The Highland Park Independent School District has taken "appropriate" action involving an eighth grade student at Highland Park Middle School regarding the publication of a novel, according to a statement released by the school district.

"The campus principal and assistant principal were told about the book and given a copy," according to the statement from Helen Williams, the director of communications for HPISD. "They investigated the incident and took appropriate action."

The 362-page novel, which is titled Nobody's Perfect, was written by an eighth grader at HPMS and allegedly depicts underage students partaking in illegal activities involving sex and drugs and references about 30 students at the school by their real names. The book was published and sold through the website Lulu.com.

One family whose child is allegedly a main character in the story has filed a defamation lawsuit against the family of the student who published the book.

The school district considers the lawsuit to be a private matter between the parties involved and cannot legally discuss the issue in further detail, according to the district's statement.

(Other coverage: http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/09/mother_of_highland_park_middle.php)