Seaside High School, Oregon – Faces Controversy Over Reading Material: A Closer Look 715 Likes40 Inquiries

A growing debate over a high school reading assignment has taken center stage in Seaside, Oregon, as residents voice strong opinions on the controversial inclusion of Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian in Seaside High School’s curriculum. The novel, which follows a 14-year-old Native American boy navigating life outside his reservation, has sparked a heated discussion among parents, educators, and the broader community.

Many opponents of the book voiced concerns that it contained sexually explicit material, referencing a passage in which the main character talks about sexual self-gratification.

“I’m asking for age-appropriate reading material that advances independent thought and critical thinking,I am not naive to the fact that students are dealing with self-awareness, sexual curiosity and hard life experiences. However, we shouldn’t need our educators assigning reading material to glorify pornography, self-pleasure … my two high schoolers as of next year will be homeschooled, as my faith in the school system has left me disappointed.”

On Tuesday, January 21, 2025, dozens of concerned residents packed the Seaside School Board meeting, eager to express their views on the young adult novel. Superintendent Susan Penrod opened the floor, noting that she had received complaints about the book and its inclusion in the curriculum. She encouraged those who had concerns to submit a formal challenge, offering a form for anyone wishing to contest the assigned reading.

The crux of the controversy stems from a particular passage in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian that some parents find troubling. Critics, like Hilary Stock, a Seaside parent whose daughter was assigned the book, pointed to scenes involving sexual self-gratification, calling the material inappropriate for high school-aged students. Stock voiced her dissatisfaction, explaining her desire for reading material that promotes independent thought and critical thinking without introducing what she referred to as “pornography” or “self-pleasure” into the classroom.

“I am not naive to the fact that students are dealing with self-awareness, sexual curiosity, and hard life experiences,” Stock shared, “but we shouldn’t need our educators assigning reading material that glorifies these topics.” As a result, Stock stated that she would be homeschooling her children, expressing a loss of faith in the school system.

However, not all in the community agree with Stock’s perspective. Some, like Seamus McVey, a Seaside city councilor and grandfather to a Seaside student, voiced their trust in educators to curate appropriate material. McVey pointed out that Of Mice and Men, another frequently challenged book, also deals with sensitive themes like poverty and murder. He questioned whether an alternative with similar adult themes might be any more suitable than the controversial sections in Alexie’s novel.

Supporters of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian argue that challenging books based on isolated excerpts can miss the broader context of the work. John Edwards, a longtime volunteer in the Seaside School District, emphasized that students benefit from engaging with complex, nuanced narratives, rather than censoring content that might seem uncomfortable in isolation. “It’s a slippery slope to start taking literature out of children’s hands because there are parts of it that may be deemed inappropriate for some,” Edwards cautioned.

The debate is not an isolated incident for Seaside. Last year, two children’s books at the Seaside Public Library faced similar challenges, though they ultimately remained in circulation after review by the library board. In July 2024, a Seaside city councilor was recalled after proposing age restrictions on library materials.

This is part of a broader, national trend of increasing book challenges and removals, with the American Library Association documenting a record number of book challenges in recent years. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian has consistently been targeted for removal across the U.S. since its publication in 2007, earning a spot on the ALA’s top-10 most challenged books multiple times.

As the controversy continues, the Seaside School District has outlined a clear process for addressing challenges to instructional materials. If a formal challenge is submitted, a review committee will be assigned to assess the material’s suitability. This committee will present its findings to the school board, which will then make a final decision at a subsequent meeting.

School board member Chris Corder thanked attendees for sharing their viewpoints, highlighting the board’s commitment to transparency and their dedication to addressing community concerns. “We work hard to be your elected officials at the school board,” he said, “and we want to be as transparent as possible.”

As this issue unfolds, it raises larger questions about the role of literature in education and the balance between parental concerns and educational freedom. In the meantime, Seaside High School students will wait to see if The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian remains part of their curriculum—or if its place in the classroom will become yet another casualty of the ongoing national debate over what constitutes appropriate reading material for young people.