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Georgia school district is banning books, citing sexual content, after firing a teacher

Book removals have surged since 2020, part of a backlash to what kids read and discuss in public schools.

An elementary school library in suburban Atlanta.Harkim Wright Sr. / AP

Georgia’s second-largest school district has removed two books from 20 school libraries, citing “highly inappropriate, sexually explicit content.” This move comes in the wake of heightened controversies surrounding book removals from public schools, driven by concerns from conservative groups over themes related to sexuality, gender, race, and religion in school literature.

The Cobb County school district, with over 106,000 students, took down “Flamer” by Mike Curato and “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” by Jesse Andrews. “Flamer” is a graphic novel centered around a boy’s journey of self-discovery as he grapples with his sexual orientation, while “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” touches on sexual themes and profanity in the context of a story about friendship and terminal illness. Both books were among the most challenged in 2022, according to the American Library Association.

The removals are part of a broader trend across the United States, where concerns about age-appropriate content in school literature have led to numerous challenges and bans. Critics argue that such actions undermine the diversity of perspectives and representation in books available to students.

The book removals in Cobb County followed the contentious dismissal of a teacher for reading a book about gender identity to fifth-grade students. These actions have stirred debate about freedom of expression, the role of libraries in schools, and the extent to which educators should have autonomy in selecting materials that reflect the diverse realities students encounter.

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