Confronting Bodies: Laurie Taylor, a mother of three children in the Arkansas public school system, and, the School Board of Arkansas
Date of Action: 2005-2006
Specific Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas USA
Description of Artwork: "It's So Amazing" and "It's Perfectly Normal" by Robie Harris and "The Teenage Guy's Survival Guide" by Jeremy Daldry are nonfiction educational books that deal with human sexuality and reproduction with text and illustrations designed to be humorous and nonjudgmental.
Description of Incident: In spring 2005, Laurie Taylor, who has three children in the Arkansas public school system, asked the Fayetteville school district to remove Harris and Daldry's nonfiction sex education books from the school library. A committee made up of Fayetteville school district administrators, teachers and parents reviewed the books and deemed them appropriate for the school library. However, Taylor appealed the decision to the school board, which overturned the recommendation of the review committee and pulled the books from the library shelves.
Results of Incident: After the decision by the school board to remove the Harris and Daldry’s sex education books, parents must now check out the books for their children from a special restricted section in the library. Thrilled by the decision, Laurie Taylor now has more than 70 additional books she hopes will be banned from the library as well. He list includes sex education books, young adult novels and classics.
Source: The Observer, and, www.charlotte.com
Submitted By: National Coalition Against Censorship