Banned Books discussion

https://abcnews.go.com/US/utah-bans-1...

Apparently if just 3 school districts in Utah deem a book that depicts sex or nudity with "no serious value", all schools have to ban it.

The 13 books are:
A Court of Thorns and Roses
A Court of Frost and Starlight
A Court of Mist and Fury
A ​Court of Silver Flames
A Court of Wings and Ruin
Empire of Storms
What Girls Are Made Of
milk and honey
Forever...
Tilt
Fallout
Oryx and Crake
Blankets

This is, unfortunately, the direction some states seem to be traveling.

It's even more ridiculous than "normal" book banning because someone on the other side of the state got to decide what is or isn't allowed in some other school.

I really want to start an "Underground Railroad" of books....

I wonder what would happen if students en masse brought these banned books to school. Teachers and librarians who did this would likely be fired or worse, but would students doing so and insisting on reading the books during school and on school property be expelled?

I know one thing, if I were a student in Utah, I would definitely and openly come to school with Judy Blume's Forever very prominently shown.

Do it! I'm not sure what the practical path to that is, but I think something like that is needed. The free books given out in parks and the like for Banned Books Week is probably where to start--maybe you could connect with those organizers and find a way to get it going year-round?

Hannah wrote: "Do it! I'm not sure what the practical path to that is, but I think something like that is needed. The free books given out in parks and the like for Banned Books Week is probably where to start--m..."

I would say that this is indeed needed, some all encompassing civil disobedience, but not just from students, also from teachers, parents, librarians etc.

And sadly, this also emboldens those morons who want to control (like true Nazis and Stalinists) what is being read at university and colleges. I teach college/university level German in Canada, including literature surveys, and at present, if some helicopter parent or some member of a right wing (or a left wing) special interest group contacts me and tries to bully me into not teaching certain authors or having students be allowed to opt out of what is on my reading lists and get alternatives, I can simply say NO, but after seeing what is happening at the university level in states like Florida and Texas, I am starting to get a bit worried.

Hannah wrote: "Do it! I'm not sure what the practical path to that is, but I think something like that is needed. The free books given out in parks and the like for Banned Books Week is probably where to start--m..."

Yes, it's the practical/logistical elements that stop me. Certainly I have no qualms about putting banned books into the hands of kids who want/need them! Maybe when my own kiddo goes back to school and I have some more free time, I will look into it. There's a guy in Florida who hosts free banned book giveaways. I can't remember what his nonprofit is called, something related to Fahrenheit 451.

ETA: I'm in NY, while we don't have zero banned books around here, there are very few. Hence the Underground Railroad idea, gotta get books out across the country to kids who don't have access.

seems most the books banned were written by women

Jennifer W wrote: "It's even more ridiculous than "normal" book banning because someone on the other side of the state got to decide what is or isn't allowed in some other school.

I really want to start an "Undergr..."

I've done it! Message me and I'll send you the contacts I have in Florida. Postage has gotten too expensive for me but I'm itching to buy all the banned books which are not moving here because every teen has read them and send them elsewhere.

Chris wrote: "seems most the books banned were written by women"

Yup by and about women (violence against), women of color (violence against) and LGBTQ+ people. The statistics are shocking. There are laws about what can and can not be distributed to minors and not one library book violates those laws. Librarians are trained to know where and how to choose books that best suit their patrons. AND they all have some kind of rules about challenges and restrictions already in place. What a small but vocal group of people - many from out of the district or without kids in school - don't want to read doesn't mean those books are not appropriate for the community.

It's so ridiculous that picture books featuring ONE PAGE with a vague hint of two moms or two dads get banned. Sometimes I have to go over the book again to look hard to see what people are objecting to. I joked with my cousins I was going to challenge The Family Book because ONE PAGE says "Some families look like their pets." (I laughed and really enjoyed that statement). Yes the censors are THAT ridiculous! It's one page out of a 32 page book.

It all goes back to Project 2025 and the White, Christian Nationalist men who want to control this country. We have to vote and vote like our lives depend on it because they do. School board is just as important as President/Prime Minister/Whatever leader.

Just three districts? So some rural schools can easily decide what is available in a city school's library??

Kelly (Maybedog) wrote: "Just three districts? So some rural schools can easily decide what is available in a city school's library??"

Yes if enough districts decide the book is inappropriate, it goes statewide. No exceptions. They make excuses "It's not a ban! It's still in the public library, still on Amazon. If their parents want them to read it, then can just buy it." They say this knowing that kids don't have their own money or transportation, many families can't afford books and the kids who truly need to read the books with families that don't approve, still can't access them.