Three books at heart of investigation in Schofield teacher’s administrative leave

Apparently there is an allegation this teacher read to the class from the internet some age-inappropriate material about prostitutes, but as I undrestand it, the school says it is responding to complaints about three books.

In addition to a science fiction novel, a Schofield Middle School teacher now on administrative leave allegedly read excerpts from an Agatha Christie novel and a young adult novel set in the Old West, officials said.

The mother of a 14-year-old student filed a police report with the Aiken Department of Public Safety saying a book read in class contained material that she and her son described as pornographic. School officials have said that two books may have subject matter and swear words that may not have been age-appropriate.

It was not immediately clear if the teacher read the material from printed books or from an e-reader.

And the above detail is newsworthy because….?

Oh, we’ll. Here are details about the allegedly offensive books.

The science fiction novel is “Ender’s Game,” a 1985 novel by Orson Scott Card that won several awards. As reported earlier, the website commonsensemedia.org suggested that parents should be aware of violence, sex and language in the novel. The website, however, also called the content appropriate for ages 12 and older.

I seem to recall a preteen brother and sister joking about puberty, and scenes set in a military dorm/locker room, where young cadets (maybe 8 years old) in a mixed-gender group discuss strategy while changing clothes, but it would be a big stretch to call that sexual. Maybe some of the military leaders use colorful language in the interstitial chapter.

Another book, “The Devil’s Paintbox,” is set in 1865. Author Victoria McKernan tells the story of an orphaned brother and sister who travel 2,000 miles west on the Oregon Trail. One of the dangers they face is smallpox, “the devil’s paint.” The late Agatha Christie, a best-selling novelist, wrote 33 books about detective Hercule Poirot. The book in the teacher’s classroom was “Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case.” —Three books at heart of investigation in Schofield teacher’s administrative leave