The Ketchikan Public Library will again see challenges over whether several books should remain on its shelves in 2024, after a year of controversy surrounding book bans last year. The library advisory board will take up the issue Jan. 10.
“During that meeting, there will be a public hearing on request to move two books from the teen room to the adult section,” Library director Pat Tully told KRBD about the upcoming library advisory board meeting on January 10.
One of those books is Red Hood by Elana Arnold, a loose retelling of the story of Little Red Riding Hood. The other is Flamer by Mike Curato, a graphic novel about a teenage boy scout grappling with bullying and homophobia.
Deborah Simon, a member of the library advisory board, is responsible for the new challenges. Simon also voted in favor of removing the book Let’s Talk About It: The Teen’s Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human from the library’s teen section last April. Her vote was the only one in favor of the challenge. The library’s decision was later overturned by the city council, which pulled the book in July.
“‘Take out that F-ing ponytail,'” Simon said during the citizen comment section of a recent Ketchikan Gateway Borough assembly meeting, paraphrasing from what she said was “vulgar and unacceptable language” in the book Flamer. “”Hold still G-D. Get the F off of me.”
Simon also challenged the book’s inclusion in the Ketchikan High School’s library last fall. Her challenge was denied. The library review committee said at the time that the book supports ethical standards, emotional needs, and promotes students’ ability to think critically about what they read. Simon said she plans to appeal the ruling.
Assembly member Cathy Bolling disagreed with Simon’s analysis of Flamer.
“I see this as an anti-parental choice movement and that concerns me,” Bolling said. “I encourage everyone to read the book Flamer because I found it kind of spiritually lifting.”
Caitlan Jacobsen has been a librarian since 1991 and is the current high school librarian. She said the recent nationwide trend towards book challenges has been the greatest difficulty posed to her profession.
“I urge you to follow the constitution. Which supports the freedom to read. Which supports freedom of information. It is not my job to tell anyone what to read,” she told the assembly.
