Satellite banned book libraries coming to Tulsa
Michelle Simmons and Berna Sanow from Queer Lit Collective said they are disappointed and offended in the number of books being banned from Oklahoma public school libraries. The debate over what books are on school shelves is leading to multiple titles being removed from school libraries in Oklahoma. Michelle Simmons from Queer Lit Collective, who believe that books like these are important for education, have expressed disappointment and offended in the number of books being banned from Oklahoma public school libraries. They have created a library of banned books at Tulsa's Dennis R. Neil Center for Equality but have grown out of the space and plan to create five satellite library locations around Tulsa. Janice Danforth from Moms For Liberty Tulsa, a conservative advocacy group, supports the ban, stating that in public education, sexually explicit reading material should not be available in the library.
Published : 4 weeks ago by in
TULSA, Okla. — The debate over what kind of books are on school shelves is leading to multiple titles being removed from school libraries.
"The books that they are trying to ban and queer books in general, they are important for education," said Michelle Simmons from Queer Lit Collective.
They said they are disappointed and offended in the number of books being banned from Oklahoma public school libraries.
"When I first started learning about the books that were banned appearing on the band list in Oklahoma, it's very easy for me to notice them, with that is which is silencing the voices of people who have experiences that don't fit within the straight white male patriarchal view of society," said Berna Sanow from Queer Lit Collective.
They have created a library of banned books at Tulsa's Dennis R. Neil Center for Equality, but said they've outgrown the space. Through a grant from Tulsa Young Professionals, they plan to create five satellite library locations around Tulsa.
"It doesn't matter if its heterosexual/homosexual, I don't care what kind of sex it is. If it's sexual, then to me, it does not belong in a minor's hand," said Janice Danforth with Moms For Liberty Tulsa's chapter.
Moms for Liberty's is a conservative advocacy group created in the effort to protect children and students from what they deem is inappropriate material on public school property.
"People and parents have the choice," Danforth said. "If they want to read certain books, they can get it from the public library, they can go buy it at the bookstore, but what we're saying is, in public education, that's taxpayer funded. We do not need to have sexually explicit reading material available in the library."
In a report by Pen America, more than 1,600 books have been banned all over the united states since 2021 to 2022.
To see the full list, click here.