7/28/2019 Kids' Right to Read: On the Case, March 2013

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7/28/2019 Kids' Right to Read: On the Case, March 2013

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Too Intensely Alice for MissouriWe responded to a call for help from partnerorganization the American Library Association,after they heard that Phyllis Reynolds Naylors

Alice series had come under fire in schoollibraries in Buffalo, MO.

The charge was led by the school principal anda middle school teacher, who had called thebook pornographic and obscene.Conveniently, the crusading teacher is alsomarried to the president of the school board.

The board met unofficially, rather than in anopen meeting, to talk about the book

In our response to the district, we called fortransparency and commitment to the districtswritten library policies, which place principalover personal opinion. Fortunately, the districtkept the book.

Its a parents responsibility for what a child isgoing to read, library media specialistElizabeth Rooker told a reporter after the vote.

Absolutely True Challenge Story Teachers in Yakima, WA, have had greatsuccess teaching Sherman Alexies

Absolu tely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,so a parents desire to remove it took them bysurprise.

The book describes the trials of growing up aNative American teen, using a colloquial voiceand occasionally strong language.

The complaining parent stated thedemographics of the community made itdifficult to understand minority cultures and thebooks story wasnt helping her childone of very few African-American students in theschool.

We worked behind-the-scenes, speaking withadministrators and teachers, supporting theirwork and urging retention of the book.

Ultimately a district committee decided to do just that.

Book Censors Recent Hit List:

The Popularity Papers by Amy Ignatow

A Child Called It by Dave Peltzer

Beloved by Toni Morrison

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosk y

Fight Club by Chuck Palaniuk

The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore

The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell

Kids Right to Read is a project of the National Coalition Against Censorship and AmericanBooksellers Foundation for Free Expression. It is supported by the Comic Book Legal DefenseFund and the Association of American Publishers.