Children's Books discussion
Banned Books: discussions, lists
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Discussion of censorship, equity, and other concerns.
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https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/20...
Still banning books in ArkansasFarmington School Board unanimously voted March 27 to restrict two books in the high school library to students who are 17 years or older.
All Boys Aren't Blue
Tricks
The board's decision was in response to an appeal by parent Atina King, who first brought her concerns about the books to the high school media specialist in December 2022.
According to school officials last week, the books will be placed in a special area of the library and will have stickers to let students know the books are restricted by age.
King's request for "All Boys Aren't Blue" states that she did not see a purpose for including the book in the library and that it had sexually explicit materials that should not be used to teach minors. King said her objections to the book included profanity, sexual nudity, sexual assault, derogatory racial terms, sexual activities with minors and alternate gender ideologies.
King's objections to "Tricks" were that the book had explicit sexual encounters, sexual violence including child trafficking, molestation and rape and glamoratization of minor's drug and alcohol abuse.
All five board members made comments when considering King's request to remove the books. Each book was discussed separately and then voted upon separately. According to information provided to the board, "All Boys Aren't Blue" had not been checked out from the library and "Tricks" had been checked out 27 times, most recently in 2019.
"It was a little alarming to me," Petree said.
The board discussed how to define a limited availability, whether a student would have to get parental permission to check it out or use an age limit, and agreed upon limiting the book to students 17 or over.
As they discussed the book "Tricks," all board members said they were agreed with the same limitation, 17 years or older, for checking out the book from the high school library.
After the meeting, King said she was happy the board voted to restrict the books, though she said she preferred the board would have required parental consent to check out the books until age 18. Children 17 and under are still considered minors and under their parents' responsibility, she said.
King said she learned about the books through media sources and friends and that prompted her to do some research on them. She said she read all of "Tricks" but did not finish "All Boys Aren't Blue."
King said she does not object to the books in a public library, though she personally disagrees with it.
She also said she is not trying to ban books in school libraries.
"I don't want to ban anything," King said, "I just want to make sure that what we have in the school is appropriate for the ages of the children in that school."
The committee, in its report, said "All Boys Aren't Blue," an autobiography, provides an opportunity for a marginalized group of students to be seen and heard within its pages.
The committee unanimously voted to recommend retaining the book because it gives Farmington High students a choice to read the material and find "comfort in not being alone in their life experiences," according to the committee report. The book also helps the library "maintain an appropriate level of diversity for sexual orientation and race while providing an authentic view of life."
The committee, in its report on "Tricks," said the book is a novel-in-verse and is a cautionary tale about the ever-growing danger of human trafficking as well as the danger young adults can find themselves in due to adult manipulation.
In recommending to retain "Tricks," the committee said that, given statistics of human trafficking and drug abuse, the book would "help reach students in compromising situations that are unsure of where they can turn for help."
According to the district's policy on challenging books, a decision by the school board is final.
https://wcel.nwaonline.com/news/2023/...
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Manybooks wrote: "It is time to publicly name and internationally shame book banning hungry parents, politicians and make them international laughing stocks wherever they are and to wherever they might travel."They are named. Just look in the articles.
Book Riot's weekly round-uphttps://bookriot.com/how-long-until-a...
The school board in New Hanover County (NC) is being compared to Nazis and Marxists for…creating a diverse book review committee to evaluate challenged books.
in Fremont, Nebraska, one person is trying to censor the public library : “The item in question was a report Ganem asked the library staff to compile documenting every LGBTQ-themed book, every sex education book, and every book about Christianity present in the city library. According to Ganem, she wanted the public to see real statistics.”
All of this information is in the catalog.
Anderson County Commissioner Anthony Allen of Oak Ridge [TN] presented the county mayor and county commissioners with packets on the 14 books — aimed at adults, young adults, and teens — that were given to him by local “researchers,” who reportedly found them in one or more of the four libraries.” This is at the public library. Guess where the book reviews are from? It’s the Moms for Liberty website!
“A group of Ohio conservatives, including a number from Lorain and Medina counties, recently signed a letter to Ohio first lady Fran DeWine asking her and Gov. Mike DeWine to help them remove a book Gender Queer: A Memoir from Ohio’s public school libraries.
A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo has been banned in Broward County, Florida, schools. Why? It violates the “parental rights” laws in the state.
We Need to Talk About Vaginas: An IMPORTANT Book About Vulvas, Periods, Puberty, and Sex! will remain on shelves in Westborough Public Library (MA), though it’ll be on a “higher shelf.” This is a book by a reproductive endocrinologist FOR middle schoolers
in Flagler County, Florida a parent justifies Hitler’s book banning! the parent didn’t share where she found the information she shared.
Days after a Plano ISD student overdosed on fentanyl, Ortega said the real drug is “pornography” in Plano ISD’s books.
You Know, Sex: Bodies, Gender, Puberty, and Other Things under fire at the Conway (Arkansas) Public Library!
Union County Public Schools (NC) are trying to implement new policy about curriculum that would essentially eliminate any queer content!
At a school book fair in Alaska, a parent is trying to get books banned: Three books that have been called into question,The Stonewall Riots: Coming Out in the Streets In Deeper Waters
This Is Our Rainbow: 16 Stories of Her, Him, Them, and Us
The books, written for readers ranging from 3rd grade on up, present LGBTQ representation and stories based on actual events. “I looked the books up. I will never, ever be able to get that out of my mind. I cannot believe those type of books and that type of reading is made public to the children of any age,” said Wasilla parent Terri Lyons during the public comments.”
“A Missouri Republican is targeting county library boards’ ability to levy taxes, only a week after the House cut all state aid for libraries.” They want to remove the rights given to library boards who do not bow to their whims.
“We need to be clear about what is behind the push to remove materials: a well-orchestrated fear campaign targeting our LGBTQ+ community. The point is to silence, isolate, and disappear our friends, family members, co-workers and neighbors. Unfortunately, the teen suicide rate in the LGBTQ+ community is extremely high, due to labeling, rejection, persecution, humiliation, bullying and discrimination. None of this is true Christian behavior. Jesus spent time with the outcasts of His culture, and He treated them with dignity and respect. We should all do the same.” This is a good letter in response to potential book bans in Macon County (TN)
The Mississippi Valley public library Four of five library board candidates backed by a conservative Republican in Madison County were elected Tuesday.
Support from Madison County’s council chairman, Kurt Prenzler, included a paid flyer that decried a drag queen story time and pushed voters to “let kids be kids.” The flyer said it was paid for “Citizens for Kurt Prenzler/Madison County Conservative Caucus and the Candidates.”
Elected this week to the board of trustees for the Mississippi Valley Library Board were Kathy Murphy, Lisa McCormick, Jeanne Lomax and Virginia York, all supported by Prenzler. His fifth candidate, Chris Shurilla, lost, with the final position going to Cathy Kulupka.
The election is nonpartisan, but it acquired a political slant through candidates’ disagreements over the drag event, a follow-up request for a Christian story time and claims that a sex education book for children 10-12 should not be shelved in the juvenile section of a library.
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/g...
More from ArkansasSiloam Springs residents sound off on administrator firing, library books
Several residents commented on library books that were pulled from the shelves due to content some people deemed as obscene. Kent Wyatt spoke about how people had spoken at the previous board meeting about being passionate about books, something Wyatt said he is also passionate about.
"I'm a reader and a writer, and I love good books," Wyatt said. "But it worries me that people hold them more sacred than kids sometimes.
The next person to speak was Gene Linzey, who said he worked at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, N.M., for 23 years. Linzey said while he was at the laboratory he and his colleagues were in search of truth. Linzey said what is in the books in question was not truth but instead brainwashing.
