How to Start a Banned Book Club

Ella Scott, student and co-founder of her high school’s Banned Book Club, tells us what inspired her to take action and shares advice on how to combat book bans in your own school.

Millions of students went back to school this year facing censorship efforts that restrict their right to learn. Since 2021, dozens of states have moved to introduce and pass classroom censorship bills that restrict students and educators from discussing race, gender, and sexual orientation in K-12 classrooms and universities. At the same time, politicians and school boards across the country have also made moves to ban books — especially books representing Black and LGBTQ experiences — from public schools and libraries.

Students who are directly impacted by these censorship efforts are at the forefront of advocating for their right to receive an inclusive education. We spoke with Ella Scott, a junior at Vandegrift High School who co-founded the Vandegrift Banned Book Club in response to book bans happening in her Texas high school. We hope this conversation inspires you to defend your right to read and learn. Read the full story at the ACLU.