Scholastic's "bigot button"
October 16, 2023 9:34 AM Subscribe
'[T]his year, facing pressure from right-wing ideologues, Scholastic is facilitating the exclusion of books that feature people of color and/or LGBTQ characters. Scholastic has grouped many of these titles in a collection called "Share Every Story, Celebrate Every Voice." School officials are then given the option to exclude the entire set of books from the book fair. Scholastic has, in the words of one librarian, given schools a "bigot button" to exclude these books and mollify intolerant pressure groups.'
Absolutely right, you cannot appease these people, it's simply not possible. They won't be happy until everyone who doesn't fit into a very narrow mold is subjugated or dead and ceding ground to them by offering up already marginalized groups as victims is just hastening the day you're next up. Thank you for making this post.
posted by an octopus IRL at 9:41 AM on October 16, 2023 [41 favorites]
posted by an octopus IRL at 9:41 AM on October 16, 2023 [41 favorites]
It's not like making this collection optional is going to mollify any of these people in the least.
It’s just going to be a very clear thing to make illegal. Then they’ll look for other things to add to it.
posted by Artw at 9:43 AM on October 16, 2023 [5 favorites]
It’s just going to be a very clear thing to make illegal. Then they’ll look for other things to add to it.
posted by Artw at 9:43 AM on October 16, 2023 [5 favorites]
The double-speak in Scholastic's announcement is infuriating.
In the very first paragraph we are told "The biggest misconception is that Scholastic Book Fairs is putting all diverse titles into one optional case. This is not true, in any school, in any location we serve." But two paragraphs later we get "To continue offering these books, as well as even more high interest titles, we created an additional collection called Share Every Story"
How is an "additional collection" not an "optional case?"
posted by Frayed Knot at 10:07 AM on October 16, 2023 [28 favorites]
In the very first paragraph we are told "The biggest misconception is that Scholastic Book Fairs is putting all diverse titles into one optional case. This is not true, in any school, in any location we serve." But two paragraphs later we get "To continue offering these books, as well as even more high interest titles, we created an additional collection called Share Every Story"
How is an "additional collection" not an "optional case?"
posted by Frayed Knot at 10:07 AM on October 16, 2023 [28 favorites]
don't worry, the separate list of books is equal
posted by allegedly at 10:09 AM on October 16, 2023 [133 favorites]
posted by allegedly at 10:09 AM on October 16, 2023 [133 favorites]
I look forward to more reporting down the road about what went down at Scholastic in order to make this (terrible) option available, whether it's about revenue or about requests from schools, administrators, parents, or what. For the interested, Banned Books Week just ended, and there's all sorts of good information available from the ALA about what's being challenged where, numbers of challenges, etc.
posted by cupcakeninja at 10:09 AM on October 16, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by cupcakeninja at 10:09 AM on October 16, 2023 [5 favorites]
Coming Next Year: A "Burn These Books" checkbox for your school! Why waste time coordinating your own book-burning, when the most trusted name in school book sales can do it for you?
posted by mittens at 10:12 AM on October 16, 2023 [15 favorites]
posted by mittens at 10:12 AM on October 16, 2023 [15 favorites]
Scholastic was absolutely vital for me as a child. I wonder if their choice was really "you curate your collection or you don't get into these bigoted schools at all" and how hellish that might be to think through.
posted by seanmpuckett at 10:15 AM on October 16, 2023 [18 favorites]
posted by seanmpuckett at 10:15 AM on October 16, 2023 [18 favorites]
Regardless of the ethics of what Scholastic is doing, those demanding book bans remain the real problem, no?
posted by senor biggles at 10:18 AM on October 16, 2023 [11 favorites]
posted by senor biggles at 10:18 AM on October 16, 2023 [11 favorites]
I agree with this entirely.
When I was in elementary school I picked Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry off the shelf at a Scholastic book fair because the girl on the cover had braids like my friend Sopheia, and it looked like she was a responsible big sister saving her brothers from a fire. Cool, my kind of book! So I read it, and liked it, and then read all of the other Logan family books by Mildred D Taylor.
Because I had those stories of a southern black family percolating in my head from an early age, it prompted me to think critically about the things I heard growing up white in the south. I knew the books were fiction, but they seemed pretty realistic. So if someone said something to make it sound like those stories didn't have a kernel of truth it just gave me pause, you know? And if they were wrong about what they thought about black families, maybe they were wrong about other things, too? Hmm.
The Scholastic book fair directly prevented me from receiving the indoctrination that I as a white child growing up in Georgia was intended--nay, entitled--to receive. A book fair as subversive as the day is long.
Oh wait.
posted by phunniemee at 10:24 AM on October 16, 2023 [69 favorites]
When I was in elementary school I picked Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry off the shelf at a Scholastic book fair because the girl on the cover had braids like my friend Sopheia, and it looked like she was a responsible big sister saving her brothers from a fire. Cool, my kind of book! So I read it, and liked it, and then read all of the other Logan family books by Mildred D Taylor.
Because I had those stories of a southern black family percolating in my head from an early age, it prompted me to think critically about the things I heard growing up white in the south. I knew the books were fiction, but they seemed pretty realistic. So if someone said something to make it sound like those stories didn't have a kernel of truth it just gave me pause, you know? And if they were wrong about what they thought about black families, maybe they were wrong about other things, too? Hmm.
The Scholastic book fair directly prevented me from receiving the indoctrination that I as a white child growing up in Georgia was intended--nay, entitled--to receive. A book fair as subversive as the day is long.
