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A parent at Westwood High School in Austin, Texas tries to remove Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi’s Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You from the school’s reading list.
His complaint was dismissed at the first two levels within the Round Rock Independent School District (RRISD). However, at the encouragement of some trustees in the district, he brings his complaint to Level III. This is the final stage in the RRISD complaint ladder. If his appeal is upheld, the complaint goes into a closed door session.
While it’s not entirely a history book, Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You talks about racism – and anti-racism – in America. It shares the ideas in an accessible way to young readers. It has been recognized by Publishers Weekly, Parents Magazine, and Kirkus Reviews, to name a few.
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Although Stamped is considered required reading, this parent is determined to keep it from being recommended. In order for children and young adults to know their way around, they need the right tools. This parent is trying to remove that right from the students’ hands.
Change.org has a petition circulating to stop the attempted removal. You need at least 2,500 signatures to have an impact. The petition says, “Do you think a person should have the power to control what your children can read?”
“Absolutely not!” is usually the general answer to this type of question. Unfortunately, there are those who not only disagree, but do whatever they can to limit education on this important topic.
