The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is reporting that due to a parental complaint Matthew Loux’s graphic novel Sidescrollers was removed from a ninth grade summer reading list.  Responding to a complaint from parent Christie Bosco, who complained of profanity and sexual references in the book, the Enfield, Connecticut Board of Education removed the book, which was not required reading, from the summer reading list and changed its policy so that a board committee must approve all reading lists drawn up by the school.

 

Loux’s graphic novel, which is published by Oni Press, was nominated for a Harvey Award in 2007 (see "2007 Harvey Award Nominees"), and was placed on the YALSA (Young Adult Services Association of the American Library Association) 2008 Great Graphic Novels for Teens list (see "YALSA Announces Great Graphic Novel List").  Sidescrollers follows the adventures of three game-loving slacker teens who act to protect a female friend who becomes romantically involved with a loutish BMOC jock at their school.  The trio engage in vulgar but realistic teenage banter and vandalize the jock’s car with an anatomically correct giraffe.

 

The CBLDF is attempting to find out if the Enfield Board of Education followed its own procedures in dealing with situation.  Bosco’s son was not required to read the book, he could have simply chosen another title from the summer reading list, and the board’s own policy states "no parent nor group of parents has the right to negate the use of education resources for students other than his/her own child."