Oh wait.
posted by phunniemee at 10:24 AM on October 16, 2023 [69 favorites]
Scholastic Book Fair has a pretty long history of playing things safe - I knew debut authors in 2009, 2010, 2011 who were getting told that if they wanted their book to be included in SBF that they should tone down the swearing or the controversial content. And I think it's certainly understandable that they want to curate a book collection that's not going to court controversy or get them kicked out of schools, but... one does wish for a little more backbone.
Regardless of the ethics of what Scholastic is doing, those demanding book bans remain the real problem, no?
Yes. But as Timothy Snyder writes,
Regardless of the ethics of what Scholastic is doing, those demanding book bans remain the real problem, no?
Yes. But as Timothy Snyder writes,
Do not obey in advance. Most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given. In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then offer themselves without being asked. A citizen who adapts in this way is teaching power what it can do.posted by Jeanne at 10:24 AM on October 16, 2023 [113 favorites]
Yes: file this under “corporations won’t save you”. It’d be nice if Scholastic was willing to help here but this is a political creation and needs to be stopped there.
posted by adamsc at 10:24 AM on October 16, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by adamsc at 10:24 AM on October 16, 2023 [6 favorites]
But a biography of John Lewis that includes his efforts to overcome racially discriminatory voting restrictions is not "Critical Race Theory." It is history. The same can be said for the story of how Justice Jackson overcame barriers, including racial discrimination, to join the Supreme Court
lol okay, tell that to the school board and all the hee-haw local news stations who are frothing to ruin some teacher's life (and end book fairs there forever) because they let a kid read something positive about a Black person.
Yeah, this sucks and is shitty in a general-but-real way, and the alternative (as above) also sucks and is shitty in a specific-but-(barely)-hypothetical way.
Scholastic wants to make money. They're still publishing these books (thankfully; the number of queer-themed ebooks my kid takes out every week, many of them published by Scholastic, is startling to me, an old). This is shitty all the way down, but I think the framing around it is unfair.
posted by uncleozzy at 10:25 AM on October 16, 2023 [11 favorites]
lol okay, tell that to the school board and all the hee-haw local news stations who are frothing to ruin some teacher's life (and end book fairs there forever) because they let a kid read something positive about a Black person.
Yeah, this sucks and is shitty in a general-but-real way, and the alternative (as above) also sucks and is shitty in a specific-but-(barely)-hypothetical way.
Scholastic wants to make money. They're still publishing these books (thankfully; the number of queer-themed ebooks my kid takes out every week, many of them published by Scholastic, is startling to me, an old). This is shitty all the way down, but I think the framing around it is unfair.
posted by uncleozzy at 10:25 AM on October 16, 2023 [11 favorites]
While I think it's terrible this is happening (and wonder if it is only happening in certain regions, given the various claims in the linked Reddit thread allegedly from Scholastic employees and/or book fair organizers who claim to have not seen anything about this), I also can't help but read statements like the one below and wonder to what extent that even matters. To those attempting to ban books, to ban any references to anything other than cishet sexuality, to ban anything relating to "CRT," does it even matter?
This doesn't justify or excuse what Scholastic is doing here (except to the extent that the alternative in some regions to a "censored" Scholastic book fair might be no book fair at all -- but that's not on Scholastic and it seems fairly obvious they're just trying to maximize profits by appeasing bigots). But it does make me wonder where the line gets drawn in places with conservative legislators banning things that they don't actually understand. CRT, like so much else, has become a dog whistle to the right and references to it -- and subsequent bans -- have little or nothing to do with the actual academic theory.
posted by asnider at 10:27 AM on October 16, 2023 [9 favorites]
According to a database maintained by PEN America, 15 states have banned K-12 schools from offering instruction on Critical Race Theory and related concepts. But a biography of John Lewis that includes his efforts to overcome racially discriminatory voting restrictions is not "Critical Race Theory."The vast majority of these people don't even know what Critical Race Theory actually is. It's a specific academic theory that isn't taught in K-12 education and so there was no need to ban it in the first place. What they actually want banned, under the guise of "CRT," is basically anything that undermines or questions white supremacy. So, do they actually care that a biography of John Lewis isn't CRT or will they attack it and the school who dares to include it in their book fair anyway?
This doesn't justify or excuse what Scholastic is doing here (except to the extent that the alternative in some regions to a "censored" Scholastic book fair might be no book fair at all -- but that's not on Scholastic and it seems fairly obvious they're just trying to maximize profits by appeasing bigots). But it does make me wonder where the line gets drawn in places with conservative legislators banning things that they don't actually understand. CRT, like so much else, has become a dog whistle to the right and references to it -- and subsequent bans -- have little or nothing to do with the actual academic theory.
posted by asnider at 10:27 AM on October 16, 2023 [9 favorites]
This goes beyond the list. They are censoring the books themselves. I gave several copies of Maggie Tokuda Hall’s story about her grandparents experience in a Japanese internment camp to my local elementary school. Love in the Library is an important story.
posted by chuke at 10:32 AM on October 16, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by chuke at 10:32 AM on October 16, 2023 [7 favorites]
The double-speak in Scholastic's announcement is infuriating.
Not to mention that a collection designed to allow people to skip over books from diverse perspectives is called "Share Every Story"...
posted by dusty potato at 10:44 AM on October 16, 2023 [14 favorites]
Not to mention that a collection designed to allow people to skip over books from diverse perspectives is called "Share Every Story"...
posted by dusty potato at 10:44 AM on October 16, 2023 [14 favorites]
They're all lumped together too - the books about inclusion and tolerance, the personal stories about being LGBTQ+, and the black and indigenous history books. Like each school board that objects to one of those things will object to all of those things.
posted by subdee at 10:47 AM on October 16, 2023 [17 favorites]
posted by subdee at 10:47 AM on October 16, 2023 [17 favorites]
But it does make me wonder where the line gets drawn in places with conservative legislators banning things that they don't actually understand. CRT, like so much else, has become a dog whistle to the right and references to it -- and subsequent bans -- have little or nothing to do with the actual academic theory.
