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"Sybil Davison has a genius I.Q. and has been laid by at least six different guys."
This is the first line of Forever by Judy Blume. It's one of the most banned books in public schools. What we're seeing here isn't anything new.
There were some strange comments in the text of the article. One person said she didn't think a teacher would want to teach a vocabulary lesson on that word. So don't. Having the book available for students to read doesn't mean you have to teach the book or take vocabulary lessons from it. It isn't a choice of build the curriculum around the book or make sure students never see it.
However, as much as I think it's silly not to stock a Newberry Award winner, that isn't censorship. There's no requirement that any library stock any particular book. Removing it from the library or curriculum after the choice has been made to buy and stock it would be.
Children's and young adult books cover subjects like rape, murder, drug abuse, crises of faith, and have for years. This is actually pretty mild, and the reaction way, way out of proportion to what's actually in the book.
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I'm against ending blackness. I believe that everyone has a right to be black, it's a choice, and I support that.
~Steven Colbert
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