Largest Teachers Union Shocks Many By Including These Books In It's 'Great Summer Reads for Educators'

The NEA's "Great Summer Reads for Educators!" list features 11 books, including "White Fragility," which argues that White Americans use anger, shame, and guilt to avoid taking responsibility for racial inequality.

The list is divided into various sections, such as "books to help you forget about work" and "books to celebrate or help you understand Juneteenth." Under the "banned books" section, "Gender Queer" is recommended as a reading.

"Gender Queer" has faced significant backlash from American parents due to its presence in public school libraries across the country. The book has been challenged for its explicit depictions and descriptions of oral sex, as well as discussions on masturbation.

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Maia Kobabe, the author of "Gender Queer," defended the sexually explicit graphic images in the memoir during an interview with NPR in January. Kobabe stated, "And I honestly think the book is a lot less explicit than it could be.

July 08, 2023

The topic of gender touches on identity… and it touches on sexuality. And it’s hard to fully explain, I think, what like how a gender identity can impact every facet of life as an adult without touching at least a little bit on sexuality. And I wanted to at least not to like shy away from that."

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The book also delves into Kobabe's personal journey of self-discovery, exploring identification outside of the "gender binary."

This recommendation of "Gender Queer" comes after the president of the National Education Association, Becky Pringle, declared that racial and social justice is a "pillar" of the NEA's efforts.

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Pringle emphasized the interconnectedness of education justice with racial justice, social justice, and climate justice.

She stated, "For our students to be able to come to school ready to learn every day, we can never think of education as an isolated system because everything connects to our students' ability to learn."

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Pringle further highlighted the importance of addressing housing justice, food inequality, and the impact of the global pandemic on marginalized communities. She emphasized that these inequities exist not only in the United States but also in every country.