Is Your Child Exposed to
Explicit and Inappropriate Materials at School?
Parents should check their child's school library for their participation in Banned Books Week activities. Some members of school staff are promoting books that should be restricted from minors and many would meet the definition of obscene material as described by NCstate statute. Check the book reports posted on our partner site Rated Books.
Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe
All Boys Aren't Blue by George Johnson
This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Tricks by Ellen Hopkins
The Pavement Education Project supports the selection of appropriate materials for students.
Check the locations page to see reports on books that are in many school districts in North Carolina.
North Carolina Association Encourages Banned Book Week
This is a copy of a letter that the North Carolina School Library Media Association. Read about the various ways media specialists can celebrate Banned Books Week with public school students.
NCSLMA Members,
Banned Books Week is this week, September 22-28! Please explore THIS INFOGRAPHIC for some ideas on how you can celebrate with your students.
Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to an uptick in book challenges faced by libraries, bookstores, and schools. No one could have ever imagined that number would continue to grow to the frightening level we have seen during the past few years. We celebrate this week every year to help our students and patrons understand the importance of tolerance, respect, representation, and diversity in the printed words that surround us.
Celebrating our right to read looks different for different levels. We hope some of these resources help you find an appropriate way to celebrate with your students! Here are a few things to consider as you plan:
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Rather than focusing on book bans, celebrating lower elementary students’ right to read might look more like a celebration of variety in your library collection. What if one day is all about the books in your library that feature the word “blue” in the title? Maybe another day is all about schools as a setting? And maybe yet another day is all about books that feature a bear as the main character? Displays, signage, and props can make it a great week to show off the collection!
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Upper elementary students might benefit from displays that showcase the gender, cultural, and racial diversity in your collection. Let them see themselves featured in a colorful display of awesome books!
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Middle school is ready to broach the subject of book banning. A display of age-appropriate, frequently challenged books can spark wonderfully complex discourse. They’ve got good questions. Answer them.
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For obvious reasons, the highest number of challenges are aimed at young adult books. They are most likely to feature the themes, characters, and events that some parents, administrators, and school boards find uncomfortable. That is understandable, and it also makes high school the perfect place to let students take the lead with Banned Books Week. Let them research the challenges and the whys. Let them choose the best way to showcase the books. Let them talk about the policies we have in place to ensure quality, appropriate literature for them. Let them ask you why you do -- and do not -- have certain titles in your collection. Then let them talk to the adults in their lives about all of it.
There is a lot of uncertainty in our profession these days. There are a lot of distractions and extra responsibilities that sometimes make us forget why we wanted to become librarians. Banned Books Week can be a week to get back to one of the coolest parts of our jobs – helping students discover the freedom that can be found within the pages of a book. Happy Banned Books Week 2024!
Sincerely,
Lucy Wilcox
NCSLMA Advocacy & Governance Director
Check these NC School Websites, Links, and videos
Durham County School
Guilford County School
Wake County School
Books can take children on new and exciting adventures, inspire them, and challenge them to be the best they can be. Books should be safe and developmentally appropriate, specially selected to support the curriculum and interest levels of the students.
If you believe a book is unsuitable for children at your child's school, you should contact the school administrators. You will be able to challenge the book and it's placement in your child's school. We encourage you to also reach out to your legislators with your concerns. In our experience, some schools and districts are more responsive to parents than others. Legislators have it within their power to pass legislation protecting children that includes enforcement which is sorely needed in NC statute.
