Monday, October 26, 2009
Homo / Books Scholastic's Homophobic Censorship
Posted by Paul Constant on Mon, Oct 26, 2009 at 12:09 PM
Slog Tipper Bailey/Coy Books has alerted us to some awful book news. I'm sure most of you fondly remember Scholastic Book Fairs and book orders from the Scholastic Book Club in the elementary schools of your youth. But I bet you didn't know that Scholastic censors their books:
Luv Ya Bunches, about four elementary school girls who have little in common, but bond over the fact that they’re all named after flowers, is the first installment of a four-book series. But Scholastic says the book, released on October 1, failed to meet its vetting process because it contains offensive language and same-sex parents of one of the main characters, Milla.The company sent a letter to Myracle's editor asking the author to omit certain words such as "geez," "crap," "sucks," and "God" (as in, "oh my God") and to alter its plotline to include a heterosexual couple. Myracle agreed to get rid of the offensive language "with the goal—as always—of making the book as available to as many readers as possible," but the deal breaker was changing Milla's two moms.
There is a petition against Scholastic's ridiculous actions here. I'll keep you posted on this story. Thanks to Bailey/Coy Books for the tip.
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1
Actually this is not really news; they've been doing this since the mid 1980's. Our middle school librarian really hated having to host the damn annual book fair by Scholastic (usually in the fall of the year) because their were certian books they would not carry. And we're talking books that you could get from Weekly Reader's book clubs.
4
Scholastic is full of dubious shit like this. The company essentially has a monopoly on marketing directly to kids in elementary schools, and instead of using that responsibly and promoting reading to kids, most of the stuff in their catalog is games and stickers and toys and movie-tie-in made-in-China crap. They are a truly horrible company
5
I used to get ARMLOADS of Scholastic crap when I was in grade school; it was a highlight of the year for me. I still remember those terrible Freddy the Pig books, and truly dreadful "101 sports heroes" books (and yes, I still know who Babe Didriksen Zaharias was, but not why). But I also got some masterpieces like "From The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler". They were a shoddy company then, and probably censored even more then, but I'm not confident that there's as much good stuff getting through.
I will express skepticism that "Luv Ya Bunches" counts as "good stuff", no matter how enlightened its computer-generated gay couples are.
I will express skepticism that "Luv Ya Bunches" counts as "good stuff", no matter how enlightened its computer-generated gay couples are.
6
Not that I share the same sensibilties, but, "geez" is short for 'Jesus' which is offensive to christians. The parental thing is extremely offensive to me. Kids already get enough gay=bad in schools without the "grown-ups" backing it up.
7
Jeez. That's crap. I just bought a bunch of great books for my kid & now wish I could take it back!
9
Those are supposed to be elementary school kids on that cover? They look like off-brand Bratz.
lilzilla disapproves.
lilzilla disapproves.
10
That's so weird. David Levithan, author of Boy Meets Boy, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, and a shitload of other books chock full of queers is an editorial director for Scholastic. I wonder what he thinks.
12
Oh Scholastic! Don't make me cry!!!! I loved you once, now how can you do this to me??!!?? Damn you Scholastic!!!
13
I guess its time to write my school board, administrators and staff and pressure them to cancel Scholastic book fairs until the company confirms to our community standards of inclusion and equality.
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