Let’s Talk About It covers gender, sexuality and safer sex for older teens. A part of librarian Martha Hickson's collection for years, it's one book out of hundreds that many communities in the United States are calling to be banned, fueling a divisive culture war.
“I am proud that our library and our library books provide a safe, private space for students to independently seek answers to the questions that concern them. Please keep it that way,” Ms. Hickson said to vigorous applause from supporters.Ms. Hickson pleads that the board not ban any more books from her library to vigorous applause from her supporters. Clad in shades of crimson and burgundy, they believe books should be"read", not banned.
The current divisiveness around library books can be traced to a recent educational shift toward greater inclusion in public schools, and the addition to curriculums and libraries of books that reflect the realities and histories of racialized groups, religious minorities and LGBTQ people. She added: “I think these are people who need empathy. They don’t necessarily need power, but they definitely need empathy.”
Another group, Parents’ Rights in Education, says on its website that it rejects “any indoctrination of schoolchildren with extreme pedagogy.” The group also states that it supports “the proper role of K-12 academic education, focused on core skills, and preparing students for success. We reject controversial sexualization and racist doctrine.”
Tucked in one corner is a giant poster showcasing her 2022 American Library Association award, which honours librarians who stand up in the face of adversity. She’s certainly done her share. Her library collection was among the first in the country to be challenged., a graphic novel memoir by Alison Bechdel about the complex relationship with her father and her coming out as a lesbian in a small town. Ms. Hickson was told the book was pornographic.
“They want a certain conservative cultural orthodoxy that matches a very narrow world view. And anything outside of those particular parameters is forbidden,” Ms. Hickson said of her detractors. Among them on that Tuesday evening in May was Lucy Harris, a Grade 9 student at North Hunterdon High School.