"They're not trying to give them truth related to nature," Linzey said. "What we find in those books is not natural; it's unnatural. And I request that we here in this town teach about the truth of nature on all levels."
Chainey Macak spoke in defense of the books saying they are being put on trial by some members of the community and that it's important to protect the rights of all members of the community and the rights of parents to choose what's right for their families.
"It is important for all members of the community, and we need to protect those that are marginalized, including the LGBTQ," Macak said. "These books in particular have been found to be objectionable before because discrimination against the LGBTQ is nothing new."
Macak went on to say the books have never been found to be harmful or offensive in any court of law.
https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2023/m...
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OK the objectionable artwork in Anne Frank's Diary? Nude statues of women. I see a few butts, some triangles and if I look very closely a few pairs of breasts. I suspect what really got the book banned was Anne's thoughts on that same page "Every time I see a female nude, I go into ecstasy." Anne wishes for a girlfriend. Seriously concerned here about the education these Moms of Liberty had and why they're so uptight about nudity. If they're all moms, they've all seen breasts and presumably their children have as well. Their preoccupation with banning nudity and sexuality is so unhealthy. Real life is worse than books. Books help kids deal with reality. Banning knowledge creates unhealthy situations like the ones they keep trying to ban in books. Knowledge is power.
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I wonder if Moms for Liberty also expect breastfeeding mothers to hide away in the bathroom or cover their poor infants with a heavy heavy and constructing blanket if they need to breastfeed whilst out and about. And you know, I would not at all be surprised if the "people" (quotes a mine) finding the statue of David pornographic were members/supporters of Moms of Liberty (and honestly, what a misleading and dual standard moniker, as Moms for Liberty absolutely believe in the very opposite of liberty).
Manybooks wrote: "I wonder if Moms for Liberty also expect breastfeeding mothers to hide away in the bathroom or cover their poor infants with a heavy heavy and constructing blanket if they need to breastfeed whilst out and about. "Yes I believe this is the case for most people at least men and people of older generations and not just Moms for Liberty. In recent years businesses have been better about providing nursing areas and allowing breastfeeding but it's not been an easy fight.
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I find it even more offensive and despicable if a nursing mother is ranted at and verbally abused by another woman and in particular by a young woman who really should know better. And honestly, if this happens and I am around, I have indeed spoken out and very loudly chastised those making a fuss.
A new study has found that Texas ranks among the lowest on library use and highest in book bans per capita. Other states in the bottom
Mississippi (#50), 1.174 visits per capita; North Dakota, 1.201 visits per capita; Texas, 1.214 visits per capita; Washington, 1.273 visits per capita; and Pennsylvania, 1.332 visits per capita.
"Vermont tops the charts in investing in public libraries as it does in per capita use. But Indiana follows not far behind. Despite funding their libraries well, they rank at 30 for use per capita, at 1.968. Kentucky ranks third for investment but 19 for use, while Michigan ranks fourth for investment and tenth for use. Rounding out the top five is Georgia, fifth in investment and thirty-seventh in use."
At the bottom of the list for library investment are Mississippi–which is also last in use; Wyoming, which is surprising given that it ranks in the top five for use; Nevada, twenty-sixth in use; Alaska, ninth in use; and Alabama, thirty-ninth in use.
Every state uses a different mechanism for funding their public libraries. In most, though, it is related to taxes and library usage, so it’s not entirely surprising to see that places with better access to funds for libraries tend to see that play out in how those libraries are utilized. If you’re in a rural, lower-income state, you simply do not have the money to fund these institutions in the same way that wealthier, more urban states can. The cycle builds upon itself, and it leaves those with the most need having access to the least resources."
Now add in book bans:
Texas tops the list in school library book bans, while also at the bottom of the list of public library use per capita. Likewise, Pennsylvania ranks at the top with school library book bans while near the bottom in public library use. Florida, too.
However, "Missouri: it has one of the higher concentrations of school book bans while also ranking just outside the top ten for use per capita. It also ranked twelfth in state funding. Could this information be partially why the legislature there decided one way to get what they want in terms of book bans is to cut public library funding all together? If the institutions that the population uses are defunded, then they can’t use them, and thus, those institutions begin to wither, lose their vitality, and can be all together shuttered."
One of the common lines from both those who are eager to ban books and those who believe it the solution to those school book bans is that those books are accessible at the public library. But are they? And if so, what happens if those institutions are not funded well? Or they’re inaccessible?
Because the reality is, all of these things come into play when considering why some states have more ample use of their public libraries than others.
"We already know book bans are driving kids away from libraries and from reading. .... Book bans are guiding policy across a dozen or more US states, particularly in those where usage already ranks lower.
It’s not hard to imagine a world where, in five years, some US residents had access to and utilized their public libraries robustly while libraries disappeared all together in other."
https://bookriot.com/library-use-and-...
Jean Kwok Author of challenged book coming to Central Bucks School District to speak at board meeting.Girl in Translation Jean Kwok’s 2010 debut novel is one of at least 60 titles challenged under a library policy passed in a 6-3 vote last summer targeting alleged explicit content.
“I'm doing this because I feel like I am in a strong enough position to be someone who can stand up and talk about this and to say, 'Listen, while the instinct (to protect children) may be commendable, what you're actually doing is something that is atrocious and very dangerous.’ ”
Kwok, who currently lives in the Netherlands, is still giving a talk in Florida at Florida State University, but she said Wednesday that she’s decided to reroute her flight to be at the board meeting.
The book tells the story of a young girl who emigrated with her mother from China to Brooklyn, New York, and lives a double life as a student by day and a sweatshop worker at night to help support her family.
Kwok said her fictional novel pulls heavily from her own childhood.
Her coming-of-age story has been used in middle and high school classrooms and in universities across the country for its examination of immigrant life in America.
Kwon defends her novel against Moms for LIberty's accusations
A search of Central Bucks’ online library catalog shows that “Girl in Translation” has multiple copies in the district’s three high schools and one copy in Tohickon Middle School.
The district is currently under a federal investigation stemming from a 72-page complaint of LGBTQ discrimination filed in October on behalf of seven students by the ACLU of PA.
https://www.phillyburbs.com/story/new...
Over 800 Central Bucks County alumni sign letter condemning recent board actions, policiesThey condemned the actions of the school board and its administration as "discriminatory and dangerous" in an “open letter.”
The March 8 letter was signed by members from the classes of 1959 to 2022.
Among other discriminatory policies the district
More recently the district made headlines after a high school principal directed a school librarian to remove a quote from Holocaust survivor Elie Weisel days before National Holocaust Remembrance Day. The removal, which was reversed a day later after a social media storm, was ordered in response to a newly adopted policy that forbids classroom displays or teacher discussions advocating partisan political or social policy if unrelated to a lesson.
The district has also faced harsh criticism over board policy 109.2, which allows anyone in the community to challenge library resource material as containing inappropriate sexual content and nudity and seek to have it reviewed for removal.
At least 60 books are currently under review after being challenged by community memebrs; another five books - four containing LGBTQ+ themes or characters - have been targeted for an “internal” review by administrators.
The letter contends the district’s recent actions have undermined the ability for students to grow and flourish intellectually and created a “persistent hostile environment for LGBQ&T and other vulnerable students.”
It described the library policy as targeting books involving LGBTQ+ themes or characters for review and attempting to limit materials of authors and themes that “open students to a wide array of views – some that have historically been marginalized in our country – and benefit their education.”
https://www.phillyburbs.com/story/new...
read the letter
https://www.documentcloud.org/documen...
