FHSD responds to new law impacting Missouri schools

A new state law related to sexually explicit materials in schools went into effect on August 28, 2022. The law is specific to, “Any pictorial, three-dimensional, or visual depiction, including any photography, film, video, picture or computer-generated image.” As a result, the following titles have been removed from library collections across the District:

• Attack on Titan (manga series) by Hajime Isayama
• Bleach Volume 21 by Tite Kubo
• Flamer by Mike Curato
• Himawari House by Harmony Becker
• Home After Dark by David Small
• Stitches by David Small
• This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson

Please be aware that there may be a delay between physically removing a title from the shelf and seeing that change reflected in Destiny Discover, the District’s online library catalog.

We understand that removing titles from a library collection is a divisive topic with strong feelings on both sides of the issue. As a reminder, parents/guardians have the ability to place restrictions on their child’s account to limit access to certain titles if they choose. 

Finally, we just want to acknowledge the work our Library Media Specialists do every day to support our students and teachers. LMS promote the love of reading and help students develop future-ready skills. They help them build effective research and digital citizenship skills, and they work hard to make the Learning Commons an inviting space for all. The work of an LMS has become more visible and more demanding in recent years, and we are grateful for their many contributions.