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'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' is taken out of classrooms at a Connecticut high school

'Perks' was taken off a reading list for freshmen after one parent objected to inappropriate passages. The book is still in the school library.

'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' is by Stephen Chbosky.
  • By Molly Driscoll Staff Writer

Stephen Chbosky’s novel “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” got a chilly reception at one Connecticut high school.

According to local news channel WFSB, the book was taken off the freshman reading list for Sheehan High School in Wallingford, Ct. This past autumn, a parent found the book objectionable. JP Bolat, the parent in question, told WFSB that “out of 213 pages, over 80 of them had graphic descriptions that are inappropriate for kids.”

Bolat became a member of the school board months after issuing his complaint, according to local newspaper the Meridian Record-Journal.

According to the Record-Journal, Bolat appeared in front of a committee of library workers and teachers and the committee decided to to have the book remain in classrooms. Bolat went to the school superintendent, Salvatore Menzo, and Menzo took “Wallflower” off the reading list for freshmen. However, the book remains in the high school library. 

“Wallflower” centers on a high school student who feels like an outcast but becomes friends with a group of fellow students who embrace their differences. 

Amy Wolverton, who is a parent, told WFSB that “I wouldn't want my children reading it personally, that's for sure.” However, not everyone agrees with the decision – Wallingford resident Tiffany Williams said in an interview with WFSB, “It definitely has parts of it that are controversial, but I feel there's a lot to learn from it.”

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