The Abstinence Teacher
Book Review

The Abstinence Teacher BOOK SYNOPSIS

Ruth is the sex education teacher at a local high school. After many years in this position she makes a comment in response to a student's question about oral sex. She says "from what I hear about oral sex, some people enjoy it." Out of the context it was said in the classroom it becomes the scandal in the town.

The new, bible thumper church, The Tabernacle of the Gospel Truth, take up the fight against Ruth and "immorality." Ruth is forced to teach an abstinence program in place of the regular sex ed she normally teaches. This goes against all her values as a teacher because she is asked to give her students untruthful information in the name of being virtuous.

The counter story that runs opposite to Ruth's is of Tim, a newly reformed alcoholic and drug abusing musician. Tim has found God through the help of the Tabernacle and Pastor Dennis. He's clean and sober, remarried to a nice, Christian girl, and trying to be a good father to his daughter from a previous marriage. But all the while he's struggling. He feels lost and like God is leaving him behind. He begins to head back down the path of his old vices.

When Ruth and Tim meet as a result of their daughters shared love for soccer, what happens comes as a shock to them and everyone who knows them.

QUEENIE D SAYS

I'm a big fan of Perrotta. I liked Little Children and Election because they were honest, witty, and a little unusual. He really gets into the flaws and imperfections of his characters which makes them seem more real to us because we can identify with them.

This is the first book I've given a half point rating. I couldn't’t quite give it a 4 because I wasn't excited by it but it was definitely worth more than a 3 because it kept me interested. I wanted to know the whole time if Tim would slip up and leave the church, if Ruth would get fired, and if the two of them would somehow end up together.

I'm not against strong faith in any way, shape, or form but the way Perrotta describes the Tabernacle and Pastor Dennis, I can't help but feel like they are too much on the bible thumpers bandwagon for my taste. I believe that religion is a personal thing and your relationship with God is unique and your own. Pastor Dennis seems to want his congregation to shout it from the mountain tops and advocates the leading of prayer for the children's soccer teams. While there is nothing wrong with prayer, it is insensitive to people of other religions besides Christianity. I thought The Abstinence Teacher did a fantastic job of tackling the very touchy subject of spreading religion publicly.

I was a little disappointed by the ending. I mean, I know what I take from it but I have that nagging sense of doubt that I could be wrong which makes me mad because it means I will have completely missed the point. I know Perrotta is very clever and I want to think that I am intelligent enough to understand his deeper, hidden message. I'm not sure I have done in my interpretation of the ending.

All in all, if you're a Perrotta fan, The Abstinence Teacher is worth reading.

The Abstinence Teacher DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Should Ruth have taught the abstinence education program to her students or quit on account of it going against her values as an educator?
2. In this day and age, should we teach sex education or abstinence programs to our teenagers? Which is more realistic?
3. Was Tim a good or bad guy at heart? Did his flaws make him weak or strong?

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