‘Fighting a non-existent problem’: Emotions run high during debate over East Bay school book-banning
DANVILLE — A controversial debate over banning books from an East Bay school district’s libraries reached a peak late Tuesday as dozens of residents packed a school board meeting with some accusing district leaders of allowing literature with “pornographic” material into the hands of children.
Still, others including students defended the texts as educationally valuable and having literary merit. The books at issue are available in some school libraries but are not assigned in any classes. In recent years, there has been a growing movement among educators and librarians to promote the inclusion of diverse and inclusive literature in school libraries, with supporters arguing that exposure to diverse books can help promote empathy, understanding and foster a more inclusive environment among students.
Calls to remove books with sexual orientation, gender identity, race and racism themes have been a source of conflict around the country and in the San Ramon district for some time, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many parents and local groups became more active and vocal during school board meetings and in Facebook groups.
But the unfounded claim that a student was punished for refusing to read Maia Kobabe’s “Gender Queer” reached the school board level at a January meeting, with the board deciding it should discuss the district’s policy on challenged books at its Feb. 21 gathering. Debra Petish, the district’s director of curriculum and instruction, told the packed board room that “no student is forced to read a book that makes them uncomfortable.”
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