Books on race and sexuality are disappearing from Texas schools in record numbers. 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. A viral Feb. 1 tweet that garnered at least 16,100 retweets and 65,800 likes by Australian user @AnthCondon said, "Books banned in Texas include 1984,Maus,and The Handmaid's Tale, but not Mein Kampf. The story was first published in 1980 as a magazine serial but really gained attention when it was released as the first volume of Maus: A Survivors Tale in 1986. Their stance hasnt affected the popularity of the book (or its movie adaptation)its widely considered one of the greatest books of all time. 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. A Katy mom asked administrators to remove this book, about a 17-year-old gay student who has a lot of sex and isnt ashamed of it, after reading explicit passages aloud at a school board meeting: We cannot unread this type of content," she said, "and I would like to protect my kids hearts and minds from this., A parent in San Antonio asked the Northside Independent School District to ban this work historical fiction, set during the Nazis siege of Leningrad, because it includes pornographic imagery that is "not suited for the majority" of readers, the parent wrote, adding, " unless you're into that.". ", Nov. 29, 2021. Sex education books for kids and teens have been facing increased censorship this year, including classics like Its Perfectly Normal (yep, that ones on the list!) The book offers the story of Percola Breedlove, a Black girl who longs for blue eyes. By Claire Moses. One day before students returned to classrooms in North Texas, a school district ordered principals and librarians to remove books including the Bible and a graphic novel adaptation of Anne Frank . The mistakes and strange choices on this document show how little care was put into it, and how little Krause must think of school officials, that they should comb their collections according to this hastily slapped together list. A mom in Birdville asked school leaders to remove this book an illustrated guide to puberty, sex and sexual health after her child checked it out, writing that it wasn't appropriate for middle schoolers. Its banned classics, and new books, and books in-between; its banned best-sellers, award winners, and books rarely seen. I hope that school districts refuse to bow to this bullying and censorious tactic by the Texas lawmaker. We recommend our users to update the browser. A PEN America notes, these are just the incidents that have been reported to the groupthe reality of book bans likely extends further throughout the state. Santa Spectacular was banned in Texas prisons because it contained stickers. This keyword approach means that books like Thinking Out Loud: On the Personal, the Political, the Public and the Private, an adult book of political essays from 1994 is on this list, presumably because it mentions writing about gays in the description. The more things change, the the more they stay the same, I suppose. Updated at 13:58 p.m. Conservatives have enacted about 1,600 book bans in school districts over the last 9 months, with Texas leading the way, report says. The Round Rock Black Parents Association mobilized against calls to remove a book on the history of racist ideas in the U.S. from the school reading list Published January 28, 2022 Updated on . Perhaps thats because Gender Queer unflinchingly portrays and normalizes topics still often misunderstood: adolescent sexuality, asexuality and the differences between gender identity and sexuality. "And Tango Makes Three," by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell. All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson Books at a New Jersey high school library that were targeted for bans. ", More:Texas officials to target obscene content in school libraries at governor's request. Where did these books in particular come from, and whats really on it? As the underworld of this dystopia is revealed, readers are exposed to mentions of infanticide, suicide and euthanasia. However, some conservative politicians and parents have assigned the term CRT to dismiss efforts in public schools to incorporate a more comprehensive and inclusive public school curriculum, something they equate to indoctrination. Those titles were: "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Perez. Even if this list made any sense, that wouldnt make it better. The Pants Project, a middle grade LGBTQ book, and Not My Idea, an anti-racist picture book, are both on here twice. As with Alex Ginos George, the motivation behind banning this book is painfully apparent. This house bill is supposed to prevent discomfort, but what about the discomfort of kids who experience racism, or who never see themselves represented in the curriculum or the books on the shelves? By Itinerant Literate Books Banned Books 2022 "Any book worth banning is a book worth reading." . One would assume that it covers everything you want it to. About 5% of the books banned have to do with pregnancy. 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. Some have been removed pending an investigation that the school district may or may not have the time and resources to conduct in a timely manner. 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. Thats a huge number! Neither Krauses letter nor the bill mention LGBTQ topics, but that is most of whats being targeted here: 13.9% of all the books challenged are trans specifically, almost as many as all the sex ed books combined. 