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Pennsylvania school district denies banning 'Girls Who Code' book series

Banned Books Week
Posted at 12:37 PM, Sep 26, 2022
and last updated 2022-09-27 10:38:32-04

Books across the U.S. are being banned at schools.

In Pennsylvania, protestors took to the street dressed as the covers of books they say are the most challenged, WFMZ-TV reported.

For protest organizer Kate Nazemi, she told the news outlet that it feels like censorship.

"These books have tremendous value," Nazemi told the media outlet. "They are pieces of literature that speak to kids in our schools and children around the country."

According to a report from Pen America, 1,648 books were banned during the 2021-22 school year.

According to the nonprofit, one of the schools listed on PEN America's Index of School Book Bans report is Central York School District, which banned the "Girls Who Code" book series.

After hearing of the ban, Girls Who Code founder Reshma Saujani told Business Insider she was "shocked" by the district's decision.

Saujani's interview prompted the school district to respond, stating in a statement on its website that they never banned the books.

"The district was recently made aware of a national article published last evening falsely claiming that Central York School District has banned the book/series Girls Who Code," the district said in its statement. "The information published in this article is categorically false. This book series has not been banned, and they remain available in our libraries."

Literature has become a hot topic amongst many conservative groups that have targeted the ban of books that include topics on LGBTQ and race.