CPS Responds to PERSEPOLIS Defenders

Persepolis1CoverA week ago, CBLDF joined the National Coalition Against Censorship’s Kids’ Right to Read Project, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, and more in sending a letter to Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennet, denouncing the removal of Marjane Satrapi’s acclaimed graphic novel Persepolis from Chicago schools. Now, CPS has responded to the letter.

The letter, written by Deputy General Counsel Lee Ann Lowder, doesn’t offer a lot of new information: CPS maintains that Persepolis is inappropriate for 7th grade students, and it is under review for use in grade 8 – 10. Lowder further argues that CPS has both the right and the obligation to determine whether the book is appropriate for students, citing both “graphic images of torture” and “obscene language” as reasons for the books removal from classrooms.

The entirety of CPS’s response follows:

CPS Response to KRRP and CBLDF letter

You can read the entirety of the letter CBLDF and KRRP sent on behalf of Persepolis here. CBLDF will continue to follow the story, so look here for updates and more information on our fight to protect Persepolis.

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