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. After all, stories about kids killing each other doesnt cause students discomfort, but a book that mentions a characters gay uncle is apparently scarring. Youll also find lots of award-winning books, like the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Confessions of Nat Turner by William Styron and Harvey Awards Book of the Year The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. Please click a link below to access information about titles that are currently being challenged or have previously been challenged: Books Under Review. LGBTQIA+ advocate and nonbinary writer George M. Johnson calls this 2020 book a memoir manifesto. In San Antonio, a Road Map for the Future of Texas Art, The Best High School Basketball Team in Texas Doesnt Need a State Title, The Photo the Dallas Cowboys Never Wanted the Public to See, The Cross-dressing, Bank-Robbing, Outlaw Tale of Cowboy Bob Is Now a Musical, Ten Perfect Texas Romance Novels for Your Bookworm Valentine, How to Become a Regular at a Texas Dive Bar, A Novelist and Hollywood Screenwriter Grapples With Her Texan Identity, Jones, Manson, and Now Koresh: Writer Jeff Guinn Has Completed His Unholy Trinity, How Florence ButtNot Her SonLaunched the H-E-B Empire, West Texans Are Learning What It Means to Live in Bear Country, Jimmy Carters Peanut-and-Egg Taco Made Quite the Impression on San Antonians, The Top 50 Texas BBQ Joints: 2021 Edition. Books that have been banned in Texas. Its not just antiracist books, its also titles like Quinceaera by Ilan Stavans, which is just a nonfiction book about a cultural celebration. Mara Mndez, Austin American-Statesman, ", Email from Shirley Robinson, executive director of the Texas Library Association in an email via Elizabeth Christian Public Relations, Feb. 8, 2022, American Library Association, "Banned & Challenged Classics", Maria Mndez, Austin American-Statesman, "Abbott push to probe pornography in schools prompts question: When is a book pornographic? This rapidly accelerating movement has resulted in more and more students losing access to literature that equips them to meet the challenges and complexities of democratic citizenship, Jonathan Friedman, director of PEN Americas free expression and education programs and the lead author of the report, said in a statement. "Gender Queer: A Memoir," by Maia Kobabe. The 1962 science-fiction fantasy follows persnickety Meg Murry as she enters parallel universes in search of her father. The fight over censorship and banned books is nothing new, but there seems to be a fresh effort to purge the shelves of so-called edgy cultural commentary (as in Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You), uncomfortable interpretations of reality (such as I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and the Holocaust book Maus), discussions of gender identity (as with George M. Johnsons banned book All Boys Arent Blue) and provocative stories that could lead to political questioning (The Handmaids Tale, anyone?). With a list this slipshod, this haphazardly put together, it ends up with very strange implications. This list has so many excellent, beloved queer YA books, like Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (both the English and Spanish versions). 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. Again, I would be very surprised if any school has this book on their shelves in the first place. This novel, which focuses on the unexplained disappearance of a Black teen, includes explicit language about sex, which was the basis for a Birdville parent's request to have it removed from school libraries. Though frequently included in high school curriculums, this book has been banned in the past for obvious reasons: senseless and, according to some, gratuitous violence. 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. It's one of dozens of library books that have been flagged for removal in Keller. Multiple incidents of book-banning in EuropeItaly, Yugoslavia and Nazi territories, specificallyfor this historical novel. This illustrated memoir by a nonbinary author, which includes sexually explicit cartoon images, triggered attempted bans and even threats of criminal charges in several Texas school districts. However, Texas parents already have the right to remove their child temporarily from a class or activity that conflicts with their religious beliefs. We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. Far-right politicians, media, and religious leaders intent on stopping children from learning about race, sexual orientation, gender identity, and different cultures within the country have escalated their attacks on freedom of speech by increasing the call for banning of books. Back in the halcyon days of, er, March 2021, some of Texass political leaders fervently opposed the idea of book bans, when the topic was the decision of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, publisher of the work of Theodore Geisel under his famous pen name, to no longer publish new copies of a handful of the authors titles that included racist stereotypes. The novel has been banned and challenged more than once, usually because of the rape scene. ", In asking to ban this book about the plight of a Black working-class family as they prepare for Hurricane Katrina, a parent in Katy wrote, "I object to the explicit description of the teenage girl having sex with the boys in her social group. Read more: Here are 50 books Texas parents want banned from school libraries. While having books from the Foundations of Democracy and Stop Bullying Now! 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