Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

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/

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Brave New World
By Aldous Huxley

Welcome to the world that is brave and new with drugs and violence! What's gonna happen?

Banned

1932 - Ireland - banned in the country

1980 - Missouri - Removed from Miller classroom

1988 - Oklahoma - Challenged as required reading at Yukon High School because "the book's language and moral content"

1993 - Challenged as required reading in Corona and Norco Unified School District for being "centered around negative activity." Book retained and alternatives offered.

2000 - Alabama - Removed from Foley High School library after a parent complained to the school and Alabama Governor Don Siegelman characters showed contempt of religion, marriage, and family.

2003 - Texas - Challenged but retained in South Texas Independent School District in Mercedes for sexuality, drugs, suicide. Principals were then required to offer alternatives

2008 - Indiana - Challenged but retained in Coeur D'Alene School district for sex and drug use.

2010 - Maryland - Challenged in Glen Burnie at North County High School by a petition created by a group of parents who wanted the book removed due to sexual content.

2011 - Washington - Challenged but retained after a parent complained the book has a "high volume of racially offensive derogatory language and misinformation on Native Americans. In addition to the inaccurate imagery, and stereotype views, the text lacks literary value which is relevant to today's contemporary multicultural society."

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/

The Giver by Lois Lowry

In a world where everything is the same, one boy gets his mind hole blown open when he meets The Giver.


Banned

1994 - California - Four parents complained violent and sexual passages were inappropriate at Bonita United School District in La Verne and San Dimas and the book was temporarily banned

1995 - Montana - Because of infanticide and euthanasia, students at Columbia Falls require parental permission

1996 - Ohio - Challenged at Lakota High School in Cincinnati

1999

Florida - Challenged but retained at Lake Butler public middle school after a parent complained of infanticide and sexual awakening discussed in the book.

Ohio - Challened at the Troy Intermediate School in Avon Lake after a patron objected to the "mature themes" of suicide, sexuality, and euthanasia

2003 - Missouri - Challenged in Blue Sprints after parents called the book "lewd" and "twisted" and "pleaded for it to be tossed out of the district." After a review by two committees and a recommended retention the controversy continued.

2006 - Kansas - Challenged but retained at the Seaman Unified School district 345 elementary school library.

2007 - California - Two parents in Mt Diablo School District in Concord complained of the descriptions of adolescent pill-popping, suicide, and lethal injections given to babies and the elderly.


Sources

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

The Giver Banned - Slate.com 

Banned Books Awareness



"Dances and Dames"

Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

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