Scholastic Isolates Diverse Titles as Book Banning Surges

64 diverse book titles segregated at elementary school book fairs nationwide

Scholastic, the educational publishing company, has segregated 64 diverse book titles into a separate collection at elementary school book fairs. The action comes as a response to the recent spike in book banning across the United States, particularly those on subjects like racism and gender identity.
The decision to segregate these books into a separate collection, named 'Share Every Story, Celebrate Every Voice,' was criticized by educators, authors, and advocacy groups, who are concerned about censorship in schools.
The American Library Association has reported a record-breaking number of objections against school books for the years 2021 and 2022, with the majority targeting books authored by and featuring LGBTQ+ individuals and people of color.
Scholastic clarified that not all diverse titles were included in the optional collection. The change only applies to book fairs in elementary schools, with middle school fairs remaining unaffected. Schools have the choice to display or opt-out of the collection entirely.
The move from Scholastic comes as textbook and educational publishers nationwide face intense pressure and threats of legal action, particularly in states with strict book restrictions like Texas and Florida.