School board gets TRIGGERED when parent reads a passage from "Gender Queer;" a graphic book available to children in school libraries. As an American of Mexican descent, a Texan, and someone who as a child also explored with another boy my age at 10 I want to thank you for the representation of this book. Its so - just garbage. Right now some folks are protesting outside the #Fairfax County school board meeting - calling for two LGBTQ books to be pulled from the shelves because they say it contains pornography. The book, which is set in the Reconstruction era and vividly portrays the horrors of slavery and its legacy, contains passages that are violent and sexually explicit. One of the images shows the adult author engaging in fellatio with a romantic partner who is also an adult, while the author wears a dildo. Books with themes about race are often banned under the "false claim" of critical race theory, Stone said. This has to do with homosexuals. Frankly, I would have put that number much higher. ", Joseph Felber argued that the books should be available but "maybe not marketed. Virginia school board officials suggest burning books banned from schools, Teen who vanished 8 years ago while walking dogs is found alive, Authorities hint they know location of missing mother's body, Alligator attacks and kills woman walking her dog in South Carolina, most challenged books in libraries and schools. You might recognize Leander Independent School District (LISD) in Texasfrom another memorable school board meeting, in which a parent pulled out a pink dildo as a prop to emphasize her point. CBS News has reached out to a representative for Krause for comment and is awaiting response. Im fine with Mexicans, he tells Mike. Editorial Reviews. Liberals can misspeak all day, and nothing happens. I just ordered your book and its shot to the top of my reading list. Fairfax County mother Stacy Langton said hearing about sexual content in other school libraries prompted her to visit her own kids school, Fairfax High School, to investigate. The Would-be Banning of Lawn Boy, and Why I'm Not - NW Book Lovers Even. Pedophile or not some things are just better left out of the school library. A local entrepreneur wants Mike to be the frontman for his landscaping business because his clients will feel better about dealing with someone whos not 100 percent Mexican. Board member calls it inappropriate and asks for him to be REMOVED from the chamber. ", The library association defines a "challenge" as a "formal, written complaint filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness." Ahead of the meeting, people lined the street protesting the district while students with the Pride Liberation Project, a coalition of students working to uplift the Queer community, expressed their opposition to the protest. Its intimidation of the school board and teachers, and its inappropriate and worrisome that the police department agreed to investigate this as placing a book on a classroom shelf was an illegal act. One of the books he deemed inappropriate is "Gender Queer," by Maia Kobabe,which its publisher describes as a "useful and touching guide on gender identity. 'Who normalizes sex acts between 4th graders?' Texas police - KUTV Lawn Boy is empathetic and angry in its portrayal of class, poverty, discrimination--destroyers of dreams. Editors note: A previous version of this post incorrectly stated the book was borrowed from a Leander high school library. He said that, contrary to allegations circulating online, the book does not describe or contain pedophilia. Robert Norris Rigby, a longtime LGBTQ activist in Fairfax County and co-president of FCPS Pride, an LGBTQ advocacy group, said he is displeased but unsurprised by the controversy over the books. Lawn Boy book controversy: sexually inappropriate/racist - Substack So, society is abandoning taboos, approving everything under the sun right up to pedophilia at least for now. FCPS is in the process of convening two committees made up of staff, students and parents led by our Library Services Coordinator to assess the suitability of both texts for inclusion in our high school libraries, a spokesperson for FCPS said. Republican State Representative Matt Krause put together a list of 850 books he believes should be banned, including "Rainbow, a first book of Pride," aimed at young readers, and "Underneath It All: A History of Women's Underwear," aimed at young adults. The first week of September, at a school board meeting in Texas, a woman lobbied fiercely to get my one of my novels,Lawn Boy(2017), banned from libraries for content relating to my gay protagonist, and his gay life experiences. REMOVE BOOKS: Wayne parents demand removal of 'Gender Queer,' six other books from school libraries, CANCEL CULTURE: 'Fight to the death.' She called the sex scenes detailed in the texts filth and theorized that if a man showed images such as those included in Gender Queer to a female colleague in the workplace, he would be written up for sexual harassment. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community,please subscribe or activate your digital account today. "A year ago, we might have been receiving one, maybe two reports a day about a book being challenged at a library. I dont care about the gender of the participants in the book, I dont care about the sexual orientation of the characters, Langton said. Henzel could not immediately be reached for comment. After the meeting, Burkman still without filing a formal complaint or request for review of the book went to the Leander Police Department. Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving is a journey back to life. here for reprint permission. "The librarian went out of her way to recommend the book to students," Nordman said. