But the oddest reason? Theyre average YA novels (with no LGBTQ content), as far as I can tell, or theyre nonfiction about innocuous topics. Published in 2012, this irreverent book about dying is still one of the most banned books in 2022. January 14, 2022, 8 . Banned Book List - Texas Edition By Wild Geese Bookshop. Katy ISD . All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson Originally published in 1999, its about a towns controversy over the high schools sex ed program, and a school board member tries to get all the sex ed material, including textbooks, removed from the school. As the full list from PEN America indicates, book banning has become a popular cause among some in our polarized electoratebut this wasnt always the case. A Texas School District Banned My Book. Despite its somewhat grown-up themes, Lowrys Newbery Medalwinning classic is a worthy read (or listen; its available as an audiobook on Audible) for all kids. Bring on the Shiplap? Between 2021 and 2022, there were a considerable number of books banned or challenged in the United States. And at the crossroads are the handmaidswomen taken hostage by the government because of their ability to have children. PEN Americas analysis also found that these bans have been largely driven by organized groups formed over the last year to combat pornographic and CRT materials in school. Others, such as Brent Sherrards Final Takedowna slim, out-of-print volume from a small Canadian publisher about a kid who faces time in juvenile detentionappear but once (in San Antonios North East Independent School District, the most avid banner of books in the state). ", According to a Houston parent, reading this novel about a Black boy killed by police might cause white children who attend the Spring Branch Independent School District to feel ashamed based on color of their skin.. "All Boys Aren't Blue," by George M. Johnson . The . --->Banning Increases Sales<--- Here's a List of Truly Great Books. "The Handmaid's Tale" was the seventh most challenged and banned book in 2019 nationally for "vulgarity and sexual overtones. Art Spiegelman's Pulitzer Prize-winning . These are titles like The Legal Atlas of the United States, Teen Legal Rights, Gender Equality and Identity Rights (Foundations of Democracy), Equal Rights, We the Students: Supreme Court Cases for and About Students, and Peaceful Rights for Equal Rights. In some instances, it has been removed from shelves for its portrayals of teen drinking, profanity and even a claim that its biased against male students. Now 20% Off. As with Alex Ginos George, the motivation behind banning this book is painfully apparent. and Ten that NEED to Be Banned! A schoolgirl looks at a book in a library. 9:33 AM UTC / Updated Feb. 2, 2022, . The American Library Association noted online, "Due to the commitment of librarians, teachers, parents, students and other concerned citizens, most challenges are unsuccessful and most materials are retained in the school curriculum or library collection.". The report released on Monday found that school administrators in Texas have banned 801 books across 22 school districts, and 174 titles were banned at least twice between July 2021 through June 2022. Well, profanity, for one. With a list this slipshod, this haphazardly put together, it ends up with very strange implications. Art Spiegelmans Pulitzer Prizewinning history of the Holocaust, the comic book Maus, appears on the list, as does Ari Folmans graphic adaptation of Anne Franks Diary of a Young Girl. Records requested by NBC News of nearly 100 Texas school districts found 86 formal requests to remove books from libraries in 2021, with the majority of requests coming at the end of the year afterKrause sent his letter. And heres a quick guide to the ones schools dont want kids to read. The report released on Monday found that school administrators in Texas have banned 801 books across 22 school districts, and 174 titles were banned at least twice between July 2021 through June 2022. Also, keep in mind that age category pie graph: these are mostly YA books, not board books. "Many of these challenges began with the titles on Rep. Krauses list, including 'The Handmaid's Tale: The Graphic Novel'by Margaret Atwood and Renee Nault," said Shirley Robinson, executive director of the Texas Library Association,in a Feb. 8 email to PolitiFact Texas. T he wave of book reviews and removals that swept across Texas in the last year was driven more by politicians than parents, a Houston Chronicle analysis found . Four books by different authors with the title Gender Identity have all been banned in at least one district. Mixed into bizarre listings like a collection of political essays from 2010 or a bioethics adult book from 2005 are titles that will be familiar to you. ", This illustrated collection of poems and essays about overcoming prejudice and racism shouldn't be allowed in schools, an Eanes parent