The conservative organization Young America’s Foundation (YAF) is offering students free copies of books that have been banned by the Burbank Unified School District in Burbank, California. The banned books include classics like To Kill a Mockingbird and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
“Following the Burbank Unified School District’s decision to ban several classic books, Young America’s Foundation will provide Burbank students with copies of these banned books — free of charge,” tweeted YAF last week.
BREAKING: Following the Burbank Unified School District's decision to ban several classic books, Young America’s Foundation will provide Burbank students with copies of these banned books—free of charge.
— YAF (@yaf) December 7, 2020
In September, the Burbank Unified School District in California banned five classic literary works that contain racial slurs. The banned books include: To Kill a Mockingbird, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Of Mice and Men, The Cay, and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.
“In addition to putting the books Burbank schools are attempting to hide directly into students’ hands, YAF is calling on those with the power to do the right thing — the board members of the Burbank Unified School District — to immediately rescind their ban on these books,” the organization added in a follow-up tweet.
In addition to putting the books Burbank schools are attempting to hide directly into students’ hands, YAF is calling on those with the power to do the right thing—the board members of the Burbank Unified School District—to immediately rescind their ban on these books.
— YAF (@yaf) December 7, 2020
The Burbank Unified School District, however, claims that the books have not been “banned,” bur rather, “put on pause.”
“Recent news articles in the Los Angeles Times and television interviews have spouted false information,” insisted Instruction subcommittee member and BUSD Library Coordinator Lisa Dyson, according to a report by myBurbank News.
“WE ARE NOT BANNING BOOKS!” continued Dyson. “These books are on pause while we listen and learn from our BIPOC students, parents, and teachers who have experienced these classroom books for over 30 years now and have come to our District sharing their experiences and their concerns.”
“So these books are on pause while we listen and learn and read what is currently out there also written by award-winning BIPOC without the trope of the white savior stories or books that are considered ‘classics’ because white gatekeepers at one time decided what would be considered classic,” Dyson added.
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, on Parler at @alana, and on Instagram.
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