Book bans have been cropping up all over the country, usually brought by conservative parent or community groups appealing to school boards saying they don’t want kids to have access to something for various reasons. Often it’s LGBTQ+ identifying characters, conversations about race, uncomfortable hardships, truths, or lived experiences that some people think students aren’t ready for. But while some parts of the state have been inundated with book challenges, Western Pennsylvania hasn’t. 

We’re with City Paper’s Colin Williams to talk about his upcoming reporting — including proposed bans in Norwin, Hempfield, Pine-Richland, and Franklin Regional school districts, and how our upcoming election Nov. 7 could set the stage for fights to come.

Thanks to the Pittsburgh Media Partnership for funding Colin’s reporting, completed in partnership with Belt Magazine and the Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism. 

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