And to illustrate just how much it costs to ban a bookMore than $30K of taxpayers' money, 220 hours spent on single Spring Branch ISD (TX) book ban, docs show
Spring Branch ISD is expediting its book-banning process.
Monday night, the board voted to cut the first two layers of its book reconsideration process - skipping to the third and final layer. This means teacher, administrator, and parent feedback will be almost entirely subverted. Instead, book review decisions will be left to the school board's discretion.
Nathalie Herpin, who have been fighting the ban.
"I think we start to see that a lot of these concerns target marginalized communities," Herpin said.
She helps run the Families 4 Every Child political action committee, which opposes what the website refers to as "fringe" educational issues, like book bans.
Herpin filed a records request with the district asking how much money and time was spent reviewing "The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person
The book, penned by Frederick Joseph, was banned by the school board in January 2023.
ABC13 verified the data Herpin received with the district. Then, Jeffrey Davidson, a partner with Capstone Forensic Group, combed through the numbers.
Davidson found that the district spent $30,119 and 226 staff hours reviewing the book. The hours were split between 16 district employees.
More than 40 books have been submitted for reconsideration this school year.
Sources told ABC13 the first two layers of the ban were eliminated Monday because parents and activists opposed to book bans were filing frivolous book reconsideration requests in an effort to jam up the system and delay bans.
"You encourage the system to allow people to challenge more books and to seek to remove more books. Board members have even publicly encouraged people to challenge books. Yet, you seem surprised and frustrated when not just the people you encouraged to challenge books seem to use the system," Spring Branch ISD parent Melissa Endicott said, addressing the board directly Monday evening.
Challenged books include
The Day the Crayons Quit for having an overall negative vibe
Dragon of the Red Dawn "unrealistic nature of mythological creatures."
Wonder "celebrating differences"
Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties was submitted because a parent claimed they do not want their child to believe that "animals are human."
The Couch Potato
Cucumber Quest: The Doughnut Kingdom
were reported for their alleged "glamourization of an unhealthy lifestyle."
Waiting Is Not Easy! a parent claimed talking animals could "confuse or upset a child."
They added that the animals were "badly behaved" and noted, "the elephant is terribly impatient!"
Smile Kids who have braces shouldn't be ashamed."
Who Would Win? Ultimate Bug Rumble "the bracket for the competition is ridiculous and why would we pit bugs against one another."
https://abc13.com/spring-branch-isd-b...
SERIOUSLY? Why are they wasting taxpayer money and people's time that could be better spent educating their kids?
This week in libraries from Publisher's Weekly:A report in the local Daily Trib reports that the Llano County, TX library has complied with the order, with most of the books swiftly returned to the shelves (where they were almost immediately checked out).
“Although libraries are afforded great discretion for their selection and acquisition decisions, the First Amendment prohibits the removal of books from libraries based on either viewpoint or content discrimination,” Pitman wrote in his 26-page decision. But perhaps the most important message delivered from the lawsuit is a warning to library boards around the country: If you intend to censor your library collections, prepare to pay up.
That's a point Alyssa Rosenberg makes in an excellent Washington Post editorial this week (which quotes officials from EveryLibrary). "Library supporters can point out that censorship has costs and wastes public resources," she writes. "Libraries have been sued for removing books or restricting access to them on the grounds that it is illegal for public facilities to favor one political viewpoint over another. Towns can’t ban books because they’re Marxist, or use internet filters that restrict access to gay rights websites while letting users browse conversion therapy ministries. Even if a library or school system wins a case, defending it costs money, and damages can be substantial."
Meanwhile, the Texas Tribune reports that the Texas Senate has passed Senate Bill 1601, which would "defund public libraries where drag queens are allowed to read to children," and Senate Bill 12 which would "bar kids from drag shows if the performances are overly lewd and lascivious," though it's not defined what would constitute lewd behavior.
Good news Missouri:
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Missouri Senate is will not support a house plan to defund the state's libraries. "Sen. Lincoln Hough, R-Springfield, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, said Tuesday that the panel will place $4.5 million back in the budget, which covers spending for the fiscal year beginning July 1."
Variety reports that legendary author (and Florida resident) Judy Blume, no stranger to book bans, offered a "passionate" defense of the freedom to read (and had some choice words for her governor, Ron DeSantis) at Variety‘s Power of Women luncheon this week. "The reality is, we are right back where we were in the ’80s except it’s the ’80s on steroids,"
Blume told attendees, pointing out that "it’s not the moral majority or only the religious right" behind the current wave of book bans, but the government. "They are criminalizing teachers and librarians. It’s not just that they’re threatening their jobs, they’re threatening them," Blume said. "I’ve known librarians who have saved lives by handing the right book to the right child at the right time. And for that one kid, finding themselves in a book can be a lifesaver.”
In South Carolina, another sobering library board story: the Greenville News reports that a well-qualified local leader nominated to fill a library board vacancy was rejected after a conservative city council member circulated an email warning the nominee "would advocate for children having access to 'adult' materials" in the library.
And finally this week, in Pennsylvania, an important, passionate editorial by opinion page contributor (and former teacher) Jill Sunday Bartoli in the Pennsylvania Capital-Star. "The war against truth, understanding, human decency, and a full and rich education for all of our children is very well-funded and organized. Dark money is behind the relentless attacks on our teachers and schools (and school boards) who are burning out at record numbers," Bartoli notes. The way to push back? Show up.
"Despite the rampant and vindictive culture wars, and despite anti-teacher and anti-public school propaganda, we are still a representative democracy—as long as we all participate actively," Bartoli concludes. "We must all find the ways that we can move ahead together, fully awake and committed to the important democratic education that our youth deserve. We can do this together–left, right and center—for our teachers, librarians, public schools, and democracy. And most of all, for our children and grandchildren."
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/b...
Good news IllinoisIllinois seeks library pledge against ‘banning’ books
Illinois’ new secretary of state and Democrats in the General Assembly are pushing back against a rise in challenges to books shelved in libraries.
Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, who is also the state librarian, is spearheading legislation that would make state grants to libraries contingent on their establishing “a written policy prohibiting the practice of banning books.”
Libraries could adopt their own pledge or sign one developed by the library.
...
“The extremists are coming after your literature. They’re coming after your libraries, they are coming after your books under the guise of, ‘We’re protecting somebody,’” Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, said. “The reality is more information is better. Obviously we all believe in age-appropriate materials, but the reality is our libraries have been able to manage this for years and years and years.”
https://apnews.com/article/prohibitin...
Commentary from the Missouri Independent:"Missouri’s new effort to punish libraries is vindictive and harmful
...
Perhaps most frighteningly, a librarian or educator violating the law —s imply by including an “explicit” book within their catalog — may face up to a year in prison.
Since the law was enacted, some Missouri school districts have reported receiving lists of books to remove from district administrators and attorneys. Other districts have received no guidance, leaving librarians to search their stacks themselves to determine which books might be considered “explicit” under the law. Librarians who get it wrong because, for example, they refuse to pull an art book whose merits are deemed not “significant” or a comic book with depictions that could be interpreted as sexual puts their liberty at risk, along with their job.
As a result of the law, some librarians now live in fear. A recent story from the media outlet Coda profiled a Missouri high school librarian who has been visited twice by a police officer, who told her she had been accused of giving pornography to children. At no point did the librarian find out which book was the culprit.
The librarian, who asked to be identified with the pseudonym “Amy,” has begun reviewing her entire library’s collection in order to comply with the new law—but she has decided not to ask any of her colleagues for help. Why? So that they don’t face potential prison charges as well if they decide to include a book that police officers decide is “explicit.”
Amy told the news outlet: “Never would I have ever thought that the library could land me in jail.”
