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Candidates oppose banning books, favor context and review procedures
Summary
Panelists at the Robbinsdale forum uniformly rejected outright book bans, suggesting context, curricular guidance, review forms and alternative assignments for students with sensitivity concerns.
When asked about national debates over challenged library and classroom books, every candidate onstage said they do not support banning books and emphasized teaching critical reading and providing context.
"I don't understand quite why there's book banning when, everyone gets their information on the Internet," Barbara Breyer said. "Freedom is better than anything, so access is better." Candidates described existing district procedures (forms for objections and a review chain) and recommended offering alternatives for students who cannot engage with particular texts.
Several speakers called for more diverse collections so students see themselves reflected in library materials and for teachers to frame difficult texts in classroom discussion rather than removing access.
