A few weeks ago I read on John Green's blog (author of Looking For Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines) that the Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson (also author of Keys to the Golden Firebird and others) was being heavily challenged by parents at a high school in Oklahoma. Of course this piqued my interest...
The parent heading the banning request team wrote the following about the book:
"I’m shocked and appalled at the lack of discretion, and moral decline in the selection of books at the Mid-High library. Homosexual content, unprotected sex, underage drinking, and reckless promiscuity are not values that belong in a school library. I understand there are parents or teens who are dealing with these issues, but not all parents want their kids exposed to this material. Personally, I would not endorse any of these types of book as “14-and-15-year-old-friendly.” Giving teenagers knowledge without guidance is irresponsible and dangerous. As a parent, I screen my 15-year-old’s television, Internet, video game, magazines, and books. There are things she’s not mature enough to handle, or are simply wrong for her. Parents are a child’s best line of defense in a world that rushes to grow them up too soon. This book, “The Bermudez Triangle” has no moral fiber, and wrongly promotes a “do whomever you want to discover yourself” mentality. There’s no mention of the myriad of diseases, pregnancy, destruction of friendships and lives that are very real consequences of a “sexual free-for-all” decision. I ask that his material be removed at once. You have a responsibility to the children at school to protect them and educate them. Let’s raise the bar a little higher, respect moral values and a parent’s right to guard that which has been entrusted to their care."
Now this book, while not one of the most fabulous YA books I've read lately, is a fine book. Three girls who have been really close friends for a really long time experience what happens when one of them goes away for the summer before senior year in high school. It just so happens in this book that the other two end up let's say "experimenting" with life and love, with each other. But the book is so much more than that- its a coming of age story as they all decide what they want to do with their lives, its about making friends with people you never guessed you'd be friends with and its about forgiveness. It are those themes that define the book NOT the fact that two of the girls think they might be lesbians.
Anyway, I had to read it myself to see what I thought. Again, confirming my belief that banning books is not necessarily the way to go and maybe parenting is.
Blah blah blah.
