OSHKOSH (WLUK) — Six controversial books will remain on the shelves of the Oshkosh School District.
During the school board meeting on Wednesday, residents expressed their opinions.
TJ Hobbs, co-founder and board member of Hope Fridge and Oshkosh Pride, expressed his opposition to the ban.
“Access to LGBTQ+ books in our schools not only serves to improve the situation for LGBTQ+ students,” they explained. “These books provide valuable information and perspectives to all students while fostering empathy and understanding for people who are different from the reader.”
The books in question include:
- Gender Queer
- Milk and honey
- Let’s talk about it
- Fun at home
- Anatomy of a friend
- Anatomy of a single girl
These books focus on gender identity and are all available at Oshkosh West High School.
Those in favor of banning the books were escorted out of the meeting before they could speak to the board.
Amanda Kramp, who was against the ban, explained to the board that it was important that all students were represented in the school.
“The books being attacked tonight all feature queer and/or transgender characters and people,” she said. “Do you honestly believe that there are no queer and transgender children in Oshkosh area schools? Don’t those children deserve to read about people like them?”
A proposal to remove the books was presented to the Oshkosh West principal in February. The principal rejected the ban and the books remained in the library. In May, the assistant principal was again asked to ban the book.
The proposal was first brought to the attention of the board of directors, who decided to leave the books on the library shelves.
Board Chair Beth Wyman said it would not stop at these books. “My problem with the books is: What six books are coming next? And that’s why I’m going to vote no,” she said.
