The book Irreversible Damage was recently denied inclusion into the Grand Haven school library leaving parents confused about the district’s standards for selecting library books. In 2021, when parents became concerned with violent and sexually explicit content found in school library books, they asked the district to incorporate a book rating system. The district responded instead with a document they called the Material Reconsideration Guide.
According to the Material Reconsideration Guide: GHAPS Selection Criteria, for books includes:
● Fill gaps in the collection (topics or authors) to provide a more balanced and complete collection
● Represent differing viewpoints on controversial issues
● To provide faculty and students with age-appropriate materials that enrich and support the curriculum and meet the needs of the students and faculty served
According to a letter signed by GHAPS Superintendent Scott Grimes, the book Irreversible Damage was denied because it is a book targeted at adults. However, the book provides a relevant counterpoint to a controversial issue and would therefore bring more balance to the school’s collection. One might even say that this book saves lives.
In addition, GHAPS currently has books in the school libraries whose target audience is adults. Here are two examples.
Protecting the Gift: Keeping children and teenagers safe
Oddly Normal: One family’s struggle to help their teenage son come to terms with his sexuality
The two books listed above have the same target audience as Irreversible Damage, yet the school says they are worthy of library inclusion and Irreversible Damage is not. Here are more books targeted at adults located in GHAPS libraries.
If a book is full of porn, but the intended audience is children, is it acceptable? GHAPS says the target audience is the determining factor for age-appropriateness, but I believe the content is much more important.
What are GHAPS standards?