Willard Public Schools
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Published – November 23, 2022
Parents in the Willard Public School District lost an appeal to remove the book “How It All Blew Up” by Arvin Ahmadi from school libraries. The novel tells the story of a gay teenager who comes out to his family and the Muslim community.
In the opening pages of the book, Ahmadi’s character “Amir Azadi” says,
“First, let me get one thing straight: I’m not a terrorist. I’m gay. I can see from the look on your face that you’re skeptical, and I get it. People like me aren’t supposed to exist, let alone make an admission like that in a situation like this. But I assure you, I’m real. I’m here. I’m Iranian. And I’m gay. I just needed to get that off my chest before we [get] started…”
On November 21, 2022, News-Leader reported, “The Willard school board voted not to fully remove [Ahmadi’s] book from libraries at the middle and high school, despite parent’s appeal. The 2020 book…will remain in both buildings but students will have to secure parental permission to check it out.”
News-Leader continued, “Committees formed to review the book ruled it should stay on the shelves at the high school but be restricted at the middle school…In split votes Thursday, the board upheld the committee decision at the middle school but partially overturned it at the high school, where access will now be restricted. Motions to remove the book or allow it to remain…without restriction failed.”
During the November 17 board meeting, community members offered comments mostly in favor of allowing student access to Ahmadi’s book. One parent asked the board to keep book selections available, stating,
“Librarians are the key, and parents are the door. Librarians can unlock an entire world for our children, but the parents decide how far to open the door… Limiting choices will likely lead to a waning interest in reading or the kids will seek out the very books banned because they will then become the forbidden apple from the Garden of Eden.”
An 8th-grader from Willard Middle School said he read the book and believes “it has a good message and it’s a good coming-of-age story.”
According to News-Leader, “Board members Ron Crighton, Amanda Gooch, Devon Jarvis, and Matthew Young voted to keep the book restricted at the middle school. Kip Baker, Jason Dixon and David Menditto voted against [the decision]. The board voted 6-1, with Menditto opposed, to restrict the book at the high school.”
News-Leader said Ahmadi’s book has been “checked out six times at the middle school and nine times at the high school since the start of the 2022-23 academic year.”
Willard Public Schools has 4,582 students enrolled in Pre-k through 12 across nine schools.
