Magic Tree House author Mary Pope Osborne, children’s poet Shel Silverstein and Calvin and Hobbes cartoonist Bill Watterson have joined Judy Blume, Sarah J. Maas, Eric Carle and Kurt Vonnegut on a mind-boggling list of hundreds of books purged from some Tennessee school libraries.

  • @wolframhydroxide@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    English
    6
    edit-2
    3 hours ago

    Did no one else clock that GRAY’S ANATOMY is in that picture? The fuck?

    The foremost anatomical textbook, so well-devised and illustrated that it is still in use today?

    Well, let’s hope that nobody’s trying to teach anatomy in those schools, because even pictures of the _dissected musculature of the pubic area is sufficient to result in a ban

    Also, it seems we’re ignoring the fact that every single book touching on ANY kind of mythology or history of the ancient world is being banned.

    • @bampop@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      11 hour ago

      On the other hand, at least they got rid of The Complete Book of Cats. Absolute filth, I can’t believe they let kids read that

    • @tnarg42@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      191 day ago

      I have the “Complete Collection” box set, and I broke my 10 year-old son’s heart when, after he finished the whole thing, I had to tell him that there were no more. I think they made him a better kid.

    • @dhork@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      42
      edit-2
      1 day ago

      These people are going after anything that might imply nudity at all. I seem to remember Calvin had an immense hatred of baths. So once his mom finally got him in, poof, that now has to go, because he’s naked under all that water.

      I’m surprised they don’t just ban all visual art that depicts humans, since everyone is naked under their clothes.

      • I Cast Fist
        link
        fedilink
        English
        281 day ago

        A small kid asking for a porn movie??? BAN THAT SHIT!!!

        Calling satanic powers?? JESUS FUCKING CHRIST BAN THIS HERETICAL SHIT!!!

        • @Zahille7@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          181 day ago

          I always loved Calvin’s snowman hijinks. And Spaceman Spiff. And all the “I’M HOOoooOOOOooome!”

      • @Zahille7@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        51 day ago

        Geez… God forbid there’s a copious amount of bubbles or something covering anything if Calvin ever does jump back out of the bath

    • @HotsauceHurricane@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      131 day ago

      An inquisitive young kid with a strong imagination and who asks lots if questions is rarely seen by adults in power as a positive influence.

  • @Krauerking@lemy.lol
    link
    fedilink
    English
    401 day ago

    children’s poet Shel Silverstein

    What? Is that the same Shel Silverstein as 2 time Grammy winning, Johnny Cash swongwriter, Academy awards and Golden Globe nominee, and Playboy Cartoonist, also prolific one act playwright, Shel Silverstein?

    The answer is yes.
    I just think he needs someone to shout out his other works in here in case you didn’t know.

    • lemonaz
      link
      fedilink
      English
      1424 hours ago

      I’m 1000% sure they banned Shel because of “A Boy Named Sue” which they probably thought was about trans kids.

      • @Krauerking@lemy.lol
        link
        fedilink
        English
        723 hours ago

        Hard KeK and quite possibly the right answer.
        I figured it was Tatooin Ruth who literally is nude except for his tattoos or all the other butts he drew in his comics.

        • @ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com
          link
          fedilink
          English
          1
          edit-2
          2 hours ago

          Tbf if many here heard his album Fuck 'em they’d want to cancel him too lol. I Love My Right Hand is one of the most tame songs on it, There’s No One I Hate is a wild one.

          Pretty funny album though, if you can get past that sort of thing.

  • @SnarkoPolo@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    241 day ago

    Restrict the kinds of ideas children can learn about, and you get evangelical MAGAs. Dictatorships always restrict information.

    • @MightBeAlpharius@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      411 day ago

      Actually though, can we get some malicious compliance? Schools banning the Bible based on rules written by Christian conservatives would be hilarious.

      “We have considered several excerpts, and deemed this book unfit for schools. The book opens with everybody naked, and goes on to feature violence on a massive scale, as well as some weird incest, and a man who collected two hundred foreskins. Frankly, we believe that this book should have never been on the shelves here at Li’l Tykes Elementary.”

      • LousyCornMuffins
        link
        fedilink
        English
        514 hours ago

        utah did repeatedly until they changed the law to explicitly allow the bible even though it does not meet the standards.

  • don
    link
    fedilink
    English
    141 day ago

    Making sure those kids have play-dough brains.

  • @jsomae@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    English
    5
    edit-2
    1 day ago

    I can’t empathise with these book banners. If I had a kid, I’d probably be happier with them reading a book by a conservative ideologue than them not reading anything at all.