Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

in
Thirteen Reasons Why
By Jay Asher

A problematic author with a story containing a very muddled message about suicide.

Banned

2012 - 3rd most challenged book, according to ALA; Challenged for drugs, alcohol, smoking, being sexually explicit, suicide, and being unsuited for age group

2017

Alberta, Canada - St. Vincent Elementary School in Edmonton banned all mention of the series on campus

Colorado - At Mesa County School District, the curriculum director ordered librarians to stop circulating the book. Librarians and counselors deliberated for three hours and determined the book was not as graphic as the TV series. Parents in the school distrcit recieved notices alerting them to the possible influence of the series.

Illinois - Challenged and under review in the sophomore-level Academic English II classes at Lemont Hishg School District 210 because a parent considered it "pornographic."

Sources

ALA. "Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009." Retrieved on 17 Aug 01 from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/top-100-bannedchallenged-books-2000-2009

Ahsan, Sadaf. "Netflix adds trigger warnings to 13 Reasons Why after Canadian school board bans series for 'glamorizing' suicide." National Post. May 2, 2017. Retrieved March 9, 2017 from http://nationalpost.com/entertainment/television/netflix-adds-trigger-warnings-to-13-reasons-why-after-canadian-school-board-bans-series-for-glamorizing-suicide

Asher, Jay. Thirteen Reasons Why. Razorbill. New York, 2007.

Collins, Cathy. "Thirteen Reasons Why Controversy." Intellectual Freedom Blog. The Office for Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association. June 7, 2017. Retrieved on March 9, 2018 from http://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=9793

Highfill, Samantha. "13 Reasons Why: Netflix says Jay Asher 'was not involved' in season 2." EW.com. Retrieved on March 9, 2018 from http://ew.com/tv/2018/02/13/13-reasons-why-season-2-jay-asher/

Titus, Ron. "Thirteen Reasons Why." Marshall University Libraries. June 28, 2017.  Retrieved on March 9, 2018 from http://www.marshall.edu/library/bannedbooks/books/thirteenreasonswhy.asp

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"Dances and Dames." Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

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A man trying to escape prison finds himself locked up in the worst way in this psychadelic novel about conformity, individuality, and sanity.

Banned

#49 ALA's Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009

1971 - Colorado - Challenged in Greenley public school district as non-required reading.

1974 - Ohio - Five residents sued the board of education to remove the book from classrooms, saying it was "pornographic" and ”glorifies criminal activity, has a tendency to corrupt juveniles, and contains descriptions of bestiality, bizarre violence, and torture, dismemberment, death, and human elimination."

1975

New York - removed from Randolph public schools

Oklahoma - removed from Alton public schools

1977 - Maine - Removed from required reading list in Westport

1978 - Idaho - Banned from Freemont High School in St. Anthony and the instructor was terminated.

1982 - New Hampshire - challenged in Merrimack high school

1986 - Washington - challenged but retained in Aberdeen high school for use in honors English for promoting "secular humanism"

2000 - California - Parents at the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District complained about profanity and sexual situations and petitioned to have the book removed. Parent of children aged 7,8, and 17 Anna Marie Buckner said "It teaches how very easy it is to smother somebody. I don't want to put these kinds of images in children's minds. They're going to think that when they get mad at their parents, they can just ax them out."

Sources

ALA. "Banned and/or Challenged Books from the Radcliffe Publishing Course Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century." ALA. 2018. Retrieved on 2018 Jaunuary 26 from http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=bbwlinks&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=136590

ALA. "Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009." Retrieved on 18 Jan 26 from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/top-100-bannedchallenged-books-2000-2009

Baldassarro, R. Wolf. "Banned Books Awareness: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey." world.edu. 2012. Retrieved 2018 January 26 from http://world.edu/banned-books-awareness-flew-cuckoos-nest-ken-kesey/

Biography.com. "Ken Kesey Biography.com." The Biography.com website. A&E Television Networks. March 23, 2016. Retrieved 2018 January 26 from https://www.biography.com/people/ken-kesey-9363911

Doyle, Robert P. Banned Books: Challenging Our Freedom to Read. ALA. 2014.

Kesey, Ken. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Viking. 1962; 2002.