wrote, because it "promotes discrimination. Some of them have already been making the rounds of book challenges, including LGBTQ books Lawn Boy and Gender Queer, as well as books addressing racism, like Out of Darkness and This Book is Anti-Racist. Jonathan Evisons 2018 novel follows Mike Muoz, a 22-year-old Mexican man who cant seem to get ahead. A state lawmaker asked schools to catalog books on race and sex. Based on Bill 3979 and Krauses letter, you might expect this list to be mainly books about racism (which might cause white student discomfort never mind the discomfort students of color face dealing with racism), and theyre certainly on there. ", A parent in Plano said this coming-of-age novel about a Mexican American character's journey to understanding his own sexuality and ethnic identity should be banned because it contains "profanity, pornography, gambling, homosexuality." Across the country, PEN America found that 1,648 unique titles had been banned by schools. Anne Frank's Diary: The Graphic . Theres only one book each from Jennifer Dugan, Sophie Labelle, and Anna Marie McLemore, though they each write lots of LGBTQ books. What makes Go Ask Alice (1971) one of the most controversial books of all time? ", A parent in Leander, an Austin suburb, asked for this book, which features a subplot about a teenager whos starting to notice his attraction to other boys, to be removed because the parent didn't believe "books should discuss sensitive/controversial topics such as gender,sexuality.". I'm done arguing with people over whether this is fascism.". Discussions of race or sex, or just the wrong vibes, seem to be all it takes to number a book among the 801 bannings in Texas this year. It's interesting to me because the political right, in both the UK and US, are obsessed . Book bans often . We may earn a commission from your purchases. Through cartoons, Art Spiegelman detailed the horrors of the Nazi invasion and Holocaust in a brazen way that wouldnt be possible in another format. "1984" by George Orwell, about a dystopian totalitarian government that censors information, brainwashes citizens,and persecutes them for individualist, critical thinking. These books are theoretically related to House Bill 3979, a so-called anti- CRT bill . A Leander parent suggested replacing children's books that mention gender identity or sexuality, including this one, with "classics," such as "White Fang," "The Indian in the Cupboard,""The Swiss Family Robinson" and Shakespeare. Despite (and perhaps because of) these heartbreaking scenes, the book is worth a readespecially if youre starting a book club. ", This coming-of-age novel about a gay teenager came under fire in Birdville when a parent complained that it has explicit descriptions of "masterbation and genitalia.". George M. Johnsons memoir-manifesto about his coming out, All Boys Arent Blue, appears seven times; Susan Kuklins 2014 nonfiction collection of interviews, Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out, appears five times, as does Mike Curatos comic book memoir Flamer. 0:52. In 1999, one small Wisconsin town officially made it one of its banned books after claiming that a scene in which a spider licks her lips could be taken in two ways, including sexual. Cant say that would have been our first thought. Who considers it dangerous for kids to know their rights? There are Leslea Newman books, but not Heather Has Two Mommies. A Birdville mom wanted this book, a graphic novel featuring LGBTQ characters, removed from libraries because, she said, it "has a recurring theme of oral sex. Despite the poignant themes, The Kite Runner has been banned multiple times for referencing sexual violence and promot[ing] Islam.. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. But some folks in the trans community have also criticized it for being voyeuristicthough the book features trans voices, its written by (and thus benefits) a non-trans author. Teenagers should be able to explore questions about sexuality, power, oppression, and more. PEN America reported in the first edition of Banned in the USA (April 2022) that book bans had occurred in 86 school districts in 26 states in the first nine months of the 2021-22 school year. Slate (@Slate) February 3, 2022. This is the list of the most banned books in the 2021-2022 school year, according to the PEN America . 2022, 6:33 PM UTC . One Amazon reviewer called this heartfelt memoir a handbook for nonbinary kids that would help them feel not so alone. We cant think of a better way to describe it. Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coatess National Book Awardwinning book-length letter to his young son about growing up Black, is on the list, as is his We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy, which features essays on race in America. Published Aug 18, 2022. Books such as Ashley Hope Prezs Out of Darkness, Jesse Andrewss Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, and Lauren Myracles l8r, g8r all appear on the list (nine, seven, and four times, respectively) for touching on sexual themes, featuring teens who talk about sex, or depicting sexual abuse. The most frequent books removed included Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe, which depicts Kobabes journey of gender identity and sexual orientation; The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison; Roe v. Wade: A Woman's Choice? by Susan Dudley Gold; Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Prez, which follows a love story between a Mexican American teenage girl and a Black teen boy in 1930s East Texas; and All Boys Arent Blue by George M. Johnson, a personal account of growing up black and queer in Plainfield, New Jersey. The books the user refers to are: Is this post right about these books being banned in Texas and "Mein Kampf" not banned? Racism is a central theme in Of Mice and Men, which details the journey of two migrant ranch workers in Depression-era California. The book hasnt changed over the past fifty years, but frank storytelling about the issues high school students face frequently makes a book a target in Texas. This year, I won't have to leave Texas for the fight. The tweet does not specify whether it is referring to Krause'sletter to superintendentsbutthe books named in the letter have not been removedfrom libraries statewide. Which, add lovable quirks and color along the way. Contact Nusaiba Mizanat nmizan@gannett.com. This hotly debated work of young adult fiction is written in diary form and reads as if written by a 15-year-old teen runaway on a journey to find herselfif she doesnt destroy herself first. By Claire Moses. Archived Book Challenges. They include The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison . Perennial banned-book list titles such as Of Mice and Men make an appearance, as does John Irvings The Cider House Rules. Some school districts have already started taking books off their shelves even without objections from parents. Keeping these books out of school libraries means students are less educated and are more likely to practice risky behavior because they dont have all the facts. Maia Kobabes autobiographical graphic novel, which explores coming out to the family as nonbinary, has been criticized by religious conservatives since it was published in 2019. The story centers on Alices disorienting adventure down a rabbit hole and into a fantasy world of talking animals and utterly absurd events (ahem, Mad Hatter tea party). Texas librarians face harassment as they navigate book bans. In August 2022, Anne Frank's "The Diary of a Young Girl" and the Bible were banned by the Keller Independent School District in Texas. Along with books written for teens to understand their bodies and sexuality, this list also includes any books about abortion or pregnancy, including history books about Roe vs. Wade or debates about abortion. Because of heightened scrutiny around what is being taught in schools and Krause's list, there is a wave oflocal attempts to remove specific books from school and public libraries. Greg Abbott has capitalized on a highly public effort to pull "pornographic or obscene" books from school libraries, following the efforts of state Rep. Matt Krause (R), who's circulated a list of more than 800 books that purportedly cross the line. confused school districts about how to follow it, We the Students: Supreme Court Cases for and About Students, Whose Life? Banned Books in the Texas Prison System (2011) The Virginia Department of Corrections (DOC) also allegedly maintained a list of books partially named on this site. Sept. 19, 20225 AM Central. Sign up to Today In Books to receive daily news and miscellany from the world of books. The parents challenging these books say that sex ed should be taught in the home, by parents, but that ignores that many households wont do this, and also that most teens dont feel comfortable talking to their parents about sex. Krause doesnt give any reason or justification for challenging LGBTQ books, despite them being the majority of the books listed. The process is similar in public libraries with selections made based on guidelines approved by the library's governing authority. Its a bizarre assortment of titles, formatted in a way that suggests its copy-and-pasted from library listings. Nope, this one isnt a joke. Banned Books 2022 By Itinerant Literate Books. Queer and trans kids face much higher risks of depression and suicide when they are in an unaccepting environment, and schools play a big role in that. Let's take a look. Some disclaimers first: these are rough numbers. By Meghan Mangrum. Another 40% of these books contains protagonists or prominent secondary characters of color. Also, while the Texas State Teacher Association said that a district asking if they had to teach two sides to the Holocaust was an