Wed Mar 16

the latest conservative book ban

Written by Simon Ryan, Associate Professor (Literature), Australian Catholic University

On March 1, 2022, Toby Price, an assistant principal at Gary Road Elementary School in New Byrum, Mississippi, faced a problem. The reader booked for a Zoom session for 240 grade two students hadn’t shown up. So Price grabbed one of his favourite books, I Need a New Butt ^[1], and began reading.

He was fired two days later.

In Price’s termination letter ^[2], Hinds County Schools Superintendent Delesicia Martin cited “unnecessary embarrassment, a lack of professionalism and impaired judgment” on Price’s part. The superintendent was particularly disturbed by the word “fart”, which he called “inappropriate”. However, the book, which features a character who sets out to find a replacement bum after he discovers his has a crack in it, is recommended for the same age group as Price’s audience. Read more: Battles over book bans reflect conflicts from the 1980s ^[3] Ban sets a dangerous precedent Why – apart from depriving young children of entertainment – does this matter? Making decisions about who can access books on the basis of whether they offend the sensibilities of those in authority, rather than whether they’re a good match for their target audience, sets a dangerous precedent. Conservatives in the United States have recently focused on school boards as easy pressure points in the ongoing culture wars. Late last year Rabih Abuismail, a member of the Spotsylvania County School Board in Virginia, proposed ^[4] that books be not only be removed from school libraries, but also burned for good measure. In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis supports a bill ^[5] (colloquially known as the “Don’t Say Gay Bill”) which has this wording: Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards. This joins with some dozens of other bills in state legislatures across the US which seek to repress discussion of gender, race or sexual identity. The terms are deliberately vague so that teachers can never know whether they’re on safe ground. In this kind of atmosphere, what chance does a good bum joke have? Breaking taboos and attracting reluctant readers Bums have a foundational role in literature. Chaucer’s The Miller’s Tale ^[6], Shakespeare’s frequent play on the word “ass” and Swift’s scatological obsessions are part of this rich inheritance. In children’s literature, bums have found a ready audience: children love to read about bodily functions. They know there is some level of taboo-breaking here and they love to break the rules.

So, books such as Stéphanie Blake’s Poo Bum ^[7], Dave Pilkey’s The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby ^[8], Mark Norman’s Funny Bums ^[9] and Kate Maye and Andrew Joyner’s The Bum Book ^[10], sell very well. And I’m not sure what the Mississippi school superintendent would make of Andy Griffith’s international bestseller The Day My Bum Went Psycho ^[11]. Here, the protagonist, Zack Freeman, finds that his own bum is part of a global conspiracy to cause a methane eruption that could render everyone unconscious while the bums take the place of people’s heads. Griffiths, a former teacher, says ^[12] he started writing humorous books as a way to engage reluctant readers. “Kids respond to humour. They are naturally playful with words and ideas. If you want a sure way to engage children, especially reluctant readers, then humour is necessary.” Michelle Jensen, president of the School Library Association of NSW, agrees ^[13]. “The book often needs to be funny, so that’s probably why they like Captain Underpants.” Read more: Sex and other reasons why we ban books for young people ^[14] Irony, anxiety and why kids love bum books Kids love bum books for reasons that are not immediately obvious, too. They know that use of words with light taboos will gain laughter and approval from peers. They learn that these words have a kind of power, and enjoy experimenting with this power. When children call you a “poo poo” (knowing you are not, in fact, a “poo poo”), they are experimenting with irony, where they intentionally use the wrong word. They are showing that there’s no natural connection between a word and a thing, an understanding that helps them to absorb picture books, where there is often a disjunction between the word and the illustration.

Adults joke about things that make us anxious. So do children, who often have concerns about toilet accidents and can use language to discharge some of this worry. These books can also be used to initiate conversations about bodily processes, showing that they should not be embarrassing and we do not always control them. And “disgust”, however it can be theorised, exerts a weird dynamic of attraction and repulsion on all of us. How else can you explain that there is a TV show called Dr. Pimple Popper? Teachers fired for sharing LGBTQ+ books In the United States right now, we can also imagine Toby Price being fired for reading a book about a queer kid, or about racial history. In late 2021, Glen Ellyn, Illinois, third grade teacher Lauren Crowe was suspended ^[15] because her TikTok site showed the LGBTQ+ material she used in class. Crowe was subsequently reinstated, as Illinois laws support the teaching of LGBTQ+ perspectives. But the incident seems likely to discourage other teachers from using similar books. In 2015 in North Carolina, teacher Omar Currie felt compelled to resign ^[16] after he read a gay-themed fairytale to his third grade students and caused a controversy that culminated in a town hall meeting with 200 participants. Queer books for younger readers have saved lives ^[17], as children and teens who struggle with their own developing identity increasingly see their challenges reflected in fiction ^[18] and know they are not alone. Bum books, for all their good points, aren’t quite so noble. But if they can ban the bum, they can ban anything – and that should worry us. References^{^} I Need a New Butt (www.goodreads.com)^{^} Price’s termination letter (pen.org)^{^} Battles over book bans reflect conflicts from the 1980s (theconversation.com)^{^} proposed (www.nbcwashington.com)^{^} supports a bill (www.heraldtribune.com)^{^} The Miller’s Tale (www.britannica.com)^{^} Poo Bum (www.walkerbooks.com.au)^{^} The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby (pilkey.com)^{^} Funny Bums (www.walkerbooks.com.au)^{^} The Bum Book (www.andrewjoyner.com.au)^{^} The Day My Bum Went Psycho (www.panmacmillan.com.au)^{^} says (www.news24.com)^{^} agrees (www.smh.com.au)^{^} Sex and other reasons why we ban books for young people (theconversation.com)^{^} was suspended (bookriot.com)^{^} felt compelled to resign (www.latimes.com)^{^} saved lives (www.penguin.co.uk)^{^} increasingly see their challenges reflected in fiction (theconversation.com)

the latest conservative book ban

The Fears Australians Have About Getting Involved With Cryptocurrency

The Evolution of Retail: From Bricks and Mortar to Online — What’s Next?

Big batteries are now outcompeting gas in the grid – and gas-rich Western Australia is at the forefront

The social media ban is just the start of Australia’s forthcoming restrictions – and teens have legitimate concerns

Politicians bank on people not caring about democracy – but research shows we do

What are toxins and why you should avoid them

Times Magazine

Freak Weather Spikes ‘Allergic Disease’ and Eczema As Temperatures Dip

IPECS Phone System in 2026: The Future of Smart Business Communication

With Nvidia’s second-best AI chips headed for China, the US shifts priorities from security to trade

Navman MiVue™ True 4K PRO Surround honest review

Australia’s supercomputers are falling behind – and it’s hurting our ability to adapt to climate change

Australia’s electric vehicle surge — EVs and hybrids hit record levels

The Times Features

The Fears Australians Have About Getting Involved With Cryptocurrency

The Quintessential Australian Road Trip

Fitstop Just Got a New Look - And It’s All About Power, Progress and Feeling Strong

What We Know About Zenless Zone Zero 2.6 So Far

For Young People, Life Is an All-New Adventure. For Older People, Memories of Good Times and Lost Friends Come to Mind

Single and Ready to Mingle – the Coffee Trend Australians Can Expect in 2026

The Evolution of Retail: From Bricks and Mortar to Online — What’s Next?

How hot is too hot? Here’s what to consider when exercising in the heat

Vendor Advocacy Fees