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Newport‑Mesa board denies appeal to remove 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' from high school libraries
Summary
After a district review and public testimony from teachers and students, the Newport‑Mesa Unified School District board voted 5–1 to deny an appeal seeking removal of The Perks of Being a Wallflower from high‑school libraries; the district's review committee had recommended retention by a 6–1 vote.
The Newport‑Mesa Unified School District Board denied an appeal to remove The Perks of Being a Wallflower from high‑school libraries in a 5–1 vote at its July 24, 2024 meeting, after hearing five‑minute presentations, extensive public comment and a report from a district review committee that recommended keeping the title in grades 9–12.
The appellant, Wendy Lease, told the board she had read the book in full and read an extended passage she described as evidence that the book is "pervasively vulgar," urged the trustees to remove or relocate the title from school libraries and argued the review committee process lacked transparency. The board heard teachers, alumni and students who urged the opposite: that the book provides important context and support for…
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