Most parents intuitively know that exposing their children to age-inappropriate explicit content can be harmful. Researchers have also investigated this and have found connections between children being exposed to sexually explicit materials and potential harms. For instance, a 17-year-study of children, beginning when the children were in 7th or 9th grade, found that exposure to sexually explicit media, including books and graphic novels, is associated with three risky sexual behaviors: early sexual debut, unsafe sex, and multiple sexual partners, thereby increasing the risk of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. In that study, comic books were found to be the most common sexually explicit media that children had been exposed to, followed by videos. 22.5% of girls and 13.7% of boys had been exposed to sexually explicit novels.
Other studies have found that kids exposed to sexually explicit and sexually violent media are more likely to be involved in dating violence and sexual violence. A study of boys and girls aged from 14 to 19 years old found “reading pornographic comics and magazines significantly increased the likelihood of having sexually harassed a peer or having forced somebody to have sex.” A review paper in the Trauma, Violence, & Abuse journal analyzed 43 studies of adolescents and emerging adults with regards to exposure to sexually explicit media and sexually violent media. This study found that children who had been exposed to such media had higher rates of being victims or perpetrators of sexual violence.
Nonetheless, there are many dozens of books in New Mexico public school libraries statewide that contain graphic descriptions of sex acts (including between teachers and students), pornographic and excessively violent imagery, and detailed passages of children being sexually assaulted, prostituted, molested, and raped. Some of these books are in Las Cruces and Albuquerque middle schools, where they can be accessed by children as young as 10 years old. In Albuquerque, there are even sexually explicit books in elementary school libraries.
Here in Las Cruces, I and other parents have met with school board members and administrators to discuss this issue, filed formal complaints, and presented information about these books at school board meetings. Instead of taking common sense steps to ensure that the school district is not providing children with age-inappropriate content, LCPS has chosen to take no action on this issue.
As a result, I and a group of volunteers have created a Parent’s Guide to 95+ Explicit Books in Las Cruces Public Schools. This booklet is a resource for LCPS parents who want to protect their children from age-inappropriate content being provided in schools. It lists the worst books in each school, gives examples of the content of each book, and helps parents understand how to opt their kids out from these books using LCPS form IJL-E1 – “Parental Request for Restriction of Library Resources.” In Albuquerque, a similar guide has been created by concerned parents, detailing over 125+ explicit books in specific schools.
These guides were created because parents need to know that New Mexico schools are providing students with books such as the Game of Thrones graphic novels. These books have pornographic images of naked women and men performing sex acts on each other. Game of Thrones graphic novels are in Las Cruces High School as well as at Atrisco Heritage Academy, Eldorado, Rio Grande, West Mesa, nex+Gen Academy high schools and Washington Middle School in Albuquerque.
The book Sold by Patricia McCormick contains graphic descriptions of children being raped and prostituted. This book is in most of the high schools in Las Cruces and Albuquerque. Even more concerning, it can be accessed by children as young as 10 years old at Lynn and Vista middle schools in Las Cruces, and Eisenhower, Garfield, Hayes, McKinley, Polk, Tony Hillerman, Truman, and Washington middle schools in Albuquerque.
The book Push by Sapphire is at Organ Mountain High School in Las Cruces. In Albuquerque, it is at Tony Hillerman Middle School and Atrisco, Albuquerque, Eldorado, Highland, Manzano, Rio Grande, Volcano Vista, New Futures High Schools. This book contains many explicit passages about a daughter being raped by her father, including full penetration rape of an infant.
New Mexico schools are putting children at risk by providing these age-inappropriate reading materials. Clearly, it is no longer appropriate for New Mexico schools to rely on book lists from the American Library Association or School Library Journal for the selection of school library books. Yet, LCPS and APS have refused to institute even bare minimum standards for what content is allowed in their libraries. In order to ensure that parents are aware of the age-inappropriate content and opt-out process, the parent’s guides to 95+ Explicit Books in Las Cruces Public Schools and 125+ Explicit Books in Albuquerque Public Schools can be downloaded here: www.nmfa.us/schoolbooks
Sarah Smith is co-leader of the New Mexico Freedoms Alliance (non-partisan statewide grassroots coalition) and Vice Chair of the Coalition of Conservatives in Action in Las Cruces. Sarah is also a homeschooling mother of two teens, natural healthcare practitioner, and former NASA aerospace engineer.
