Marshall University does not ban books! The information is provided to let people know what has been banned/challenged elsewhere.
2022
The Protect Nebraska Children Coalition brought an extensive list of books to the Wauneta-Pallisade (NE) Public Schools board meeting and wanted the books removed from both the elementary and high school libraries. The list of more than 30 titles included The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes, Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Dear Martin by Nic Stone, The Color Purple by Alice Walker, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Beloved by Toni Morrison, The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander, Pink Is for Boys by Robb Pearlman, and Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson. The books were removed for evaluation.
A community member raised concerns about All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely in the middle school library at Raymond (WI) School District. A committee of teachers, community members, parents, and librarians met to discuss it and decided middle school students should be allowed to check out the book. The school board rejected their recommendation and voted to ban this title and all other books with racial slurs or profanity from school libraries. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie were also challenged and removed from district libraries without following policy.
2021
Banned, challenged and restricted because it was thought to contain a political viewpoint, and it was claimed to be biased against male students, and for the novel’s inclusion of rape and profanity.
2012
Challenged, but retained in the Republic (MO) schools despite complaints that it is “soft-pornography,” “glorifies drinking, cursing, and pre-marital sex,” and “teaches principles contrary to the Bible.”
2011
Challenged in the Republic (MO) schools because it is “soft-pornography” and “glorifies drinking, cursing, and pre-marital sex.”
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
June 23, 2023