It’s no wonder that Missouri’s librarians, with the support of the Missouri chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, have sued to find the law unconstitutional. But apparently that has hurt a senior Republican legislator’s feelings: Republican House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith reportedly said he was upset by the suit and as a result proposed the budgetary removal of state library funding.
Apparently Smith considers it unfair for Missouri state employees to fight for their rights in court. And while he has argued the state shouldn’t have to “subsidize” the libraries’ lawsuit, it’s unclear what subsidies he is talking about. The Missouri ACLU is representing the libraries for free.
]Defunding libraries] will disproportionately hurt economically disadvantaged and rural Missourians. Libraries typically provide other essential services, including free access to wi-fi and computers. Local libraries in rural areas are particularly dependent on state funding. Librarians have already stated that, if this budget passes, they will have to cut back on services, including those that have helped Missouri communities get access to life-saving health information."
https://missouriindependent.com/2023/...
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But also, if I lived in a book banning happy state like Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, Missouri and the like, I would also seriously restrict any kind of play dates etc. at my personal residence, for I would seriously be afraid of irate parents calling the police etc. on me for having "obscene" books readily available for children/teenagers to read.
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Idaho Gov. Brad Little on Wednesday vetoed HB 314, a bill aimed at restricting minors from accessing 'ha..."
Thank you for all of the articles. Sorry I have not been on the thread for a few days and appreciate you posting the updates for Idaho already. My husband said Nextdoor is getting flooded with posts about Gov. Little vetoing that library bill, many upset that it has been vetoed. I'm glad he vetoed it, but remain concerned about it being reworked in the future since many are still supporting the intent behind the bill. Though at least Little did say that the library is not the only place children can find "inappropriate content" and that children can find this on their phones, etc. I mean, truly, if parents are concerned about what their children can access they need to be doing more parenting with their children helping them understand how to navigate in a world that does have a variety of materials available from various outlets and not trying to simply shut down one of many places it can be obtained or try to ban every single book that might be "objectionable." (I can't help but think of Prohibition and what a dismal failure that was!) Libraries, being public, are the scapegoat.
And, yes, as you have both eloquently stated above, all this is just bringing MORE attention to these materials and probably doing more harm than good even for the children they are trying to "protect."
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Idaho Gov. Brad Little on Wednesday vetoed HB 314, a bill aimed at restricting minors..."
Good point, a lot of book banning happy parents are in my opinion simply to lazy to parent their children and want the government etc. to do this for them (and yes, that sure sounds very nanny state left wing). But of course the book banners also think that they should have the right to lord it over everyone and to dictate not just what their children but what everyone is reading and/or allowed to read (but who can even blame them for thinking that way when they are being routinely and constantly enabled by politicians and other public figures saying pretty much the same and agreeing with this).
Lots of news today. CNBC had an informal poll on their website and 96% of responders think we're in 451 degree F territory right now.What frightens me the most is how these censors have no understanding or care for the Constitution or laws they don't have any interest in. It's Ok for them to avoid vaccines, masks and other public safety measures. They don't want the government to tell them how to raise their kids yet they DO want the government to tell everyone else how to raise their kids. What happens when their plans backfire and all the new 18-21 year olds vote their candidates into office and the so-called liberal propaganda comes back and their right-wing Christian propaganda is banned? Is book banning OK then too or only when it suits their agenda?
In Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, Lafayette school corporation held its monthly school board meeting Monday, April 10th. One item that was not on the meeting’s agenda was board member Chuck Hockema's book list request.
Hockema requested a list of book material's taught in all LSC classrooms just a few weeks ago. The initial email, sent out by school principals, states that the book list was due April 7th of 2023.
Since the email was sent out requesting a list of books for board member Hockema, LSC superintendent Les Huddle has sent a follow up email telling teachers the request is on hold for now and they do not need to send a list by April 7th.
Regardless of the pause, people spoke out against the request at the monthly board meeting. do not trust them.
Only two people spoke during public participation at the meeting. Both speakers were in opposition to Hockema's request for a book list.
https://www.wlfi.com/news/concern-ove...
This one I can see why it's objectionable but I think but kids in middle school mostly know the difference between real and fantasy violence. Assassination Classroom, Vol. 01
"Citizens Defending Freedom wants to have a graphic novel book series showing “explicit violence, mild profanity, and graphic sexual activities” removed from classrooms in Florida that show kids shooting, killing their teachers, and more.
“This is yet another example of age-inappropriate material in our children’s schools,” Florida State Director Sarah Calamunci said. “Citizens Defending Freedom has no objections to books that serve legitimate educational purposes, but after a thorough review of this graphic novel, we are at a loss for what educational purpose ‘Assassination Classroom’ could possibly serve.”
“This is a non-partisan issue,” Kristen Huber, Citizens Defending Freedom’s National Communications Director added. “We should all be able to agree that violence toward teachers and explicit sexual content is not something that schools should be glorifying or promoting, especially on taxpayer dollars.”
The cover of the book includes a Parental Advisory: “‘Assassination Classroom’ is rated T + for older teen and is recommended for ages 16 and up. It contains realistic violence and suggestive situations,” the outlet noted."
https://www.dailywire.com/news/assass...
Like Idaho, Indiana has backed off their book banning bill for now. "Indiana House committee abandons contentious library materials amendment — for now
Language increasing parents’ ability to get books removed from libraries could return on the House floor, however.
Committee chairman Rep. Bob Behning, R-Indianapolis, did not comment directly when asked by the Indiana Capital Chronicle about the decision not to vote on the amendment, but he said such language will “likely” be up for debate again in the full chamber.
“The issue is not done yet,” he said.
The proposed amendment, authored by Rep. Becky Cash, R-Zionsville, intended to create a new process for parents to request the removal of books alleged to be obscene or harmful to minors from school and public libraries.
Language in the amendment would have additionally removed “educational purposes” as a reason that public schools and libraries could claim legal protection for sharing “harmful material” with underage students.
Last week, school officials and librarians pushed back against the proposal for more than four hours, arguing that such a policy would open them up to criminal charges and create a “chilling effect” on book selections.
Democrats echoed those concerns, saying the amendment could lead to the removal of anything one parent deems to be unsuitable over the objection of other parents.
Proponents of the amendment pointed to Hoosier parents who say their local school boards have rejected their challenges of certain materials — leaving books some deem to be “obscene” and “objectionable” accessible to kids in school libraries.
Republican lawmakers agreed, saying the book removal process “isn’t working” at the local level and now warrants statewide legislative action to require “transparency between schools, libraries and communities.”
https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2...
Remember the good news from Llano County, TX? Not so fast... they'd rather shut down the library than have a handful of books they consider obscene. This article has documents so I'll just link to it.https://tinyurl.com/TXlibrary
In Connecticut, Kent Memorial Library in Suffield has a new policy to address complaints about books that are displayed, after a recent controversy in which the first selectman removed a children’s book on pronouns from the shelf.What Are Your Words?: A Book About Pronouns
The book written for 4- to 8-year-old children, had the traditional she, her, he, him pronouns in it, and also includes the more recent they, them, their pronouns when referring to individuals whose gender identity is fluid.
But while there was a policy for removing books from circulation, it didn’t address removing them from display only. So Moll, who said he didn’t object to the subject matter in the book, has said he walked a middle ground. There was just one complaint, Moll has said.
Library Director Julie Styles said the new policy states that any complaint about a book should be filed at the library, where the director will review it and bring it to the Library Commission at the next meeting.
A decision about the book will be made by the director and commission within 30 days after that meeting.
Styles said that while Locke’s book was never taken out of circulation, suppressing the book is a form of censorship.