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); ***The Iowa Standard is an independent media voice. We Spoke to the Author of One of America's Most Controversial Books By Rachel Uda KCM/Photo credit: Keith Brofsky Share "The whole affair is a study in disinformation." Jonathan Evison is a novelist in Washington who's enjoyed a fair amount of success. The protests stem from two LBGTQIA books titled Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison and Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe that were pulled and put under review by the school district after a parent claimed some of the scenes were inappropriate. pic.twitter.com/175AZdPUiH Rasta Redpill (@RastaRedpill) October 28, 2021 And why are so many people praising a white author writing sexually deviant poverty fantasies about a Chicano landscaper stereotype? One of his neighbors, a hippie stockbroker, offers to invest the profits, Parents say (1) Kids say (21) age 8+ Titles like "Maus" and "Beloved" are being pulled from libraries across the country amid an uptick in book bans. He "gets his mow on"; he even finds unexpected true love. I liked it right off the bat, mostly because of the narrator's description of his grandma in the first chapter: My grandmother is the kind of person who always thinks that no matter how bad things . Langton responded. Finally, theres a book called All Boys Arent Blue. This book, too, is controversial. Reading is gonna be extinct lol. This allows educators with a good knowledge of what is age appropriate and useful for students to re-evaluate titles. Krause also asked districts to identify any other books that may include: human sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV, AIDS, sexually explicit images or material that "might make students feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress because of their race or sex," according to CBS Dallas. Republican lawmakers across Texas are working to enforce a ban on what they consider "divisive concepts.". Whoever you are, Mike says, whatever your last name is, wherever you came from, whichever way you swing, whatever is standing in your way, just remember: Youre bigger than that. Jonathan Evison takes a battering ram to stereotypes about race and class in his fifth novel, "Lawn Boy." It's a semi-autobiographical tale spiked with angst and anger, but also full of humor. The two speakers at the Thursday meeting, a Fairfax parent and a woman who said she was a former teacher, also alleged that the books Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison and Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe contain depictions of pedophilia, a charge that Evison denied. The emotional beat-downs continue for Mike in his job as a landscaper. Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison, Paperback | Barnes & Noble If there are people that are uncomfortable with books for any reason, we have a process for dealing with this, Tholen said. "Its innocent sexual experimentation between kids, which is actually kind of a common trope in coming-of-age novels.". If youve ever used the phrase Fake News now YOU can actually DO something about it! The ALA doesn't keep a precise figure for how many books have actually been removed, but cases have come up routinely over the past year. "Lawn Boy. criticized the text at a school board meeting in Texas. There are some books with graphic violence, disturbing themes and, yes, even sexuality that are taught in high school classrooms, never mind being available by choice in libraries. The books are not available at the lower and middle-school level. I have chosen, wisely, I hope, not to engage those who would seek to ban my book and call me a pedophile, because I suspect no amount of contextualizing would persuade these people, many of whom might have had their own sexual experiences in youth with which they are still deeply ashamed, that in addressing the subject of sexual identity graphically, metaphorically, or otherwise (particularly when it does not comfortably jibe with their Judeo-Christian conception), I am not a sicko, pedo, or freak. I am an author of fiction, and am well aware of where my moral center abides. I don't care what the subject, the genre of the book, whether it is heterosexual or homosexual.. "They dont bat an eyelash at rape scenes in our English readings they only care that its Queer, one student said. . Washington Post plays 'gotcha' with concerned parents, MAGA Declaration of Independence: Taking on the woke partisan mob, Christie, DeSantis, Trump celebrate Fourth of July with a food fight, Failing to back NATO membership for Ukraine, U.S. cedes Pacific to China. "Now, we're getting three, four, five reports a day, many in need of support and some in need of a great deal of support.". : Book Censorship News, May 26, 2023, A Bill in Connecticut Would Fund Sanctuary Libraries: Book Censorship News, May 19, 2023, How To Prepare Library Pride Displays: Book Censorship News, May 12, 2023, 2023 Right to Read Bills Under Consideration: Book Censorship News, May 5, 2023, The Next Generation United Daughters of the Confederacy: Book Censorship News, April 28, 2023, Sleuthing Summer: 12 Great New Mystery & Thrillers For July 2023, The Bestselling Books of the Week, According to All the Lists, Book Riot's Deals of the Day for July 4, 2023. But parents in Katy, Texas successfully stopped an October appearance by Craft, and had "New Kid" temporarily removed from the school "by simply saying it represented critical race theory," she said. Parents need to know that Lawn Boy, by Gary Paulsen, is a fun story told in the first person about a 12-year-old boy in Minnesota who has been given his grandpa's old rideable lawnmower and starts a business mowing his neighbors' lawns. LISD, like all school boards, has a system for requesting books in libraries are reviewed as well as a process for filing an official complaint about a title. Fairfax schools will return 'Gender Queer,' 'Lawn Boy' to shelves after EXPLICIT CONTENT: At least three sexually explicit LGBTQ books in Waukees REP. HOLT: House freedom-loving caucus working on solutions to vaccine mandates, REP. ANDREWS: Bill of Rights always refers to individual rights, no reason government, businesses should make medical decisions for anyone, Florida Republicans demand Biden respect parents rights, BIDEN: Student debt relief plan would have been lifeline to recover from pandemic, Grinnell College undeterred by SCOTUS ruling affirmative action unconstitutional in college admissions, CRT and LGBT In Education: Indoctrination Of Children - MediaSlant, GROOMERS GONNA GROOM: Des Moines middle school encourages kids to read 'banned books,' including pornographic 'Gender Queer' - The Iowa Standard. Langton said she chose to target Gender Queer and Lawn Boy, both of which happen to feature LGBTQ characters, because she saw media coverage of the texts after parent outcry in Texas. The 43-year-old mother of three. "'Lawn Boy' is a coming of age novel," Evison said. "I think a big part of our books getting so much attention is that they're award winners and ended up being purchased by libraries all over the country," Kobabe said. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom, trans representation, new book: 'If you can't see us, you can't help us', Here's why you should read it and other antiracist books, an impassioned call to do just that in an era of book banning, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Obscenities in high school books doesnt seem to be in the realm of crime, especially when there are existing structures in place meant to deal with these concerns (that arent being used). Both have been singled out by Republican officials. I can think of many terms that wouldnt fly in this family-friendly newspaper. "You might not be the audience, your child might not be the audience, but more often than not, there is an audience for the books and often they are desperately needed," she said. Its just pornography, full stop.. . Read. Im just gonna keep this short. The authors of the email did not respond to requests for comment. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Lawn Boy book controversy: sexually inappropriate/racist garbage or something else? Gregory Jachts said the controversy isn't over books, but rather "it's an anti-LGBTQ . Sarlos Cantana Sep 27, 2021 2 I am here to protest the use of Fairfax taxpayers money in a campaign to normalize the use of homoerotic material with minors, said Adrienne Henzel, who said she used to work as a Fairfax teacher. Noting that Mr. DeSantis cited Lawn Boy as an example of pedophilia while signing a law giving parents more power to select textbooks and school library books, the Post asked for a comment. Twice, a crowd of about two dozen attendees chanted the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel, which asks the saints help in defending Christians from the devil. here for reprint permission. Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison | Goodreads Life in 2018 appears to be getting more complicated for people like Mike, but Evison has written an effervescent novel of hope that can enlighten everyone. First published on November 17, 2021 / 2:19 PM. The Post launched its inquiry because some parents mistakenly described a passage recounting two boys having manual and oral sex as an example of pedophilia.. I devoured every queer movie, song lyric, fantasy novel, manga series, and yes, erotic Greek pottery painting I could find.. Already youre exceeding anybodys expectations of you, am I right? He was right, of course. One family told NorthJersey.com and The Recordthe email was sent only to the Republican parent in the home. Maybe it was an error; maybe it wouldnt have been shelved if those passages were known beforehand. "It just means it doesn't meet their values or needs.". This is a man having sex with a boy," Langton said while showing News4 one of the books via a video call. The book is Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison. In 2022, the American Library Association reported it was the seventh most banned and challenged book in the country due to its inclusion of LGBT+ content and being considered sexually explicit. Langton said she found two books describing sexual acts: the graphic novel "Gender Queer" by Maia Kobabe and the novel "Lawn Boy" by Jonathan Evison. I was privy to seeing pages of pornography that is absolutely disgusting. Two LGBTQIA books were pulled and now under district review after a parent claimed some of the scenes were inappropriate. Many did not respond.. Symposium, a philosophical text, at one point details speeches on love given during a banquet including an argument from one attendee that heavenly love can only occur between a man and a boy. After filling out applications for low-wage jobs at CVS, Subway and KFC, Mike wonders what happened to all the work for smart, reliable young people. Whether or not you think Lawn Boy should remain on the shelves, it is censorship to have the police department involved in deciding which literature is appropriate and which is too obscene for high school students to have access to. Stone said books "that reflect the lives of LGBTQIA persons and families," are often targeted as "obscene" or "pornographic" which they are often not. Lawn Boy Book Review | Common Sense Media "Beloved" by Toni Morrison is not the only book that has been challenged in some communities as the debate over education again heats up. Keep in mind that this paper of record spent a fortune in ink and staff time abetting the Russian collusion hoax against Donald Trump, for which they won a Pulitzer. The protests stem from two LBGTQIA books titled 'Lawn Boy' by Jonathan Evison and 'Gender Queer' by Maia Kobabe that were pulled and put under review by the school district after a parent . When LISD spoke to CBS Austin, they explained that they had reached out to Burkman who often addresses the school board about