The use of a sex-ed textbook is under review in California schools after parents complained about the sensitive adult content, covering orgasms, sex toys and masturbation, they feel may be highly inappropriate for a school setting.
"The main problem is that this book treats the kids as adults and the content is adult," Asfia Ahmed told Daily News. "For a 14-year-old kid, to introduce him to these things, I don't think it is right at this stage."
Ahmed is one of the eight leading parents in the charge against the book, Your Health Today, published by McGraw Hill, in the Fremont Unified School District . She said the book that is being used at the freshman level is not age-appropriate and her feelings may be different if the book was used for a 12th grader or on the college level.
The school chose the book to replace an outdated 10-year-old health textbook. The school board reviewed six books before choosing Your Health Today. The book is currently being used for education in all the high schools in the district.
The book is listed online as a bestseller college health textbook. However, the district officials say they chose the book because they believe college is too late to be getting this information for the first time, reports SFGate.
"Yes, it talks about masturbation," school board President Lara Calvert-York told SFGate. "We really want them to have a safe place to get facts about their bodies and how to handle things and how they need to be mature to deal with these things."
The book also covers fitness, nutrition, stress and body image, but the sexual portions are what is outraging the parents.
Over 600 parents have signed a petition to remove Your Health Today from the high school classrooms, according to SFGate.