“The purpose of removing a book or other item from a display is to prevent people from seeing it,” Styles said. “Supporting the suppression of this book and inhibiting the ideas within is by definition censorship.”
She said the display where “What Are Your Words?” was located was not labeled, but kindness was the theme of the display.
Styles said book was one of about seven on an end-panel display. Other books in the display addressed empathy, helping out friends, being nice to new kids at school.
The Locke book has been checked out three times since it was removed from the display (in late December/early January), Styles said. Prior to that, it had been checked out one time since its addition to the library in February 2022.
Locke hope to open doors and conversation.
https://www.courant.com/2023/04/10/ct...
The scariest news of the day comes from Louisiana again"Late last month, Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., tweeted: “Over time, American communities will build beautiful, church owned public-access libraries. I’m going to help these churches get funding. We will change the whole public library paradigm. The libraries regular Americans recall are gone. They’ve become liberal grooming centers.”
The commentary piece provides a nice example of librarians trying to go around the "handing out obscene material to minors" clause.
"Recently, on the inside door of a restroom in a small-town public library in Red State, U.S.A., I saw a sign labeled “Sensitive Subjects,” presumably posted by library staff. Struck by the concern it conveyed and by the necessity of its discreet placement, I snapped a photo of it. “We are here to help but we know some things are hard to ask about,” the sign read. “Here is a list of subjects and where you can find them. They can be found in the Young Adult section or the Adult section.”
Abortion was the first topic on that library’s list. The last topic was suicide. Other topics included LGBTQ issues and mental illness; pregnancy, drug addiction and sexually transmitted diseases; divorce, depression, domestic violence and rape and sexual assault. I’m guessing that sign has helped someone navigating an urgent, potentially life-changing situation, find one or more books with needed information. Or — because experiencing a thing is not a prerequisite for reading about a thing — maybe those books simply helped a person learn about a topic that interested them. It’s a fitting public expenditure, either way."
https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-o...
Finally, tools to help fight book bans.Fight for the First
https://www.fightforthefirst.org/
Every Library launched fightforthefirst.org just eight weeks ago and in that short time more than 20,000 Americans have signed dozens of local and statewide petitions against book bans and censorship in the United States.
This platform has helped organizers win in places like Glen Ridge, New Jersey.
We helped build a campaign against legislation in Utah.
It's helping local community members fight against book bans in Rapides Parish in Louisiana.
. When you launch an anti-censorship campaign on fightforthefirst.org, we'll walk you through the process of organizing, we'll connect you to the tools you need, and we'll support your outreach with up to $1,000 in digital media and ads in your community to help you reach more people who care. And, because of our donors, all of our assistance is pro-bono and free.
Join the fight against book bans by launching your campaign today at fightforthefirst.org!
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What frightens me the most is how these censors have no unders..."
Book banners (politicians, lawmakers etc.) and supporters of book banners are the biggest hypocrites.
If You're a Drag Queen and You Know ItLibrary Board Consensus Is That Children’s Book Was Purchased Under And Abides By Library Policy
A children’s sing-a-long book, ‘If You’re a Drag Queen and You Know It’, will not be removed from the children’s section at Mesa (AZ) Public Library.
The consensus of the Los Alamos Library Board Monday evening was that the children’s book “If You’re a Drag Queen and You Know It” was purchased under the current Library System Policies and Collection Development Guidelines and abides by them, therefore reaffirming the position of Library Director Gwen Kalavaza on the issue.
Library patron Valerie Fox had requested that the library remove the book form its collection along with “other LGBTQ books” and “paraphernalia such as political Pride bookmarks on display in the children’s section”
Board chair John Nash noted that the board is not required to make a decision on a particular book, but had to decide whether or not the book was purchased under the current policy and abides by that policy, and whether or not the policy matches what the board wants the library to be.
”We are not taking a vote on this, ultimately. My due diligence as chair consists of following up with the director as well as the children’s librarian responsible for purchasing,” he said.
Nash mentioned that 25-50 children’s books a month are purchased by the library and that the policy outlines what sort of things are taken into consideration.
“For this particular book, the author is well known and is recommended by the School Library Journal, represents their diversity and the illustrator is also a person of color as well as being a female. It’s found in other libraries including, in my research, about half the libraries in Florida… also throughout the south, Phoenix, Denver, Los Angeles and lots of libraries that I checked,” he said.
Nash said the book was not part of a display for Pride but was displayed because it was a new book and it was just on rotation. As books are shelved, if a new book has been taken, another new book gets put in its place, he said.
Board members generally agreed that the purchase of the book falls squarely within the policy but there was mention by a board member of the need to provide equal advocacy for Christian books also. The board member said she would never ban the book because she would not give it status as a banned book.
With regard to the Pride bookmarks, Library Director Gwen Kalavaza noted that more than a dozen are published each year to coincide with themes and displays prepared by staff for the library related to topics of interest such as J. Robert Oppenheimer, African American and Asian American authors.
Multiple people made public comments prior to the agenda item and again at the end of the meeting as well as in some 40 emails received by the board in advance. They contained references to freedom of speech, the slippery slope of banning books, that banning books is part of a political attack from the far right and that no one banning books is ever on the right side of history.
https://losalamosreporter.com/2023/04...
More bad news from Oregon but out of bad comes good - Students protest after Oregon school district pulls 36 books from Canby schools after 2 parents complainhttps://www.oregonlive.com/education/...
Hm the whole story doesn't come up on the link but it was on Google News
reportedly another challenge in Florida although unconfirmed at this timeMary Nhin has written hundreds of books for children with inclusive themes allegedly not allowed in Florida schools.
https://kfor.com/news/local/edmond-au...
Excuses from Florida.Brevard Public Schools’ library shelves.
"Though public comment at nearly every board meeting includes discussion both in favor of reviewing books for [obscene] material and against censorship, the book review committee has been on hold since about the time the new board took office in November 2022.
Since the book debate began, only one book has been removed from the school district's shelves entirely. Two other books now sit behind media specialists' desks, but are available to students upon request.
That could change soon.
Now, the board is looking to return to reviewing challenged books, potentially with a new group of reviewers and a new set of guidelines.
The Brevard County School Board, at a March 28 recent work session, discussed a change to their book review process that would bar school media specialists from having a vote on what books could stay on shelves and what must be removed. Additionally, each board member will be able to appoint a committee member.
Though no policy has been put in place, the discussion elicited numerous speakers on the topic at a meeting, including many upset that media specialists might no longer have a vote.
With the proposed change, media specialists on the review committee would be stripped of voting power, though librarians will still have a say over what books make it into school libraries in the first place. It was not known how big the review committee would be or how members will be chosen, apart from the one member each school board member gets to appoint.
"Media specialists still have the responsibility to review ... their collection, to add books to the collections, to follow the law, to follow the (Florida Department of Education's) recommendations that have been put out," said board member Katye Campbell.
Board member Jennifer Jenkins opposed the move.
"We believed that we should remove the experts because of an unsupported argument of bias or a conflict of interest," Jenkins said. "There's no real logical explanation to remove people who have an expertise in those areas off of that discussion, because as we said ourselves, we had a process in place and it was working."
During public comment at the March 28 school board meeting, at least 13 of the 29 speakers spoke in support of media specialists, both asking for them to be involved in the review process and asking that they receive help with a job multiple media specialists described as overwhelming.
"On top of what I do daily, I need to vet 14,000 books in my library as well as classroom libraries," said Kimberly Botelho, media specialist at Sunrise Elementary School in Palm Bay. She estimated the total number of books in all Sunrise's classrooms at about 8,000. "I cannot do this without assistance."
