As a senior at Wheeler High School and the President of a state-winning Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl (HRRB) team, I am deeply concerned about recent events affecting our cherished program. My peers and I invest countless hours preparing for this bowl, as it enriches our literary experience and fosters a love for reading. Recently, 8 books were quietly removed from the selection without any public explanation. A few of these books may have contained some controversial material, but the majority simply broached topics causing injustice. There is grave irony in "This Book Won't Burn," a novel with no sensitive material that discusses the consequences of book-banning, being taken off the competition list. This act feels like censorship and undermines the trust that students and educators have in the HRRB and the broader Georgia reading community.

The lack of transparency in the book banning process is particularly troubling. If these novels had undergone a systematic review by a trusted board, we would take less issue. However, a complaint was enough to get books pulled. By that logic, what if one had complained about a textbook?Or a religious text? We need more steps in this process for it to be trusted. While we are aware that there is issue with leave all books accessible to all ages, but we must at least ask for justification of the removal. Books should be innocent until proven guilty. 

The HRRB is more than just a competition; it is a platform that encourages students across Georgia to engage with diverse perspectives and tackle real-world issues through literature. The unexplained removal of these books threatens this mission and questions the integrity of the program.

We, as students and supporters of the HRRB, ask for a policy that mandates full transparency in the book selection and removal process. When a book is removed or blocked, there should be an immediate and public explanation detailing the specific criteria that were violated, the identity of the entity making the complaint, and a channel for student and parent appeal. This ensures accountability and maintains the essence of what the HRRB stands for.

Books play a crucial role in shaping our understanding of the world, and blocking books without clear, justifiable reasons detracts from our educational experience. We need a system that supports open dialogue and allows for diverse voices to be heard, which is fundamental to learning and growth.

Sign this petition to demand transparency and accountability in the Georgia High School HRRB book removal process, ensuring that no student or educator's trust is taken for granted.