Edward R. Murrow High School’s library promotes a summer reading list to students that contains books with sexually explicit content

Edward R. Murrow High School’s library created a list of books for students to read over the 2022 summer. However, none of the 88 books on the list were published before 2017. Most of the books appear to focus on modern political issues related to themes such as race, LGBTQ, and even illegal immigration. These books all also appear to have more left-wing political stances with none appearing to take more right-wing stances. The description for the list explains that the books were picked “based on research and reviews as well as the reading of the Librarians.”

The school’s library has a website that provides several lists of resources for students. Two categories of lists are labeled “Anti Racism Resources” and “LGBTQ+.” The “Anti Racism Resources” section includes resources titled “Race and Ethnicity” from Learning for Justice, “How to speak to kids about race relations in America,” “WOKE with Mahogany Browne and Jason Reynolds,” “All White People Are Racists,” and “How to Talk to Relatives Who Care More About Looting Than Black Lives.” There are 50 resources listed in total.

The organization Learning for Justice has pushed for its “Social Justice Standards” to be adopted in schools throughout the country. The document for these standards includes goals to achieve for students. One goal is that “students will develop language and historical and cultural knowledge that affirm and accurately describe their membership in multiple identity groups.” Another goal appears to state that the purpose of the “Social Justice Standards” is to turn students into political activists: “Students will make principled decisions about when and how to take a stand against bias and injustice in their everyday lives and will do so despite negative peer or group pressure.”