Kids’ Right to Read Project

The Kids' Right to Read Project sent the letter below to the school board and superintendent at Crook County Schools to oppose the ongoing ban on classroom use of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.  After the superintendent removed the book in violation of district policy, a committee reviewed the book and voted to reinstate it.  The book was returned to the library, but it remains suspended from classroom use while the superintendent, school board, and a committee review the district’s policies on instructional materials.  

The Wyandotte, MI, School Board has banned The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad from classrooms and the library at Roosevelt High School while the book is reviewed by a reconsideration committee.  One student's parents and her "spiritual mentor" object to violence and sexual content and asked that the book be removed in the fall.  The book was being taught in honors English classes.  It was removed from the library and placed in the superintendent's office earlier this month.

Cleburne ISD Superintendent Dr. Ronny Beard removed The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett from the Cleburne High School curriculum in Cleburne, TX, after parents complained about sexual content in the book.  The Pillars of the Earth had been part of the senior honors English curriculum at Cleburne High since 1996.  Parents complained after the book was assigned this past summer, even though the teacher offered an alternative assignment for those who objected to the book.

The Kids' Right to Read Project sent this letter to the superintendent and school board, opposing the book ban:

The Book of Bunny Suicides by Andy Riley was challenged by one parent who wants the book removed from the library at Central Linn High School in Brownsville, OR. The Kids' Right to Read Project sent a letter to the school board in support of keeping the book in the library.

NCAC and ABFFE sent this letter to the Editors of the Austin American-Statesman in response to the removal of TTYL from middle school libraries. Re: “Round Rock chief removes contested book from middle schools” (November 19) To the Editors: We strongly oppose the decision of Round Rock ISD Superintendent Dr. Jesús Chávez to remove TTYL by Lauren Myracle from district [...]

Two parents challenged the picture book, And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, for use in elementary school libraries in Ankeny, Iowa.  The parents objected to the story of two male penguins who parent a chick because they say the book is not "age-appropriate".  NCAC and ABFFE wrote a letter to the Ankeny School Board opposing the challenges.

TTYL‚ by Lauren Myracle was removed from middle school libraries throughout Round Rock (TX) ISD.  One student's parents challenged TTYL‚ because they objected to sexual content and profanity in the book.  Two review committees evaluated the book and recommended that it be kept on library shelves.  However, before the school board could review the matter, Superintendent Jesús Chávez had the book removed from middle school libraries throughout the district.  The Kids' Right to Read Project sent a letter to the school board opposing the book's removal.

Some parents have objected to sexual content, profanity, and violence in The Bluest Eye and Beloved by Toni Morrison, The Color Purple by Alice Walker, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini in Burke County, NC, schools. The Kite Runner was reviewed (and subsequently approved for use in classrooms) in February 2008. The Kids' Right to Read Project sent a letter to the school board regarding the challenges.

Re: Sherwood School Board upholds use of novel Grendel (November 12) To the Editors: The Sherwood School Board should be applauded for its decision to keep the novel, Grendel by John Gardner, in Sherwood High School’s 10th grade accelerated English curriculum.  Some parents object to sexual content and violence in the book, but their children were offered an alternative assignment.  [...]