An Idaho school district banned books. Here’s what a student did at her graduation

Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman

MERIDIAN (Idaho Statesman) – Annabelle Jenkins walked onto nan shape during her graduation ceremonial from nan Idaho Fine Arts Academy successful nan West Ada School District pinch a book tucked into her sleeve.

When she stood earlier West Ada Superintendent Derek Bub, she slipped retired nan book — nan schematic caller of “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood and Renee Nault — faced nan assemblage and smiled, and handed it to Bub. It was 1 of 10 books nan West Ada School District had removed from libraries earlier successful nan schoolhouse year.

Bub did not return nan book. Jenkins dropped it astatine his feet and walked disconnected nan shape without shaking his hand.

A TikTok video she posted of nan incident that nighttime garnered complete 24 cardinal views and much than 15,000 comments.

Jenkins said she’s not personification who likes to beryllium nan halfway of attention, but she didn’t want to shingle Bub’s manus astatine her graduation. She said she came up pinch nan thought arsenic a polite but impactful measurement to guidelines up against nan book removals, and promote nan management to perceive to and see much voices successful their process.

“I person ne'er desired to spell viral, but if I was ever going to, I’m gladsome that it is for thing truthful profoundly important to me,” Jenkins told nan Idaho Statesman. “More than anything, I conscionable want group to talk astir it. I want to make conversation.”

The West Ada School District said it is committed to offering a divers action of books, but that Jenkins’ motion “unfortunately overshadowed nan celebratory occasion.”

“While we respect nan correct to sound concerns, it is important to support nan attraction connected nan achievements and difficult activity of our students during specified important milestones,” spokesperson Niki Scheppers said successful an email to nan Statesman.

West Ada removes 10 books

Jenkins said she decided to make a connection during her graduation aft she’d spent a chunk of nan twelvemonth fighting for her library.

In December, nan main astatine Idaho Fine Arts Academy removed nan schematic caller adjustment of “The Handmaid’s Tale” from nan schoolhouse library. At nan school, which serves students successful grades 6-12 and requires students to audition to attend, location wasn’t a process successful spot to “determine which students astatine various people levels could entree circumstantial books,” Scheppers said.

After that, territory management reviewed nan title and nan reappraisal squad decided nan “graphic imagery contained wrong nan caller was not suitable for nan West Ada School District student population.” The territory removed that book, on pinch 9 others, from West Ada schoolhouse libraries. The book removals were first reported by IdahoEdNews successful December, and nan committee that decided to region nan books included nan main world officer, a mediate and precocious schoolhouse main and an English teacher. Librarians invited to participate decided not to, according to a connection provided to EdNews astatine nan time.

Jenkins, on pinch different students, had spoken retired against nan district’s determination to region books from libraries without input from students and staff, and pinch small transparency. She sent a missive to territory management urging them to see students successful nan speech and suggesting alternatives to book removals, specified arsenic having different sections for different people levels aliases having a parental consent shape for accessing nan library, she said.

But she said nan management unopen down her concerns and weren’t unfastened to compromise.

“From there, it was a full schoolhouse twelvemonth of students advocating against nan removal of different books and trying to protect our libraries,” Jenkins said. “The territory did not look to attraction specifically astir allowing students to beryllium progressive successful nan speech astatine all.”

Book bans successful libraries person ramped up crossed nan state up successful caller years arsenic lawmakers person raised concerns astir “harmful materials” successful libraries. According to PEN America, which tracks book bans, much than 4,000 instances of schoolhouse book bans were recorded successful autumn 2023, acold much than nan 1,800 nan statement tracked successful nan erstwhile spring. PEN America recovered instances of book bans successful 42 states, and galore of those removals came from complaints complete books that centered astir LGBTQ+ topics and race.

This year, aft years of trying to walk bills targeting libraries, Idaho lawmakers passed a bill that opens libraries up to lawsuits if patrons bring concerns pinch books they consciousness are “harmful” to minors. Librarians person said nan rule will create a chilling effect successful nan state, and astatine slightest 1 small, agrarian room has opted to modulation to an adults-only room — pinch immoderate exceptions.

Scheppers said nan West Ada School District has not removed immoderate different books from nan district’s libraries since December and nan original caller of “The Handmaid’s Tale” is still disposable connected room shelves, she said.

Other books removed from West Ada libraries successful December included “A Stolen Life” by Jaycee Dugard, “Kingdom of Ash” by Sarah J. Maas and “Water for Elephants” by Sarah Gruen.

‘Dangerous road’

For Jenkins, libraries person ever been an important space. She was home-schooled until precocious schoolhouse and said she was practically raised successful libraries. She loved to publication and started volunteering successful mediate school.

“Throughout my life, I person really seen really versatile and important libraries are to nan community,” she said. “It’s not only a spot for self-exploration and learning. It’s besides a spot for relationship and accomplishment building.”

She said she’s worried astir nan measurement libraries are being treated and targeted now.

“I deliberation it’s a really vulnerable roadworthy to spell down,” she said. “You don’t recognize really astonishing libraries are and really important they are to nan wellness of your organization until you’ve wounded them truthful badly.”

Before presenting nan book to Bub astatine her graduation, Jenkins had only shared her plans pinch her parents. She said she was a large instrumentality of nan schematic caller adjustment of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” successful portion because it made nan book and its themes much accessible.

She said she wished nan territory would person listened to students and librarians and considered different ways to grip much mature contented alternatively than region it from nan shelves completely.

Her emotion for libraries is guiding what she wants to do aft graduation. Jenkins plans to awesome successful English and, 1 day, she hopes to get her master’s successful room science.