Complaints are piling up by the day in public school libraries across the country, as parents aim to ban books they consider inappropriate for children to read. According to the American Library Association, 273 books were challenged by censorship attempts during the 2020-21 school year. Many of the books in question tackle two complicated issues: race and sexuality.
As a result, school district leaders from across the country have heard a wave of complaints from frustrated parents.
Parent, author at odds over “Out of Darkness”
On Sept. 15, 2021, parent Kara Bell read an excerpt from a sexually explicit book her child picked up at an Austin, Texas school during a Lake Travis Independent School District meeting.
“Take her outback, we boys figured, then: hand on the titties; put in her coin box; put it in her cornhole, grab hold of that brake, grab that corn toe,” Bell said. “You can find that on page 39 of the book called ‘Out of Darkness,’ which you can find at Hudson Bend Middle School and Bee Cave Middle School.”
“Out of Darkness” author Ashley Hope Perez fired back in a video she posted on her YouTube channel.
“I didn’t write ‘Out of Darkness’ for Kara,” Perez said. “I wrote it for brave, big-hearted readers ready to face the painful aspects of our country’s history. I believe it should be available in libraries that serve teenagers along with the other young adult books that have been recently banned in Central Texas.”
Oklahoma bill aims to give more power to parents
Oklahoma State Sen. Rob Standbridge (R-Norman) has taken the fight to ban books even further, writing a bill that would give parents the right to request the removal of books involving sexuality from school libraries. If passed, it will also allow parents to sue school districts up to $10,000 per day if the book remains in circulation after being banned from a school.
A few books that address sexuality and gender identity issues include “All Boys Aren’t Blue”, “A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo,” and “Two Boys Kissing.”
The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, tweeted a video of parents’ reaction to what they call transgender indoctrination:
https://twitter.com/Heritage/status/1481649739988877312?s=20
Texas lawmaker sends a letter requesting books be reviewed
In a letter to the Texas Education Agency, Rep. Matt Krause (R-Fort Worth) compiled a 16-page list of books he wanted school districts to review.
He also lists books about the Black experience that he believes may harm white students, including “Stamped: Racism, AntiRacism, and You” and “The Hate U Give.”
Krause wrote those books “might make students feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress because of their race.”
Progressives take aim at classic novel
And it’s not just some conservatives attempting to ban books. Some progressives want to ban books, too. A book on their list, “To Kill A Mockingbird,” which they consider racist, uses the N-word repeatedly and portrays a white lawyer as the savior for his Black client.
ALA issues statement opposed to book bans
The American Library Association issued a statement in response to book bans.
“We stand opposed to censorship and any effort to coerce belief, suppress opinion, or punish those whose expression does not conform to what is deemed to be orthodox in history, politics, or belief,” the ALA wrote.
Since September 2021, at least a half dozen school districts have reversed their decisions on book bans, including school districts in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kansas, Missouri, and California.