“This year I think reflecting are the inflection points that we saw in US society and politics around racial injustice. In more recent years, complaints are about books about diverse topics and diverse characters, like stories about Black children’s life experiences and LGBTQ characters. Ten years ago, complaints were about books that referenced sex, sexual activity and profanity. The results reflect a trend that the library association has noticed over the past decade, said Deborah Caldwell-Stone director of ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom. The top 10 list in 2019 was dominated by books that dealt with the LGBTQ experience, and none were challenged over racial issues. The list included new books plus library staples such as “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “Of Mice and Men.” Books that talked about racism and racial justice – or told the stories of people of color or the LGBTQ community – were among the most challenged as inappropriate for students in 2020, according to a survey by the American Library Association.Īs the nation attempted a reckoning in 2020 over the issue of race in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, parents took issue with books that dealt with some of the same issues.įor the first time in the survey’s history, six of the 10 most-challenged books – out of 273 books that were targeted in libraries, schools and universities – touched on issues of race, and the complaints ranged from “divisive language” to anti-police views, according to the ALA.
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