And this is why Scholastic is complicit: by categorizing these books they're volunteering to provide a working definition for an otherwise crazy, unworkable, poorly defined ban. Now there's a list that someone can point to when they want to define books they want banned.
Worse still, Scholastic's interpretation of these bans probably accounts for all those pesky edge cases that the bigots didn't think of when they wrote their childish laws so Scholastic is also doing their dirty work of selective enforcement.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 10:50 AM on October 16, 2023 [31 favorites]
And this is why Scholastic is complicit: by categorizing these books they're volunteering to provide a working definition for an otherwise crazy, unworkable, poorly defined ban. Now there's a list that someone can point to when they want to define books they want banned.
Worse still, Scholastic's interpretation of these bans probably accounts for all those pesky edge cases that the bigots didn't think of when they wrote their childish laws so Scholastic is also doing their dirty work of selective enforcement.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 10:50 AM on October 16, 2023 [31 favorites]
This "fear of offending even one white person" approach reminds me of the NHL's decision not to even allow individual players to wear rainbow tape on their sticks -- far beyond requiring anyone to participate.
Like, merely the fear of making someone (and it'll always be a white suburbanite) uncomfortable for shining a light on their prejudices can't be allowed? The hell with that: they're uncomfortable because they should be. Their opinions are wrong and bad.
(ObDisc: I am a white suburbanite.)
posted by wenestvedt at 10:59 AM on October 16, 2023 [26 favorites]
Like, merely the fear of making someone (and it'll always be a white suburbanite) uncomfortable for shining a light on their prejudices can't be allowed? The hell with that: they're uncomfortable because they should be. Their opinions are wrong and bad.
(ObDisc: I am a white suburbanite.)
posted by wenestvedt at 10:59 AM on October 16, 2023 [26 favorites]
We have three of these books in my classroom.
I Am Ruby Bridges shares the story of the first black student at a previously all-white elementary school in Mississippi. In order to go to school she had to walk past a white mob that was threatening to kill and poison her. Almost every white child in her class was withdrawn by their parents. It is a heartbreaking, inspiring story of a child who is forced to endure being terrorized, and is incredibly brave through the whole ordeal.
Why do bigots want to exclude it? They want to deny that racism is now or ever was a problem. These are the same folks who want textbooks to teach about the "benefits" of slavery.
But the bigots also, perhaps more importantly, want to deny that there have ever been people who stood up to injustice or lived with dignity despite oppression or celebrated their culture or just existed outside the majority. It's erasure of history and it's also erasure of the possibility of a future that doesn't favor the bigots. Because they are so threatened by equality.
posted by mai at 11:05 AM on October 16, 2023 [33 favorites]
I Am Ruby Bridges shares the story of the first black student at a previously all-white elementary school in Mississippi. In order to go to school she had to walk past a white mob that was threatening to kill and poison her. Almost every white child in her class was withdrawn by their parents. It is a heartbreaking, inspiring story of a child who is forced to endure being terrorized, and is incredibly brave through the whole ordeal.
Why do bigots want to exclude it? They want to deny that racism is now or ever was a problem. These are the same folks who want textbooks to teach about the "benefits" of slavery.
But the bigots also, perhaps more importantly, want to deny that there have ever been people who stood up to injustice or lived with dignity despite oppression or celebrated their culture or just existed outside the majority. It's erasure of history and it's also erasure of the possibility of a future that doesn't favor the bigots. Because they are so threatened by equality.
posted by mai at 11:05 AM on October 16, 2023 [33 favorites]
And Scholastic is bogus for facilitating this bigotry.
posted by mai at 11:05 AM on October 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by mai at 11:05 AM on October 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
and it'll always be a white suburbanite
Nah, there's plenty of white rural people, too. And, sadly, a lot of non-white folks all over who are fully on board with anti-LGBT stuff.
posted by outgrown_hobnail at 11:07 AM on October 16, 2023 [6 favorites]
Nah, there's plenty of white rural people, too. And, sadly, a lot of non-white folks all over who are fully on board with anti-LGBT stuff.
posted by outgrown_hobnail at 11:07 AM on October 16, 2023 [6 favorites]
And one more comment: if I taught in one of the places that forbids teaching about anti-racism, LGBTQ+ rights, and other fights against injustice, I would be fired and maybe even put in jail. Because as imperfect an ally as I am, I am not going to shut up about these struggles. That's me and my priorities and no one should have to choose between feeding their family and living their values. But scholastic is making harder, not easier, for teachers to teach.
posted by mai at 11:08 AM on October 16, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by mai at 11:08 AM on October 16, 2023 [7 favorites]
Isn’t this just a way for Scholastic to cover itself in case they want to sell in districts, towns or states where these books would be pulled?
posted by Ideefixe at 11:14 AM on October 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Ideefixe at 11:14 AM on October 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
The vast majority of these people don't even know what Critical Race Theory actually is.
Oh that's easy: anything that doesn't center white people as the norm and/or heroes.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 11:15 AM on October 16, 2023 [12 favorites]
Oh that's easy: anything that doesn't center white people as the norm and/or heroes.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 11:15 AM on October 16, 2023 [12 favorites]
I Am Ruby Bridges shares the story of the first black student at a previously all-white elementary school in Mississippi.
