Letters to the Editor: Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023

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The City of Dayton prides itself on being a home for innovation and advancement, but the recent review of nine books at Troy City School’s library, resulting in the removal of two of them, goes against those values, representing regression and decline. This specific targeting of LGBTQ+-related books, especially transgender stories, is just one instance in a disturbing trend of government censorship in our schools and community. Removing these books from school library shelves does more than just keep students from reading and learning from them. Book bans perpetuate the marginalization of those who already have a hard time legitimizing their voices and representation in the mainstream, because they do not fit the status quo. The challenge of these books was one of moral values and parental awareness, however school libraries not only serve as a way for kids and young adults to learn and cultivate skills to equip them for the future, but they also provide space for students and families to build connections, ask questions, and dive deeper into perspectives beyond their own. By removing these books from the libraries, we are eliminating the ability of students and their families to learn and grow together.