GLSEN Archives - National Coalition Against Censorship

School Counselor Who Defended ‘Family Book’ Honored by GLSEN

By Acacia O'Connor|2020-01-02T15:07:14-05:00May 8th, 2013|Blog|

In honor of National Teachers Appreciation Day, the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) has honored Matt Beck, a school counselor in Erie, Illinois, with its 2013 Educator of the Year Award. Matt showed impressive courage and resolve in the face of censorship of LGBTQ materials, including Todd Parr's The Family Book, in his school in Erie in the [...]

Non-Traditional Families Book Banning Bonanza

By Acacia O'Connor|2020-01-03T13:47:51-05:00June 18th, 2012|Blog|

(applause for alliteration, please) This month we've been working on restoring two children's picture books teaching tolerance for different types of families. Though they are quite different in content, tone, reading level and appropriateness, their challenges parallel one another immensely. Book one is The Family Book by Todd Parr, a peppy, colorful and simple picture book teaching that families might be [...]