Senate Bill 7 would require schools to:

• Identify sexually explicit content in school curriculum, materials, and books.
• Create an opt-in policy that would:
  • Notify parents of the sexually explicit content by including a list of the book titles on the form.
  • Give parents the opportunity to review the materials.
  • Require parents to give direct consent for their children to be provided or have access to sexually explicit content
• Provide the child with non-explicit alternatives if their parents do not opt-in.

This bill was introduced to address concerns from parents around the state that explicit content was included in their child’s curriculum, materials, or library books without their consent or knowledge.

The Senate Education Committee held a hearing in October 2023 to review the sexually explicit content available in Pennsylvania schools and explore solutions for outraged parents. The following testimony, which showcases unedited versions of the explicit images from these books, was presented by a Lancaster County mom and school board member, Emily Zimmerman.

 

The following explicit examples were found in Pennsylvania school curriculum or libraries. The images below have been modified from their original version to blur their explicit content. 

Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

This book has been found in numerous Pennsylvania school libraries, including Warwick School District in Lancaster County, Kutztown High School in Berks County, North Penn School District in Montgomery County, West Chester School District in Chester County, Wissahickon School District in Montgomery County, Central Bucks in Bucks County, and many more.

It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie H. Harris

This book has been found in numerous Pennsylvania school libraries, including Antietam Middle-Senior High School in Berks County, Hegins-Hubley Elementary School in Schuylkill County, Maureen Welch Elementary School in Bucks County, New Hanover-Upper Elementary School in Montgomery County, Newtown Elementary School in Bucks County, School Street Elementary School in McKean County, Smoketown Elementary School in Lancaster County, and many more.

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel

This book was a required reading for an Honors Literature Class in a Westmoreland County school. The school board was unaware.

Flamer by Mike Curato

This book has been found in numerous Pennsylvania school libraries, including Abington Middle School Library, Charles Boehm Middle School, Mechanicsburg Area Senior High School, Perkiomen Valley High School and more.

It includes written descriptions of masturbation, such as: “We’re each busting a load in this bottle. If you don’t cum, you have to drink it.”

This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson

This book has been found in numerous Pennsylvania school libraries, including Benton Middle/Senior High School, East Stroudsburg High School North, Hopewell Senior High School, Methacton High School, and Pocono Mountain East High School.

It includes written descriptions of oral and anal sex, among other explicit examples, such as:

“Two men can pleasure each other in a variety of fun ways. 1. Handies: Perhaps the most important skill you will master as a gay or bi man is the timeless classic, the hand job. The good news is, you can practice on yourself. The bad news is, each guy has become very used to his own way getting himself off. …Something they don’t teach you in school is that, in order to be able to cum at all, you or your partner may need to finish off with a handie. A lot of people find it hard to cum through other types of sex. …A GOOD HANDIE is all about the wrist action. Rub the head of his cock back and forth with your hand. Try different speeds and pressures until he responds positively. A BAD HANDIE is grasping a penis and shaking it like a ketchup bottle. Finally, my misunderstanding about rubbing two peens together wasn’t far off the mark- rubbing them together in one hand feels awesome- MEGA COMBOHANDIE …2. Blowis: Oral sex is popping another dude’s peen in your mouth, or, indeed, popping yours in his. There is only one hard and fast rule when it comes to blow jobs- WATCH THE TEETH. Lips and tongue, yes; teeth, NO. As with hand jobs and breakfast eggs, all men like their blow jobs served in different ways. The term “blow job” is massively misleading, as you won’t actually be blowing on his penis- it’s more about sucking (although I stress you’re not trying to suck his kidneys out through his urethra). It’s more about sliding your mouth up and down the shaft of his cock. Letting a guy cum in your mouth is a safe sex no-no.”

“Bumming: It is a universal truth that many men like sticking their willies inside things. …Well, in the absence of a vagina, gay and bi men make excellent use of the back door. Wanna know a secret? Straight people have anal sex all the time too. Another one? Straight men like stuff up their bums just as much as gay ones.”

“Part Two: Girl-on-Girl Sex Here is a diagram of a woman. If you are not a woman, you are probably aware which parts FEEL NICE when you touch them, but here’s a rough guide. Clitoris: Observe the diagram. Women are that little bit harder than men, who have everything dangling out in the open. The clitoris is a supersensitive cluster of nerve endings that, when rubbed, kissed, or licked, can make a woman orgasm (which is a good thing). Anus: Although women do not have a prostate gland up their bum, some women like having stuff poked up there too. Lips: Sex should always start with a kiss. Initially, you might not go any further than a kiss, in fact. Kissing is as intimate as sex, and if you’re not comfortable going further than a kiss, a good partner will respect this and wait. Skin: Any part of your body will respond to being stroked and kissed. Vagina: The vagina is the opening to the female reproductive system, from which babies pop out. Much, much research has been done on this, and it is thought there is a ‘G spot’ located just inside the vagina. Although the existence of this sexual holy grail has not been proven, many women agree that having things inserted into their vagina feels very nice indeed. Neck/ears: These sensitive areas love being kissed and licked. Nipples: A lot of girls like having their nipples played with- they are mega sensitive.”

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

This book has been found in numerous Pennsylvania school libraries, including Beaver Area Middle School – High School, Benton Middle/Senior High School, Eisenhower Middle/High School, Fairfield Area Middle/High School, Lauren Middle/High School, Mountain View Jr/Sr High School, Muncy Jr/Sr High School, Pottsgrove Middle School, West Middlesex Jr/Sr High School, Tupplehocken Jr/Sr High School, West Middlesex Jr/Sr High School, Wilson Southern Middle School, Wyomissing Area Jr/Sr High School, Youngsville Middle High School, as well as dozens of high schools across the state.

It includes written descriptions of oral sex, such as:

“Are you gonna eat her pussy?”
“Yeah, Earl, I’m going to eat her pussy.”
“Heh.”
“Yeah.”
“Do you even know how to eat pussy?”
“Uh, not really.’
“Papa Gaines never sat you down, said, Son, one day you’re going to have to eat the pussy.”
“No. But he did teach me how to eat a butthole.”
…“God bless that man.”
“Yup.”
“I would teach you some pussy-eating technique, but it’s a little complicated.”
…“Son, I don’t have time for that. I got like twenty pussies over here that I need to eat.”
“Is that right.”
“I’m on pussy deadline.”
“You’ve got twenty vaginas, all lined up in a row.”
“Aw, what the hell. What the hell. No one’s talkin bout vaginas. Greg, what the hell is wrong with you. Man, that’s nasty.”
…“I’m talkin’ ‘bout pussy. I got a little honey mustard over here, a little Heinz 57, and a whole lotta pussy.”