Readington, NJ – A controversy is resurfacing in Readington schools after a parent circulated an explicit excerpt from a young adult novel available in a middle school library, reigniting debate over age-appropriate materials and district oversight. The book, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews, remains on shelves following a formal review that allowed continued access for certain students.
The excerpt, which contains crude and sexual language, has drawn sharp criticism from some parents who argue that the content is not suitable for middle school students. District officials, however, previously determined the book met educational and literary standards when evaluated as a whole rather than by isolated passages.
Review process and district decision
According to a January 17, 2023 report submitted to the Readington Board of Education, a reconsideration committee voted to retain the book in the Readington Middle School library. The review followed district policies and included educators, a library staff member, a board representative, and a parent.
The committee concluded, “No challenged material can be removed solely because it represents ideas that may be unpopular or offensive to some,” and emphasized that the work must be evaluated in its entirety.
The book was ultimately designated for “8th-grade students or those students demonstrating advanced maturity levels,” with an option for parents to restrict access for their children.
Key Points
- The book Me and Earl and the Dying Girl remains in a Readington middle school library after review
- A committee ruled the novel has literary and educational value despite explicit passages
- Access is limited to 8th graders or students deemed mature, with parental opt-out available
Criteria cited for keeping the book
The committee rated the book highly across multiple criteria, including relevance, literary quality, and its ability to address complex topics such as illness, grief, and identity. The report states the novel “meets students’ varying reading levels and interests” and “offers a humorous, irreverent, and realistic portrayal of a teenager dealing with a peer’s terminal disease and death.”
It also noted that the book aligns with recommendations from organizations such as Common Sense Media and Publishers Weekly, which suggest it is appropriate for readers ages 14 and older.
Committee members further stated that “parents and guardians play a major role in guiding their child’s reading and library use,” reinforcing the district’s position that individual families should make final decisions about what students read.
Ongoing debate over school library standards
The issue reflects a broader, ongoing debate across the country over how schools balance intellectual freedom with age-appropriate content. In Readington, the district maintains that its policies require offering a wide range of materials while also allowing parental control.
The committee report also addressed concerns about the book’s language, stating that the passages in question are part of a fictional narrative voice and do not reflect school behavior. It added that reviewers “were unable to identify a correlation between reading this text and discipline for inappropriate comments of a similar nature in school.”
Despite the district’s findings, some community members continue to criticize, arguing that explicit material should not be accessible in middle school settings under any circumstances.
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