Quick correction. This was in New Orleans, LA.
They're all lumped together too - the books about inclusion and tolerance, the personal stories about being LGBTQ+, and the black and indigenous history books. Like each school board that objects to one of those things will object to all of those things.
To be fair, if someone objects to any one of those things they probably object to all of them as well.
posted by brundlefly at 11:30 AM on October 16, 2023 [4 favorites]
Quick correction. This was in New Orleans, LA.
They're all lumped together too - the books about inclusion and tolerance, the personal stories about being LGBTQ+, and the black and indigenous history books. Like each school board that objects to one of those things will object to all of those things.
To be fair, if someone objects to any one of those things they probably object to all of them as well.
posted by brundlefly at 11:30 AM on October 16, 2023 [4 favorites]
There is now enacted or pending legislation in more than 30 U.S. states prohibiting certain kinds of books from being in schools – mostly LGBTQIA+ titles and books that engage with the presence of racism in our country. Because Scholastic Book Fairs are invited into schools, where books can be purchased by kids on their own, these laws create an almost impossible dilemma: back away from these titles or risk making teachers, librarians, and volunteers vulnerable to being fired, sued, or prosecuted. We don’t pretend this solution is perfect – but the other option would be to not offer these books at all – which is not something we’d consider.
For those who didn't read the Scholastic announcement.
posted by davidmsc at 11:32 AM on October 16, 2023 [4 favorites]
For those who didn't read the Scholastic announcement.
posted by davidmsc at 11:32 AM on October 16, 2023 [4 favorites]
Regardless of the ethics of what Scholastic is doing, those demanding book bans remain the real problem, no?
Understandable perspective but in my opinion Scholastic makes much more of an impact than random racist & transphobic assholes (although those assholes who have organized into groups that pressure local governments are why this is happening - so yes I think we should fight the organizations that have pushed for this. But how do we fight them? In part by fighting this).
Who has the power to actually restrict kids' access to books about race, gender, and social movements? Scholastic is an incredibly powerful force. Putting pressure on Scholastic might be helpful - they shouldn't get away with this.
Or we could pressure governing bodies from local school boards to the federal government to implement alternatives: Scholastic does have competitors. You could imagine a local school board setting up book fairs with a group of small publishers or local bookstores, or a progressive government could implement a non-profit book give-away event for schools or whatnot.
posted by latkes at 11:39 AM on October 16, 2023 [5 favorites]
Understandable perspective but in my opinion Scholastic makes much more of an impact than random racist & transphobic assholes (although those assholes who have organized into groups that pressure local governments are why this is happening - so yes I think we should fight the organizations that have pushed for this. But how do we fight them? In part by fighting this).
Who has the power to actually restrict kids' access to books about race, gender, and social movements? Scholastic is an incredibly powerful force. Putting pressure on Scholastic might be helpful - they shouldn't get away with this.
Or we could pressure governing bodies from local school boards to the federal government to implement alternatives: Scholastic does have competitors. You could imagine a local school board setting up book fairs with a group of small publishers or local bookstores, or a progressive government could implement a non-profit book give-away event for schools or whatnot.
posted by latkes at 11:39 AM on October 16, 2023 [5 favorites]
"We don’t pretend this solution is perfect – but the other option would be to not offer these books at all lose market share – which is not something we’d consider."
Let's be honest - kids won't stop reading, schools won't stop having book fairs. But they'll go to other vendors to do them if Scholastic won't comply.
posted by Garm at 11:41 AM on October 16, 2023 [11 favorites]
Let's be honest - kids won't stop reading, schools won't stop having book fairs. But they'll go to other vendors to do them if Scholastic won't comply.
posted by Garm at 11:41 AM on October 16, 2023 [11 favorites]
Oh that's easy: [CRT is] anything that doesn't center white people as the norm and/or heroes.
That's exactly my point. Whether or not Scholastic is justified (or complicit), to the bigots and book banners, it doesn't matter that these books aren't *actually* about CRT. It simply matters that they don't centre whiteness and don't uphold white supremacy. The mere fact that they are books about Black people succeeding in the face of racism is enough to yell and scream and try to get a few teachers fired for daring to allow these "radical" books full of "CRT" that "make white kids feel guilty for being white" into their school book fair.
So, while I don't think Scholastic is doing the right thing here, the argument that these books aren't *really* about CRT is kind of beside the point.
posted by asnider at 11:43 AM on October 16, 2023 [12 favorites]
That's exactly my point. Whether or not Scholastic is justified (or complicit), to the bigots and book banners, it doesn't matter that these books aren't *actually* about CRT. It simply matters that they don't centre whiteness and don't uphold white supremacy. The mere fact that they are books about Black people succeeding in the face of racism is enough to yell and scream and try to get a few teachers fired for daring to allow these "radical" books full of "CRT" that "make white kids feel guilty for being white" into their school book fair.
So, while I don't think Scholastic is doing the right thing here, the argument that these books aren't *really* about CRT is kind of beside the point.
posted by asnider at 11:43 AM on October 16, 2023 [12 favorites]
This is so gross. Thanks for sharing.
I know these things double as school fundraisers. I wonder how much they actually pull in for a school? I wonder if a grassroots book fair could replace it?
posted by eirias at 11:45 AM on October 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
I know these things double as school fundraisers. I wonder how much they actually pull in for a school? I wonder if a grassroots book fair could replace it?
posted by eirias at 11:45 AM on October 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
Reading Celeste Ng's Our Missing Hearts right now - it's a near-future dystopia that plausibly theorizes where this stuff is heading.
posted by latkes at 11:48 AM on October 16, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by latkes at 11:48 AM on October 16, 2023 [5 favorites]
To be fair, if someone objects to any one of those things they probably object to all of them as well.
