something that kids cannot seem to avoid anymore. And maybe teach vulnerable teenage girls something too.

This is all a bunch of political posturing. Eichfeld over at Saucon Valley attempted to ban some science books not long ago: http://articles.mcall.com/2012-02-11/opinion/mc-global-warming-textbook-point-eichfeld-20120211_1_global-warming-arctic-ice-increases-in-atmospheric-carbon.
Censorship from the top down for a summer reading list? Wow talk about big brother!

This is not literature in the least, this is smut, simply put smut....and those who thought this type of reading material was appropriate to suggest that our children read need to have their heads examined.

Here are the relevant EPSD policies:

1) programs of study: http://www.psba.org/districts_policies/e/185/POLEPEN107.pdf
2) textbook approval: http://www.psba.org/districts_policies/e/185/POLEPEN108.pdf
3) resource material: http://www.psba.org/districts_policies/e/185/POLEPEN109.pdf
4) form for citizen's request for reconsideration of library and curriculum materials: http://www.psba.org/districts_policies/e/185/POLEPEN109ATT.pdf

Clearly according to these policies (and the school code they reference) the school board is ultimately responsible for the approval (or rejection) of these materials, and delegates most of the responsibility to the superintendent and the professional staff. There are procedures for citizens to question any or all materials.

"No course of study shall be taught in the schools of this district unless it has been
adopted by the Board. The Board reserves the right to determine which units of the
instructional program constitute courses of study and are thereby subject to the
adoption procedures of the Board."

"The Superintendent is responsible for the continuous evaluation of the efficacy of
courses of study and shall recommend to the Board such new courses of study as
he/she deems to be in the best interests of the students of this district."

"Any member of the community has the right to offer a formal written inquiry
regarding any specific instructional material."

I just graduated from Emmaus in 2011 and I remember choosing to read Prep for my list. I remember being appalled by what was in the book. I whole-heartedly believe that Prep as well as the Kool-Aid test is not appropriate for our students. While I was at the school, I knew about 6 students that were pregnant, one of which was a freshmen. These books are on the list and are pretty much condoning sex, especially since teachers are not talking about the books and explaining that they are on the list to sometimes be an example of what NOT to do. Instead of being discussed in class, these books are being read, written about in an essay, and then swept under the rug never to be seen again. These books are how to's for our incoming freshmen and sophomores. I believe these books should be on our Junior and Senior lists and then actually discussed in class over what is and is not appropriate about the story lines in them. It's disgraceful and sad to see most of our school board condoning this behavior. Our children are not being taught how to handle the information located in these books. Put them in the library or on the Senior's reading lists. They don't need to be banned but they definitely need to be moved and replaced.

~Sahrin Holderman

“And I am pretty sure that's the point of reading fiction -- so someone else can say in a way you never would have something you recognize immediately.”
― Curtis Sittenfeld

OK, I am not exactly the most straight laced clean cut good boy you ever met, in fact goin back a few years, I think many of you would have shuddered if you saw your daughter with me. I seriously doubt that the people who replied to this article would feel the same way if their 8th grade kid was reading what I read from these books. To say that Penthouse is smut but the content of these books is different proves to me that you are just runnin at the mouth and have not a clue to the content that was presented to the school board. What I read out of these books was pure unadulterated porn. X rated porn. Kids are gonna do what kids are gonna do but it is appalling that material like this is suggested for them to read by the East Penn School District.

For those who are in agreement that these books should be pulled from the recommended list, please come to the next meeting on Sept 24th. I will be there again to hear what their answers to my questions are going to be. I would be grateful for any parent who would come even just as a support!

The article says Mr. Seidenberger mentioned an established process in East Penn School District for voicing a concern about a book selection and that such issues can be submitted to the district online. Does anyone know how to do this? I could not find it.

For those that are commenting on how awful these excerpts are, I wonder how many actually read the whole book to see what the big picture is, the theme of the literature. These debates go back to to when parents wanted to ban the Catcher and the Rye or Huck Finn. Banning books is a much greater evil than "evil words."

