Spidey: Too Racy for the Library?

Posted by Colleen Kane

 

When a 6-year-old boy brought home a Spider-Man graphic novel from his school library in Millard, Nebraska, his mother found it to be age-inappropriate and requested that it be removed from the library.

The offending comic is from 2002 and was rated PG, Ages 12+, and features Mary Jane (above) in a bikini and short skirt. Woah now! It's not like you can see that anywhere you turn like on TV, the Internet, movies, or real life. 

The school district's head librarian is forming a committee to determine what course of action to take. And this will take how many resources...?

While we agree that a 6-year-old could be making more educational choices at a school library, we hate when parents try to get books of any kind banned, especially when the main offense is showing a little leg. 

Related: 

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Spider-Man Wants To Get Into Your Pants


Comments

Kristina Wright said:

This is a *school* library, not a public library. The distinction is important.  I worked in a public library (in the children's department) for almost 5 years and I wholeheartedly agree with you on the topic of censorship.  One patron-- even a group of patrons-- should not be able to dictate what the entire community can or cannot read.  

However, books in a public library are shelved according to reading level: children's, young adult and adult.  This is an elementary school library where the patrons are around 5-11.  There's absolutely no question that the graphic novel was "age inappropriate" and even Marvel recognized that by labeling it for ages 12+.  At the very least, the librarian should have checked the age level and refused to let the 6 year old check it out. (Much like public libraries will do with adult books or R rated movies.)

March 31, 2009 10:36 PM

About Colleen Kane

Colleen has been an editor at BUST and Playgirl magazines and has written for the endangered species of dead-tree magazines like SPIN and Plenty, as well as Radar Online and other websites. She lives in exile in Baton Rouge with her fiance, two dogs, and her former cat. Read her personal blogs at ColleenKane.com.

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