She was not the only media specialist to speak out about the overwhelming workload. BPS media specialists must review books to make sure they meet Florida's standards for age-appropriate books, or potentially be charged with a felony.
Many also teach classes, help develop curriculum and perform more standard duties around the school libraries, such as shelving books. Several media specialists described the workload as being too much without the help of media assistants, as the position was cut from schools prior to the 2020-2021 school year for budgetary reasons.
Scott Jost, a media specialist and teacher at another elementary school in Brevard, said if it takes him just over one minute to review a book by checking reviews and age-appropriateness online, he would have to spend 192 workdays reviewing books in addition to teaching students.
Some students and parents alike shared support for keeping media specialists involved in the voting process for the review committee, sharing personal experiences of learning to love reading or overcoming parts of a disability with the help of a media specialist.
Botelho questioned the thought process behind stripping media specialists of their voting power when their job already requires them to review books.
"You're letting media specialists vet the books at the schools but not have a seat at the table when books are challenged," Botelho said. "Does that make sense?"
Michelle Beavers, who led the charge in challenging books in early 2022 as then-chair of the library committee for Brevard's chapter of Moms for Liberty, said she disagrees with the notion of "banning" books. That's not what they're doing, Beavers said.
"We don't say we're banning cigarettes (when) we make cigarettes available for 21 and up, and we don't say we're banning alcohol when that's available for 21 and up," she said. "We're not banning books. We're simply making them age appropriate, and the best place for some of these books is in our public library. Some of them just simply aren't appropriate for our schools."
https://www.floridatoday.com/story/ne...
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https://www.cp24.com/news/illustrated...
And of course, it is those despicable Moms for Liberty again! Honestly every member of that group and anyone supporting Moms for Liberty has obviously sprung right from Adolf Hitler backside.
In my opinion, students should come to school with copies of Anne Frank's Diary: The Graphic Adaptation and simply demand the book be reinstated (that principal agreeing with Moms for Liberty obviously have less intelligence than jellyfish, and by the way, jellyfish do not in fact have brains).
And we should maybe consider doing an ancestry search of Moms for Liberty leader Jennifer Pippin (as she certainly sounds like Ilse Koch, the so-called Bitch of Buchenwald).
Montgomery County Maryland schools are standing up to the bullying parents.The Washington Post reports:
Some Montgomery parents want to opt out of new books featuring LGBTQ characters.
The school system said in March it would halt its opt-out process on the books.
"The stories on the list were recommended by a group of parents, community members, students and staff members, and the books were vetted by a committee of five staff members.
Each book was posted online for parents to review.
In an announcement in January unveiling the new material, the school system wrote, “As with all curriculum resources, there is an expectation that teachers use the texts as a part of instruction,” but that the materials were “optional as it is standard practice that teachers have a choice regarding which materials to use.”
"“It really opened the door and really was the beginnings of conversations for students around LGBTQ+ inclusivity,” said Arvin Kim, the student member of the county school board."
But as the books have been adopted into classrooms, some parents have argued that the topics of sexual orientation and gender identity are being introduced too early. They say that they would rather have the discussions at home, and they are pushing the school system to put in place a policy similar to the opt-out provision that’s in place for sex education.
Last month, a districtwide parental notification policy changed and parents were no longer informed in advance that the books were being used by teachers, and opting out of the lessons was no longer allowed. The school system cited Maryland law, which only allows opt-opt provisions for sex education programs.
“We asked them to just leave an opt out in place because it goes against a lot of family values; many have a lot of religious values it goes against,” said Lindsey Smith, a parent of three in the school system. “There’s a lot of parents that just think that their kids weren’t even mature enough to handle some of these readings and then have to explain some of these words.”
...
The books “are on the approved list of supplemental materials schools will have access to that align with our goal of providing more inclusive texts and resources in support of curriculum standards,” schools spokeswoman Jessica Baxter said. The reading list also follows two goals of the school system’s gender identity guidelines “to reduce stigmatization and foster social integration and cultural inclusiveness,” she said.
Smith — who is president of the Montgomery chapter of the conservative group Moms for Liberty — rallied parents to push to reinstate the policy.
Other groups have joined — the Council on American-Islamic Relations and Montgomery County Muslim Council launched a petition arguing that the school system’s decisions “undermine the rights of families and the spirit of Maryland state law.”
“We’re trying to be respectful of these groups and their rights, but at the same time, we’re saying our rights need to be represented based off of our belief systems,” said Asif Husain, president of the Montgomery County Muslim Council. The groups’ petition, which has gained over 800 signatures, also calls for an opt out from the new books and lessons."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/educat...
The reading list:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1J...
As reported yesterday, Llano County, TX wants to close the library where a judge ordered the LGBTQ+ books returned to the shelves."A small Texas county is weighing whether to shut down its public library system after a federal judge ruled the commissioners violated the constitution by banning a dozen mostly children's books and ordered that they be put back in circulation.
The Llano County commissioners have scheduled for Thursday a special meeting in which the first item on the agenda is whether to "continue or cease operations" at the library.
Leila Green Little, one of the seven local residents who successfully sued the county for banning the books, fired off an email Monday urging county residents to attend the special meeting and give the commissioners an earful.
“We may not get another opportunity to save our library system and, more importantly, the public servants who work there,” Little wrote.
In the message, Little also included a screenshot of a text message that Bonnie Wallace, who is vice chairman of the Llano County Library Advisory Board, sent to one of her supporters. It was obtained by the seven residents as part of the discovery for the civil suit they filed against the county on April 25, 2022.
It read, in part, "the judge has said, if we lose the injunction, he will CLOSE the library because he WILL NOT put the p**** back in the kid's section!"
"Llano County Judge Ron Cunningham did not return a call from NBC News. It was not immediately clear what books Wallace was describing."
I Need a New Butt! (again, this time a trilogy)
In the Night Kitchen (STILL?!)
Larry The Farting Leprechaun: A Funny Read Aloud Picture Book For Kids And Adults About Leprechaun Farts and Toots for St. Patrick's Day
Gary The Goose And His Gas On The Loose: Fart Book and Rhyming Read Aloud Story About Farting and Friendship. An Easter Basket Gift For Boys and Girls
Freddie The Farting Snowman: A Funny Read Aloud Picture Book For Kids And Adults About Snowmen Farts and Toots
Harvey The Heart Had Too Many Farts: A Rhyming Read Aloud Story Book For Kids And Adults About Farting and Friendship, A Valentine's Day Gift For Boys ...
Sex-ed books
It's Perfectly Normal: A Book about Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health
YA books
They Called Themselves the K.K.K.: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group
Spinning
Adult books probably NOT in the children's section
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/...
Missouri Republicans still trying to defund libraries"ACLU calls Missouri Republicans move to defund libraries 'abhorrent'
House Republicans approved a plan to slash state spending on local libraries to $0 after library groups sued to overturn state censorship of kids books."
"Missouri Democrats protested the plan to slash state spending on public libraries to zero dollars in the upcoming budget and offered an amendment to restore the funds.
House Republicans refused to reinstate the funds after a brief debate over state censorship of school books.
"When it hit libraries and schools, it started leading to a lot of schools banning a lot of books: a book ban," Rep. Peter Merideth (D-St. Louis) said.
"That's not what this is," Rep. Dirk Deaton (R-Noel) replied. "Yes, a school can't assign Johnny a 'Hustler' magazine. That's true."
"Giving explicit material — giving Hustler to a kid in a library — was already illegal," Merideth responded. "That was already illegal, and we wouldn't have needed that bill. So what that bill did was create a chilling effect where schools and libraries started banning things like 'The Children's Bible' because of sex in it."
...
