100 signatures reached
To: Readington Township Board of Education Members
Keep The Perks of Being a Wallflower in the Middle-School Library
We, the signers of this petition, oppose removing The Perks of Being a Wallflower from the Readington Township Middle School library.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky is a widely acclaimed Young Adult novel that has been favorably reviewed since 1999 by many professional publications. It has positive messages for teens about friendship, compassion, resilience, getting professional help, and maintaining hope in difficult situations.
The book clearly has literary and educational merit. It has been on the shelf of the middle-school library for about 15 years and has been checked out only to eighth graders. It is not assigned in the curriculum, and parents may opt out of their child’s reading this or any other library book. So the only issue is whether The Perks of Being a Wallflower is developmentally appropriate for eighth graders who are reading at high-school level and whose parents have not restricted their reading.
Students who are reading above grade level need to be challenged, and librarians should be able to provide materials to meet the needs, interests, and abilities of all students, including advanced readers. School librarians are professionally trained to select reading materials and partner with parents to decide what’s appropriate for specific readers.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky is a widely acclaimed Young Adult novel that has been favorably reviewed since 1999 by many professional publications. It has positive messages for teens about friendship, compassion, resilience, getting professional help, and maintaining hope in difficult situations.
The book clearly has literary and educational merit. It has been on the shelf of the middle-school library for about 15 years and has been checked out only to eighth graders. It is not assigned in the curriculum, and parents may opt out of their child’s reading this or any other library book. So the only issue is whether The Perks of Being a Wallflower is developmentally appropriate for eighth graders who are reading at high-school level and whose parents have not restricted their reading.
Students who are reading above grade level need to be challenged, and librarians should be able to provide materials to meet the needs, interests, and abilities of all students, including advanced readers. School librarians are professionally trained to select reading materials and partner with parents to decide what’s appropriate for specific readers.
Eighth graders in New Jersey are taught a Comprehensive Health and Physical Education curriculum that includes topics such as sexual consent, sexual abuse, dating violence, drugs and alcohol. Reading award-winning fiction about these harsh realities and complex issues that teenagers face will not harm eighth-grade readers. Some are already living the types of “sensitive” or “mature” topics portrayed in the novel.
We urge the board to vote to keep The Perks of Being a Wallflower on the library shelf.
Why is this important?
- The freedom to read is a First Amendment right.
- Protecting students' freedom to read is critical to maintaining our excellent public schools. Restricting library books in Readington schools does not promote student achievement or critical thinking.
- Readington parents can already opt their child out of reading specific library books. Removing this book from the library would impose one family's preferences on every family in the district.
- Despite feedback from teachers and the majority of residents who attend board meetings, Readington school board members have repeatedly tried to restrict library content based on their personal beliefs.
How will this petition will be delivered?
Join us at the Readington Township BOE meeting at 6 PM on Tuesday, October 13 at Holland Brook School, 52 Readington Road, Whitehouse Station. Board members will be voting on whether to ban the book. Wear blue!