AUTHORS AGAINST RESTRICTIONS

Books Under Lock

Authors, educators, readers speak out against restrictions

aarushi BUTE

When Kelly Jensen, author, heard her life work was potentially being banned in the state of Missouri, she knew she had to act.

Her works include “BODY TALK,” “HERE WE ARE” and “(DON’T) CALL ME CRAZY.”

Along with 22 other authors, Jensen signed a petition in association with the nonprofit PEN America against 11 Missouri school districts, including RSD, for their implementation of book bans.

The books were banned in response to the new law, SB 775, which went into effect in August and states that providing “explicit sexual material” to students is a class A misdemeanor, punishable by a penalty of up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine for those convicted.

Jensen said she wants to know what standards constitute explicit content as all three of her books are being challenged, especially “BODY TALK.” According to the bill, she said, the explicit content is that it features a series of illustrations of nude bodies of a variety of genders, races and abilities.

“It’s no more ‘explicit’ than the statue of David, and it’s meant to be a message to teen readers—the book’s target audience—that all bodies are good bodies,” Jensen said.

As of Tuesday, Dec. 13, 22 books have been removed from district libraries, which Jensen said is a form of control that undermines the professional skills of every librarian and educator.

Jensen said the audience she particularly writes for, the marginalized audience including people of color and queer identities, is under attack.

“Standing up for the books is symbolic of standing up for the people who need these books and whose voices are within them,” Jensen said.

Margaret Sullivan, lead librarian for RSD, said there was a committee involving all librarians to decide if a book violated the law.

The district decided to remove the graphic novels based on the advice from the district lawyers, Sullivan said.

“The law ended up superseding our collection policies because it’s the law,” Sullivan said.

District’s Banned Books

Due to recent state legistlation, 22 books have been pulled from district libraries. The complete list is available on the district website.

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Drishya Manda, sophomore, reflects on “To Kill a Mockingbird,” a book she read last year in her ALARP I class which has been banned in the past. Manda said she disagrees with restrictions on books because they tell stories of important topics that need to be heard. “Books build a new world,” Manda said. Photograph by Aarushi Bute

LIBRARY COLLECTION REQUIREMENT PROPOSAL LITERACY AND JUSTICE PROJECT

Though the spokesman for St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell told KMOV that they are not looking to prosecute nonviolent and low-level offenses like providing books, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft has proposed a bill that will restrict funding to public libraries based on new collection requirements.

“I know that a lot of Missouri libraries are doing a good job on this and reflecting the values of the taxpayers that paid for the materials,” Ashcroft said in a written statement. “But I just think it’s good to have some guidelines to make sure that we’re reinforcing that parents are in control.”

In response, the St. Louis County Public Library has released a statement encouraging the community to comment against the bill.

While Brittany Sharitz, librarian, said the proposed bill will not affect MHS libraries, the state will be depriving families of valuable information as sometimes public libraries are the only place they can go to for quality information.

“Libraries and librarians are always in support of open access of information to all people, and whenever limitations are put on that, we fear for the people in those communities,” Sharitz said.

Kris Kleindienst, owner of Left Bank Books, started a Literacy & Justice project from the Left Bank Book Foundation in response to Wentzville School District removing books in January. The Literacy & Justice Project sends a free banned book to anyone who requests one through their website.

“We want people to read these books,” Kleindienst said.

Left Bank Books started in the midst of the Civil Rights movement, to carry the voices of those who normally weren’t represented in media and other bookstores, Kleindienst said.

“We still have that core principle,” Kleindienst said. “We carry books from the silenced, marginalized and those that oppose the power structure.”

Kleindienst said that regardless of any bills and protests against books, she has no plans to take any books off the shelves.

“I am going to exercise my First Amendment rights,” Kleindienst said. “These laws prey on the fears that children are not being protected, and what they’re really doing is trying to silence people of color, LGBTQIA+ and people who are marginalized by white supremacy.”

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1. Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe The novel reflects on the author’s exploration of their sexual and gender identity.

