A committee Feb. 10 voted unanimously to recommend the Seaside School District continue using Sherman Alexie’s “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” without reservations in its curriculum.

The book, typically assigned to ninth-graders at Seaside High School, follows a 14-year-old Native American boy as he struggles to adjust to life outside of the reservation.

Last month, two parents — Hilary Stock and Brett Bishop — submitted formal challenges to the book, citing references to drugs, alcoholism, profanity and explicit content, including a passage where the protagonist describes his experience with sexual self-gratification.

Per school board policy, Superintendent Susan Penrod appointed members of an advisory committee to review the challenges. The committee met last week for discussion before reconvening for a vote Monday, where it considered three options: continued use of the material as used without reservations, restricted or modified use of the material, or no further use of the material as part of regular curriculum or support curriculum.

Cate Blakesley, the district’s director of curriculum and instruction, said the school board’s policy was an essential guide.

“Following the precise steps of this policy has been very helpful in navigating this challenge, and it really helps ensure that all sides are heard, all people are valued, and that the decisions that this committee makes tonight are based on rules and standards, rather than, you know, just being made in a vacuum or being made arbitrarily,” Blakesley said.

Both Stock and Bishop expressed concerns Monday night over a lack of direct communication with the teacher who had assigned the book, stating that they had not been given notice about the book or an opportunity for their children to opt out.

“As a parent, I would have loved to have heard from the teacher and heard her own take on why she teaches this particular book,” Stock said. “I never asked for the book to be banned or burned. I simply say that I would have liked an opt-in or opt-out book choice before the book was assigned. Do I think this particular book should be an assigned book? No, this is still my opinion. Do I care if it’s on a recommended list? Not at all. I just don’t see the need of it being used as part of the curriculum.”

On their challenge forms, Stock and Bishop recommended the book be withdrawn from use. Both also indicated that they had not read the book in its entirety.

On Monday, Bishop reported he had since read the whole thing.

“After reviewing this book, I thought my eyes would be opened up and I would see why the passage in question was included in the story,” he said. “After reading the book, I’m left even more confused as to how this passage even fits in the context of this book. From my perspective, it seems like it was added for shock value in a shoddy attempt to keep the target audience’s attention.”

He also clarified that he was more interested in making sure that parents had the option to opt their children out of reading certain sections of the book, rather than banning it altogether.

“I’m simply asking for a curriculum option free of sexually explicit content for my 14-year-old daughter,” he said.

Other attendees expressed their appreciation for the book, including retired English teacher Mark Mizell, who said one of his biggest challenges in teaching the book was to keep his students from reading ahead.

Meagan Hughes, the chair of the Seaside Library Board speaking as an individual parent, said the book had made a significant impact on her own family. She recalls her nephew reading “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” after moving to start high school in another state. The book’s themes around identity and the protagonist’s struggles to fit in resonated with him and created avenues for meaningful conversations at home.

“I know this book isn’t meant for everyone, but for the student who is dealing with change or loss or fighting with a best friend, who may be struggling with an alcoholic parent or poverty, or really any student fighting to make a better future for themselves, this book is hope,” Hughes said. “For me, the entire theme of this book is hope.”

The committee also reviewed written testimony from English teacher Ann Susee outlining the standards she uses for teaching the book, and from Marian Rose, Seaside Public Library’s youth services librarian, providing more information about how the library has addressed challenged books in the past.

Jane Crater, a committee member who teaches language arts at the middle school, said she always makes an effort to give students a heads-up if reading materials will reference sensitive topics, adding that providing alternative reading materials is a standard practice based on her experience in the district. Nevertheless, committee members seemed to agree that more could be done to increase communication between staff, students and parents about curriculum ahead of time.

Although committee members recommended that the book continue to be used in curriculum with no reservations, they affirmed that the district should have predetermined alternatives of a comparable length and reading level for students who want to opt out.

“The concerns that have been raised around this book and around what’s happening in real time in our classrooms are completely valid concerns of parents,” Blakesley said.

The school board will review the advisory committee’s recommendation and announce a decision on the matter at its next meeting.