Scholastic Gone Balistic!

There is a young teacher and mother who I admire greatly. AND, she's one of my ardent Facebook friends. This morning she had the following status update:

"My daughter brought me the library book she was reading......it talked about a boy unbuttoning her shirt (in a dream....but whatever) and buying sperm panties! Seriously? H wanted to know what sperm panties were! I don't even know...but... I certainly DON'T want my sixth grader reading a book that talks about them!!!!!!!! It's "What My Mother Doesn't Know" by Sonya Sones. I ordered it from Scholastic."

This young teacher and mother was livid..... Following is the letter that she has sent to Scholastic that she posted on Facebook to alert her friends. I asked her permission to post the letter to my profile so that my young teacher friends who might be using Scholastic, be alerted.

Mothers and teachers, please be aware of what your children are reading.

The Letter I (my friend) Sent to Scholastic

Today at 10:11am
To Whom It May Concern:

I have been an educator for 15 years. During this time, I have often utilized the resources offered by your company. I have ordered from your magazines innumerable times. Up until now, I have been quite pleased with the vast collection of books offered. So when my sixth grade daughter brought home a flier from your company, I did not hesitate to allow her to order books of her choice.
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One of her selections included a book entitled, "What my Mother Doesn't Know" by Sonya Sones. I realize you must offer books that cater to different audiences. However, it has been my experience that children these days are already facing pressures from all fronts to grow up much too quickly and the material covered in this book, the one offered in your flier for middle school aged children, is beyond a bit mature!
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From the use of profanity and racial slurs ( page 75), to perverted chat room encounters (page 110), to being groped in a school parking lot after a dance (142 and 143), and, finally, to an erotic dream (page 208). While I realize this book is definitely geared toward the teenage set, I am wondering why it was offered in a flier for sixth to eighth grade children.
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As I've stated before, I had always had such a wonderful experience with your company it never occured to me that this was even possible. I have learned a valuable lesson and will certainly not make the same mistake twice. My hope in sending this letter is that your company will make wiser choices in providing books for children entering this difficult age. The situations presented in this writing are not ones that my eleven year old daughter is prepared to face. I trusted your company to be more sensitive to the needs of these adolescent children and, in my mind, it seems that trust has been violated.
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Fourth Grade Teacher
AND
Mother