HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Leaders of the Madison County GOP this week objected to a second book linked to Common Core standards, this time taking aim at "Dreaming in Cuban," Cristina Garcia's 1993 novel set against the Cuban revolution.

The executive committee of the Madison County GOP went behind closed doors on Monday to discuss what to do about a looming censure of Sen. Bill Holtzclaw, R-Madison, who may have saved himself from public censure by coming out against Toni Morrison’s first novel, "The Bluest Eye.”

And while the group elected not to do anything about Holtzclaw, at least not for now, they did hear from one executive committee member who identified a second troubling novel.

Brad Taylor, an engineer and father of a 10th-grader, said “Dreaming in Cuban” contains a sexually explicit passage. The novel is suggested for possible use in teaching 11th grade literary standards aligned with Common Core. “For a 15 year old, it’s pretty graphic,” said Taylor.

Taylor said the book had not been assigned in his child's school. Instead, he said he learned of the book through "Internet research." The novel just this month was pulled from a reading list in a high school in Sierra Vista, Arizona.

The flashpoint was a passage on page 80 that reads, in part: “Hugo and Felicia stripped in their room, dissolving easily into one another, and made love against the whitewashed walls. Hugo bit Felicia’s breast and left purplish bands of bruises on her upper thighs. He knelt before her in the tub and massaged black Spanish soap between her legs. He entered her repeatedly from behind.”

In Alabama, Holtzclaw objected to the inclusion of "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison, a book that also appears on the list of Common Core exemplars for the 11th grade. Citing scenes of child molestation and more, Holtzclaw announced the book should not be included on Alabama reading lists and should not be included in high school libraries.

Last month, a divided Madison County Republican Executive Committee voted 25-12 to censure state school board member Mary Scott Hunter for her support of Common Core. Party leaders had also prepared a resolution singling out and condemning Holtzlcaw. But they said they ran out of time at the August meeting. Since then, some have said that Holtzclaw seems to have come around.

Holtzclaw “appeared to take notice of some of the bad books and take some action,” explained attorney Dean Johnson on Tuesday. “He’s still to be considered. Obviously we don’t want to censure anybody.”

“We’re not out to get him,” said Johnson. “We’re out to get the Common Core.”

Meanwhile, there had been some discussion among executive committee members of rescinding Hunter’s censure, but that didn’t happen, either. Instead, the Madison County Republican Executive Committee took no action in public regarding either elected official.

Hunter on Wednesday said she didn’t have an opportunity to respond when “Dreaming In Cuban” was challenged at the party meeting, but she said she welcomes the debate.

“I am glad in a way these issues are coming up about these books because it presents a wonderful opportunity to educate the public on the difference between standards and curricula,” said Hunter.

She said Alabama, like 44 other states, has adopted academic standards that align with Common Core, meaning all students are expected to master the same basic concepts and skills at the same grade levels. But the books and materials used to teach those standards are left to individual teachers, said Hunter.

“Curricula choices are a local matter in Alabama. They always have been and always will be,” she said on Wednesday.

Fellow state board member Betty Peters has supported Holtzclaw’s objections to “The Bluest Eye.” Peters acknowledges that the exemplars are not required reading, but has said Common Core creates a de facto national reading list. She contends that many teachers will use the books as the surest and easiest way to meet the standards that the students will be tested on.

As for “Dreaming in Cuban,” Peters said that the book may not have as many inappropriate passages as “The Bluest Eye.”

“But that book does not belong in an Alabama classroom,” said Peters, a Republican representative from Dothan. “That language, that scene, it’s just gratuitous.”

Hunter

has said repeatedly that repeal of the state's new academic standards, which are aligned with Common Core, would be a step backwards for Alabama.