WA Anglican school backs off book ban

A West Australian high school has backed down from plans to censor its booklist for so-called "inappropriate" material following intense community backlash, including from the author of the highly acclaimed novel Jasper Jones.

The reading list at the regional Georgiana Molloy Anglican School in Busselton was under review, including the works of William Shakespeare, after parents complained about sexual and offensive content.

Author Craig Silvey said he appreciated the school wished to protect children from harmful material but argued literature helped students create empathy by showing the world from another perspective.

"I would strongly advance the case that the foremost endeavour of any senior school is to produce students who are capable of navigating an adult world once they have graduated," Mr Silvey wrote in a post on Facebook.

A spokeswoman for the Christian school told AAP the issue had been "blown out of proportion".

She said the school's principal Ted Kosicki had spoken to parents about the ban and claimed the review had already been conducted, with no books currently flagged for censorship.

"I don't think that (Craig Silvey) has anything to worry about," she said.

Mr Silvey urged Mr Kosicki to trust his staff to guide students through their material so it was not "too distressing or overwhelming."

"Most of all, trust your students. They're stronger, wiser and more capable than you might presume," he said.