Now Ohio Parents Object To Heartstopper in Scholastic Book Fairs

They report one parent Silas Shelton who states, "It's more than foul language. There's so much sexual innuendo, especially in Heartstopper. You've got these kids that are having to think about things they really shouldn't be thinking about at all"

Another parent, David Wallace, wrote a letter to Little Miami School Board members asking them to cease all scheduled Scholastic Book Fairs in the district until an independent team can determine that the books made available to students are age-appropriate and in accordance with Little Miami values and policies.

He wrote "On the evening of Tuesday, August 22, I was in attendance when a member of our community stood up and addressed the board about a questionable book "Heartstopper" Volumes 1 & 2, currently being sold to Little Miami's middle school students via the Scholastic book fair. This resident brought his concerns to you, the board members, in the hope that this book would be removed from the shelf. You did not. Not only did you not seem to hear and take seriously this individual's complaint, these books were still available to our students the following school day. I know this because I went and purchased them. To say I was shocked by the language and content of these graphic novels would be a gross understatement. In the hands of an adult, fine. In the hands of students in grades 6th thru 8th, I can only describe these books as propaganda." He told Fox 19, "We're talking, this is for 11 and 14-year-olds, and certainly, the language that is used in this book would not be allowed at school".

In general, Heartstopper has a reputation for being rather mild and portraying gay relationships in the most innocuous fashion. In response, the school district stated, "As always, when we have a parent concern about a book, we have a system in place to review it. That process is underway after the book in question was brought up at a board meeting. The book is not on our school library shelves, required reading for our students, or part of our curriculum. It was part of a middle school Scholastic Book Fair that took place from Aug. 14-24. In light of the concern brought forward, we are reviewing our processes regarding book fairs and vendors."

Greater Cincinnati Human Rights representatives released their own statement, "All students, no matter their background, sexual orientation, or gender identity deserve to feel safe and welcomed in schools, libraries, and bookshops alike. Banning books because they contain LGBTQ+ content is a shameful attempt to silence LGBTQ+ stories. The dangerous practice of banning books is not new and has always been used by those who want to stunt progress, sow fear and division, and hide important truths. The Human Rights Campaign will always fight to ensure students have access to books that broaden their perspectives, help them learn and grow, and allow them to see themselves in literature and society."

Heartstopper appears to be the latest targeted book in libraries and bookstores, as Conservative right groups have moved on (a bit) from Gender Queer, to any book with gay content that might be read by a child. And graphic novels make for better stories for television news.