In this episode of Our Classroom, host Roberto Germán expands on Lorena Escoto Germán’s blog post “Harmful Books vs. Harm-Exposing Books.” Roberto breaks down the crucial difference between books that perpetuate harm and those that reveal it to inspire empathy and justice. Through this lens, he explores how silence, stereotypes, and unchecked bias shape what students read — and how banning books written by marginalized authors silences essential voices. Tune in to learn how educators, parents, and readers can defend harm-exposing books and nurture classrooms rooted in truth, love, and humanity.

0:00 – Intro: Why this conversation matters

2:20 – What makes a book harmful

8:10 – What makes a book harm-exposing

13:30 – Why book bans target these stories

18:00 – How educators can stand for truth and love

22:00 – Closing reflections