Does it even matter kids these days already have sex and know what to do and how to do it like a porn star does. I hardly doubt the books will add much to that fact

If the school board wants to take them from the summer reading list okay, but don't remove them from the library. By banning books we are not learning from history ie Nazi Germany. In my opinion the people that brought this to the school board's attention have too much time on their hands.

I say let them read what they want 9th and 10th graders have sex already and most parents think there kids are virgins and they usually lie about it. It's the parents job to teach kids about morals and not the schools.

Here's a novel idea...Parents read the same book as your child an have a discussion about the book(s). Involve yourself in your child's education. I did this. The rewards are endless.

I always thought that "Romeo & Juliet" should be eliminated. Two 14 year old's meet, fall in love after a week and then commit and attempt to commit suicide. The families hate each other. And of course there is "The Bible," full of sex, hate, violence, prejudice. "Catcher in The Rye", foul language, "To Kill a Mocking Bird", child abuse, "of Mice and Men" with vulgarity, possible racism, and 2 men traveling together... the list goes on and on....

Here's a novel idea...Parents read the same book as your child an have a discussion about the book(s). Involve yourself in your child's education. I did this. The rewards are endless.

“Stick around and at the end of the meeting I will show you how,” Seidenberger said.

LOL! And just why would I wish to submit another complaint? I just did....sir! I really wish these meetings were interactive. If they were, I would have stayed.

What great comments on this issued. In my opinion, it is not the subject matter that is objectionable, the wording itself is explicitly offensive. Age of the children *does* factor into this. You need to draw the line by having family members and those in the education field teaching sex. They need to be bombarded with what is right and what is not acceptable behavior. Half-truths, giggling and hushed voices coming from their friends certainly bombard them so you need to offset that with a good offense. Everyone needs to be involved. There is only a fraction of a lifetime to shield them from the nasty parts of this society and teach them the good and moral things.

I agree that those books should not be removed from the shelves however due diligence must be provided.

Peace.

Seems like the book Prep comes at the intersection of two different, but equally valid, parenting philosophies:

1) Parents who encourage reading this book as means to foster a discussion that would reduce sex among teens and address teen issues of identity and self-worth, and
2) Parents who discourage reading book as a means to prevent teens from emulating the behavior described in the book and delay teen exposure to sexual behaviors and language that might make them feel uncomfortable.

But either philosophy embraces the same basic goal: to protect our children from damaging, unwanted, untimely or inappropriate sexual experiences.

Each philosophy has merit. But each philosophy only works if it is brought to bear through discussion and examination. And how do we begin to broach the subject, without broaching the subject?

In short, whether we choose to read the book or not, the function of the piece as a work of art, as a mirror society uses to examine itself, has already begun to be served. By taking the book off the list, we send the message that the issue, however uncomfortable, however difficult and unpleasant, is less worthy of our consideration, is less worthy of our attention.

As parents, we may all agree that teen sexuality, promiscuity, loss of identity, indifference, depression and worthlessness deserve our immediate parental recognition, attention and love.

Let's take a quick poll: How many have actually read either of the two books? You do more research in your weekly grocery shopping, people. I agree with Abel Anderson - you want to stop your children from being exposed to potential "morally corrupt" influences, discuss the reality behind them. Personally I'd rather have my child discuss the effects of drug use and promiscuity in the safe manner that literature offers rather than have them experience the consequences firsthand through peer pressure and lack of judgment. If you had read these books (and other "banned books" like "Go Ask Alice") you would understand that while the protagonists do experiment with drugs, alcohol, and sex, the books revered as classical young adult literature (because your kids should learn to LIKE reading to succeed in academia) offer students the safe avenue to discuss negative impacts of said inappropriate behaviors without making the poor judgments themselves.

It's pretty simple here, folks. You want your kids to grow up with positive, safe, and mature views of sex, drugs, alcohol, and any other counterculture issues? You're the parent, instill that viewpoint in your kids through talking to them as the mature and responsible adults you want them to be. Teachers have enough responsibility teaching your child to make it in college and the world - don't add raising YOUR child to that list.