Not necessarily, because of this
And, sadly, a lot of non-white folks all over who are fully on board with anti-LGBT stuff.
Just because they're not Moms for Liberty and actively galvanized in functioning groups beyond a church does not mean they're on board with everything progressive.
posted by Selena777 at 11:51 AM on October 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
Not necessarily, because of this
And, sadly, a lot of non-white folks all over who are fully on board with anti-LGBT stuff.
Just because they're not Moms for Liberty and actively galvanized in functioning groups beyond a church does not mean they're on board with everything progressive.
posted by Selena777 at 11:51 AM on October 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
these laws create an almost impossible dilemma: back away from these titles or risk making teachers, librarians, and volunteers vulnerable to being fired, sued, or prosecuted. We don’t pretend this solution is perfect – but the other option would be to not offer these books at all – which is not something we’d consider.
You sell books for profit. Don't try to pretend that you're some sort of advocate or ally because this decision shows you're obviously not. You don't get to simultaneously claim that giving children access to books is a principled stand at the same time you're compromising those principals to keep some books away from children. You don't get any kudos for protecting one group at the expense of another. You don't get any sympathy for being forced into a compromise that just happens to align with what the fanatics have wanted all along.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 11:53 AM on October 16, 2023 [12 favorites]
You sell books for profit. Don't try to pretend that you're some sort of advocate or ally because this decision shows you're obviously not. You don't get to simultaneously claim that giving children access to books is a principled stand at the same time you're compromising those principals to keep some books away from children. You don't get any kudos for protecting one group at the expense of another. You don't get any sympathy for being forced into a compromise that just happens to align with what the fanatics have wanted all along.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 11:53 AM on October 16, 2023 [12 favorites]
I grew up on Scholastic Book Fairs. If I'd understood it, I would have understood a lot more about myself, but anyway. I got books I might never have gotten any other way, especially because how, in my school, you got your books.
You went around the room, you had a sheet, you wrote down the book's number and how many you wanted of it and the price, you did the math, and then handed it in. When it arrived, they were put in a bag and handed to you at the end of the day so you could take them home and not be distracted by them in school. If I hadn't had that option, there are books I wanted to read that I wouldn't ever have read (oh my hidden Paula Danziger collection).
This makes me angry at a deep level, because a kid might be interested in something and never, ever be able to read about it.
posted by mephron at 11:56 AM on October 16, 2023 [5 favorites]
You went around the room, you had a sheet, you wrote down the book's number and how many you wanted of it and the price, you did the math, and then handed it in. When it arrived, they were put in a bag and handed to you at the end of the day so you could take them home and not be distracted by them in school. If I hadn't had that option, there are books I wanted to read that I wouldn't ever have read (oh my hidden Paula Danziger collection).
This makes me angry at a deep level, because a kid might be interested in something and never, ever be able to read about it.
posted by mephron at 11:56 AM on October 16, 2023 [5 favorites]
Its nice to share angry stories about the role the Scholastic Book Fair had for fully formed adults back when we were kids and the way they shaped the lives we live today as grownups, but I'm a lot more concerned about the impact it will have when children who do not look like Nice White Children with Two Nice Heterosexual Christian Parents arrive at the school bookfair and see that their entire existence has been erased with the full support of their entire school, all of their teachers, and the structures supposedly there to strengthen and support them.
posted by DarlingBri at 12:11 PM on October 16, 2023 [34 favorites]
posted by DarlingBri at 12:11 PM on October 16, 2023 [34 favorites]
Protect American Free-dumb! Let's whine about cancel culture, and then ban books.
posted by nikoniko at 12:20 PM on October 16, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by nikoniko at 12:20 PM on October 16, 2023 [4 favorites]
these laws create an almost impossible dilemma: back away from these titles or risk making teachers, librarians, and volunteers vulnerable to being fired, sued, or prosecuted
Yes. I'm a librarian (academic, not public), and I can't count the number of librarians... and teachers... I know who are looking to change jobs or change locations because their position has become untenable. There are a lot of people throwing sand in the gears of institutions in order to slow them down, and hopefully twist them into whatever they want them to look like. Bans are happening, libraries are being closed, people are getting death threats for supporting diverse content. Corporations are going to corporation, but the dilemma is not a fake one.
posted by cupcakeninja at 12:35 PM on October 16, 2023 [17 favorites]
Yes. I'm a librarian (academic, not public), and I can't count the number of librarians... and teachers... I know who are looking to change jobs or change locations because their position has become untenable. There are a lot of people throwing sand in the gears of institutions in order to slow them down, and hopefully twist them into whatever they want them to look like. Bans are happening, libraries are being closed, people are getting death threats for supporting diverse content. Corporations are going to corporation, but the dilemma is not a fake one.
posted by cupcakeninja at 12:35 PM on October 16, 2023 [17 favorites]
Because Scholastic Book Fairs are invited into schools, where books can be purchased by kids on their own, these laws create an almost impossible dilemma: back away from these titles or risk making teachers, librarians, and volunteers vulnerable to being fired, sued, or prosecuted.
Other choices Scholastic could make right now:
- Start a foundation to send piles of free 'woke' books to kids in Red states (likely would pay for itself in tax deductions!)
- Start a fund to influence political policy in red states and regressive school districts
- Create a PR campaign re: the benefit of all kids having access to the queer stories, POC stories, and stories of political action
Fuck these dudes and fuck racial capitalism.
posted by latkes at 12:38 PM on October 16, 2023 [32 favorites]
Other choices Scholastic could make right now:
- Start a foundation to send piles of free 'woke' books to kids in Red states (likely would pay for itself in tax deductions!)