Tran, Mai. "Parents Ask School District to Ban 'Cuckoo's Nest.'" LA Times. 2000. Retrieved 2018 January 26 from http://articles.latimes.com/2000/dec/03/local/me-60611

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"Dances and Dames." Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson

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The Great Gilly Hopkins
By Katherine Paterson

A brat becomes an average kid with a strange family with this week's book.

Banned

#52 on Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009

1983 - Kansas - Challenged at Lowell Elementary School in Salina for the language "God," "damn," and "hell"

1985 - Minnesota - Challenged at Orchard Lake Elementary School in Burnsville because "the book took the Lord's name in vain" and had "over forty instances of profanity

1988 - Colorado - Challenged at the Jefferson County schools because "Gilly's friends lie and steal, and there are no repercussions. Christians are portrayed as being dumb and stupid."

1991 - Connecticut - Pulled but later restored at four Cheshire elementary school for being "filled with profanity, blasphemy and obscenities, and gutter language."

1992 - Texas - Challenged at Alamo Heights School District for language such as "hell" and "damn"

1993 - Kansas - Challenged at the Walnut Elementary School in Emporia by parents for graphic violence and language

1997 - Nevada - Challenged yet retained for explicit language in the Lander County School District

Sources

ALA. "Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009." Retrieved January 9, 2018 from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/top-100-bannedchallenged-books-2000-2009

Doyle, Robert P. "Banned Books: Challenging Our Freedom to Read." American Library Association, 2014.

"Katherine's Biography." Katherine Paterson's Website. AuthorsOnTheWeb; 2016. Retrieved on December 23, 2017 from http://katherinepaterson.com/biography/

Paterson, Katherine. "The Great Gilly Hopkins." Avon Books, 1978.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Looking for Alaska
By John Green

An angsty kid meet some new friends in this heartbreaking tale of whiny smokers cussing a lot.

Banned

2008 - New York - Challenged, but retained for the 11th grade Regents English classes in Depew despite concerns about graphic language and sexual content. The school sent parents a letter requesting permission to use the novel and only 3 students were denied permission.

2012 - Tennessee - Challenged as required reading for Knox County High Schools' Honors and as Advanced Placement outside readings for English II because of "inappropriate language." School Superintendent Dr. James P. McIntyre, Jr. said that a parent identified this as an issue and the book was removed from the required reading list. He didn't say whether the book was still in the schools.

2013

Colorado - Parents of Fort Lupton Middle and High School challenged the books use in a 9th grade classrooms for sexual and alcohol content

Tennessee - Banned as required reading for Sumner County schools by the director of schools because of a sex scene that was "a bit much" and  "inappropriate language." The book was retained in the libraries.

2014 - New Jersey - Challenged in the Verona High School curriculum because a parent found the sexual nature of the story inappropriate.

2015 - Wisconsin - Challenged, but retained in the Waukesha South High School despite claims the book is "too racy to read."

2016

Kentucky - Marion County parent complained about book being included on 12th grade english, "calls the novel “filth” and lists his fear that the book would tempt students “to experiment with pornography, sex, drugs, alcohol and profanity.”" The book was removed from circulation until the school committee reached a decision. "Another resident has written to the local paper describing the novel as “mental pornography” and detailing the number of times the “‘f’ word” is used (16) and the the “‘sh’ word” is used (27)."

New Jersey - Challenged, but retained in the Lumberton Township middle school despite a parent questioning its "sexual content."

Sources

Doyle, Robert P. Banned Books: Challenging Our Freedom to Read. ALA. 2014.

Guardian - John Green fights back against banning of Looking for Alaska

Guardian - US battle over banning Looking for Alaska continues in Kentucky

Marshall University Libraries - Banned Books - Looking for Alaska

National Coalation Against Censorship - Looking for Alaska Under Fire in Kentucky

NJ.com - N.J. school district bans John Green's 'Looking for Alaska'

Office of Intellectual Freedom Blog - Here and Here

School Library Journal - Ban on John Green’s ‘Looking for Alaska’ Sparks Anger

School Library Journal - John Green Says ‘Looking for Alaska’ Challenged by Colorado Parents

My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln and Christopher Collier

in
My Brother Sam Is Dead
By James Lincoln Collier

Spoiler alerts all around, Sam is totally dead at the end in the juvenile but ultimately compelling book set during the American Revolution!

