13 votes

Book banning: Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl

Posted by first-must-burn
Tags: politics.usa, ask.discussion, usa, books.childrens, me earl and the dying girl, bans.book, karen england, take back the classroom

I heard from a credible source that Karen England of book-banning site Take Back the Classroom (link to a critical assessment here, I'm not linking to the real site) has made it her mission to get Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl banned in every school in America.

I have my copy on order, But haven't read it yet. I have been told there are scenes where teenagers discuss sex and drugs, but no depictions of either. It seems like the point is to use a less-well-known book with no LGBTQIA+ angle as a bellwether to make it easier to ban other books in the future.

There are resources here that you can use to fight book bans in your local community.

Posted under society since this is definitely political.

3 comments

  1. kfwyre
    Link
    In some good news, several states have passed laws aimed at curbing book banning efforts. Massachusetts just recently passed one and it's noteworthy for "limit[ing] who can initiate a challenge to...

    In some good news, several states have passed laws aimed at curbing book banning efforts.

    Massachusetts just recently passed one and it's noteworthy for "limit[ing] who can initiate a challenge to school staff or parents, guardians, and students, who reside in the city or town where the library is located." Essentially it requires someone to have "standing" to attempt to ban the book, which cuts down on their primary tactic of having a small group of dedicated individuals push for numerous and sweeping bans across the country.

    8 votes
  2. [2]
    Eric_the_Cerise
    Link
    Reminder that the Books Unbanned project exists.

    Reminder that the Books Unbanned project exists.

    A Books Unbanned library card gives teens across the United States free digital access to ebooks and digital resources, including banned and challenged books—no matter where they live. Books Unbanned helps ensure teens can read what they like, explore new ideas and form their own opinions.

    This is a free digital library card for U.S. teens, created to protect the freedom to read in the face of growing book censorship.

    6 votes
    1. moocow1452
      Link Parent
      Also available is the Read Freely program for all US citizens 13 and up. Good to have for Libby collectors as well. https://www.lapl.org/library-card/read-freely

      Also available is the Read Freely program for all US citizens 13 and up. Good to have for Libby collectors as well.

      https://www.lapl.org/library-card/read-freely

      3 votes