Senator Lincoln Hough (R-Springfield) has expressed his intent to restore the library funds in the upper chamber. While Hough was unavailable for an interview on the matter, his legislative aides said he felt strongly about protecting library funds from the proposed cuts in the House.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...
https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/pol...
Missouri Republicans still trying to defund libraries"ACLU calls Missouri Republicans move to defund libraries 'abhorrent'
House Republicans approved a plan to slash state spending on local libraries to $0 after library groups sued to overturn state censorship of kids books."
"Missouri Democrats protested the plan to slash state spending on public libraries to zero dollars in the upcoming budget and offered an amendment to restore the funds.
House Republicans refused to reinstate the funds after a brief debate over state censorship of school books.
"When it hit libraries and schools, it started leading to a lot of schools banning a lot of books: a book ban," Rep. Peter Merideth (D-St. Louis) said.
"That's not what this is," Rep. Dirk Deaton (R-Noel) replied. "Yes, a school can't assign Johnny a 'Hustler' magazine. That's true."
"Giving explicit material — giving Hustler to a kid in a library — was already illegal," Merideth responded. "That was already illegal, and we wouldn't have needed that bill. So what that bill did was create a chilling effect where schools and libraries started banning things like 'The Children's Bible' because of sex in it."
...
Senator Lincoln Hough (R-Springfield) has expressed his intent to restore the library funds in the upper chamber. While Hough was unavailable for an interview on the matter, his legislative aides said he felt strongly about protecting library funds from the proposed cuts in the House.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...
https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/pol...
Hollywood has finally realized what's been going onJulianna Margulies, Shonda Rhimes & Andy Cohen Among Celebrities Supporting ‘Let America Read’ Campaign Amid Book Ban Concerns
"Chloë Grace Moretz, Julia Roberts, Connie Britton, Sterling K. Brown, Julianna Margulies, Selma Blair, Shonda Rhimes, Andy Cohen, and many other public figures are coming together to support the #LetAmericaRead campaign amid the book bans in some states in America.
The initiative comes from CAA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Creative Artists Agency (CAA), in partnership with the non-partisan group Campaign for Our Shared Future.
“History is clear: good ideas are strengthened through contest, as governments are through debate. Since time immemorial, book banning has been the refuge of leaders who fear that their arguments and writs cannot withstand scrutiny. Its violence is born of weakness. And we are not a weak people – fighting book bans is an act of patriotism and a show of strength,” stated Emmy Award-winning actress, Julianna Margulies.
...
“I am a reader. I think all books have some value, but the life-changing books that have fought for that space in the school Canon of literature, they represent what has been so vital to America. Eli Wiesel’s books and “The Diary of Anne Frank” taught me the importance of never forgetting. And to keep tragedies alive in writing teaches the resilience we have. They went through it and they wrote about it so one day we won’t have to,” stated actress Selma Blair.
CAA Foundation Executive Deborah Marcus says, “This current wave of book banning in the U.S. is an issue that we all need to be deeply concerned about. Librarians and teachers across the country are being targeted, threatened, and fired for putting books on shelves that are age-appropriate, historically sound, and reflective of society during the time periods in which they were set. The bans and these tactics pose a direct threat to the health of our entire educational ecosystem and to our democracy.”
Campaign for Our Shared Future Executive Director, Heather Harding, Ed.D. added, “Books have the power to introduce us to new places, cultures, and perspectives. But right now students across the country are facing empty bookshelves in their classrooms and school libraries. Books that have been read for generations are being banned by extremists who appoint themselves judge and jury on what’s appropriate for everyone else.”
To learn more about #LetAmericaRead, the dangers of book bans, and actions you can take, visit the website: https://www.letamericaread.org/
https://deadline.com/2023/04/julianna...
Texas moms fight back against the conservative takeovers of school boards:A parent-led non-profit seeks to reverse trend of school board takeovers by conservatives
"Keller Independent School District mother Laney Hawes says when books are pulled from shelves in her district, they stay gone for a minimum of ten years, something she says has happened to around 40 books already this school year.
And because of a non-binary frog, Hawes says even the popular children’s book series Dog Man and Cat Kid” has been yanked.
“None of us really know where those books go. They're boxed up and no one will answer us as to actually what happens to those books,” Hawes told us on Y’all-itics. “My greatest fear is that they're being boxed up and sent away with like the shredders. I don't know. Right? I don't know what happens to these books.”
Parents like Laney Hawes, who describes herself as a moderate, have since decided to fight back and in her words, make school board meetings boring again.
It all started by forming the non-profit “Keller ISD Families for Public Education.”
But they see it as a David vs. Goliath battle in suburban Tarrant County, especially as it relates to funding.
“It is a bunch of parents and neighbors offering, here's $100, here's $300, here's $25. That's added up to about $5,000, give or take. What can we do? Right now we have realized we have one goal and that is voter turnout. That's it,” Hawes told us. “Because if the exact same people vote in the elections that have been voting who voted last year, we're not going to win because the messaging is the same. The only thing we can do to win is by inspiring new people to vote.”
Hawes says the next three weeks are particularly important for them.
The Keller ISD school board election is May 6 (as are other municipal elections) and they’re trying to hand out 20,000 information cards between now and then.
The group has even tried to recruit some candidates to run for school board.
But in today’s political environment, that can be difficult, if not impossible.
...
As one of the more vocal parents leading the charge, she’s faced conservative backlash on social media and in person.
She told us about the time a man walked up to her at a school board meeting and called her out for being a member of Antifa.
“I kind of tapped him on the shoulder and I was like, excuse me, because I didn't quite hear him. And he was like, you heard it. We know you're Antifa. I just walked away, like, almost laughing. I'm not Antifa. I'm a mom with four children in the school district who's really, really invested in their education and in their futures. It's wild, man,” Hawes explained.
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/pol...
Ketchikan Alaska Public Library Advisory Board to take input on request to remove book on teen sexualityLet's Talk About It: The Teen's Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human
The request to pull the book from the library’s teen nonfiction section first went to the library’s head of children’s services, Amie Toepfer.
Toepfer then wrote Hedlind a letter, declining to pull the book. She said the library encourages parents to accompany their children to the library to select material they feel is appropriate for their family.
“This book was written for teens and can be found in the teen nonfiction collection of the public library. The catalog record indicates that this item is for teenagers who are 14 years of age or older and/or for grades 10-12. The library does not act in place of the parents and does not restrict access to library materials for minors,” Toepfer wrote.
Hedlind told KRBD that it’d be difficult for her to always accompany her children as they peruse the library’s collections.
“For some people like me, who are working moms, that’s not really an easy thing to do,” she said. “You kind of want the library to be a safe place that you feel your kids can go to, and you don’t have to worry about what kind of material they might stumble upon."
Toepfer also pointed to reviews praising the book. The School Library Journal, a trade publication for librarians, called it “real talk about relationships and sex.”
“Every panel of this book, every anatomical drawing, every conversation over tea or in a tent, is loaded with crucial information about consent, respect, consideration, and boundaries,” wrote reviewer Paula Willey.
Hedlind appealed to Ketchikan Public Library Director Pat Tully, who also declined to remove the book.
“The Library is a place of knowledge, ideas and learning, and sometimes this can be uncomfortable, unsettling, and confusing,” Tully wrote. “Ketchikan’s community is very diverse, and what is offensive and inappropriate to one group of residents may be acceptable and useful to another group. The Library cannot make those distinctions for every family, and so it falls to parents to do so. What the Library can do is provide a wide range of books and other materials, so that people can choose from among them based on their interests and beliefs.”
Hedlind appealed again, this time to the Ketchikan Public Library Advisory Board, which is scheduled to hold a public hearing on Wednesday at 6 PM."
https://alaskapublic.org/2023/04/11/k...
