In 2023 Boyle County Schools quietly banned 100 books for 3 elementary, 1 middle and 1 high school library citing Senate Bill 150 (the Don’t Say Gay Act). In 2022 the ALA (American Library Association) stated that there was a 20 percent increase in attempts to ban books and other materials from Public Libraries with most of the requests centering around topics dealing with people of color and the LGBTQ+ communities. During the 4 meetings we will: (1.) Learn about the challenges that school districts are facing when it comes to book banning and how they are responding to the challenge. (2.) Read several books that have been banned from all 3 levels of school. (3.) Discuss the ideas in the books that we read.
Books we will read include: Picture Books: Fred Gets Dressed by Peter Brown, When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller, The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead, Aaron Slater, Illustrator by Andrea Beaty, and Young Adult Books: Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff, I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson, All the Things We Do in the Dark by Saundra Mitchell.
All books can be borrowed from public libraries in Kentucky either virtually via the Libby app or you can borrow the actual book from your local library. You are also welcome to purchase the books. I have requested that Coffee Tree Books order one copy of each title. All titles are also available on Amazon. A syllabus will be forthcoming with actual dates that each book will be discussed. Please read each book prior to the class meeting.