Skeptical journalist ‘shocked’ by sex-ed book for children: ‘Eye-popping’
'On virtually every page I stopped to examine, I was confronted with detailed drawings of genitals,' Ismail wrote
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A journalist who was originally skeptical of the debate on so-called book bans raging in schools around the country was "shocked" after reading through a controversial sex-ed book for children.
"I felt sure that as a 34-year-old father of two there would be nothing in there that would offend my sensibilities," Slate staff writer Aymann Ismail wrote in a story published Monday. "I’d heard nothing but glowing reviews from sex-ed pros about the child-friendly language in the book."
"But flipping through the book’s pages finally, I was a little shocked," the journalist continued.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Books are displayed at a Banned Book Library in Florida. (Jefferee Woo/Tampa Bay Times via AP) (Jefferee Woo/Tampa Bay Times via AP)
Ismail gave specific examples of particularly shocking scenes in the book.
"On Page 9, I came across the first illustration I recognized from the controversy," the journalist wrote. "In the chapter ‘Making Love,’ there are three graphic images that show adult bodies having sex. There is no visible penetration, but it’s still eye-popping. I was sure I wouldn’t hand this book to my kids when they are 10. And I began to wonder if in my own allergy to the book-burning fervor, I had been a little too dismissive of the parents at the root of this fight."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He also described feeling extremely uncomfortable when reading the book, titled "It's Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health."
"I had an involuntary reaction to seeing the nude cartoons, like I needed to make sure I was alone and hide the book," Ismail wrote. "I skimmed ahead to look at the rest of the book briskly. On virtually every page I stopped to examine, I was confronted with detailed drawings of genitals. It felt like every page had a cartoon of a naked body."
The book also stoked controversy in May when a North Carolina pastor called out officials from the Asheville City School Board of Education for making the sex-ed text available to youth in libraries.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FLORIDA SCHOOL BOARD FORCED TO REMOVE DOZENS OF BOOKS AFTER PARENTS READ 'GRAPHIC' PASSAGES ALOUD
"If you don't want to hear it in a school board meeting, why should children be able to check it out of the school system?" Rev. John Amanchukwu said after officials cut him off when reading excerpts from the book, which he later called "hardcore porn."
"We have perverts that are perverting our kids, and you all sit back, smug in your chairs and celebrate diversity, equity and inclusion, but you want me to read it, so you can hear it," Amanchukwu wrote.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}When Ismail tried to check out the book from a library, the librarian told him that it was "very graphic."
One parent told Ismail that they wanted books on "dinosaurs and trains and everything else" and found it hard to believe that "many children are coming [to the library] wanting to find a place to talk about their sexuality."
Candlewick Press did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
For more Culture, Media, Education, Opinion, and channel coverage, visit foxnews.1eye.us/media
Fox News' Bailee Hill contributed to this report.