Daily Archives: October 31, 2024

Ending the book ban culture war | Editorial

For more than three years across New Jersey, parental rights groups have assailed school boards and educators in an effort to get books removed from their libraries, largely because they don’t want their kids exposed to concepts such as gender identity, LGTBQ issues, and the fight for racial justice.Most often, they object to acclaimed graphic novels for adolescents that contain illustrations of sex acts, even when used to promote sexual health and safety, respect for oneself and others, and emphasize consent. One cannot doubt that these parents want to protect their own children. One cannot deny they are genuinely repelled by detailed drawings of naughty bits.But these book critics do have a doctrinaire conviction that what’s good for their kids is good for every kid, and they often get their point across through intimidation and abominable behavior. They slander librarians on social media and at school board meetings, they smear them as pedophiles and pornographers for doing their jobs, and they even vandalize their property. They don’t see that while discussing the merits of a book is a valid debate, threatening a librarian is for pack cowards and sociopaths.So we applaud the state Legislature for putting an end to all that by proposing a fair system that protects children and school employees, gives parents a voice in deciding which books are appropriate for local and school libraries, and provides librarians with immunity from civil and criminal charges for doing their jobs.The Freedom To Read Act is now on Gov. Murphy’s desk after passing both chambers, and after he signs it into law, it will determine how these matters will be settled and save librarians from the appalling attacks they have endured for too long.Primary sponsor Sen. Andrew Zwicker (D-Somerset) has pursued this bill for years, and his inspiration was sound: “Given the ongoing assault on democracy and free speech, if we don’t stand up to attacks on our history and attacks on sharing our stories, then this country is going to completely fall apart,” he said. “Plus, the abuse on librarians and the mental stress they were under was unacceptable.“But in the end, this bill protects the freedom to read and protects parents and their concerns. And in the context of everything that’s going on nationally, I’m proud of New Jersey.”The effort to ban books in New Jersey’s schools, which targeted 28 different titles last year, is being conducted by a relatively small group of people belonging to the same network of anti-government groups. The largest is Moms for Liberty, a national irritant classified as “extremist” by the Southern Poverty Law Center, with good reason: Moms for Liberty uses its social media platforms to attack teachers and harass school officials, advocates for the abolition of the Department of Education, and spreads hateful imagery and rhetoric against the LGBTQ community.Zwicker’s bill, however, still allows parents belonging to such groups to weigh in.The bill requires the Department of Education Commissioner to create uniform guidelines for handling requests to take controversial books off the shelves, with input from the state associations of school boards and libraries. That model policy is then handed down to public schools and libraries, which must create review committees that include the superintendent, the principal, a board of education representative, and at least one teacher and parent – provided they did not submit the request themselves – to determine whether the book is appropriate for the school and for which age group. An outright ban of a book that bypasses this process subjects the school or library to defunding.After its earlier opposition, even the religious organization, the NJ Family Policy Center, is neutral because it “creates a formal process for parents, students, and teachers to challenge books, and grants school boards the right to restrict them if they are developmentally or grade inappropriate for students,” said Director of Advocacy Shawn Hyland.Not everyone will accept that, however. The sole Republican sponsor of the bill, Sen. Jon Bramnick (R-Union), is vexed by his party’s hostile reaction to it, coming mostly from “sound bite warriors who haven’t even read the bill,” he said. “I’ve asked my caucus, ‘Why is there so much opposition to this?’ And nobody can tell me what’s wrong with the bill.“I think the title is scary to members of my party: They interpret ‘freedom to read’ as ‘Oh my God, kids are allowed to read whatever they want.’ No, that’s not what this is about at all. The bill confirms that we need to establish age-appropriate and mental-maturity standards, which we never had before. Kids cannot read whatever they want. In many cases they’ll need parental permission. And they can only read what is considered appropriate.”As for access to smut, Roxbury High librarian Roxana Russo Caivano, who is suing a group of parents for defamation, said it best at a recent school board meeting: “No one is sneaking around the library looking for books with pictures in them for fun. They have phones for that.”Well-received books such as Let’s Talk About It and Gender Queer are not in the curriculum; they are curated by responsible professionals at your local school. Students must choose to read them, but only if they are of a certain age and have parental consent.This is a reasonable solution to what has been a revolting cultural war. It’s OK for parents to say they don’t want their child to read a certain book. It’s another thing entirely to say it should not be available for others.To comment on this Star-Ledger editorial, send a letter to [email protected] journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.

Cast Your Ballot With These 5 Children’s Books About Voting and Elections

Margaret Kingsbury grew up in a house so crammed with books she couldn’t open a closet door without a book stack tumbling, and she’s brought that same decorative energy to her adult life. Margaret has an MA in English with a concentration in writing and has worked as a bookseller and adjunct English professor. She’s currently a freelance writer and editor, and in addition to Book Riot, her pieces have appeared in School Library Journal, BuzzFeed News, The Lily, Parents, StarTrek.com, and more. She particularly loves children’s books, fantasy, science fiction, horror, graphic novels, and any books with disabled characters. You can read more about her bookish and parenting shenanigans in Book Riot’s twice-weekly The Kids Are All Right newsletter. You can also follow her kidlit bookstagram account @BabyLibrarians, or on Twitter @AReaderlyMom.
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Presidential election season is here! I know many of us adults are having lots of big feelings about this time of year, and kids, of course, will have lots of questions. Earlier this year, I rounded up children’s books about presidential candidate Kamala Harris, and I’ve already written a couple of lists reviewing children’s books about voting and elections. But several amazing books have released since then, and I wanted to get them on readers’ radars as well!

The Day Madear Voted by Wade Hudson & Don Tate

This engaging historical picture book takes place in 1969. For the first time, Charlie and Ralph’s mom can vote, and she is making a day of it. That morning, she explains how Black people used to be unable to vote because of poll taxes and other discriminatory measures. Black people protested, and now, for the first time, they can vote in a presidential election. Madear takes her sons to the city hall where she votes. While many celebrate, she does receive some glares from white folk. Every election afterward, Madear continues to vote, and the picture book ends with the election of Barack Obama as president.

Leo’s First Vote! by Christina Soontornvat & Isabel Roxas

This picture book is a fantastic introduction to voting and why every vote counts. Leo’s class is holding a mock election at the same time as the town is having a real election. Leo’s dad is voting for the first time as a naturalized U.S. citizen, and Leo is excited to go with him. But his cousin Ray tells him that votes don’t really matter, because one person can’t make a difference. Leo feels discouraged about what his cousin said, but during the classroom’s mock election, he learns every vote really does matter. It’s a lyrical picture book with fun, vibrant illustrations. Extensive back matter will give readers more insight into the election process.

Show Up and Vote by Ani DiFranco & Rachelle Baker

This visually stunning picture book follows a young girl as she accompanies her mother to vote. It’s a cold and wet November day, and the girl doesn’t really want to leave home. But her mother tells her how important voting is. Readers follow the girl outside and to the voting booth, where her mother says, “Here is the part / where it all starts / where us people / have a say / about laws and rules / about parks and schools / about who’s gonna run them / and in what way.” The girl feels connected to everyone around the city who are also voting, and as they leave, she feels more connected to her community as well, and the part she can play in making it better. The text is rhythmic, short, and punchy, while the gorgeous, warm illustrations have a retro-style.

Princess & the Pea-tition by Kim Nguyen & Libby VanderPloeg

This is a clever, election-themed retelling of “The Princess and the Pea” fairytale. Princess (that’s her name) is alarmed to discover that the leaders of the kingdom are chosen by who is uncomfortable while sleeping on a tower of mattresses atop a pea and by who can stuff the most hard boiled eggs in their mouth. She makes a petition to “eliminate pea-based government in favor of elected representative leadership,” and gathers signatures of people in the kingdom. They protest until the king and queen sign the pea-tition, and the kingdom holds their very first election.

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Presidential Elections and Other Cool Facts by Syl Sobel

This is a fascinating nonfiction for elementary school readers. In five chapters, Sobel covers what a president is, the rules for electing a president in the U.S., the electoral college, presidential campaigns, and what happens if something happens to the president. Interspersed throughout are illustrations and cool facts from history. Back matter includes a detailed glossary, a list of resources, and an index. It’s a surprisingly engaging read, and perfect for kids ready to take a deeper dive into presidential elections. Honestly, I know adults who could use the refresher!
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