A book labelled "pornographic" by a parent of a year six student in the South West of WA has been pulled from a primary school curriculum after she complained about its erotic nature.
Jackie Ronay posted in a South West Facebook page she was outraged her 11-year-old son at Australind Primary was forced to read The Black Dog Gang by author by Robert Newton.
"I'd like to draw your attention to the book that the year six class has been given," Ms Ronay posted.
"I'd like to know if anyone else finds it inappropriate because I am outraged that my 11-year-old son has been exposed to this kind of pornographic filth."
Ms Ronay posted a page from the book which is set in the Rock Area of Sydney in the 1900s and explores the relationship between a boy called Frankie and his neighbour Ms Donegan.
The post shared two pages from the book, in which multiple references to 'magnificent breasts' and giving them 'a gentle squeeze'.
Pages 10 and 11 read:
"With that she leant forward and reached for the last of the items on the sideboard, a tiny porcelain doll.
"As she did so, the front of her petticoat fell forward, revealing two magnificent breasts.
"I gave her breast a gentle squeeze and felt in wobble in my hand."
"Um... I ain't exactly sure. It feels a bit like jelly, I reckon.
"Jelly?
"Yeah, like jelly...but only warmer.
"I see. D'ya want to feel the other one?"
Australind Primary School principal Tracey Truss said the school decided to stop teaching the book on Friday after being alerted to the Facebook comment by Ms Ronay.
"With the benefit of hindsight, the teacher had agreed the book contained one or two passages unsuitable for 11-year-olds," she told WAtoday.
"The book, Black Dog Gang, was picked by the teacher because it is an excellent text covering a number of issues boys face as they move into adolescence.
"I do not agree that any of it is pornographic, but the publishers recommend the book for children aged 12 and upwards so our Year 6 students are a little too young for some of its content.
"We will not continue to use it and our copies will be donated to Australind Senior High School."