Banned

1984 - Georgia - Challenged at the Gwinnett County school libraries because of language; an abridged version without profanities was substituted

1989 - Ohio - Removed from fifth grade New Richmond classes for language and did not represent "acceptable ethical standards" for the age

1991 - South Carolina - Challenged in Greenville County Schools for using the name of God and Jesus in a "vane and profane manner along with inappropriate sexual reference."

1993 - Kansas - Challenged at Walnut Elementary School in Emporia for profanity and violence

1994

California - Removed from the fifth grade at the Bryant Ranch Elementary School in Palcentia-Yorba Linda Unified School district because "the book is not g-rated. Offensive language is offensive language. Graphic violence is graphic violence, no matter what the context."

Pennsylvania - Challenged but retained at the Palmyra schools for language and violence

1996

California - Retained at the Antioch elementary school libraries after a parent complained about profanity and violence

Colorado - Challenged in the Jefferson County Public Schools in Lakewood for profanity, references to rape, drinking, and battlefield violence

1998 - Virginia - Challenged at the McSwain Elementary School in Stauton for language and Tucker-Capps Elementary School in Hampton for language and violence

2000 - Illinois - Challenged in the fifth grade Oak Brook Butler District 53 curriculum because of violence and language

2009 - Georgia - Regained in Muscogee County elementary school libraries after parental concerns about profanity

#27 Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009

Sources

Doyle, Robert P. Banned Books: Challenging Our Freedom to Read. 2014.

Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009

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"Dances and Dames"

Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Go Ask Alice by Anonymous (Beatrice Sparks)

in
Go Ask Alice
By Anonymous

A story of order and a nightgown with little anchors then a book about an anonymous diary full of lies about drugs and a life not worth living.

Banned

#18 on Top Challenged books 2000-2009

1974 - Michigan - Removed from school libraries in Kalamazoo due to language and sexual content.

1975

Michigan - Removed from school libraries in Saginaw due to language and sexual content

New York - Removed from school libraries in Levittown due to language and sexual content

1977

New Jersey - Removed from school libraries in Trenton due to language and sexual content

Texas -  Removed from school libraries in Eagle Pass due to language and sexual content

1979 - Utah - Challenged at the Ogden School District

1980 - New Jersey - Removed from school libraries in North Bergen due to language and sexual content

1982 - Florida - Challenged at Safety Harbor, St Petersburg Middle School Library where written parental permission was required to check out

1983

Colorado - Challenged at the Pagosa Springs schools after a parent objected to language, subject matter, "immoral tone and lack of literary quality"

Minnesota -Challenged at the Osseo School District in Brooklyn Park after a school board found the book's language "personally offensive."

1984 - Mississippi - Challenged at the Rankin County School district for language and sexual content

1986

Georgia - Challenged at the Central Gwinnett High School library for encouraging students to "steal and take drugs"

Georgia - Along with 40 other books, the Gainesville Public Library restricted this book to adults and is kept in a locked room

Michigan - Removed from the school library in Kalkaska for language

1988 - Maine - Challenged at King Middle School in Portland

1993

New Jersey - Removed from Wall Township Intermediate School library by the Superintendent of Schools for language and "borders on pornography" after responding to an anonymous letter in 1987 and removing the book.

New York - Challenged as required reading for language at Johnstown High School

West Virginia - Removed from Buckhannon-Upshur High school English class for language

1994 - Massachusetts - Banned in Dudley at Shepherd Hill High School ninth grade reading list for language, drug use, and sexual content

1995

Alaska - Challenged in Wasilla at Houston Junior and Senior High School

Ohio - Banned from Plain City's Jonathan Alder School District

Virginia - Removed from Warm Springs sophomore English class for language and "indecent situations"

1998 - Rhode Island - Principal in Tiverton middle school confiscated the book from a class while reading. The book was later returned by the school board.

1999 - Texas - Removed from Aledo Middle School library and restricted at the high school library to parental permission after a parent complained about drug use, language and sexual content

2000 - Pennsylvania - REtained as optional reading for eighth graders at Girard's Rice Avenue Middle School after a grandmother found the book offensive for "filth and smut"

2008 - South Carolina - Challenged at Berkeley County's Hanahan Middle School for language, sexual content, drug use, and blasphemy

Sources

Doyle, Robert P. Banned Books: Challenging Our Freedom To Read. 2014.

'Go Ask Alice' Is Still Awash in Controversy, 43 Years After Publication

Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009

"Dances and Dames"

Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/