US School District Rejects Claims of Banning Girls Who Code Book Series

The Central York School District in Pennsylvania has come forward to refute allegations that it banned books from the Girls Who Code series. This denial comes after PEN America added four titles from the series to its Index of School Book Bans, sparking widespread concern. Founder of Girls Who Code, Reshma Saujani, expressed her outrage on Twitter upon learning of the supposed ban, stating she was 'so angry I cannot breathe.' The titles in question include Team BFF: Race to the Finish!, The Friendship Code, Spotlight on Coding Club!, and Lights, Music, Code!. In response to the backlash, the school district issued a statement on its website, asserting that the information published about the ban was 'categorically false' and that the books remain available in school libraries. The controversy stems from a 2020 decision by the district to remove a Diversity Resource List, which was intended for classroom use following the murder of George Floyd. Although the list was later reinstated, the initial removal was part of a broader movement to restrict certain books and resources in schools, often those addressing issues of racism and social justice. A district representative clarified that the four Girls Who Code books were already part of the school libraries and thus were not affected by the removal of the diversity list. This incident highlights the ongoing debate over book bans in US schools and the impact on students' access to diverse literature and educational resources.