An author of a challenged book told a school board that banning books is "illegal government overreach" and "educational malpractice."
The Central Bucks School District (CBSD) has been caught up in controversy ever since its recent decision to ban displays of LGBTQ-related paraphernalia and advocacy in classrooms, including the pride flag. Now, CBSD is considering a policy to scrutinize library materials.
The newly passed policy seeks to ensure library books are "age-appropriate" across K-12th grade by prohibiting any books that contain written or visually sexually explicit content and permitting parents to challenge a library book.
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There are reportedly nearly 70 titles that are being challenged.
Division among the parents was clear at the school board meeting as some parents appreciated CBSD for placing emphasis on education and others argue claiming students are being "marginalized."
One of the speakers opposing the policy is an acclaimed author.
"Most of you on this school board want to ban my latest book ‘Shout’ along with 64 other books that examine things that make you feel uncomfortable or that make you feel are inappropriate," author Laurie Halse Anderson said. "Shout is a memoir. In it, I write about the trauma of being raped when I was 13 years old and about dealing with the crippling depression that followed that attack as well as my challenges of growing up in a family that struggled with alcoholism."
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She said that the book is a fictionalized version of her life.
"Our children are already hurt," Anderson added. "They need us to have the courage to talk about the hard things, to make a safe place for them to say what happened to them."
She continued, "'Shout' is a perfect example of why your proposed book bans are not simply anti-constitutional. Your book bans will be an act of educational malpractice. Your book banning will be an act of illegal government overreach. Denying education and information to your students is guaranteeing some of them are going to be broken for life."
Anderson’s book "Speak" ranked 60th on the American Library Association’s list of Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books for 2000–2009. Most recently, ALA listed "Speak" as the most banned book of 2020.
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One of the parents applauded CBSD for focusing on "academic excellence" over "progressive activism."
"Public schools have a responsibility to teach core academic subjects to keep children safe and protect the rights of parents. However, under the guise of gender tolerance children are being exposed to over-sexualized and inappropriate content which is deceptively labeled as book banning," the parent said. "I will read depictions and show some images from just a few of the approximate 70 similar books challenged in this district which progressive activist label as good books and want in the schools. Viewers' discretion is advised as none of this is appropriate for children."
The parent specifically mentioned the book "All Boys Are Blue."
"He reached his hand down and pulled out my d***. He quickly went to giving me h***. He didn't know I was a virgin. We dry-humped and grinded. He pulled out some condoms and some lube."
Since the pandemic, school board meetings have become battlegrounds between parents and school board officials. Parents across the country have protested controversial curriculum like critical race theory as well as certain books being in public libraries. This has reignited the debate on how much control parents have over their children's education.