overreaction, there is a Holocaust history book on this list: Life, Death and Sacrifice: Women and Family in the Holocaust. Leandra Beabout is a lifestyle writer covering health, travel and literature. The young adult novel follows high school freshman Melinda Sordino after a life-changing assault during a summer party. "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood, set in a totalitarian theocratic society where women cannot hold property or jobs. Probably the strangest example I bumped into is that Dying to Live (Elite Operatives #4), an adult lesbian adventure/romance series is on this list, but just volume 4. A Texas school district is scrambling to remove books from its library shelves ahead of the fall semester, after they were . Considering how few trans books are published, this is a huge number. May 3, 2022 at 6:00 a.m. EDT. North East Independent School District in San Antonio identified 414 books in its libraries, which are included in a list of about 850 titles compiled by Texas Rep. Matt Krause. Laurie Halse Andersons 1999 book dives straight into the thorny subject of sexual assault. A Right-wing Cabal Took Over Odessas Municipal Government. Some titles, such as Gender Queer, appear multiple times, having been banned from Canutillo (fifteen miles northwest of downtown El Paso) to Clear Creek, 785 miles to its east. If you fill out the first name, last name, or agree to terms fields, you will NOT be added to the newsletter list. ", A dad in Grapevine, a Dallas suburb, asked his child's school district to ban this book, a collection of poems by women of color on topics relating to social justice, activism and discrimination, because, he said, it promotes "terrorism.". About 5% of the books banned have to do with pregnancy. Starrs careful balancing act crumbles when a police officer kills her unarmed friend. Despite its widespread critical acclaim, Maus was recently pulled from Texas library shelves. The unfortunate reason for the widespread restriction of this Scholastic novel is all too clear: Its a childrens book about a transgender girl. Even dad-friendly political thrillers can land on the list if abortion comes upbestselling author and occasional Fox News contributor Richard North Pattersons Protect and Defend received an administrators challenge as well. 8 min read. Wynne Davis. Whether its on the news or your Facebook feed, youve probably noticed comments about the rise in book banning in libraries and schools. Posted by Reggie Jackson | Apr 25, 2022 "In total, for the nine-month period represented (July 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022), the Index lists 1,586 instances of individual books being banned, affecting 1,145 unique book titles. Amplify your impact and donate now. Kobabes Gender Queer, which explores the authors journey to the realization that their identity is beyond the gender binary, is one of just a handful of books to appear nine times on the list. Winner of the 2020 National Book Award for Young People's Literature, this novel deals with themes such as grief, love, family, friendship, racism and sexuality. Published in 2012, this irreverent book about dying is still one of the most banned books in 2022. Removing thoughtful materials because they offend is nothing new, but this particular ban has rekindled debates over censorship and convenient whitewashing of tragic historic events. AUSTIN, Texas Outraged at the parents and politicians who are trying to rid school libraries of books they denounce as inappropriate or even pornographic, a band of Texas school librarians is fighting back. Conservative parents have swarmed school board meetings in Texas and across the country in recent months to call for the removal of library books that deal with race, racism, sex, gender and sexuality. I hope that school districts refuse to bow to this bullying and censorious tactic by the Texas lawmaker. Several titles were targeted in multiple districts. A Texas school district has pulled the Bible, an illustrated version of Anne Frank's diary and about 40 other books from its libraries after the tomes sparked complaints from parents and community . Again, I would be very surprised if any school has this book on their shelves in the first place. Books at a New Jersey high school library that were targeted for bans. Texas State Representative Matt Krause recently put more than 800 books on a watch list, many of them dealing with race and . The books tragic ending begs the reader to answer: Would you rather be happy or free? As for Rachel? With all of this being said, clearly I have spent more time on this list than Krause (or, lets be honest, an assistant) did. 2:29 PM on Sep 19, 2022 CDT. But it's nothing new. 1.3K. Aug. 10, 2022. Austin American-Statesman. Keep an eye on your inbox. Mike didnt get much in the way of education. But is its psychedelic-like prose worth banning? 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