Scholastic has reversed a decision to allow school districts running book fairs to opt in or out of selling a grouping of books with diverse titles about race and gender after facing widespread criticism, including from those in the publishing industry, educators and parents.
The children\u2019s book publisher had grouped 64 titles, which feature Black and brown community themes and LGBTQ+ characters, as optional, citing legislation in more than 30 states restricting what content students can access.
\u201cI want to apologize on behalf of Scholastic,\u201d Ellie Berger, president of Scholastic Trade Publishing, said in a letter addressed to authors and illustrators. \u201cEven if the decision was made with good intention, we understand now that it was a mistake to segregate diverse books in an elective case.\u201d
It continued: \u201cWe sincerely apologize to every author, illustrator, licensor, educator, librarian, parent, and reader who was hurt by our action.\u201d
Local book fair organizers select from a catalog of different Scholastic \u201ccases,\u201d or groupings of books, that are shipped as units to the schools for their events. This year\u2019s offering included 13 modules of books, such as \u201cFun Facts and Favorite Characters\u201d and \u201cPicture Book Combo.\u201d New this year was the diversity grouping labeled \u201cShare Every Story\/Celebrate Every Voice Case.\u201d
Among the books included in the collection of separated titles were titles about the civil rights activist Ruby Bridges and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to sit on the Supreme Court.
A company spokesperson said that, as of last week, thousands of school districts had made a decision about whether to opt out of the 64 books, but declined to provide specific breakdowns. Each year, there are more than 120,000 Scholastic book fairs across the country. The diversity case will be discontinued starting in January, the company said.
The new grouping of diverse books drew intense criticism from Scholastic book fair organizers, librarians and prominent authors of children\u2019s books, among others.
A week ago, the poet and author Amanda Gorman, whose book \u201cChange Sings: A Children\u2019s Anthem\u201d was in the collection, posted a video on the X social media platform criticizing Scholastic for isolating diverse titles.
\u201cI was that little 8, 9-year-old kid saving up every single penny I had all year so that I could go to the Scholastic book fair not to buy any book but to finally buy a book with characters and voices that looked like me and sounded like me as a Black girl with a speech impediment,\u201d she said.
PEN America, a free speech organization that had opposed Scholastic\u2019s initial policy, praised the company\u2019s decision to backtrack.
\u201cScholastic recognized that, as difficult a bind as this pernicious legislation created, the right answer was not to become an accessory to censorship,” said Jonathan Friedman, director of the group\u2019s free expression and education program. “Scholastic is an essential source of knowledge and a delight for countless children. We are glad to see them champion the freedom to read.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n