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Parent, complainant speak on Northview Schools book ban review

Eight books are in question at Northview School District after a community member filed a complaint, citing the books as "sexually explicit."

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — One Northview Public Schools parent, who wanted to remain anonymous, said the banning of books is a slippery slope.

"I feel like these are books that the only people that are looking for these kinds of stories and situations are possibly the kids who are feeling these feelings are in those situations, looking for a hand looking for help," said the concerned parent.

However, Cal Morton, who brought the list to the school district and filed a complaint, sees it differently.

"I asked them, please, just to go look at the content and the material. And read it yourself," said Morton. "I asked him this question, and I asked the committee as well, I said, 'when you review this content, I asked, would you sit down with your grade school child, and show the pictures to them, and also read the material out loud?'"

Morton is the secretary for the Kent County chapter of Moms for Liberty. The Associated Press says Moms for Liberty has been at the forefront of the conservative movement targeting books that reference race and gender identity, as well as electing conservative candidates to school boards nationwide.

Some of the topics of the books in question include LGBTQ topics and racism. Those books are:

  1. Kingdom of Ash
  2. Fun Home: A family Tragicomic
  3. Push
  4. All Boys Aren't Blue
  5. Lawn Boy
  6. Tricks
  7. Me, Earl and the Dying Girl
  8. The Bluest Eye

A Northview Public Schools spokesperson confirmed that the books are only available for optional reading to students in grades 7-12.

The concerned parent believes these stories are a gateway to understanding for many.

"These kids are utilizing these books to help themselves, not pornographic stories, not any of that kind of stuff," he said. "They're essentially memoirs about these people's journeys, to learn who they are as people, and these kids need that help."

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