Two Catasauqua Area School Board members are not happy with the selection of Toni Morrison's "Beloved," which appears on this coming academic year's Catasauqua High School reading list for seniors.

"I think 'Beloved' is an absolutely not-appropriate book to read," said board member Carol McCarthy. "It has sexually explicit content. I'm not happy with my daughter reading that."

Other books on the reading list include "The Green Mile" for seniors, "Misery" and "Angela's Ashes" for juniors and "The Lovely Bones" and "Night" for sophomores.

The measure to approve the 2013-14 CHS reading list failed at the June school board meeting by a vote of 4-4.

Agreeing with McCarthy was fellow board member Christine Naegel.

"We should be looking at academic excellence, not material that is sexually explicit," said Naegel.

CHS Principal David Ascani stressed to board members the importance of approving the reading list before the start of the year.

"My concern is, we have three new teachers teaching new material," Ascani said. "Given our time frame now, it's very important we get the reading list approved."

Director of Curriculum & Assessment Christina Lutz-Doemling said the reading list was not presented earlier in the spring because the district did not know who would fill the three positions left open by the retirements of CHS English teachers Tim Cadden, Robert Fahringer and Charlie Post.

Lutz-Doemling also informed board about a procedure available whereby the board can ask a committee composed of teachers and parents to read a book in question and discuss it. If the committee believes it is inappropriate, it can recommend the book be removed from the curriculum.

District Solicitor David Knerr told members of the board although a committee may make a recommendation, it is the board who votes on keeping or removing a book.

"You call the shots," Knerr said. "You make the decisions, you're the board. You don't have to follow the committee's decision. You can add things to the list and take things out of the list."

Jon Lenert, who previously taught seventh grade at Catasauqua Middle School and who will be teaching English at CHS beginning in the fall, was asked by McCarthy if there is a "better book than 'Beloved' to discuss race."

"Where do you draw the line?" Lenert asked. "Once you open the door, it's open to everything. That's a big deal if you seek a precedence, if that book gets thrown out."

Lenert added "Beloved" will be taught to seniors who, he said, are more mature. He also said he does not avoid the material presented in more challenging books such as "Beloved."

"You deal with it," he said of the content of the book. "I don't hide from it. I explain why it's in there. Words are meaningless without meaning behind them."

Board Vice President Carol Cunningham, calling in from California, said the district has a policy in place that stipulates if a parent or student has an objection to a particular book, that student can be assigned alternative reading.

Naegel asked Lenert what occurs if a parent or student opts out of a particular book. Lenert agreed with Cunningham that the student is assigned an alternative reading assignment. The student may or may not remain in the classroom with the other students while working on the assignment. In most cases, Lenert treats the alternative assignment as an independent study course.

Board President Penny Hahn made a motion to rescind last month's vote on the reading list, which was approved 7-1, with Naegel opposed.

Cunningham then made a motion, which was seconded by board member Duane Deitrich, to approve the 2013-14 reading list, including "Beloved." The list was approved by a vote of 5-2, with Naegel and McCarthy voting no.