By Jane Paulsen

Students are raising a ruckus this week at The Girls’ Middle School in Mountain View. In an exercise meant to raise awareness of the threat of censorship, a school librarian removed all fantasy books from the library shelves, citing complaints about the book’s content.

Students in grades 6-8 were encouraged to exercise their right to dissent - with plenty of encouragement from parents and teachers.

Students brought complaints to the librarian, school administrators and teachers in the form of letters and petitions. Colorful banners declaring “Free Fantasy” and “Fantasy Helps Us Think Outside the Box!” lined the hallways.

As part of their response to the bogus book ban, students planned a massive “girlcott” of the school library’s annual Read-a-Thon fund-raiser, Sept. 25. Read-a-Thon “protestors” gathered for an additional object lesson as students and staff discussed the issue of censorship.

The hands-on civics lesson was inspired by the American Library Association’s “Banned Books Week,” promoted in schools and public libraries across the country to remind patrons of their right to choose freely what they read.

Jane Paulsen volunteers at The Girls’ Middle School.