Anh Do’s book series WeirDo was banned from US schools in Central York, Pennsylvania
Popular comedian and author Anh Do wasn’t even aware his successful book series had been banned by American schools until US students rallied to have the ban lifted, his agent has revealed.
A school board in the US state of Pennsylvania decided Do’s hit WeirDo series ‘leaned toward indoctrination material’ in November 2020.
The 17 books aimed at younger children, filled with gastric laughs, cartoons and anecdotes from his experience as an immigrant going to school, were deemed ‘too activist in nature’ by the Central York Board of School Directors.
But Australia’s ‘happiest refugee’ had no clue about the ban, his agent Andrew Laing told The Australian, until the ban was lifted in January following a protest by students for their reinstatement.
‘It’s amazing. Just incredible. Good on those kids who had it overturned,’ Mr Laing said.
Popular comedian and author Anh Do wasn’t even aware his successful book series WeirDo had been banned by American schools in Pennsylvania until US students rallied to have the ban lifted, his agent has revealed
Do came to Australia as a three-year-old on a boat from Vietnam and steadily worked his way into the spotlight through his creative talents as a painter – he’s a four-time Archibald Prize finalist – comedian, author and TV host.
Even his publisher didn’t have any idea Do was at the centre of a messy ideological feud in the US education system.
Despite being the professed ‘land of the free’, the US boasts one of the longest lists of banned books in the developed world.
Free-speech advocate PEN America has counted more than 1,500 separate book bans in school districts in the US since the start of July, 2021.
The 1,145 banned titles includes works by the award-winning Canadian writer Margaret Atwood, Nobel-laureate Toni Morrison and essayist Carmen Maria Machado.
Do’s WeirDo series (pictured) was included in the 455 titles banned from Central York schools and among the 1,145 books which have been banned since July 2021 in the US
Do’s series was included in 455 titles banned from Central York libraries, classrooms, curriculums and optional reading lists, despite the books having been listed on a document originally meant as a teaching resource.
After initial backlash from parents and students, the board insisted a curriculum committee would review the list of banned resources.
The committee reviewed the list – but decided to uphold the ban.
President of the Central York Board of School Directors Jane Johnson insisted her board hadn’t ‘banned’ books and instead it was only a ‘freeze’ when she explained the situation to enraged parents in September 2021.
‘It is our responsibility as a school board to represent the community and govern the design of rigorous, age-appropriate academic programs for grades K through 12,’ she said.
‘What we are attempting to do is balance legitimate academic freedom with what could be materials that are too activist in nature, and may lean more toward indoctrination rather than age-appropriate academic content.’
‘We recognize the intensity of opinions on all sides of these issues, and we are committed to making this long delay right.’
