Marshall University does not ban books! The information is provided to let people know what has been banned/challenged elsewhere.
2024
Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered sexually explicit.
Set at a Boy Scout summer camp in 1995, Flamer tells the tale of a Filipino American navigating bullying and body image insecurities, as he reconciles his conservative religious upbringing with his homosexuality. On November 21, Take Back Our
Schools, in association with Advocates for D20 Kids, filed a criminal complaint against Academy School District 20 (CO), alleging that Flamer and six other library titles violated state and federal obscenity laws. Earlier in the year, Advocates for D20 Kids challenged
more than 100 titles identified using a book rating site created by anti-government extremists. Following a comprehensive legal review, the Office of the District Attorney serving El Paso and Teller counties issued a statement that the claims made by Take Back Our Schools were not supported by evidence and that it would be unethical to prosecute over these books. The DA’s Office wrote that, “The criminal justice system in the United States should not be weaponized against political or social opponents based simply on disagreements, and the misuse of the prosecution process only erodes trust in an essential function of our shared government.” Despite this determination, the district banned several titles from school libraries and now requires parental permission for others.
2023
Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered sexually explicit.
Starting on September 13, members of the group Let’s Talk Hempfield began reading excerpts from Flamer and other titles during the public comments section of Hempfield School District board meetings in Landisville, PA. On November 22, they submitted seven police
reports against the Hempfield High School, claiming that Flamer, Push by Sapphire, and Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin were “pornography” and “obscene material.” The district attorney investigated, determined the books were neither
pornographic nor obscene, and did not file charges. While nine books were targeted during public comments and through police reports, no formal requests for reconsideration were ever submitted,
On These Pages
A Banned book has been removed from a library, classroom, etc.
A Challenged book has been requested to be removed from a library, classroom, etc.
For additional information contact
Ron Titus, titus@marshall.edu
304-696-6575
Last updated
August 8, 2024