Prize winning book or pornographic material? Waukesha school district has heated debate over Looking for Alaska

WAUKESHA (WITI) -- In a unanimous decision, the district's Consideration Committee voted to keep the book Looking for Alaska in middle and high school libraries. That's despite opposition from parents, who question the book's sexual themes.

Ellen Cox has been leading the charge to remove Looking for Alaska from Waukesha's school libraries. She questioned some of the content after her daughter came home from South High School with the book. Ultimately, the district's Consideration Committee decided to keep it on the library shelves.

"It was based on mature adults reading the book and making a decision based on that.  Not on what a child`s mind is reading when they`re reading a book," says Cox.

The book was originally released in 2005, and has seen renewed popularity after author John Green's other novel, A Fault in Our Stars became a box office hit. The book focuses on a female character named Alaska Young. Within the pages, there are lines about sexual encounters and watching pornography.

"Gang rape, sex, drugs. They glamorize drinking," says Karen Tessman, parent. "They are topics that should be read by adults."

Committee members believe those topics overshadow the overall theme of the novel.

"Perhaps this opens doors for parents to have conversations with their kids and be aware of what they are reading," says David LaBorde, chairman of Consideration Committee.

The National Coalition Against Censorship says the New York Times Best-Seller deals with issues of friendships, self-discovery, and loss. Alaska has also received an American Library Association Award, given annually to the best book written for teens.

"You can get caught up in the language or the drinking or sex or you can say student students gain knowledge from all of these experiences because they live in a diverse society," says one attendee.

But this isn't likely the last chapter written -- about keeping boarders around Alaska.

"Absolutely appeal it. I`ve come this far - I`m not going to turn back," says one parent.

Parents have the opportunity to appeal to the full school board. Just to give you an idea of how popular this book is, it's currently checked out of all libraries within the Waukesha County System.