Push to remove ‘obscene’ books in Mason City

(ABC 6 News) – There is a push to get some books removed from Mason City Community schools.

The Mason City Community School Board heard from a group opposing what it says are obscene books in district libraries at its meeting Monday.

Connie Dianda is worried about a few dozen books that she says are currently in school libraries, she feels are obscene.

She highlighted one book that she says has 58 copies at Mason City high school.

It’s a graphic novel called ‘A Handmaid’s Tale’. It includes rape and violence.

“A lot of what we’re seeing is authors or characters or both that are people of color, disabled groups already marginalized and discriminated against and so what it is really coming down to is it is less about pornography and it is more about continuing to marginalize and discriminate against these people,” said Jessica Tierney.

“This is not book banning. Book banning would mean adults can’t read this book. This is talking about public schools and not having those books in the public school libraries, I mean if you want to have that book, go out and buy that book on amazon for your child,” said Connie Dianda.

The district says it follows policies set by the state legislature and it does expect possible changes this session. But it stands behind it’s current procedure and material.

Books within Mason City Community Schools Connie Dianda says are considered “obscene” and should be removed from school libraries.

Lincoln Intermediate School:
Books rated 3
Go Ask Alice – by Anonymous
Racing in the Rain: My Life as a Dog – by Garth Stein
Speak – by Laurie Halse Anderson
Poet X – by Elizabeth Acevedo
Books rated 2

John Adams Middle School:
Books rated 5
Tricks by Ellen Hopkins
Push: A Novel by Sapphire
Sold by Patricia McCormick
Books rated 4
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
The Kite Runner by Khaled Husseini
Books rated 3
Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
L8r, g8r by Lauren Myracle
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Looking for Alaska by John Green
City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare
Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
Speak: The Graphic Novel by Laurie Halse Anderson
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson

Mason City High School:
Books rated 5
Tricks by Ellen Hopkins
Sold by Patricia McCormick (13 copies)
Books rated 4
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (58 copies)
Identical by Ellen Hopkins
Perfect by Ellen Hopkins
Tilt by Ellen Hopkins
Maybe Someday: A Novel by Colleen Hoover
Exit Here by Jason Myers
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (12 copies)
Books rated 3
Smoke by Ellen Hopkins
Burned by Ellen Hopkins
Crank by Ellen Hopkins
Fallout by Ellen Hopkins
Glass by Ellen Hopkins
Impulse by Ellen Hopkins
Rumble by Ellen Hopkins
Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare
The Art of Racing in the Rain: A NCovel by Garth Stein
Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok
Lovely Bones, The Novel by Alice Sebold
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous (30 copies)
Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Native Son by Richard Wright (19 copies)
The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis
Heroine by Mindy McGinnis
I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
Speak: The Graphic Novel by Laurie Halse Anderson
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson
Allegedly: A Novel by Tiffany D Jackson
Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson
The Fixer by Bernard Malamud (29 copies)
Looking for Alaska by John Green
Beloved: A Novel by Toni Morrison
Jazz by Toni Morrison (83 copies) (unrated)
Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sanchez
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher