WATCH LIVE:

WATCH LIVE:
Local 10 News

°

Homepage / Miami News
Text Size

Problem Solvers Find Sex, Seuss Too Close For Comfort

Borders Store Moves Sexy Stock After Local 10 Report

POSTED: Tuesday, August 3, 2004
UPDATED: 6:10 pm EDT August 3,2004

One of the nation's largest bookstore chains is taking action following a Local 10 Problem Solver hidden camera investigation.

A concerned mother called Local 10 when her daughter picked up sexually explicit materials and began reading -- and when we checked, our Local 10 camera caught sex and Dr. Seuss side-by-side in an area where kids have easy access.

After her 13-year-old daughter got an unexpected sex lesson at a Border's Bookstore on Sunrise Boulevard, Gail Frandsen was outraged.

"I'm mortified. It’s her innocence," Frandsen said. "It's totally inappropriate. It's stealing her innocence!"

"They're not supposed to expose my 13-year-old to 50 sexual positions," she said. "It's not right."

Frandsen says sex and Seuss are a little too close for comfort at the Fort Lauderdale Borders, and a Local 10 Problem Solver hidden camera spotted exactly what she was concerned about.

On the same table as several Dr. Seuss stationery kits, Local 10 Problem Solver Jeff Weinsier spotted postcards titled "Position of the Day" on the outside of the box. On the cards inside there were graphic pictures of sex acts. And the cards were displayed right next to the Dr. Seuss bookmarks.

Frandsen says her 13-year-old daughter was supposed to be looking at the Seuss stationery, but the bright red box caught her eye. She grabbed the postcards and began to read out loud.

"She read the positions and inserting sexual organs. She read it in (a) graphic manner," Frandsen said.

On the same table, Local 10's hidden camera spotted "hot summer sex coupons."

Frandsen says she immediately found a store manager.

"I went over and calmly talked to the manager, pointed out to him what was here and said, 'I just want you to move it,'" she said.

But Frandsen says after complaining to the manager, she was shocked when she came back to the store a month later, and sex and Dr. Seuss were still sharing the same table.

When Local 10 Problem Solver Jeff Weinsier approached the manager of the store, he told Weinsier that the merchandise was in the stationery section of the store, not the kids' section.

Manager: "Those aren't kids' stationery."

Weinsier: "Excuse me? Dr. Seuss stationery isn't kids' stationery?"

Manager: "It's not kids-related stuff."

Weinsier: "Dr. Seuss isn't kids' stuff?"

Manager: "No, Dr. Seuss is, but that stuff isn't."

Our hidden camera spotted an adult section on the second floor, so Weinsier wondered, why not move the graphic materials there?

Since Weinsier was getting nowhere with the manager, he contacted Borders corporate, in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Within hours, there was a letter of apology from Borders. The letter says: "We have instructed the store to move the items to another location."

A Borders representative told Frandsen by phone that it was a mistake.

Local 10 has learned all 1,200 Borders and Walden bookstores nationwide have now been sent a reminder to keep the sex and the Seuss far apart.

Sponsored Links

Links We Like
Sponsored Content
Snacking can be a healthy part of your diet, as long as you choose the right snacks. Get tips for eating between meals. More

If you have aspirations of becoming a millionaire, check out these five habits that may be worth emulating. More

Thinking of remodeling? You don't have to spend a lot to add home value. See how even small updates can reap big financial returns. More

The signs of Cancer can sometimes be very subtle. Here's a guide to help you recognize them early. More

Most Popular