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Once again I will say librarians are not babysitters, the library is not a child care center. Take your child to the library on the weekends or when you are not working or let them use the school library to find books they enjoy and need to read AND trust them to find books they want to read!
Jean Kwok whose book Girl in Translation is facing a challenge, said she traveled from the Netherlands to Central Bucks, PA to address the board at its meeting.https://www.inquirer.com/news/jean-kw...
In South Dakota"Ashia Gustafson, the director of the Brookings Public Library said the library had one parent challenge this past year. In the rough years, she’s been at the library, she’s had two total concerns or challenges and in the 30 years prior to her, there were about six. That is not many, she said.
“Just this year, we had a concern from a parent for a graphic novel,” Gustafson said.
Those with challenges must complete a two-page form in which they include the section and pages of the material to be challenged. They are also asked to suggest a book or material that would offer a different view.
Those who challenge must read or listen to the entire book or material.
“(The patron) did not read the whole thing…,” Gustafson said. “They can’t just say they flipped through it and say, ‘I don’t like the picture on page 85.'”
The patron admitted they did not read the entire book but picked illustrations and parts they did not like, Gustafson said. The patron was concerned that the graphic novel showed bullying and siblings fighting, Gustafson said.
Had the patron read the entire novel they would have learned the book discusses conflict resolution between siblings, overcoming disagreements and sisterly love, said Nancy Swenson, the technology services librarian/programming supervisor at the Brookings Public Library.
Swenson also serves as chair of the intellectual freedom committee with the South Dakota Library Association (SDLA). Not all challenges to books at public libraries in the state but those that have been reported are “fairly wide ranging,” Swenson said.
“Some of it has been what people would deem as sexual content being too much for that age group,” Swenson said. “‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ has been challenged within the last year at a library in South Dakota.”
Some of the challenges are in the adult or young adult sections and concerns are content is too much for children, Swenson said.
South Dakota is starting to reflect the nation in terms of challenges of books about people of color or that include LGBTQ+ materials or characters or books written by members of those communities, Swenson said.
On the heels of that record-breaking year, and a failed South Dakota Legislative bill to establish a statewide policy for the handling of public library materials deemed obscene or harmful to minors, a group appears to be organizing to address books in libraries.
A group called Patriot Ripple Effect is planning a Thursday meeting in Sioux Falls about “What’s in Your Child’s Library?” It advises potential attendees that because of the graphic nature, the meeting is for adults only.
The meeting is from 7 to 8 p.m. at Thunder Road Sioux Falls, according to the organization’s website. The event notice says people can hear, see and learn what they can do about it from people in the thick of it all.
KELOLAND News contacted a representative of Patriot Ripple Effect on Tuesday and Wednesday to learn more about the Thursday event but did not get a reply as of publication. The story will update this story if the representative responds.
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The Brookings Public Library has a policy to determine the appropriate selection of books and materials for appropriate age levels. The policy is about three pages long. It’s approved by the Brookings Library Board of Trustees.
“It’s very specific on what we buy and why,” Gustafson said. It also outlines material must have certain reviews and how the library determines what reviews to use.
Swenson said material selection policies are very common at public libraries. It guides what is bought and even acceptance of what is donated.
“Libraries should be updating those policies regularly,” Swenson said.
Several school districts contacted for this story by KELOLAND News did not comment on the topic, but they do have policies that address challenges of books used in curriculum and books in school libraries."
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The you know whos are still at it in Missouri"Moms for Liberty ramps up fight to ban more books in Johnson County school district
Some Johnson County residents recently received a mass text message urging them to help Gardner parents “remove pornographic and sexual content from our schools!” The text included a link to a Change.org petition, with more than 600 signatures, created by parent Carrie Schmidt, who has been challenging several books in the Gardner Edgerton school district. Both the text campaign and petition come as Moms for Liberty, a national conservative activist group, ramps up efforts in Johnson County to gain broader support for removing school library books they deem inappropriate.
The Star had reported that Schmidt was a lone parent challenging books in Gardner Edgerton, leading administrators to remove seven. Afterward, local Moms for Liberty leader Erika Sheets posted on the group’s Johnson County Facebook page saying, “Just the beginning.” She encouraged members to direct-message her if they “would like to discuss challenging books in your school,” according to screenshots shared with The Star. School board member Jeff Miller posted in a private Gardner citizens Facebook page that they should “step up and take away the narrative from the liberal group making the book issue about just one parent. As a board member we get plenty of emails telling (us) not to let one parent ‘ban books’ and have gotten metro wide attn. for our policy.” Miller, who did not return The Star’s request for comment, wrote: “If many parents would take a stand and speak up this would take away their fuel. That’s all they have is to attack one parent. Quit playing defense and start an offensive attack.”
Librarians and free speech advocates argue that a small number of parents should not infringe on the students’ rights, and that removing books vetted by professionals amounts to the censorship of diverse viewpoints. Gardner Edgerton High School’s longtime librarian recently resigned as the books were being removed. “Stop being complacent to the whims of one parent and instead stand up for access to reading materials,” high school senior Elizabeth Fiedler told school officials. “Even if they are different than what you believe, the job of educators is to give us access to materials so we are able to form opinions for ourselves and not to limit the material so we only see your point of view.”
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Gardner resident Keith Davenport said his wife, who is registered as an unaffiliated voter, received the text late last month asking for support for removing books. Davenport, a Democrat, last year lost his bid challenging Republican Kansas state Rep. Bill Sutton — husband of Gardner Edgerton school board member Lana Sutton. Davenport said he did not receive the text. He tweeted a screenshot of it, raising questions about where it originated and how the list of recipients was compiled. On a Moms for Liberty Facebook post, a member asked about the mass text. Sheets wrote in response, “A local, private citizen funded the text campaign.” Chapter leaders told The Star that the group, “did not pay for the Gardner petition text campaign. We are a 501c4 non-profit, non-partisan and we are not a PAC.” Moms for Liberty is spearheading book challenges across the country, with ties to other national groups with conservative donors.
Superintendent Brian Huff said at last week’s board meeting that it is crucial to gain feedback to help school leaders determine what is considered appropriate by the majority of the community. And books are reviewed based on content, maturity levels and their “enduring qualities.” “This is not a simple process. It’s not black and white,” Huff said. He said a typical high school removes and replaces about 100 books each year through a routine process to update collections. “And we trust our librarians to make good decisions with that. We have about 4,000 books in our collection, novels at the high school,” Huff said. There is still ample opportunity for students to read from all genres. We have removed seven books. We’ve retained 4,000.” Huff said he supports students’ First Amendment rights, and is working with language arts teachers and school librarians to review books. “I will defend our librarians. They are good, professional, hardworking individuals that care about our kids. They want the very best for our kids,” he said. Huff also said he is a “huge proponent of having controversial topics within our books. … Books that cause kids to think, think differently than what they have typically thought throughout their childhood and cause them to address other points of view. We need to teach our kids to argue, because quite honestly, our adults are terrible at it.”
Bait
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
It Ends with Us
A Court of Mist and Fury
A Court of Silver Flames
Empire of Storms
Come Back to Me
Run Away With Me
Stay With Me
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Children's Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Out of the Blue (other topics)The Princess in Black and the Prince in Pink (other topics)
My Rainbow (other topics)
Butt or Face? Volume 3: Super Gross Butts (other topics)
The Day the Books Disappeared (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Jodi Picoult (other topics)Sarah J. Maas (other topics)
Ellen Hopkins (other topics)
Jodi Picoult (other topics)
Scott Stuart (other topics)
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