- Start a fund to influence political policy in red states and regressive school districts
- Create a PR campaign re: the benefit of all kids having access to the queer stories, POC stories, and stories of political action
Fuck these dudes and fuck racial capitalism.
posted by latkes at 12:38 PM on October 16, 2023 [32 favorites]
Those are good suggestions, latkes (though I'm not sure how the first one would work...how do you get the books to the kids?). And, given that Scholastic is already a target of the right-wing hate machine, they have little to lose and, probably, a lot more to gain by doing any one of these things. They have a lot of goodwill among, well, a lot of people of a certain age who grew up on their book fairs/book orders. Even from a purely cynical, capitalist perspective, they likely stand more to gain by taking a stand and doing the right thing than they do by catering to a demographic who is only likely to further demonize them as the people publishing these "woke" books in the first place, regardless of whether or not they are available for sale in certain regions.
posted by asnider at 12:44 PM on October 16, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by asnider at 12:44 PM on October 16, 2023 [5 favorites]
Just pushing back on the notion that this is caused by 'white people'. Plenty of us brown folks have regressive views on LGTBTQ+ issues and are becoming politically active about it.
posted by sid at 12:48 PM on October 16, 2023 [9 favorites]
posted by sid at 12:48 PM on October 16, 2023 [9 favorites]
I'm not sure how the first one would work...how do you get the books to the kids?
I would absolutely contribute to an effort to bulk-buy books for/about marginalized kids and slip them into Little Free Libraries in red states.
To be sure, this isn't a perfect solution but it might be something.
posted by gauche at 12:55 PM on October 16, 2023 [5 favorites]
I would absolutely contribute to an effort to bulk-buy books for/about marginalized kids and slip them into Little Free Libraries in red states.
To be sure, this isn't a perfect solution but it might be something.
posted by gauche at 12:55 PM on October 16, 2023 [5 favorites]
I am not a super game-theorist, but it seems to me the only way to fight this is for people in the non-banning districts to bar Scholastic from their schools, and look for other vendors.
I tried to do this up my way - a private school, and I did not succeed totally, but we did introduce an alternative fair by donating stuff, maybe if we stuck around we could have changed the vendor. I wish we could do this for The College Board too, but that is a steeper hill.
posted by drowsy at 1:01 PM on October 16, 2023 [5 favorites]
I tried to do this up my way - a private school, and I did not succeed totally, but we did introduce an alternative fair by donating stuff, maybe if we stuck around we could have changed the vendor. I wish we could do this for The College Board too, but that is a steeper hill.
posted by drowsy at 1:01 PM on October 16, 2023 [5 favorites]
I don't give a shit what justification people have for participation in right-wingery. "Oh we can't make money if we don't give them what they want and take actual steps to help make it happen." Fuck you. Everybody has excuses for why they do unforgivable things and "because it was beneficial to me to do so" is way too widely accepted already.
posted by Pope Guilty at 1:16 PM on October 16, 2023 [9 favorites]
posted by Pope Guilty at 1:16 PM on October 16, 2023 [9 favorites]
And, sadly, a lot of non-white folks all over who are fully on board with anti-LGBT stuff.
Yes. Your regular reminder that agreeing with a person on one issue doesn't mean you'll agree with them on everything, and that applies to demographic groups as well.
For example, Black respondents are slightly more likely than White respondents to oppose same-sex marriage (at least as of 2019), and some Muslim groups want parents to be able to opt out of having their children taught about gender and sex in school.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 1:34 PM on October 16, 2023 [3 favorites]
Yes. Your regular reminder that agreeing with a person on one issue doesn't mean you'll agree with them on everything, and that applies to demographic groups as well.
For example, Black respondents are slightly more likely than White respondents to oppose same-sex marriage (at least as of 2019), and some Muslim groups want parents to be able to opt out of having their children taught about gender and sex in school.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 1:34 PM on October 16, 2023 [3 favorites]
Scholastic Corporation is a for-profit publicly-traded business enterprise. Its purpose for existing is to make money for its shareholders, not to ensure that American schoolchildren are exposed to a complete view of the world. Not even to help ensure that American schoolchildren leave 6th grade without permanently crippled minds. That is not their job.
If you want that job done, you have to line up something other than a for-profit publicly-traded business enterprise to do it.
posted by Aardvark Cheeselog at 1:45 PM on October 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
If you want that job done, you have to line up something other than a for-profit publicly-traded business enterprise to do it.
posted by Aardvark Cheeselog at 1:45 PM on October 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
…and that is why private-public partnerships are garbage.
posted by Artw at 1:49 PM on October 16, 2023 [12 favorites]
posted by Artw at 1:49 PM on October 16, 2023 [12 favorites]
If you want that job done, you have to line up something other than a for-profit publicly-traded business enterprise to do it.
An excellent idea. Any suggestions as to whom?
posted by axiom at 2:01 PM on October 16, 2023
An excellent idea. Any suggestions as to whom?
posted by axiom at 2:01 PM on October 16, 2023
I have very fond memories of Scholastic too, but have you seen a Scholastic flyer lately? Roughly seven pages of schlocky Minecraft-themed books, the crappy 12th sequel of a best-selling picture book, squishmallow erasers, and a few weird STEM-inspired junky science kits. Hidden somewhere on the back page, there are the handful of serious books that most kids won't even glimpse at after paging past all of that branded nonsense. Maybe I'm just the cranky parent of an 8-year-old, but it's been years since I've been willing to shell out much on book fair day. Most times, it feels like sending your kid into a convenience store with a handful of dollar bills.
posted by hessie at 2:02 PM on October 16, 2023 [22 favorites]
posted by hessie at 2:02 PM on October 16, 2023 [22 favorites]
Scholastic didn't have to make it so easy. Even if they were concerned about hypothetical future court cases or making slightly less money for shareholders than last year, this is the cowards way out.
