General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTwo Students Sue School District for Banning LGBTQ+ Books
The American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri filed a lawsuit on Tuesday for parents of two Wentzville school district students to prevent the removal of books about LGBTQ+ people, people of color, and other marginalized groups. It comes after the school district removed eight books from the students schools library. Those included The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison; Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic Paperback by Alison Bechdel; All Boys Arent Blue by George M. Johnson; Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon; Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison; Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero; Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari; and Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell.
These books were banned because of officials dislike of the ideas contained in the Banned Books and with the intent and purpose to prescribe what is generally or traditionally accepted as right or true in matters of opinion, according to the ACLU of Missouris lawsuit. The group says in the lawsuit that the first amendment rights of the students were violated by suppressing the ideas and viewpoints expressed in the books.
In November, St. Louis Public Radio found that two-thirds of attempts to remove books had been from authors of color or authors who are LGBTQ+.School boards cannot ban books because the books and their characters illustrate viewpoints different of those of school board; especially when they target books presenting the viewpoints of racial and sexual minorities, as they have done in Wentzville, Anthony Rothert, director of integrated advocacy of ACLU of Missouri said in a news release.
The first amendment protects the right to share ideas, including the right of people to receive information and knowledge, Rothert added. We must protect this right, including educators and students rights to talk and learn about race and gender in schools.
by Alex Cooper - February 18 2022 5:24 pm est
https://www.advocate.com/news/2022/2/18/two-students-sue-school-district-banning-lgbtq-books
SharonClark
(10,014 posts)Im tired of the anti-everything-good-and-reasonable having there own way.
summer_in_TX
(2,739 posts)The American people should have an unfettered right to information that is in the public domain. A right to read.
pidge
(274 posts)summer_in_TX
(2,739 posts)Do they have transportation to another location that has the books available for free?
Having the books at hand to stumble across is part of the wonders of a school library (or any library for that matter).
pnwmom
(108,980 posts)Slammer
(714 posts)What will likely end up happening if the lawsuit wins is that they'll put the books back in the libraries...
And then not replace those books when they're eventually removed because of age and wear to that copy of the book.
You can probably force them to put the books which they already own back on the shelves.
You probably can't force them to spend money on books which they are unwilling to purchase.
But hopefully, the community views will have changed by that point and the decision-makers will have been replaced by that point in time.
crickets
(25,981 posts)NoMoreRepugs
(9,435 posts)My grandfather fought w Black Jack Pershing, my FIL hit Omaha Beach in the first couple of waves, all my uncles and Dad served in WW2 - no fen way can I stand for this shit - NO WAY.