Wayward Witch by Zoraida Cordova, but not the first two in the series even though the first one has a bisexual main character and the second two have straight main characters. More than a thousand book titles, most addressing racism and LGBTQ issues, have been banned from U.S. classrooms and school libraries in the last nine months, many under pressure from conservative . In the United States, a book might be banned from the library or a store, but that doesnt mean its illegal to read it.) Despite its widespread critical acclaim, Maus was recently pulled from Texas library shelves. Of these titles, 41% address LGBTQ themes or have protagonists or prominent secondary characters who are LGBTQ. Our curated list of stellar banned books includes 30 of what the American Library Association deems the most frequently banned books since 1990. I cannot overstate what a weird, jumbled mess this list is, and after considering it seriously, I can conclusively say it should not be taken seriously. Greg Abbott has put a promise to increase parental rights at the center of his reelection platform. Four books by different authors with the title Gender Identity have all been banned in at least one district. Its banned books about what the Nazis did to the Jews, and beloved old books by the great Judy Blume. Every year, the Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) compiles a list of the Top 10 Most Challenged Books in order to inform the public about censorship in libraries and schools. In 1931, the governor of Chinas Hunan province thought so. Art Spiegelman's Pulitzer Prize-winning . That may as well have been a lifetime ago, however, as the length and breadth of the list indicates. Most of the targeted books have to do with race, gender, and sexuality.Unlike most book challenges in the past, whereby parents or other stakeholders in the community would engage teachers and school administrators in a debate over a title, local groups have received support from . Then Things Got Really Ugly. This censorious movement is turning our public schools into political battlegrounds, driving wedges within communities, forcing teachers and librarians from their jobs, and casting a chill over the spirit of open inquiry and intellectual freedom that underpin a flourishing democracy, Suzanne Nossel, PEN Americas chief executive officer, said in a statement. Its hardly the only book about gender identity and same-sex romance to find itself banned in a Texas school or library, however. Of course, the debate over Steinbecks prized work is similar to the ones around the likes of To Kill a Mockingbird. Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. As communities and school districts push for book bans, some Texas librarians are nearing their breaking point. Austin American-Statesman. Many of them are books that arent coming out stories, but are SFF or adventures or mysteries that happen to have an LGBTQ character. 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. Proponents for book banningare painting this issue "with a broad brush" forpolitical support while taking the decision-making process away from children andparents, Robinson said. 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? Schools have deemed some of the 14-year-olds plain descriptions of her anatomy pornographic. Even worse: One Alabama textbook committee asked for it to be added to the banned books list because it was a real downer. And yes, its certainly a sad book because of Anne Franks fate, but its also moving, hopeful and funnyand definitely worth a read. You might be wondering why a classic American coming-of-age story has been banned. This book, a collection of interviews with transgender or gender-neutral young adults, was flagged for removal by a parent in Birdville who claimed that the book, which includes descriptions of sexual abuse of minors, encourages sexual activity among young children. " Lawn Boy " by Jonathan Evison. These books are theoretically related to House Bill 3979, a so-called anti- CRT bill . As of 2010, the book was already weighed down by 39 challenges or bans. Here are the 50 most commonly banned books in America from the 2021-2022 school year, with data supplied by PEN America. Now 20% Off. A report published Thursday by the free expression group PEN America details an "alarming" and unprecedented surge in book banning across the United States, with 86 school districts in 26 states prohibiting more than 1,100 titles in classrooms and libraries over just the past eight months. Theres only one book each from Jennifer Dugan, Sophie Labelle, and Anna Marie McLemore, though they each write lots of LGBTQ books. Jonathan Evisons 2018 novel follows Mike Muoz, a 22-year-old Mexican man who cant seem to get ahead. Are all the other books in the series allowed? Its a bizarre assortment of titles, formatted in a way that suggests its copy-and-pasted from library listings. Anne Franks diary was never meant to be public. And its not just trans kids books, its also Pugdog, which is about a kid realizing its okay for his girl dog to be slobbery and messy and not particularly girly. Anything that mentions gender, race, culture, or sexuality is up for grabs. Whether its on the news or your Facebook feed, youve probably noticed comments about the rise in book banning in libraries and schools. Its not just weighty titles getting banned, eitherL.C. This illustrated children's book about a transgender child based on the real-life experiences of one of the authors is one of dozens of library books that have been flagged for removal in Keller. We may earn a commission from your purchases. There are so many outdated and cringe-worthy sex ed books on this list that no teenager in 2021 would pick up. I tracked three data points for each book: fiction or nonfiction, age category, and presumed reason for the book being challenged. It looks like maybe two of them mention pregnancy? illustrated books barely have any words, yet for an entire decade, they were some of the most banned. Common complaints focus on the novellas racial slurs and stereotypes. LGBTQIA+ advocate and nonbinary writer George M. Johnson calls this 2020 book a memoir manifesto. Shortly after Texas state Rep. Matt Krause called for the state's school libraries to review a list of 850 books for possible removal . Most complaints stem from the memoirs true depictions of rape and molestation. Of course, this passionate romance novel between a Mexican American girl and a Black boy in 1930s Texas also covers important, complex topics like segregation, rape and forbidden love. 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. "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood, set in a totalitarian theocratic society where women cannot hold property or jobs. I'm done arguing with people over whether this is fascism.". A stack of books that have been challenged or banned in Texas, April 2022. . 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. Ibram X. Kendis books How to Be an Antiracist and Stamped From the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America are both banned in multiple districts. Classic books and contemporary . Angie Thomass 2017 New York Times bestseller frequently appears on lists of banned stories. This novel, about a young slave boy who becomes swept up in a struggle for his own liberation, is one of dozens of library books that have been flagged for removal in Keller. Fiction bannings include some of the most acclaimed books in American literature: Toni Morrisons Beloved and The Bluest Eye, Sherman Alexies The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, and white author William Styrons The Confessions of Nat Turner have all been removed from libraries. So can Mike leverage his talents for a shot at the American Dream? Updated: 10:17 PM CST January 27, 2022. Over the past year, schools and libraries around the country have been banning a whole lot of books. 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. Books that have been banned in Texas. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Katy ISD . They have the right to review all instructional materials, and state law guarantees them access to their students records and to a school principal or administrator. "Maus" by Art Spiegelman depicts the author askinghis father, aHolocaust survivor, abouthis experiences. The most egregious example for me is that The You Ive Never Known by Ellen Hopkins is on this list, which is a book about teen pregnancy, but its the only book by the author included. 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. Also, school boards must establish a way to consider complaints from parents. Out of the five banned books on the list, Jonathan Evison's "Lawn Boy," especially when considering the student population of Texas schools, is one of the most necessary to keep in the curriculum. A parent in McKinney asked the district to remove this coming-of-age novel because it includes descriptions of homosexuality, date rape and masturbation. But the oddest reason? Can College Sports Get More Absurd Than SMU Joining the Pac-12? "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. 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