NAPLES, Fla. — On Tuesday, the Collier County School Board voted to allow three books exclusively in high school libraries and require parental consent before a student checks them out.
Board members said students will have to be given the book by the librarian, and won't be physically on any shelves.
Community members in Collier County voiced their concerns and support for the books.
“I think instances of sexual content in the book and that's where we really need to draw the line,” said one person.
“They do not have the right to decide for other parents like me,” said another person.
The three books are:
- Sloppy Firsts
- Nineteen Minutes
- The Bluest Eye
A school shooting depicted in the book Nineteen Minutes, sexual encounters in the book Sloppy Firsts, and a scene involving the rape of a young child in The Bluest Eye were the reasons for the discussion, according to librarian Nicholas Poignant.
“She doesn't just say she was raped; it's not really explicit in as far as the nitty-gritty details, but it does detail that rape scene,” said Poignant.
Poignant, who has been a librarian for over six years pointed to the scene in the book, The Bluest Eye.
“I don't think our students need to be seen as the sexually abused student,” said one person.
“These are not easy topics but they should be available for all students to read and think about,” said another person.
Moving forward, the board decided they will repeat the same process for other books that draw concerns.
