It Started With a Permission Slip

My daughter came home with a permission slip last September. Not for a field trip — for a book. The school library was hosting an "inclusive reading" event, and parents needed to sign off. Which struck me as odd, because in fifteen years of parenting, nobody has ever asked my permission for my kids to read a book.

So I did what any mom would do. I read the book first.

I won't describe the content here, because I'm told this is a family-friendly publication. But I will tell you this: no second grader needs to encounter that material. Not because it's offensive — because it's inappropriate for a child who still believes in the tooth fairy.

The Library They Don't Want You to See

After the permission slip incident, I started asking questions. What else was on the shelves? Could I see the full catalog? Could I review the selection criteria?

You would have thought I'd asked to see classified documents. The school librarian referred me to the district. The district referred me to the school board. The school board scheduled a meeting — for three months out.

Meanwhile, I did my own research. I checked out every book on the recommended reading list for grades K-3 at my daughter's school. Forty-seven books. I read them all, because apparently someone has to.

Here's what I found: thirty-one were perfectly fine. Twelve pushed boundaries in ways that reasonable people could debate. Four had no business being within a hundred yards of a seven-year-old.

The Accusation Machine

When I brought my findings to the next PTA meeting, I was called a book banner. Let me be clear about something: I have never asked for a single book to be removed from any library. I asked for age-appropriate shelving and parental notification. That's it.

But in 2024, asking what your children are reading makes you a censorship advocate. Wanting to review school materials makes you a threat to democracy. Showing up at a school board meeting makes you, according to a certain memo, a potential domestic terrorist.

I'm a mom from Ohio with three kids and a mortgage. I am not a domestic terrorist. I am a parent who reads.

What Parents Can Do

Check your school's library catalog — most are available online. Read what your kids are reading. Show up at the school board meetings, even when they schedule them for 2 PM on a Tuesday. Talk to other parents. You'll find you're not alone.

The people who don't want you asking questions are counting on your silence. Don't give it to them.