I have petitioned our local library to remove the book “Sex is a Funny Word” from circulation. Why? Primarily, this book is written for children, but it contains sexually explicit and perverse material.
Protecting the innocence of children is the sacred duty of parents; in fact, that duty is shared by all citizens. The family is the foundation of society; therefore, protecting children and supporting their parents is not only a civic responsibility, but it also benefits the community as a whole.
Secondly, when it comes to the subject of sex education, it is the responsibility of the parents to determine what to teach their children and when to have such conversations. But having such a book in the library, freely available to children, undermines that parental responsibility.
Such books should not be available to children without the consent and supervision of their parents. In fact, I believe they should not be available to children at all. And I am not alone. This particular book has already been banned in many libraries across the country, and it has been included on the American Library Association’s yearly Top Contested Books list twice since its publication in 2015.
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The library director has stated that she can’t review the book, because I didn’t return it, so I have sent her a new copy, in order to facilitate and expedite the process. Therefore, according to the library’s due process for dealing with contested books, I expect her now to be able to proceed, and I await her review.
I have written here briefly of my objections, but I plan to expound upon them in the weeks to come. Stay tuned.
Sandra Murray
Fremont
