By Jason De Leon
Record-Courier staff writer
Because of a parent"s formal complaint, a national award winning young adult novel currently is under the microscope of the Ravenna Board of Education.
Angela Calo, mother of a seventh-grader at Brown Middle School is requesting "America," a novel by E.R. Frank, be withdrawn from the district, according to the written complaint submitted to the superintendent"s office.
"What we kept finding and going over was sexual content and profanity," Calo said. "Yes, we decided it was not suitable for any child."
The novel, which deals mostly with the effects of childhood trauma, was part of a free reading library in the classroom of Cathy Adler, who teaches gifted and talented students at Brown Middle School. It is not, however, on any required reading lists within the city"s school district.
Before allowing students to read the novel, Adler informed students the novel had "raw material," according to Calo.
The author of the novel and licensed clinical social worker with post master"s experience and training in trauma has been counseling for 15 years.
"If a parent chooses to screen what their child is reading it is all right," Frank said Tuesday.
"I don"t think one parent"s decision should limit others from reading it in the community," she added. "My style of writing is that I try to convey as much authenticity as I can. While it is unfortunate and may be disturbing, foul language and clinical references to body parts and sexual violence exist in our world and for our children, which is very sad but it is real. I do not try to write to be a sensationalist."
The novel"s main character, America, is a 15 year-old male who experienced a series of traumatic events as a child and is seeking guidance from his psychologist.
According to Calo, the novel talks about child abuse, sexual and mental abuse and it should be intended for college level students or higher.
According to Calo"s request in the formal in complaint, "America" should be replaced by a novel that "has the same story line without profanity and sexual orientation," she said.
"The book has inappropriate language and sexual activities, such as masturbation that is for adult content only," Calo added.
The formal complaint filed by Calo is a first for Superintendent Tim Calfee, who has been with the district for 6 years.
"We will review it according to our policy," Calfee said. "(The school"s administration) is reading the book. The reviews are actually pretty positive."
"The book deals with problems that unfortunately are all too common in our society but they are types of things you hear about on the news everyday," he added.
A committee will review the book and report to the school board with a recommendation.
Frank has experienced other similar cases including a school district in California that reviewed her novel.
"Several students came to the committee (in California) and testified if (the school district) banned the book they would be trying to deny the very same experiences that students have had," Frank said. "The book was not banned based on their testimony. I am touched they came forward."
"America" has received several awards including the New York Times Notable Book Award. It also was a Garden State Teen Book Award nominee. Actress and childhood neglect advocate Rosie O"Donnell has drafted a screenplay intended for its adaptation as a film.
Calo also is concerned with two novels expected to be on next year"s approved reading list for the school district, "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson and "Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes" by Chris Crutcher.
"Speak" already has been withdrawn from Aurora City School District, according to Calo.
"Books shouldn"t be censored by the distress of one parent," Frank said. "I am honored to be in the same company (of authors Anderson and Crutcher)."
Each novel addresses issues dealing with childhood trauma.
More than 1 million children in the country are assaulted, robbed or raped each year. Every year, three to 10 million children in the U.S. are exposed to domestic violence, according to Children"s Advantage in Ravenna.
More than 25 percent of the nation"s youth experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime, also according to Children"s Advantage.
For child trauma area clinic information contact Children"s Advantage at (330) 296-5552.