When Was The Perks Of Being A Wallflower Banned

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky throws you into the reality of high school, where every emotion feels intense, and every experience shapes who you are. This book captures this journey through the eyes of Charlie, a freshman who shares his deepest thoughts and struggles through letters. This book explores themes of friendship, mental health, and identity. However, this book is surrounded by controversy, arguing that these themes are unsuitable for young readers and could send the wrong message. I believe that this book should be banned because it contains sexually graphic and explicit content. In addition, this novel glorifies underage alcohol and drug use. These mature themes have led the book to appear on banned and challenged

In 2008, it was disputed on the Commack High School (NY) summer reading list due to content because the novel contains a two-page rape scene, which critics described as “biased sexual rhetoric and instructional sexual pandering to children” (Wolf Baldassarro). One scene includes disturbing quotes unsuitable for young readers, including the passage: “The boy kept working up the girl's shirt, and as much as she said no, he kept working it” (Chbosky 30). In 2023, the book was banned and challenged for its sexual abuse, LGBTQIA+ content, drug use, profanity, and being sexually explicit. A grandmother of a high school senior requested that the book and movie no longer be used in an elective course on film and literature. She said that the book included “pornographic material, containing sexual abuse, teenage sexuality, rape, abortion, and LSD.” While she said she did not read past page 31, she argued “that was plenty.” She said her desire to ban the book from the school is not “just about my grandchildren. It’s about all the children. It scares me to think how many girls may have been date raped because of the guys that read that book” (Marshall Libraries). In 2019, a parent in the Beaverton School District criticized it as a "trash novel" with poor role models and graphic descriptions. In 2017, this book became banned from Pasco (FL) Middle School because a teacher assigned it to seventh-graders. Parents complained that this book was not suitable for their age groups. A parent expressed concern that the book could harm students by sending children the "wrong" message on these difficult and mature topics (Marshall Library). After these complaints, they arranged to have a panel discussion which was then organized to discuss the book. At the panel discussion, 13 parents expressed their worries