The Carmel Clay school board in Indiana rejected the ban on All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson. A New York Times Bestselling memoir, the book shares stories of Charles as a queer Black man growing up in New Jersey and Virginia. Though critically acclaimed, the memoir has sparked some controversy in Indiana.
In 2023, the state of Indiana passed a law that allowed Hoosiers (the people of Indiana) to ask a school district to review and potentially ban books they believed to be inappropriate for children. Cindy Black filed a complaint, claiming the book contains graphic content depicting sexual assault and rape.
According to WISH-TV, Dr. Janine Zee-Cheng believes that critics of the memoir took its graphic contents out of context. In response to Cindy Black, she said, “The purpose of pornography is intentional sexual stimulation. This book is a memoir, it does not sell stimulation. Does it describe abuse and trauma and the results of that abuse and trauma? Yes, it does.”
In a 3-2 vote, the committee recommended that the book not be removed from schools. They believe the book shares stories and messages that are important for young readers to hear.
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