Mixed Results For Efforts To Ban Books In Missouri
By Nancy Simpson
CREATED Jul. 19, 2012
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - New research by the University of Missouri School of Journalism shows that recent efforts to ban or restrict controversial books have met with mixed results.
The Columbia Missourian reports that local school districts considered bans or restrictions on more than 50 books in 32 districts since 2008. Graduate journalism students relied on more than 560 public records requests to compile the data.
The banned books include Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse-Five" in Republic, though that school district later reversed its decision. In another case, a parent in the Jackson school district unsuccessfully sought a ban on "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins.
Twelve of the 53 documented challenges resulted in a book's removal, with another 11 challenges resulting in restrictions. Twenty-nine challenges were unsuccessful. The result of one challenge wasn't reported.
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