Scholastic Censors LGBT Book
I’ve always thought that the Scholastic Book Fairs were pretty cool. They make kids’ books available at extremely affordable prices in a very convenient and even fun way. I imagine lots of kids have books because of Scholastic that wouldn’t have them otherwise. The company is also good to teachers, offering liberal bonuses to let teachers get books for their classrooms cheaply. Now, however, my opinion of the company is in jeopardy of changing significantly for the worse.
Lauren Myracle has written a number of books for teens and tweens, including ttyl and ttfn. Her latest book, Luv Ya Bunches, is the story of four girls whose only commonality is that they all are named after flowers. So what does this have to do with Scholastic Books, other than that it seems natural that the company would offer the tale to their teenage customers? Well, that’s just it — Scholastic isn’t including the book in their book fairs.
Scholastic refused to carry the book unless the author made some changes, such as removing a few words — “geez,” “crap,” “sucks,” and “God” (as in, “oh my God”) — and changing the family dynamics of one of the characters. You see, Milla has two moms. Myracle was okay with taking out the supposed obscenities (”with the goal — as always — of making the book as available to as many readers as possible,” she said,) but refused to change Milla’s moms.
And why should she? “A child having same-sex parents is not offensive, in my mind, and shouldn’t be ‘cleaned up,’” said Myracle. Not only is it not offensive, it’s a fact of life for many kids.
In his amazing and reasoned response to a challenge to the book Uncle Bobby’s Wedding, Colorado librarian Jamie LaRue referred to the work of psychologist Bruno Bettelheim who believed “that both the purpose and power of children’s literature is to help young people begin to make sense of the world.” LaRue goes on to explain that “there is a lot out there that is confusing, or faintly threatening, and even dangerous in the world. Stories help children name their fears, understand them, work out strategies for dealing with life.”
While LaRue was discussing a book aimed at a younger audience, these ideas apply equally well to the teen years. From Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary to Roald Dahl and Marilyn Sachs, authors have, probably as far back as there have been books, been offering awkward teens and tween guidance and support in the form of novels. Even Harry Potter offers lessons that can apply to real life. So what’s up with the censorship, Scholastic?
Photo: Amulet Books
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Tags: book, books, censorship, gay, glbt, Issues!, lauren myracle, lesbian, lgbt, Scholastic, teen
10 Comments
[...] Most of us with young children in public school know about Scholastic Book Fairs. Many of us remember them from our own childhoods. Now comes news that Scholastic has banned a book from the fairs because one of the characters has lesbian moms. (Thanks, Roger!) [...]
Mombian » Blog Archive » Scholastic Bans Book with Lesbian Moms from Book Fairs commented on Oct 23 09 at 2:07 pm[...] positive, the optimistic, and the constructive”? Â On Babble’s Strollerderby blog, there was an item about an author, Lauren Myracle, who writes for pre-teens. Scholastic, which features book fairs [...]
Turn down the Suck. Turn up the Good. « Shatnerian commented on Oct 23 09 at 2:23 pm[...] I am a member of the Amazon Associates program, and get a small referral fee from all purchases made at Amazon.com via links on this site. You are under no obligation to purchase through them. [Updated: 10/24, 10:40 a.m. ET: Change.org has posted an action alert about this, complete with an easy automated message you can send to Scholastic.]Most of us with young children in public school know about Scholastic Book Fairs. Many of us remember them from our own childhoods. Now comes news that Scholastic has banned a book from the fairs because one of the characters has lesbian moms. (Thanks, Roger!) [...]
Mombian » Blog Archive » Update on Scholastic and Luv Ya Bunches commented on Oct 26 09 at 6:06 am[...] eliminate a lesbian couple — the mothers of one of the main characters. Myracle refused and Scholastic decided not to include the book in their spring book fairs. Then people got wind and, understandably, got upset. And now, Scholastic has changed [...]
Scholastic Backpedals On Book With Lesbian Moms | Strollerderby commented on Oct 29 09 at 10:29 amLizzie commented on Oct 23 09 at 11:04 amYikes! I’m co-chairing a Scholastic book fair in ten days and my daughter has two moms. Perhaps we need to rethink our relationship with Scholastic. (We’re an elementary school, so I’m thinking we wouldn’t have had this book as an option, but still.)
TMC commented on Oct 23 09 at 1:00 pmI have to say that for starters I fall on the fence about the two moms or two dads situations but I think that with the information given Scholastic should NOT make the author change the family situation for that character. The book obviously does not make judgements either way besides it being a fact of life that that little girl has two mommies. I think that it is important for our children to be introduced to those family dynamics because it is so common- not only for the children who have a traditional family but Especially for those living with an alternative to that. It is so important for them to have many characters/friends that they can identify with so that they aren’t affected negatively. Love is love, right?
Embarrassed commented on Oct 23 09 at 2:31 pmShame on you, Scholastic! Prepare to hear from lots of outraged parents. Do they think by whitewashing this book they can determine what sort of family arrangement and life experiences children will have? If you are small-minded enough to be offended by a book like this (or ill-informed enough to imagine a book could cause gayness), then you really out to join the current millennium. While they are at it, perhaps Scholastic could filter out other subjects that are actually distasteful to all - child abuse, bullying, racist behavior, etc. If we don’t allow our children to read about it, it won’t exist, right?
Andrea commented on Oct 23 09 at 3:22 pmYet another company/organization on my list that I can’t support because of their stance on gay rights that makes me end up looking like an ogre. It drives my poor son nuts already that he can’t join the Boy Scouts or put money in the bell ringers buckets. Now the school book fair is going to be off limits. Oh well.
Stephanie commented on Oct 24 09 at 10:44 amThanks for the article. I just fired off an email to Scholastic about this. I agree that it’s completely unacceptable. Like Lizzie, I was excited about my daughter’s recent Scholastic flyer. Also like Lizzie, my daughter has two moms, so we won’t be buying or supporting anything from Scholastic from now on.
GGsmama commented on Oct 24 09 at 8:50 pmJust emailed customer service. I have years and years of preschool/elementary buying from Scholastic- if they don’t reverse their decision, they just lost a whole lot of cash. Sucks, but glad to give the money to my local used bookshop who does not censor instead. Blahhhh.
