Grandmother Offended by "Inappropriate" SCS Book - Likens Heartstopper to Playboy

By David Avitabile

SCHOHARIE - A grandmother last week trashed a book circulated in the Schoharie school library as "inappropriate" and similar to Playboy magazine.

Karen Hotaling-Baker of Sloansville told Schoharie school board members Thursday that her 12-year-old granddaughter took the book Heartstopper out of the school library. They began to read the book together and the book, Ms. Hotaling-Baker said, is "inappropriate."

She told board members, "I stopped counting how many 'F' words there are in here on page 10."

She then read two excerpts from the book in which the word "d***" and "d***head" were used.

"It's wrong," she added. Several sexual positions are described and illustrated with pictures showing "body on body."

"I'm embarrassed to say these words," she said.

It is wrong, she added, "to have a fresh 12-year-old to have access to this."

Heartstopper is an ongoing LGBTQ+ young adult graphic novel and webcomic series written and illustrated by British author Alice Oseman, according to Wikipedia. The book follows the lives of Nick Nelson and Charlie Spring as they meet and fall in love. The series is a prequel to her 2015 novella Nick and Charlie. The series was later adapted into the Netflix of the same name.

After speaking for several minutes at the Thursday meeting, she demanded an answer.

"I need an answer," she said. "Why do you think this is appropriate?"

SCS Superintendent David Blanchard said that the matter will be looked into and he will speak to the board.

Ms. Hotaling-Baker continued, "Whether it is homosexual or heterosexual" it does not matter. "Even she [her granddaughter] thinks it's not right."

Then she asked, "What's the difference between this book and Playboy? Playboy's in color.

I just can't believe this educational institution allows this book in its library."

Mr. Blanchard thanked Ms. Hotaling-Baker for the information but said that specific students and staff cannot be discussed at the open meeting after she mentioned staff by name.

He ended the discussion by saying a meeting could be set up with Ms. Hotaling-Baker. There was no answer to the question by the end of the meeting.