#VelshiBannedBookClub: Resisting Book Bans with Lawsuits

Escambia County in Florida has removed or challenged at least 160 books in every single one of its 69 schools. There are traditional classics, contemporary masterpieces, and books that have contributed to the very fabric of this country -- including two that were featured on the #VelshiBannedBookClub -- George M. Johnson’s “All Boys Aren’t Blue” and "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez. These books are very different – in writing styles, authors, and genres. And yet -- both books grapple with the shattering realities of sexual assault, the searing pain of racism, and the complicated feelings of discovering whom you love. Publishing giant Penguin Random House, free speech organization PEN America, some parents, and numerous award-winning authors including Johnson and Perez came together this week and filed a federal lawsuit on the grounds of the First Amendment against Florida’s Escambia County School District. Perez says she won’t stop until everyone has access to the books, “All this means is lost access for readers who really need the books. [...] I am writing this for my former students. I am writing to make sure shelves are filled with a wide range of youth experiences that honor the complexity and challenge of their lives.”May 20, 2023