Shannon, Library Assistant in Youth Services, peruses I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. Repeatedly challenged in the early 2000s for offensive language, sexually explicit content, discussion of homosexuality, racism, violence, and unsuited to age group.
According to the new edition of Banned Books Resource Guide, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings has had thirty-nine public challenges or bans since 1983... In response to the controversy in Huntington Beach, Angelou told the Orange County Register “I’m always sorry that people ban my books. Many times I’ve been called the most banned. And many times my books are banned by people who never read two sentences. I feel sorry for the young person who never gets to read.” [citation]
The dictionary? Yes, Seth the Reference Assistant has the Merriam-Webster Dictionary (we have the 2005 edition, in case you were wondering), which has been challenged for its definition of oral sex:
After a parent complained about an elementary school student stumbling across "oral sex" in a classroom dictionary, Menifee Union School District officials decided to pull Merriam Webster's 10th edition from all school shelves. [citation]
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.-- recently made into a movie featuring Emma Watson-- is read here by Rezina, Circulation and Shelving Supervisor. The title has been challenged for a long list of reasons, including being anti-family; drug, suicide, and homosexuality references; offensive language; religious viewpoint; and being sexually explicit and unsuited to age group. (That's not even the complete list.)
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