It's a great time to be a young adult reader! The genre has exploded over the last ten years, and there's so much out there that young people can almost always find something they like. With that explosion has also come a push for greater diversity in writing. Young people can learn about people from other cultures, and to deal with social issues they may not feel comfortable talking about, including bullying, eating disorders, and mental illness. Many parents are not aware that mature content is also quite common in young adult literature, including strong language, violence, and sexuality.
English teachers generally keep classroom libraries and make it possible for students to borrow books for personal reading. Teachers have not read every book on their shelves, and these books are not required reading. Teachers work to offer books that are age and reading-level appropriate for junior high age students, but maturity levels are so varied at this age that a wide range of subject matter is available. There may be books available that some families would not consider appropriate.
LMMs teachers encourage students to put down personal reading books that they find objectionable. Every reader should have the right to make personal choices about what they read.
Required reading books in the LMMS English department have been vetted for mature content, and the department feels confident that these books meet rigorous standards for age-appropriate content.
As a side note, parents should be aware that all books from a favorite author may not follow the same standards. Some authors write for both children and adults, with very different styles that are not always obvious from the covers. Take a young adult author like John Green, for example. The Fault in Our Stars is an extremely popular book with some language and (off-screen) sex which many students have read and enjoyed. Many of Green's other books contain much more language and sexual content, which is sometimes quite graphic.
Our desire is to encourage a lifelong love of reading, and there are inherent risks in doing this. What inspires one child to read may be unacceptable to another child or their parents. We are constantly reading new, popular books for young adult readers, and are always available to offer ideas or advice about interest level or content.