The novel involves censorship and suppression of homosexual students in public schools. Jamie Crawford, the protagonist in the novel is a chief editor of Wilson High magazine called the telegraph. The school enacts a controversial health education curriculum that emboldens Jamie to write articles supporting homosexuality and providing condoms to the students. Jamie’s opinions are supported by a few homosexual friends. However, the homosexual students’ celebration of the new health curriculum is short-lived when conservative parents get a hint of happenings in Wilson High. The few students endorsing gay rights are engulfed in a fight against censorship with a conservative local school board.
The book explores the censorship issue as well as the homophobic issue of society. The gay and lesbian students find themselves in a tight corner when they try to rationalize a perceived immoral practice in a conventional local community. The school committee led by traditional Lisa Buel questions the moral aspect behind passing the new health education curriculum. Lisa argues that sex education is unethical and should be abolished from the school constitution. The school board member marshals support of other parents to oppose the new curriculum on the basis of ethical issues.
The expurgation of homosexual rights and hurling of homophobia slurs do not deter Jamie and a few other students from what they believe is right. The few students stand their ground and counter any censorship attempt to silence them. The author, Nancy Garden, explores the difficulties faced by young gays and lesbians when they try to identify themselves with the LGBTQ community. Nancy is a victim of such difficulties having been suffered censorship due to her sexual identity.
