The book should not be accessible to children • Current Publishing

Editor,

This great city of Carmel lost its bearings on the evening of June 10, 2024.

Do we still believe that the job of adults is to protect minors from harm and indecency?

Do we still agree that some books like All Boys Aren’t Blue are simply not age-appropriate and do not belong in school libraries? Do we still agree that underage children should not be exposed to alcohol, drugs and pornography?

Our school librarians used to carry out the task of “protecting our minors from harmful books” with dignity. But that has changed, and today we find books on the shelves of school libraries that were never there before.

I believe the librarian who brought this book made a serious mistake, and I believe an even bigger mistake was made when three members of the school board voted to keep it.

What do you think, Carmel? If you’re not sure, I recommend you look at the book and read it. It’s the second most controversial book in the United States.

What kind of society do we want to create? Book Looks rates books with sexual content. This book received a rating of 4 out of 5, meaning it is not intended for anyone under the age of 18. We have 13-year-olds in high school.

This book contains 13 pages of very graphic depictions of sexual acts. How many pages does it take for it to meet the legal criteria to not be allowed in the school? Not to mention that Indiana is an abstinence state. That means we are required by law to teach abstinence. Books like this are not in line with that law.

Anyone with a sense of decency and who cares about the protection of minors should agree that this book should be put aside and kept out of the reach of children.

Joe Evert, Carmel