By Vanessa Williams

The inaugural Banned Books Week (September 23–27) at Inspired Teaching Demonstration School (ITDS) saw a buzz of activity in pre-K–8 grade classrooms. There were read-alouds, guest parent speakers, a Banned Book Character Parade, and more.

In-Class Activities

The first half of the week was dedicated to in-class activities. On Monday, every class held their typical morning meeting/crew lesson with a banned books theme. Students grappled with questions about the lack of equitable representation and censorship.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, there were read-alouds from students’ family and community members in each class. Tuesday’s book selection focused on Black, Latine, Indigenous folks (e.g., Our Skin: A First Conversation About Race by Megan Madison, Jessica Ralli, and Isabel Roxas), and Wednesday’s centered the LGBTQ+ community (e.g., Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love, And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson)  — two populations whose stories are heavily represented in books that are challenged or banned. 

Classroom discussions and activities provided developmentally appropriate ways to introduce students to themes of equity and inclusion and how they can use their voices to stand up for injustice.

• Early childhood talked about appreciating similarities and differences between themselves and their friends.

• Elementary school discussed what something in the world is that they could change to make it more fair.

• Middle school students discussed times they stood up to others, and about something they believed in — responding to the Harry Potter quote: “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.”  

• The middle school classes also discussed the rights guaranteed by the 1st Amendment — the freedom of: speech, assembly, petition, press, religion — and whether banning books was a violation of the that amendment. 

Additionally, ITDS educators created posters that decorated the front lobby and were featured on social media stories that named their favorite banned books and why they’re so beloved.

Parent Speaker

Inspired Teaching’s multipurpose room was at capacity with all of their 5th and 6th grade students. They were eager to hear from Jennifer Hojiban, senior policy advisor of Kids In Need of Defense (KIND) and parent of a current ITDS student, about advocacy and activism. Hojiban introduced herself and summarized the work she does with KIND, an organization committed to comprehensively serving unaccompanied and separated migrant children.

“So it’s like LAW-bbyist?” ~ITDS student

Hojiban focused the students’ dialogue on proactive ways to advocate for social justice. Beginning with defining some key concepts including lobbying and the branches of the federal government, Hojiban challenged students to name local political leaders and decision makers. She touched on D.C.’s lack of statehood by asking students, “Do you know who represents D.C. in the senate?” 

Together, they composed a list of ways to advocate, including:

• Writing a letter or email

• Making a phone call to political leaders

• Attending hearings

• Signing and/or starting petitions

• Placing a sign in your yard

• Attending a protest

Hojaiban noted that with all of these ways to advocate, there is an organizing element. She listed the components of an advocacy letter for them to reference later. 

Hojiban encouraged students to think about ways to voice their opinions to decision makers in their immediate circles — their caregivers and teachers, for example — about their concerns, most notably about the books they read. She posed, “How can you advocate to these folks about your needs?”

Banned Books Character Parade

ITDS hosts a book character parade annually. This year they decided to shift the parade to coincide with Banned Books Week, encouraging administrators, students and teachers to dress like a character or author of a banned book, providing an opportunity for all of their community members to participate in an inclusive way. Despite being a rainy day, the reimagined character parade brought the whole school community together to celebrate and defend the freedom to read and learn. Alternatively, students could use the Booked Book Character Parade to take action, creating signs and slogans sharing their views about banned books. About a month before Banned Books Week, the administrative team issued a FAQ document detailing the differences in this year’s parade in relation to previous years’. 

Parade spectators gathered in the multipurpose room, where the Inspired Family Association provided donuts and coffee/tea. The school’s principal, Dr. Inman-McCraw, welcomed everyone, donning her The Hate U Give-inspired costume. She expressed gratitude to the many hands that made Banned Books Week at ITDS happen.

Students marched throughout the school, showing off their character costumes, waving signs, and shouting chants about why they value the freedom to read. Parents and caregivers lined the parade route, applauding all students for showing up for this cause — the joy and community solidarity were palpable.

We spoke to the parent of a 2nd grader who mentioned, somewhat bashfully, that her daughter chose to dress up like Rosa Parks. She stated, “I feel like she missed the purpose of the parade’s theme.” While the implied idea was to choose fictitious characters to emulate, who better than the rebellious Mrs. Rosa Parks to exemplify radical resistance to injustice?! Parks, a woman whose activist legacy has been reduced to a singular moment that she stumbled into, has also been effectively banned via right-wing backed attacks on honest history education. This, too, is an injustice that should be taken up in advocacy efforts around Banned Books Week. 

ITDS is no stranger to raising awareness about banned books. In 2023, fourth graders studied the importance of representation in books and the book bans that have escalated throughout the United States since 2021, and they ultimately created posters about the book bans. Read more about their efforts to “Free our books”

The inaugural Banned Books Week at ITDS was comprehensive, intentional, moving, and truly a continuation of their work and commitment to social justice, beginning in the classroom. Ms. Hiltabidel (Ms. H), Director of Culture, Equity, and Access reflected on the week by sharing the school’s continued commitment to anti-biased, anti-racist practices and the broader mission:

As a school, our mission is to ensure students achieve their full potential as thoughtful citizens and imaginative and inquisitive problem solvers. To reach this goal, we have to help students develop their critical consciousness — an understanding that there are injustices and inequities that disproportionately affect marginalized groups. From there, we empower students to use their voice as changemakers, calling out inequities and taking action to implement solutions. Participation in Banned Books Week — much like Black Lives Matter Week of Action — provides opportunities for us to tangibly connect our mission to our day-to-day curricula in ways that are accessible to our young learners.

Principal Dr. Inman-McCraw reflected on how Banned Books Week supported the school’s Right and Responsibility of “Everyone is Welcome,” creating a sense of belonging among the school’s most important stakeholders — its students:

At the parade, I was moved by a sign from one of our middle schoolers, which read, ‘If I matter, then why can’t I see myself? You are basically banning me.’ Banned Books Week serves as a reminder that books provide both a window into the world and a mirror for our students. This week, our students explored their identities and the world around them, while also advocating for what matters to them. It’s crucial that we listen to their voices and ensure they have access to diverse literature.