California school district restores to shelves banned dictionary that defines oral sex

California school district ends dictionary ban

MENIFEE, Calif. — A California school district that pulled a dictionary from classrooms because it defined oral sex will allow it back on the shelves.

A committee of parents, teachers and administrators decided on Tuesday to permit fourth- and fifth-graders at Oak Meadows Elementary School in Menifee to use Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.

However, parents can opt to have their kids use an alternative dictionary.

The Riverside County district has 9,000 students and pulled the reference book last week after a parent complained about a child stumbling across the oral sex definition. That led to cries of censorship.

District policy called for setting up a committee to determine if the book was age-appropriate.

Menifee is about 80 miles southeast of Los Angeles.