A modern book burning: LGBTQ-themed books removed from North KC, Liberty schools
The removal of LGBTQ-themed books from libraries in the North Kansas City School District and Liberty Public Schools is an attack on intellectual freedom. And officials in both districts should know better than to cower to demands of a parent group before a review process plays out.
Two LGBTQ-themed books were pulled from the library shelves at four high schools in North Kansas City. Officials in Liberty Public Schools are reviewing this week the appropriateness of one of the books after a complaint was filed.
The Northland Parent Association’s effort to have all material deemed inappropriate removed from all schools in Clay and Platte counties is akin to modern-day book burning.
But the decision to remove the literature was premature. One reader’s objection to a book is not a license to restrict others from the work, a point driven home by the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom.
“Ultimately, no book is the perfect fit for every reader, especially works that tackle difficult topics reflecting real-world circumstances,” the ALA’s website states.
Librarians have the institutional knowledge and the skill set to select books appropriate for high school and other students, not disapproving parent groups. The two books in question are highly recommended reading for high school students across the country.
“Fun Home,” a memoir in comic strip form by Alison Bechdel and “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” a series of coming-of-age essays about growing up Black and queer by George M. Johnson, were both removed from North Kansas City, Oak Park, Staley and Winnetonka high schools after Jay Richmond, president of the Northland Parent Association, objected to the works at a recent school board meeting.
Despite having procedures in place to address complaints against questionable literature and other material, North Kansas City school officials immediately pulled the books and began a review process to determine if the works were suitable for high school students. The district’s book selection and check-out processes are also under review.
The knee-jerk reaction reeked of panic and may have far-reaching consequences. A decades-old U.S. Supreme Court ruling makes it clear: The First Amendment keeps in check the power school officials have to remove books from school libraries because of content.
Liberty Public Schools is using a similar process to review the appropriateness of “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” officials said.
“I’m shocked and absolutely aggravated at what is in our school systems, what’s in our school libraries and what is available to these students,” Richmond told members of the North Kansas City Board of Education at a recent meeting. “If I were to hand this material out to a minor or read or give any of these books to a minor, I would be charged with solicitation of a minor,” Richmond said to the NKC school board. “My first question to you guys is, why is that any different for you?”
For shock value, Richmond then read aloud a passage from Jonathan Evison’s critically-acclaimed book “Lawn Boy.” The excerpt was read out of context and was filled with graphic details of sexual abuse of a child.
“Why are we giving this and allowing this to our kids?” Richmond asked. “They’re minors.”
Richmond leads a litigious nonprofit organization that represents parents of school children north of the Missouri River. The group sued seven school districts and North Kansas City and Kansas City over objections to mask mandates and quarantine protocols. Its latest action against books with LGBTQ themes comes straight from a conservative playbook playing out in school districts nationwide.
Unfortunately, leaders in North Kansas City and Liberty schools caved, and LGBTQ and nonbinary school children are deprived of reading award-winning literature that mirrors their lived experiences in some ways.
When asked if a book had previously been pulled before it underwent a review process, a spokeswoman for the North Kansas City School District did not reply.
In Liberty, books are chosen for the library collection based on professional reviews from multiple sources, district officials wrote in a letter to parents in October. The district considers the varied interests, abilities and maturity levels of all students in making those selections. Students are encouraged to exchange books that are not a good fit for them and library staff is trained to help students find books that match their interests.
“Students choose which library books to read,” the letter continued. As they should.
Neither “Fun Home” nor “All Boys Aren’t Blue” is required reading for high school students in North Kansas City or Liberty schools. They aren’t part of the curriculum in either district. Limiting or restricting access to these materials does nothing to prevent a child from accessing all the objectionable material they could possibly want and more via the internet.
The conflict between intellectual freedom and educating students versus parental rights or political demagoguery has been on display in school districts nationwide. Officials in the Northland should have known better than to fall for the grandstanding act put on by the parent group.
This story was originally published November 5, 2021 at 5:00 AM.