Book controversy at William Byrd High School

By: Meagan Farley | WSLS
Published: October 06, 2009

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Roanoke County Schools is examining whether a 10-year-old book should be allowed in the William Byrd High School library, following a complaint from a parent about the book's content.

The book is called "Perks of Being a Wallflower." The school system says a teacher at the school gave the book to an 11th grade student in her English class, and then that student shared the book with a friend who is a boy.

The boy's father, John Davis, is the one who made the complaint to William Byrd's principal.

"I found some disturbing things in it," Davis told me.

The book contains a series of letters written by a supposed new high school student, about what they observe, to a random person. Those observations include sex, suicide, rape, violence, as well as drug and alcohol abuse.

Davis learned that the book was part of a collection of the American Library Association's banned books, brought in by the English teacher.

"When you see things like banned books and things not supposed to do, what are kids gonna do they want it?" Davis said.

After receiving the complaint, the principal had the school library's two copies removed. The book is being reviewed under Roanoke County Public School's "established policy relating to challenged material," according to a news release from the school system.

When 10 On Your Side contacted Roanoke County Schools about the book being in both the library and the teacher's classroom Tuesday afternoon, we received this statement:

"We can confirm that a teacher did hand out the book "Wallflower" to a student in her english class. Apparently, that student shared it with her boyfriend, whose father brought the matter to the attention of the school. The principal had two copies of the book removed from the library, and it is being reviewed under the school system's policy relating to challenged material."

A news release sent out later Tuesday afternoon from the Roanoke Co. School Board said the principal took "appropriate personnel action," but the school system would not elaborate, citing long-standing practice to not publicly comment on action taken against individual school employees.

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Read the full news release from the Roanoke Co. School Board below:

There have been a number of articles on websites and in the news media regarding a book called the "Perks of Being a Wallflower." We can confirm that a teacher did give this book to a student in her English class at the student's request. Apparently, that student shared the book with a male friend, whose father brought the book to the attention of the school principal.

Upon receiving a complaint from this father, the principal had the two copies of the book removed from the school library, and the book is being reviewed under the school system's established policy relating to challenged material. The book had been placed in the school library using established procedures relating to library material. The principal also took appropriate personnel action. It has been the long-standing practice of the school system not to publicly comment on action taken with regard to individual employees and, in keeping with that practice, we do not intend to comment on the action taken in this case.

The School Board was unaware of the book, its presence in any school library, and "banned book week." The School Board has directed the school system administration to review the system's long-standing procedures for accepting books for school libraries.