how to file a complaint or request a review of the title, but have not received one. "They are pointed at White children displaying microaggressions to children of color. You can also support us on PayPal at. Just a few years out of high school, he gets fired from his gig as a lawn boyjust . [] the author of Lawn Boy a widely acclaimed novel about adulthood received threats and was called pedo and sicko after a video of a mother reading an explicit scene from a book on a Texas school blackboard went [], [] realized that Evison, the writer of Garden Boy a broadly praised coming-of-age novel acquired threats and was referred to as a pedo and sicko after a video of a mother studying from an express scene from the guide to a Texas faculty board [], [] learned that Evison, the author of Lawn Boy a widely praised coming-of-age novel received threats and was called a pedo and sicko after a video of a mom reading from an explicit scene from the book to a Texas school board went []. Officials said no. And why would they, given the Posts open, virulent hatred of their values? Ramsey NJ: 'Lawn Boy' book ban, anti-sex ed email angers parents "The fallout of its been awful. 17 min Article Brandi Burkman arrived at the Texas school board meeting with a printed speech, a plastic-sheeted library book and a swelling sense of fury. 'Lawn Boy': Texas mom says son found book about 4th graders' sex in school library By Pathikrit Sanyal Published on : 07:22 PST, Sep 19, 2021 FOLLOW Brandi Burkman making a complaint about the book 'Lawn Boy' at a Leander Independent School District board meeting (Twitter/@mmk_blahblah and Amazon) The bar was set pretty low for old Mike Muoz., Evison drops more surprises and disappointments into Mikes life, including a game-changing romance. "This is the most emotionally charged meeting I've attended since I've been here," said President Laura Behrmann, who joined the board in 2008. Someone even said Great Gatsby should also be banned because of that one tit world and she died in a crash. "We're talking about works of literature, we're talking about individuals talking about their experiences in society not critical race theory," she said. She told the people gathered that the book was full of obscenity and sexual content, including a teenage boy reflecting on a sexual act with another boy when they were both in 4th grade. Instead of School Board, Leander Police Investigate Book Challenge Yes, parents are finally revolting against books promoting critical race theory and the sexual corruption of children. Others on the ALA list, virtually all cited for LGBTQ or racial themes, include Angie Thomas' bestselling "The Hate U Give," centered on a police shooting of a Black teen; George Johnson's "All Boys Aren't Blue," Juno Dawson's "This Book Is Gay" and Susan Kuklin's "Beyond Magenta." If I had a statement, it would be Read the book or sit down, he said. WARNING! EXPLICIT CONTENT: At least three sexually explicit LGBTQ books Caitlin O'Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Alright, I read the book. Top 10 Banned Books: Lawn Boy - Intellectual Freedom Blog September 28, 2021 The first week of September, at a school board meeting in Texas, a woman lobbied fiercely to get my one of my novels, Lawn Boy (2017), banned from libraries for content relating to my gay protagonist, and his gay life experiences. Nobody below a teenager is ready for that book, he told the Post. I just wanted you to know that Jesus loves you regardless of your writing style and content. Publisher James Lucas Jones said in a statement that the book is an important resource for students who identify as genderqueer or nonbinary, as well as others hoping to understand what those terms mean and that limiting its availability is short-sighted and reactionary., Parents in Texas and Virginia have alleged that two specific images in Gender Queer constitute pedophilia. Moral dilemmas, relationships, parenting and more, This lawn boy asks, Wheres my part of the American Dream?, Ask Amy: My parents constantly give my son unsolicited career advice, Carolyn Hax: The tough anniversary of discovering husbands affair. Please consider a one-time sign of support or becoming a monthly supporter at $5, $10/month - whatever you think we're worth! When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Her son has checked out Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison from a Leander High School classroom library, and they were both surprised by the content. Thats all it took before I began to receive a steady stream of threats, both overt and veiled, to my messenger. It's purely pornography. Keep doing what you are doing. Under Texas' new law banning critical race theory in the classroom, teachers cannot discuss the idea that "one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex.". ", Kobabe and Evison noted during recent interviews an irony of their books being targeted: Neither set out to write a story for young people. Students are on the mic now. I respect your right to tell a story, fact or fictional. Mike ends up unemployed after a customer complains that Mike wont pick up his Saint Bernards poo. Miss Manners: Why do men remove their hats during the national anthem. "It's not going to stop. I just ate at Casa Rojas the other day. The Post also implies that anyone opposing the book is racist. Hudson High School controversial book in library - Fox 8 Cleveland WJW At a Hamilton County School Board meeting in Tennessee, parents turned out in large crowds over challenges to books on the reading lists for grades 8 through 12, including Angie Thomas' "The Hate U Give," CBS affiliate WDEF-TV reports. Didnt. This is disgusting . Of all the conversations I hoped to engage writing a coming-of-age novel about the empty promises of the American Dream for so manybe it wealth inequity, social inequality, racism, sexual identityI assure you, pedophilia was not among them.