Books challenged in New Jersey.

The inclusion of Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood (which, I kid you not, has been described as a "lesbian sex book" in at least one headline) and Nic Sheff's Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines on Monroe Township School District's Summer Reading List has been challenged, and so, with a week or so left before the fall semester starts, both books have been removed from the list.

The coverage of this story is confusing and sometimes contradictory, which is annoying.

One article says that the Murakami was required reading for students going into 10th grade Honors English, and that Tweak was an option for the 12th grade Honors class. It also says that there were three books that people took issue with, but never mentions the third book again. Then it goes into a description of another high school's offerings. Which is oh-so-helpful to those of us who are actually interested in the Monroe story.

Another article says that the books were required reading for middle and high school students. Then there's a typo (I assume) that suggests that only one book (but which one?) was removed from the list. Then it says that the Murakami was for incoming 10th graders, so that seems trustworthy, as that's what everyone else is saying. But, then again, who knows? And there's no word about Tweak. Then the Family Research Council is quoted, and they use the phrase "homosexual agenda". Wheeeeee! And that article says that the Superintendent said that the list will be re-worked and ratings will be added. Double wheeeeee!

A third article doesn't add any info, which leads me to assume that it was cobbled together from the other articles. Much as this blog post has been.

To make everything EVEN MORE confusing, there appear to be two Monroe Township Districts in New Jersey? The one with the issues, though, is the one that, ironically, has no summer reading lists posted on their website. Which is EXCEEDINGLY helpful.

That, in case you weren't sure, was sarcasm.