Warning: This article contains sexually graphic content that readers may find disturbing.
A parents group says a book containing graphic sexual content did not end up on the shelves in the Sartell-St.Stephen district “by accident” as administrators suggested.
A parents group called Kids Over Politics 748 says it learned through a data request that the book, along with other books containing graphic sexual content, had been specifically ordered by teachers in the English Department.
Alpha News contacted the district to discuss the issue but did not receive a response.
Parents are demanding the books be removed from Sartell High School and the teachers be held accountable.
Last month a concerned parent stunned the audience at a school board meeting by reading several excerpts from the book “Him,” which contains graphic sex scenes, including oral sex.
Superintendent Dr. Jeff Ridlehoover said “Him” by Sarina Bowen was no longer “in circulation” and ended up in the high school because of “a mistake that was made by staff members.”
“The official answer from the district is that the book slipped through the cracks. It was an accident,” said Steve Kron, a member of the parents group. “The purchase orders are evidence that flies in direct contradiction to the district’s official narrative. Parents are simply demanding accountability. The district can decide if that’s termination, reprimand or loss of privileges.”
Kids Over Politics has outed at least six additional books containing sexually graphic content and is reading 11 more “as fast as they can.” Most of the books are or were available for checkout in high school English classrooms, according to Kids Over Politics. The high school does not have a traditional library but instead makes books available in various classrooms. One book contains oral sex scenes between an adult and a minor.
An excerpt from “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” reads:
“I was seventeen. He was forty-eight. That night, after his secretary left for the day, I was laid across his desk, with my skirt around my hips and Ari’s face between my legs. It turned out Ari had a fetish for orally pleasing underage girls. After about seven minutes of it, I pretended to erupt in reckless pleasure. I couldn’t tell you whether it was any good. But I was happy to be there, because I knew it was going to get me what I wanted.”
An excerpt from the book “Verity” by Colleen Hoover says:
“When I got to the bathroom, I locked the door, turned on the water in the sink, and then puked in the toilet. When I let him come in my mouth, I had no idea how much there would be. How long I would have to continue swallowing. Keeping my composure was tough while his dick was in my throat, drowning me.”
An excerpt from the book “After” by Anna Todd reads:
“Hardin curses my name repeatedly, beautifully, and I feel a slight jerk in my mouth and a warm, salty liquid shoots down my throat in short spurts. I gag and pull back.”
Kids Over Politics posted dozens of other excerpts that are similarly graphic.
According to a Sartell alumna, tensions are high among parents and teachers who disagree as to whether or not the books should be available to high school students.
Teachers from the Sartell English Department attended a Feb. 1 school board work session wearing shirts that read, “I’m with the banned,” in opposition to removing the books from the school.
“For those needing proof that this explicit and pornographic material was no accident, this picture is worth 1,000 words,” Kids Over Politics said.
During the work session, Ridlehoover said the district is working to establish a “more consistent process across our system” for approving books. He also said additional books have been removed and others are being reviewed.
“You can’t look up porn on the school computer, so why are these books being made available?” the alumna told Alpha News.
As of Feb. 15, at least some of the books were still available at the school, according to Kids Over Politics.
“This is not the Sartell school district that I knew when I was in high school back in 2008-2012,” the former student said. “As an alumni, I am embarrassed by how downhill the district has gone.”
Sheila Qualls
Sheila Qualls is an award-winning journalist and former civilian editor of an Army newspaper. Prior to joining Alpha News, she was a Christian Marriage and Family columnist at Patheos.com and a personal coach. Her work has been published in The Upper Room, the MOPS blog, Grown and Flown, and The Christian Post. She speaks nationally on issues involving faith and family.
