My local library in Springfield pulled a history book from the teen section last month.

It was a graphic novel about the 1968 protests, and they moved it to the adult nonfiction area with a note about 'age-appropriate content.' I checked the catalog and saw it was done after one parent complained at a board meeting. When did a single complaint get to decide what facts all the kids can access?

3 comments

3 Comments

reese_chen1mo ago

Saw the same thing happen at my old high school. They pulled a book about Japanese internment camps because it had a few harsh quotes from soldiers. One school board member called it "divisive material." Now the kids just get the paragraph in the standard textbook that calls it a "relocation." Feels like we're editing history to avoid making anyone uncomfortable.

ericp671mo ago

Calling it a "relocation" is just plain wrong. That sanitizes the whole awful truth. They're literally swapping out real history for a nicer sounding word.

the_charles5d ago

Remember what @reese_chen said, I fought that same fight by reading the real books out loud at school board meetings.