About Us
A little about us...
We established at the beginning of the 2021 school year with the belief that all students should have the freedom to access any book, with a safe environment to discuss them. The books we read throughout the year have been labeled as "banned" or "challenged" by the district. Many of these books have been challenged for LGBTQIA+ content, conflicting religious viewpoints, racism, or anti-police views. In our meetings, we allow students to share and debate their views on the controversial subject matter in the books, to provide an opportunity to expose students to different viewpoints or opinions. Our goal is to ensure all students have the ability to read any book in order to expand our views on the world and learn about the people living in it.
What books have we read so far?
Kiss Number 8 By Collen AF Venable and Ellen T Crenshaw
The Handmaid's Tale: The Graphic Novel By Margaret Atwood
Out Of Darkness By Ashley Hope Pérez
In The Dream House By Carmen Maria Machado
None Of The Above By I. W. Gregorio
The Nowhere Girls By Amy Reed
Ordinary Hazards By Niki Grimes
V for Vendetta By Alan Moore
Shout By Laurie Halse Anderson
The Top 3 Most Challenged Books From 2020
Information from The American Literacy Association- George by Alex Gino: Challenged, Banned, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content, conflicting with a religious viewpoint, and not "reflecting the values of our community".
- Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds: banned and challenged for the author's public statements, and because of claims that the book contains "selective storytelling incidents" and does not encompass racism against all people.
- All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely: Banned and Challenged for profanity, drug use, and alcoholism, and because it was thought to promote anti-police views, contain divisive topics, and to be "too much of a sensitive matter right now".
