You Can’t Read That! is a periodic post featuring banned book news roundups, rants, and reviews.
YCRT! News Roundup
North Carolina: It’s Okay When We Do It:
Latoya Martin’s eight-year-old daughter came home from the school library at Mt. Ulla Elementary School after having gotten what she thought was a fun Christmas book to read with her family.
Until she flipped to the first page that showed a Santa figure carrying a big bag with a Confederate flag across it. The book also contained illustrations of guns and several other depictions of the Confederate flag.
Martin said her daughter’s discovery of the book forced her to have a conversation. Until now, her daughter had no idea about the meaning behind the Confederate flag.
“She is the only African American in her class,” Martin said.
Texas: At least one school district has enthusiastically joined the Great Texas Book Purge. Oh, and if you thought Lone Star book banners would stop with school libraries, think again.
Oklahoma: Hey, if the Texas abortion vigilante bounty law is cool with the Supreme Court, maybe we can use it against subversive librarians and teachers who give our children books we don’t like (Wonkette has a pretty good take on this as well).
Utah: School district superintendent casts deciding vote in removing two books from Washington County schools.
Ohio: “Casey,” the email read. “There have been concerns regarding the current novel you are reading. Please stop until we can have a conversation. Please remove all posts, materials, discussions and assignments related to this book.” From an excellent and detailed case study of the banning of Ta-Nehisi Coate’s “Between the World and Me” from Parkway High School in Rockford, Ohio.
Arizona: Scottsdale high school principal terminated after outcry over “So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed.” Money quote: “Last month, some parents became aware the book … contained references to orgies and bestiality.” Guess what I’m gonna read for my next banned book review?
Pennsylvania: They’re never gonna stop coming after “Heather Has Two Mommies,” are they?
Florida: A school board superintendent overrules his own review committee, bans “All Boys Aren’t Blue” from library shelves. In Miami, Florida man (and woman) disrupt a school board meeting.
Authors speak:
- What It’s Like to Have Your Book Banned by the School Board: Ashley Pérez, author of “Out of Darkness”
- Interview with Maia Kobabe, author of “Gender Queer”
Good news:
- School Library Journal launches censorship tips hotline
- Authors Guild Fights School Book Bans
- Five books, labeled inappropriate by some parents, to stay on Urbandale, Iowa school shelves
- Conservatives Inadvertently Encourage Teen Reading With Swath Of Book Bans
- Texas school librarians, fed up with book bans, organize to fight back