Pasco County parents are meeting with school officials today over concerns of a popular novel.
Last week, a Pasco Middle School substitute teacher assigned 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' to her 7th grade advanced language arts class.
The book plot does include sex, drugs and alcohol. This caused parents to complain about the content. Principal Jeff Wolff contacted school district officials on the matter which prompted the book challenge process.
The process entails a review committee to be appointed. The committee - which includes two administrators, two teachers and four parents - will meet today at 2 p.m. at Pasco Middle School to evaluate the book's contents. The committee members will then recommend on whether it is appropriate to use in Pasco County schools.
According to a Pasco County School District release, teachers are expected read materials before assigning them, "but that was not done in this case." The substitute teacher didn't notify the principal of the novel's content. She has since been reminded.
Principal Wolff sent a letter to parents in that class. He included in the letter, "I sincerely apologize for this egregious oversight and will make sure all of our teachers and substitute teachers are aware of the expectations for screening materials they wish to use for instruction."
Five schools in the district purchased 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower." The other four are high schools. The novel was published in 1999. It was made into a movie in 2012.
