Scholastic, a prominent publisher, organizes book fairs that have become a customary feature in schools throughout the United States. These temporary sales events enable students to explore and purchase new books conveniently within their school premises. However, Scholastic is currently facing allegations of introducing a “bigotry button” that allows school districts to omit books from the fairs if they address topics such as race, LGBTQ rights, and other diversity-related subjects.
Some social media users noticed last month that Scholastic had carved out a separate category of books for the book fair events dubbed “Share Every Story, Celebrate Every Voice.” The collection, which includes books about civil rights icon John Lewis and Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown, among others, allows schools to opt out of carrying the titles in their book fairs.
Scholastic on Friday issued a statement defending the new collection, saying it took the step because of existing or pending legislation in 30 states that prohibit “certain kinds of books” from schools, such as titles that focus on LGBTQ issues or racism. Grouping books in this fashion is a way to protect teachers, librarians and volunteers from legal problems, or even from getting fired, for providing access to books that violate local laws.
Scholastic, recognized as the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books, expressed that it is not within their authority to determine the risks school partners are willing to undertake based on state and local laws in their respective districts. Consequently, discussions concerning these matters and this collection have been included in numerous planning calls conducted prior to organizing a fair.
The company’s spokeswoman emphasized that they considered their status as invited guests in schools while making this decision.
PEN America: Risk of “censorious ends”
PEN America, an organization that promotes free speech and literature, on Tuesday said it “shares the dismay we are hearing from authors” about the publisher’s decision.
The challenges faced by librarians, Scholastic, and other groups due to state laws focusing on certain topics were acknowledged by the group. However, they cautioned against creating a separate collection of books that tackle diverse themes, as it may potentially deprive students and families of books that resonate with them.
PEN America stated in their statement that they urge Scholastic to confront the difficulties posed by this climate and actively seek alternative approaches. They emphasize the importance of refusing to comply with oppressive laws and local pressures, as well as avoiding any involvement in government censorship.
However, PEN America also held lawmakers and individuals in states responsible for advocating and enacting book censorship laws. The organization further cautioned that Scholastic’s strategy of continuing book fairs amidst a challenging legal and political environment could potentially be exploited to achieve censorious objectives.
Those concerns were conveyed by an author to CBS MoneyWatch.
Denise Lewis Patrick, author of “Justice Ketanji” featured in Scholastic’s latest compilation, expressed understanding for the challenging circumstances faced by communities amidst this distressing and perplexing era of censorship. In an email, she conveyed her belief that despite these circumstances, it is crucial for all children to be able to access books that broaden their horizons and enhance their lives. As a mother and grandmother, she emphasized the importance of providing such opportunities for young readers.
Diverse books
In addition to its main book fair offerings, the book publisher assures that books reflecting diversity are also featured. Scholastic has provided a list of books to CBS MoneyWatch, which includes titles like “Frizzy,” depicting a girl embracing her natural hair, and “The Hidden Girl,” narrating the story of a girl in hiding during the Holocaust. However, the majority of the titles are centered around beloved characters like Spiderman or popular games such as Minecraft.
In response to criticism from conservatives regarding its book selection, Scholastic is now introducing a diverse range of book fair titles that provide an opt-out option. Brave Books, a group advocating for parents and schools to boycott Scholastic, alleges that the book fairs offer seemingly innocuous titles that actually promote ideas such as gender fluidity and the LGBTQIA+ agenda.
Scholastic’s book fair business is currently under strain. Sales in its latest quarter experienced a 4% decline compared to the previous year. However, the company remains optimistic about a recovery in business as more students resume in-person purchases after the pandemic. Currently, Scholastic is hosting approximately 90% of the book fairs it conducted before the health crisis.
In Scholastic’s most recent quarter, book fairs contributed approximately $27 million in sales, representing approximately 12% of the total revenue for that period.
Florida, which is among the states that have enacted laws that restricts some types of instruction at schools, now bans K-12 schools from teaching that members of one race are inherently racist or that they should feel guilt for past actions committed by others of the same race.
The collection called “Share Every Story” comprises titles that address matters related to race and inclusivity, though it remains uncertain whether any of the titles would contravene the state laws mentioned by Scholastic.
For instance, “Because of You, John Lewis” is about a boy who wants to meet the civil rights icon, while “Change Sings,” by poet Amanda Gorman, who spoke at President Biden’s inauguration, is about “the power to make changes,” according to the Scholastic catalog.
“You Are Enough,” by Sofia Sanchez, a disability activist and model with Down syndrome, is just one example of books that promote acceptance and tolerance towards all individuals. These titles not only embrace diversity but also feature characters of various ethnic backgrounds, including Asian, Latino, and Native American. Additionally, certain books tackle important subjects like immigration and bullying.
In its statement, Scholastic expressed that while they acknowledge this solution is not flawless, they firmly reject the alternative of not offering these books altogether.
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