As a proud 2018 WLHS graduate (my notable roles included class valedictorian, Casey's attendant, and frequent national anthem singer), I stand firmly against the banning of library books in our schools.
A book that's about sex is very different from literature which uses sex to convey a meaningful message. If the Kama Sutra were in our school libraries, then obviously I'd be up for removing that from the catalogue. But there's no erotica in our schools -- instead, we're talking about novels with small, non-graphic portions about sex that serve a greater literary purpose. Our students are smart people, and we should have faith in them to make that distinction.
These days, of course, pop culture is saturated with sexual content and imagery. Most chart-topping songs, whether pop or country, are about sex. Just about every TV show or movie has some sexual content, whether it's blatant or just under the surface.
That's one reason why we provide some sex education for our older students. They're going to be confronted with this soon, if they aren't already. Some exposure in an educational context can lead them to make smarter choices as they prepare to enter adulthood. It's the same reason why classes in economics and government are also required. We want our graduates ready to enter the real world of today.
West Liberty High School has a history of fantastic teachers and staff, and I still have faith in them. Let's continue trusting them to provide an appropriate education for our students.
David McGowan
Nichols