It's right in the title: a one click button for bigotry. Everything any bigot could possibly object to, all in one place.
They could have made an "inclusion matters" category, a "personal stories" category, a "celebrating black and brown achievements" category. They could have put all their books in categories and let schools choose which categories to order. Or even choose which books to order! Which they can probably already do!! The only reason for grouping books like this is to pull out the red carpet for the bigots and escort them, obsequiously, straight toward their bigoted goal.
And they are giving in before they even know how these hypothetical bans will shape up. I bet if school boards went with some alternative, conservative source for book fairs, or dropped the book fair, a lot of parents would be upset. They would realize that politicians ideological quests are compromising their children's education. They would see they get a subpar, religiously-tainted substitute product because someone didn't want to see a book about ketanji Jackson on the library shelves. And they'd be angry.
But now it's like - it's still the "scholastic" book fair. Their children are having their education compromised, in terms of the ideas they'll be exposed to, and they won't even know. It will look like nothing changed.
Just cowardly.
posted by subdee at 2:04 PM on October 16, 2023 [13 favorites]
It's right in the title: a one click button for bigotry. Everything any bigot could possibly object to, all in one place.
They could have made an "inclusion matters" category, a "personal stories" category, a "celebrating black and brown achievements" category. They could have put all their books in categories and let schools choose which categories to order. Or even choose which books to order! Which they can probably already do!! The only reason for grouping books like this is to pull out the red carpet for the bigots and escort them, obsequiously, straight toward their bigoted goal.
And they are giving in before they even know how these hypothetical bans will shape up. I bet if school boards went with some alternative, conservative source for book fairs, or dropped the book fair, a lot of parents would be upset. They would realize that politicians ideological quests are compromising their children's education. They would see they get a subpar, religiously-tainted substitute product because someone didn't want to see a book about ketanji Jackson on the library shelves. And they'd be angry.
But now it's like - it's still the "scholastic" book fair. Their children are having their education compromised, in terms of the ideas they'll be exposed to, and they won't even know. It will look like nothing changed.
Just cowardly.
posted by subdee at 2:04 PM on October 16, 2023 [13 favorites]
“Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them.”
Barry Goldwater
posted by aiq at 3:02 PM on October 16, 2023 [26 favorites]
Barry Goldwater
posted by aiq at 3:02 PM on October 16, 2023 [26 favorites]
I wonder if the FTC has looked into Scholastic being a monopoly or having monopoly-like powers, if its distribution network guides or effectively controls what books get the go-ahead to get published, by way of it having the largest share of the school-age market.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 3:09 PM on October 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 3:09 PM on October 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
> Scholastic Corporation is a for-profit publicly-traded business enterprise. Its purpose for existing is to make money for its shareholders, not to ensure that American schoolchildren are exposed to a complete view of the world. Not even to help ensure that American schoolchildren leave 6th grade without permanently crippled minds. That is not their job.
Scholastic Corporation is the name we give a group of people. Its purpose is to make that group of people more easily able to work together.
I hold it exactly to the same standard I hold any other group of people. When it does something bad, I say "that group of people did something bad". When it stops doing something good, I say "that group of people stopped doing something good".
If that group of people's motivations don't align with doing something good, well, shaming them for doing something bad is one way to change their motivations. But one thing for sure: pretending that they have no choice but to follow their motivations and do something bad sure doesn't encourage them to do good.
posted by NotAYakk at 3:37 PM on October 16, 2023 [15 favorites]
Scholastic Corporation is the name we give a group of people. Its purpose is to make that group of people more easily able to work together.
I hold it exactly to the same standard I hold any other group of people. When it does something bad, I say "that group of people did something bad". When it stops doing something good, I say "that group of people stopped doing something good".
If that group of people's motivations don't align with doing something good, well, shaming them for doing something bad is one way to change their motivations. But one thing for sure: pretending that they have no choice but to follow their motivations and do something bad sure doesn't encourage them to do good.
posted by NotAYakk at 3:37 PM on October 16, 2023 [15 favorites]
FYI you can't pick your individual titles for the Book Fair. You tell them age group and when I did it, whether you want Spanish included or not. They send you big rolling cases that open up and ta-da! All the stuff is in there, merchandised. Titles can't be specified. You get what you get, and it's on you to either move stuff out of the case for the duration of the fair (best practice is to pack up the vast majority of the toys and junk or they'll walk away) or deal.
Scholastic's business model is to sell the absolute cheapest books they can so the case isn't replenished by title but by age group and theme. So the slot is filled by "middle grade adventure novel" and what goes there is just the first box they pull from the warehouse. So it is super weird that now all of a sudden you can pick a subject for the case? The hell?
The flyers are different--and again, they're selling the cheapest but most high-interest titles they can get that hit the sweet spot of "kids will beg for this and parents do not mind the price or the subject" but that is never going to be customizable by school, it's just "send 50 of Q4 western district leaflets."
posted by blnkfrnk at 1:37 AM on October 17, 2023 [9 favorites]
Scholastic's business model is to sell the absolute cheapest books they can so the case isn't replenished by title but by age group and theme. So the slot is filled by "middle grade adventure novel" and what goes there is just the first box they pull from the warehouse. So it is super weird that now all of a sudden you can pick a subject for the case? The hell?
