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Across the country, school boards are holding meetings to discuss the availability of certain books in school libraries and classrooms. These boards are largely made up of cishet white Republicans whose main objective is to restrict exposure to books and storylines which contain LGBTQ+, people of color, anti-racism themes, and non-Christian religions. According to United Against Book Bans, there were “1,835 unique titles targeted between January 1 – October 31, 2022.” This number is a record high and with the attacks on education currently being carried out by the DeSantis administration it is only going to rise.
The LGBTQ and POC communities have already faced extreme backlash and oppression from their straight, white counterparts. By restricting access to material that could make a student feel seen and accepted, Republicans increase the risk of mental health issues arising in that student’s life. The Human Rights Campaign states “LGBTQ+ high schoolers of color are also more likely to attempt suicide (27%) compared to LGBTQ+ high schoolers (22%) and non-LGBTQ+ high schoolers (5%) in the United States.” Teenagers today have some of the highest rates of suicide in generations. The focus should become preventing and supporting mental illnesses such as depression, PTSD, and anxiety – especially ones that stem from oppressive situations. No one should deny the existence of any problems whatsoever and force LGBTQ+ and POC youth to isolate themselves. Allowing marginalized youth to see characters who have their attributes represented in books and media helps them feel connected and understood. Thereby acting as a shield against mental health struggles.
Furthermore, the very purpose of a school board is to allow students to be seen and heard. Pre-K through 12th-grade reading material should not be restricted to what is deemed “acceptable” according to Biblical teachings, white supremacist views, or a patriarchal society. Minors are required by law to attend an educational institution. As such, this should be an environment where they are safe to learn and explore different ways of life. It should not be an institution that denies their existence and refuses to discuss the issues that they face every day. Bans on books that talk about oppression, slavery, and anti-LGBTQ+ attacks promote the idea that these issues do not exist. The students are not taught the mistakes of history and this dooms them to repeat them.
Teachers around the country have been told to either take down or cover up any books not deemed appropriate by the school board. The list currently includes “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas, “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury, which literally discusses the negative effects of book bans, and “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White. Many of the books which are currently on ban lists used to be taught in English classes as a way to inform students about serious issues in the world which affect day-to-day life. “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe is a particularly moving and eye-opening account of slavery. The book recounts the horrors that happened in the South through the story of Uncle Tom, a generous, kind, black man. Many school districts have banned it, citing racial slurs and violence as the primary reasons. However, they refuse to acknowledge the existence of racial slurs and violence as a means to oppress people of color. Candice Anderson, co-owner of Tombolo Books, a local bookstore in St. Petersburg, agrees that in the case of titles being banned, the themes tend to center around “ traditionally marginalized groups that are being further marginalized by these bans.” Those that lead the action against books just don’t want their kids to feel uncomfortable knowing their ancestors committed heinous acts. The lengths they go to prevent any sort of white discomfort are evident in the fact that teachers who oppose the bans and continue to support LGBT+ or POC students by providing textual resources have been threatened with disciplinary action and even unemployment.
In Texas, which is currently the #1 book-banning state in the nation according to PEN Reports, teachers are fighting against school boards partly made up of parents whose children do not attend a public school district. The number of these individuals is slowly rising, meaning it is becoming impossible to ignore or shut down calls for the banning of certain books. In Conroe Independent School District, Dual-Credit English teacher, Theresa Neman, has been speaking out about the bans that her school board has put in place. When asked, Neman explained how “parental choice here truly means Individual Controlling All Thought because they do not want parents who disagree with them to have any choice.” Anderson echoed this statement by claiming “it seems like the strategy is to censor what’s available to young people. Which seems like a first step toward broader initiatives.”
The influx of conservative individuals on the board to which Neman is referencing stems from religious organizations having begun to encourage stay-at-home parents to get themselves elected to school boards. The parents are to push for the restriction of books and literary materials that do not align with Church teachings. When asked about how the bans have impacted teachers, Neman said the bans are “making them scared” adding that “fear is a tool used for control.” Teachers, who are already underpaid and overworked, are now fearing that their jobs will be at stake if they dare to promote books with characters who don’t fit the white, cishet stereotype.
One small light is that since the focus right now is on banning books in schools and libraries, locally owned bookstores have not yet suffered many consequences. According to Anderson, booksellers have gotten an opportunity to converse with customers about the new bans and how they can affect the community. Anderson says:
“We’ve seen a lot of the titles that our [Florida’s] governor and his legislature and counties have banned… customers have become more interested in those titles, either for their private reading or also to donate them to little free libraries. Non-Profits are creating diversity libraries and are trying to get them into the hands of students.”
Clearly, attempting to take books out of the hands of students has only prompted outside parties into taking action and reaching students outside of the traditional school setting. The accessibility of banned books in private businesses is crucial in ensuring that these titles are not wiped off the face of the literary world.
It is evident that the individuals elected to school boards will not prioritize the safety and inclusion of students. Now, it is up to parents, booksellers, and teachers to speak on behalf of the minorities who attend public schools and ensure they have access to literature that accurately reflects the full scope of the human experience. Not just the straight, white, Christian experience.