Let's get one thing straight here...I NEVER used the word BAN! I just suggested they remove that those books from their recommended summer reading list.

It is interesting to me,and insightful, that those who comment that this issue is about banning the books in question also argue that the books are appropriate for our children.
So the people who cannot comprehend the ACTUAL FACTS of the school board meeting are those who jump to the wrong conclusion that someone is suggesting banning these books. It shows me that the past several decades of failing public schools has succeeded in what is displayed here, failing comprehension by adults. No matter, people who care are driving this issue home.

Please don't turn our review of the merits of the book into a personal attack on the educators.

I've known many educators in my lifetime. They work extremely hard, with minimal compensation, above and beyond the call of duty, because they love teaching.
They are on the front-lines with the kids each and every day. No one becomes a high school English teacher as part of some hidden agenda to corrupt the morals of our children.

Could it be that the educators who selected this book are more disgusted by the fact that 1 in 4 girls is the victim of a sexual assault?

Could those educators feel an obligation to explore all available avenues to help shield and protect those girls from such experiences?

Could those educators recognize the struggles teenagers face finding their way, learning how to fit it, desperately seeking social acceptance?

This subject matter in this book is difficult and painful to process because the reality it exposes is even more difficult and painful to confront.

I graduated in 1990. I remember two young girls who engaged in high risk sexual behavior with high profile male student athletes. One girl was videotaped and subsequently humiliated and socially ostracized for her actions--which occurred while under the influence of alcohol. She left school, never to be heard from again. Her family moved away.

The book Prep exposes how desperate young teenage girls can be to "fit in" and to find "social acceptance." These girls will do almost anything, even engage in acts of depravity and self-destruction in order to gain the attention of the young male athletes so feverishly worshipped by the students, the alumni, and the administrators.

“The interest I felt in certain guys then confused me, because it wasn't romantic, but I wasn't sure what else it might be. But now I know: I wanted to take up people's time making jokes, to tease the dean in front of the entire school, to call him by a nickname. What I wanted was to be a cocky high-school boy, so fucking sure of my place in the world.”
― Curtis Sittenfeld, Prep

“At that time in my life, no conclusion was a bad conclusion. Something ended, and you stopped wishing and worrying. You could consider your mistakes, and you might be embarrassed by them, but the box was sealed, the door was shut, you were no longer immersed in the confusing middle.”
― Curtis Sittenfeld, Prep

I chose to read, "Hip Hop High School". As a tutor, it is my job to explain things so that my student understands English words and concepts. I was uncomfortable telling this student from a different culture how on p. 130 "all cheerleaders know you performed oral sex on him." What a culture shock! Try to explain p.151 "genital piercings" to a child from Vietnam. On p. 78 "let's not wear any underwear" to this party.The first page of the book opens with "Doing da freak between da sheets- it is only a matter of time" at this school. The main character is "always thinking about sex" and this is still on the very first page. The character's best friend gets pregnant ends up at an abortion clinic where they are assured that things will remain confidential and things are a lot safer now than before. (Are ALL medical prodedures such a walk in the park in real life?) Why not put another option on the Summer Reading List, one that includes a book that does not include such explicit sexual content.
Let's be a little more culturally sensitive and provide more options for parents and tutors! This book would have been a great option for me to read with my daughter. This book was entirely inappropriate for a student who is coming from Vietnam and who is very uncomfortable learning these private and personal topics from a tutor.

Most authors write books with a particular audience in mind. That is not the issue! The issue is that the East Penn School District needs to consider THEIR audience when developing their Required Summer Reading List. In a perfect world, parents and students read together and share their ideas and reinforce their family values. Nothing wrong with sexually explicit literature. The problem is when there are no other options but to read sexually explicit literature from the required summer reading list. Not all literature is sexually explicit. Give the parents and students a wider variety of books to pick from.