The Lowry Academy in Salford has found itself at the center of a censorship controversy after deciding to pull more than 130 books from its library, labeling them as ‘inappropriate.’ This decision has stirred a significant debate, particularly because the list includes literary classics like George Orwell’s “1984” and contemporary LGBT-focused works such as Alice Oseman’s “Heartstopper.”
According to the school, the removal was part of an initiative to categorize their library collection by age-appropriateness. However, they admitted that a select few titles were considered unsuitable even for older students. This move has not gone unnoticed, drawing criticism from various educational unions and teachers who argue that such censorship should be a cause for concern.
The library’s purge included popular novels such as Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight,” alongside other significant works. These actions echo a larger, ongoing debate about censorship in educational settings, which has recently seen the removal of historic nude paintings from schools nationwide.
In response to the situation at Lowry Academy, the National Education Union (NEU) swiftly passed an urgent motion, vowing to combat censorship and advocate for the rights of librarians. This incident highlights the broader conversation about what constitutes appropriate content in schools and the implications of restricting certain materials from young audiences.
But the school has now become the latest example in the censorship row, which follows the ongoing removal of ‘historic paintings of nudes’ in schools across the country.
The Lowry Academy case prompted the NEU to pass an urgent motion on Tuesday to ‘fight censorship and defend librarians’.
The union said that although the woman in the original controversy is not part of the union, it wanted to protect its own librarian members from suffering a similar fate.
Proposing the motion, Kristabelle Williams, a member from Lewisham, said: ‘We cannot ignore the issues that this case has brought up.
A graphic novel of George Orwell’s dystopian classic 1984 was one of the 130 titles banned by Lowry Academy
Stephenie Meyer’s vampire favourite, Twilight, was also removed. Pictured: Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson in the 2008 Twilight film
The Lowry Academy (pictured) in Salford denied ‘banning’ the books, saying many had been returned after being placed in ‘age-appropriate’ categories, and only a ‘small number’ were permanently banned
‘We can take action as a union now to try to make sure it doesn’t happen again.’
She said the support of the union would give librarians the ‘confidence to not self-censor and resist the chilling effect that this case will cultivate’.
She added members fear there is now an ‘increased risk of external complaints’ and ‘hate campaigns’ about books in their libraries.
Also speaking during the debate was Laura Butterworth, a member from Tameside Greater Manchester, which is near to Lowry Academy.
Ms Butterworth said: ‘I’ve heard many accounts from librarians in my district, of them having to take art books off the shelves because they have historic paintings and sculptures of nudes, which is insane.
‘Literature is an art form, and we need to make sure we are not eroding it and we’re not censoring it.’
It is not clear which art books or artworks she was referring to.
Another member, Bernice Reynolds, said: ‘This is a direct attack on our educational values. Shrinking access to stories has never empowered a child.’
The union’s motion said: ‘No school librarian should fear losing their job for carrying out their professional role – they should be supported by their school and defended by their union.’
It resolved to ‘fight censorship’ and ‘develop toolkits’ for librarians and regional union representatives on how to deal with removal requests.
Daniel Kebede, NEU General Secretary, said: ‘Any move to censor books in school libraries, based on misinformation and fearmongering, should ring alarm bells for all of us.
‘The NEU is clear that this is not a path we are prepared to follow in the UK. Children’s access to a wide range of literature is a fundamental good that the NEU is proud to defend.’
Responding to the allegations, spokesman for United Learning Trust, which runs the school, said: ‘It is not the case that books have been ‘banned’ by the school. Following concerns that a number of books within the library were neither age nor content appropriate, an audit was conducted.
‘Following this, books have been placed into age-appropriate categories and returned to the shelves. A very small number of books were deemed inappropriate even for older children due to their content and have been removed.’
