SASD Leadership Fails to Keep Alarming Books out of North High Library

** Warning: Sexually Explicit Content

It has recently been discovered that there are concerning books in the library of North High School in Sheboygan. The book Push by Sapphire is listed as available on SASD library websites to be checked out by students at North High School.

The book is described on Amazon as:

Precious Jones, an illiterate sixteen-year-old, has up until now been invisible to the father who rapes her and the mother who batters her and to the authorities who dismiss her as just one more of Harlem’s casualties. But when Precious, pregnant with a second child by her father, meets a determined and radical teacher, we follow her on a journey of education and enlightenment as she learns not only how to write about her life, but how to make it truly her own for the first time.

Push details explicit accounts of sexual activities that include incest and molestation.

TBS has included an excerpt from Page 27:

Push uses the following words in the entire book:

F*ck- 83 times
P*ssy-13 times
C*nt- 3 times

There are other accounts that are this graphic in a sexual nature. The book is dominated by explicit and vulgar language.

TBS has shared one passage. Overall, the book is alarming and concerning with the quantity of vulgar passages.

Last February, the Sheboygan Press reported on how South High School decided to remove three books that were graphic novels and included extremely graphic drawings of sexual activity.

https://www.sheboyganpress.com/story/news/education/2023/02/09/lgbtq-books-banned-from-sheboygan-school-library-over-explicit-images/69841612007

What did the leaders of SASD do to prevent issues like this from happening again?

Is there any system or procedure that was put in place by SASD leadership to address this?

It does not seem like the SASD leadership did anything to keep libraries safe in SASD schools.

School Board President Mary Lynne Donohue and the school board are responsible for the performance of the superintendent.

The superintendent is responsible for the performance of principals.

How is a book this vulgar allowed in North High School’s library?

Did the SASD not learn from the South High School library issues last year?

Can you trust that the school board and administration will keep the libraries safe for all kids in SASD?

You are able to go to North High School and request to review the book “Push.”

If you feel that this book violates your values and expectations of what is appropriate in a school library, you can email the following:

Incoming Superintendent- Jake Konrath: jkonrath@sasd.net
School Board President- Mary Lynne Donohue: mldonohue@sasd.net
North High School Principal- John Matczak: jmatczak@sasd.net

Take Back Sheboygan County knows that many former and current City employees have been reluctant to share their stories for fear of retaliation. If you are one of these, we welcome you to contact us. Your name will not be shared without permission. You can contact us at https://takebacksheboygancounty.com/contact/.

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