Banned Book Week

Slaughterhouse Five

2012

Removed from Republic (MO) High School, but later returned and stored in a secure section of the library accessible only to parents. Teachers cannot require the book nor read it aloud in school. A Republic resident filed a complaint about the appropriateness of the book arguing that it teaches principles contrary to the Bible.

2011

Challenged in the Republic (MO) schools because it is "soft-ponography" and "glorifies drinking, cursing, and premarital sex."

2008

Challenged in the Howell (MI) High School because of the book's strong sexual content. In response from the president of the Livingston Organization for Values in Education (LOVE), the county's top law enforcement official reviewed the book to see whether laws against distribution of sexually explicit materials to minors had been broken. The county prosecutor wrote, "Whether these materials are appropriate for minors is a decision to be made by the school board, but I find that they are not in violation of the criminal laws."

2007

Retained on the Northwest Suburban HS District 214 reading list in Arlington Heights (IL) along with eight other challenged titles. A newly elected school board member raised the controversy based on excerpts from the books she'd found on the Internet.

Challenged in the Howell (MI) High School because of the book's strong sexual content. In response from the president of the Livingston Organization for Values in Education (LOVE), the county's top law enforcement official reviewed the book to see whether laws against distribution of sexually explicit materials to minors had been broken. The county prosecutor wrote, "Whether these materials are appropriate for minors is a decision to be made by the school board, but I find that they are not in violation of the criminal laws."

2001

Removed from 10th grade required reading in Coventry (RI) after a parent complained that it contained vulgar language, violent imagery, and sexual content.

Held at Cabell County Public Library

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