The flyers are different--and again, they're selling the cheapest but most high-interest titles they can get that hit the sweet spot of "kids will beg for this and parents do not mind the price or the subject" but that is never going to be customizable by school, it's just "send 50 of Q4 western district leaflets."
posted by blnkfrnk at 1:37 AM on October 17, 2023 [9 favorites]
BPL's new podcast series Borrowed and Banned tells the story of America's ideological war with its bookshelves. In seven episodes, we'll talk with students on the frontlines, librarians and teachers whose livelihoods are endangered when they speak up, and writers whose books have become political battleground.
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:39 AM on October 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:39 AM on October 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
Ms. Ricketts (avid reader and huge lover of books) volunteered to be lead coordinator on the BookFair at our kiddos' school this year. It raises a considerable amount of money for our under-resourced library (25%* is given back to the school) and Scholastic has been the usual vendor of choice. She'd already gone through some parent drama with the start and then all of this hit. Hooboy.
Scholastic IS a corporation and will always have mixed motives (skewing towards the $$$). But as the Pajiba article Jenfullmoon posted above relates, there ARE alternative book vendors like Brave Books who would LOVE Scholastic to pull out of or cause a ruckus in the 30 states looking to ban books. Here they give 5 reasons Scholastic can't be trusted (spoiler alert: its the gays and trans-es) and info on THEIR bookfairs. It is like picking between the lousy option and the revolting one.**
* of course that 25% is in "Scholastic Dollars" so buying from the company store. Could trade them in for actual $$ at a 2 for 1 rate.
** Ms Ricketts is looking into a local option for next semester. Thank goodness for being in a large metro area.
posted by Wink Ricketts at 9:56 AM on October 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
Scholastic IS a corporation and will always have mixed motives (skewing towards the $$$). But as the Pajiba article Jenfullmoon posted above relates, there ARE alternative book vendors like Brave Books who would LOVE Scholastic to pull out of or cause a ruckus in the 30 states looking to ban books. Here they give 5 reasons Scholastic can't be trusted (spoiler alert: its the gays and trans-es) and info on THEIR bookfairs. It is like picking between the lousy option and the revolting one.**
* of course that 25% is in "Scholastic Dollars" so buying from the company store. Could trade them in for actual $$ at a 2 for 1 rate.
** Ms Ricketts is looking into a local option for next semester. Thank goodness for being in a large metro area.
posted by Wink Ricketts at 9:56 AM on October 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
I worked at Scholastic a few decades ago. Back then everything was decided by the California and Texas school boards. The states that followed the Texas guidelines had a bunch of extra rules for what couldn't be in books. I remember some mention of magic being a problem, and they also rejected anti-bullying topics. That was incomprehensible to me (and still is now). I don't think there were any LGBTQ characters in any books back then.
That said, they also had art guidelines, things like "don't always make the white boy the boss" and we tried to have a good mix of genders (only two back then) and races and abilities. I hope some kids got subtly influenced for good along the way.
posted by bink at 12:22 PM on October 19, 2023
That said, they also had art guidelines, things like "don't always make the white boy the boss" and we tried to have a good mix of genders (only two back then) and races and abilities. I hope some kids got subtly influenced for good along the way.
posted by bink at 12:22 PM on October 19, 2023
They rejected anti-bullying topics? Was there an ostensible justification?
posted by brundlefly at 11:55 PM on October 19, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by brundlefly at 11:55 PM on October 19, 2023 [2 favorites]
Scholastic appears to have rescinded this decision? I wish I could find a link; I'm seeing a lot of people posting a letter regarding the change?
posted by mittens at 4:47 PM on October 24, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by mittens at 4:47 PM on October 24, 2023 [1 favorite]
It does seem like a bunch of people have it but it’s posted nowhere official.
posted by Artw at 4:57 PM on October 24, 2023
posted by Artw at 4:57 PM on October 24, 2023
Scholastic backtracks, saying it will stop separating diverse books for fairs in 2024 [NPR]
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 8:45 AM on October 25, 2023 [4 favorites]
Ellie Berger, the president of Scholastic Trade Publishing, apologized and announced the change in a letter Tuesday addressed to authors and illustrators, a copy of which was obtained by NPR.Too late to change the Fall events, but will be rolled back by Spring.
"Even if the decision was made with good intention, we understand now that it was a mistake to segregate diverse books in an elective case," she wrote. "We recognize and acknowledge the pain caused, and that we have broken the trust of some of our publishing community, customers, friends, trusted partners, and staff, and we also recognize that we will now need to regain that trust."
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 8:45 AM on October 25, 2023 [4 favorites]
They rejected anti-bullying topics? Was there an ostensible justification?
The same Christian conservatives who lose their shit over the existence queer people also hate anti-bullying stuff, on the grounds that kids bullying each other for being insufficiently socially conforming is good.
posted by Pope Guilty at 4:25 PM on October 25, 2023 [3 favorites]
The same Christian conservatives who lose their shit over the existence queer people also hate anti-bullying stuff, on the grounds that kids bullying each other for being insufficiently socially conforming is good.
posted by Pope Guilty at 4:25 PM on October 25, 2023 [3 favorites]
Of course! But do they actually state it that way, or is there some sort of lampshade.
posted by brundlefly at 7:04 AM on October 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by brundlefly at 7:04 AM on October 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
It's called social-emotional learning, and here's a primer on what it is and why right wingers hate it (mostly just that their bad information sources told them to hate it)
posted by hydropsyche at 12:42 PM on October 28, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by hydropsyche at 12:42 PM on October 28, 2023 [3 favorites]
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