2. Flamer by Mike Curato Curato recounts his experiences of homophobic bullying due to his appearance and actions during a Boy Scout camp. 3. The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur The book contains poetry and drawings with themes about healing, love, loss and femininity. 4. Let’s Talk About It: The Teen’s Guide to Sex, Relationship, and Being a Human by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan The novel provides advice about a variety of topics and situations that teenagers experience: friendship, body image, rejection, etc. 5. Be Gay, Do Comics by The Nib The comic collection includes works from more than 30 LGBTQ+ illustrators, with stories recounting their personal experiences and queer history.

Drivers prepare for winter conditions Photograph by Jacob Robinson

anika TALYAN

Losing control of her car, Hannah Shockley, senior, felt helpless as her rear passenger door hit a police car.

Shockley had been driving during the winter of 2021 when she saw a police car parked ahead in a turn-only lane. When she tried to swerve out of the way, her car skidded on ice in the road.

“I was in shock,” Shockley said. “As a teenager, you never think something bad can happen to you until it does.”

Her car, a 2010 Ford Escape, wasn’t totaled but her passenger door was unable to open, with the handle snapping clean off. Shockley ended up with a two-year probation on her license.

The old car had a braking system that Shockley said was not as quick as she would have liked.

Since her accident, Shockley has had to get a new car and said safety features were at the forefront of her family’s decision. They landed on a 2022 Toyota Corolla because of safety features like the braking system.

“I feel safer knowing that my new car beeps if I’m braking too fast or if I’m too close to a car,” Shockley said.

Shockley said she also is trying to drive safer during winter weather by driving slower or contacting her parents if she thinks it’s unsafe.

With winter officially starting on Wednesday, Dec. 21, other students are also preparing to drive in the winter weather.

Driving is fun for Carl Taraporevala, sophomore, but receiving his license has made him worried about being a new driver in the winter. “I am worried about driving in the snow because I haven’t really had to drive through it yet,” Taraporevala said. By driving with more focus and paying attention to his surroundings, 24% Taraporevala is trying to be safer during his first winter. Taraporevala said his Toyota Avalon makes him feel safer about driving this winter. Features like “Lane Assist” of weather-related car show the car’s blind spot when changaccidents occur on snowy ing lanes. and icy pavement. During his 50 years in car repair,

U.S. Department of Transportation Rick Saitta, co-owner of Saitta Auto, has seen many accidents during the winter. Front wheel drive, when the engine uses only the front wheels, is not something drivers should rely on, Saitta said. “Little do they know that when the tire loses its grip because of snow and ice, you don’t have anything,” Saitta said. “You’re going wherever gravity takes you.” Saitta said having a good braking system and windshield wipers also are vital. “Don’t leave the driveway scraping the inside of your windshield so you can see through a little hole,” Saitta said. He has seen cars in his shop wrecked as a result of poor visibility. A windshield wiper is good, Saitta said, when it is quiet and can clean the entire windshield in one swipe. “Be aware of your driving conditions and drive accordingly,” Saitta said.

Shahalmas Shah, freshman, uses the driving simulator in the Driver’s Ed classroom. The machine can simulate different weather conditions for students to practice driving in. “It shows us what speeds we have to go and what it will be like driving in real life,” Shah said. The 2022 Toyota Corolla was named a Top Safety Pick and is one of the safest cars for new drivers. Hannah Shockley, senior, got a Toyota Corolla after damaging her Ford Escape. Information from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Winter Driving Tips 1.

Prepare your car. Having items like an ice scraper, jumper cables, flashlight, blankets and a cell phone charger is recommended. Check the headlights, brake lights, turn signals and emergency flashers before driving.

2. Know what to do in an emergency. If you are stuck in snowy weather, stay with your car and turn on the interior lights. Clear snow from the exhaust pipe to avoid carbon monoxide poisoining.

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Check your tires. When the weather gets colder, tire pressure drops. Make sure the tires are inflated to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure.