Ohio parents ask Milford School to ban historical fiction, in the days of butterflies

Pearl parents in Ohio forced a suburban Cincinnati school district to rate a book so famous for its depiction of historical events that it was made into a movie.

According to a report by Cincinnati claimantParents of students at the Milford Free Village School want In the days of butterflies, by Julia Alvarez, cut due to “sex and evil” and “unhealthy views on sexuality” [and pornography]”Despite the historical relevance of the novel.

“THIS CONTENT MINING! Our 10th graders are being forced to read this porn in school! ” Amy Boldt K posted April 25 in the Milford OH Neighborhood Group on Facebook. “I am unspeakably disgusted.”

In the post, the woman claimed that students at Milford High School had to read the book aloud in class and she demanded that the teacher be removed from her post. Example of content she feels is inappropriate, Amy Boldt K provided an excerpt of a girl covering her breasts to prevent them from growing for fear that they would expose her to unwanted male attention. She also included scenes where the book’s heroines were sexually assaulted.

“This is only a small part of the book [sic],” wrote the woman. “Did your parents care? It’s time to act. ”

As of Monday afternoon, the post had more than 700 comments and had been shared more than 20 times.

In a statement to The Daily Beast, the Milford Exempt Village School acknowledged that administrators had received “a request from citizens to review [In the Time of the Butterflies] used in 10th grade English literature. ”

“Anytime the district receives such a request, the district follows Board Policy… which requires the Superintendent to convene a review committee,” Milford Communications Director Krista Boyle said. know in the statement. “This committee consists of seven members, including teachers, administrators and parents.”

On its website, the school board says it understands that certain school materials may be controversial to students and, if parents so wish, they may choose alternative reading material for their child that contains same “teaching purpose”. The district also said it does not allow “any individual or group to exercise moderation of instructional materials and library collections, but it acknowledges that it is sometimes necessary to re-evaluate certain materials.” certain.”

In the days of butterflies is the fictional story of the Mirabal sisters, who oppose the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo in the Dominican Republic in the 1960s. Inspired by real events, the book focuses on the murders of the dead. and human rights horrors during Trujillo’s dictatorial reign, the sisters’ opposition to his leadership, and the alleged murders of government troops. The novel was adapted into a film in 2001 and is rated PG-13.

Boyle told The Daily Beast that the novel embraces themes of “magical realism and hyper-fiction” in human nature, and raises questions about the ways in which trauma is brought about through trauma. future generation.

Despite the fact the novel deals with real events, some Milford community members consider it too much.

“Oh! That’s R-rated,” a member of a neighborhood Facebook group commented on Amy Boldt K’s post regarding the snippet. hey! Wtf.”

“That’s inappropriate!!” Another member replied.

However, other members of the community and alumni came to appreciate Alvarez’s novel.

“Dude, this book is perfectly fine and has no graphics at all,” Miri Lawrence posted. “When I was in 10th grade, it was really a valuable learning experience for me. This is one of the only books I’ve read and I still cherish it. Do not tell the principal to stop giving this book because it is so special and valuable. Your child will be a lot more cultured after reading it”.

“When I read this book in high school, I fell in love with it,” wrote Ashley Honsaker, a 2018 Milford High School graduate. “I think it’s a great historical fiction book about Trujillo and the Dominican Republic during that time period. And honestly, don’t even think twice about the sexual aspects of it other than what it tells the history and how sex was seen during that time. ”

In a Facebook message to The Daily Beast, Honsaker, now a senior in college studying graphic design, said she enjoyed reading the book as a sophomore.

“It was very insightful and helped me understand what life was like in the Dominican Republic in the 1900s,” she said. “The main lesson I learned from reading the book was a different perspective on world culture. … As a young woman, it was great to see a historical fantasy novel revolving around women in a time when they were not always respected or equal. ”

Honsaker said she believes the uproar is because people don’t really understand the context of what is written.

“I also think parents sometimes let their kids go and hold them back,” she said. “It is extremely sad that in today’s society we teach our children not to judge a book by its cover and to be fair and just, but so many parents in my community are do the exact opposite.”

Other members of the Facebook group mocked critics for disagreeing with the novel’s content without actually reading it or finding a suitable alternative book for their children, according to district policy .

“Before posting publicly, I really felt that it would be more appropriate to have a conversation with the school,” wrote one member of the Facebook group. “I also suggest that those who have not done so should read the book in question. I feel like too many people just jump on social media without doing their due diligence. “

The Milford Exempt Village School told The Daily Beast its review committee is currently reading In the days of butterflies and expects to complete its review by May 13. Alvarez’s representative did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast’s request for comment.