If you were to ask me, the ultimate badge of honor for a writer lies in ending up on a banned-books list—a testament to your work truly stirring the pot. It's not as though amassing such infamy is an arduous feat in today's climate. Last year alone witnessed a record-shattering 65 percent surge in censorship attempts. Yet, from a cultural standpoint, it's intriguing to note that the average Joe rarely stirs up a fuss over which tomes grace library shelves, much less advocates for censorship (in a land renowned for its First Amendment, such a proposal often carries an unsavory stigma).
We all recall those schoolyard kids whose parents nixed "Harry Potter" or echoed their folks' conviction that a cartoon was satanic propaganda, but these views, at least in my personal sphere, have always been on the fringes. On the flip side, a study revealed that most parents perceive book bans as encroaching upon their right to choose what their kids read.
Despite censorship hogging headlines annually, The Washington Post's research unveiled that between 2021 and 2022, a mere eleven individuals accounted for an astonishing 60 percent of such attempts. In Wisconsin a couple of years back, one parent's relentless pursuit led a school district to temporarily yank over 400 titles from its libraries. Parents often invoke obscenity laws and the shield of safeguarding their offspring from certain ideas to justify their censorship bids, aligning with the heightened discourse on "parental rights." Americans, as we know, sometimes require but one individual to spark a movement among the uninformed.
Tonight's episode of "Abbott" delves into this blazing topic with a dissatisfied parent of their own, who unleashes a flood of controversy by demanding the library expunge a book titled "The Sassy Wizard Kid" from its shelves. True to the show's form, it tackles censorship with its quintessential whimsical humor, presenting grave discourse in the least contentious manner conceivable.
In truth, the bulk of targeted books are penned by authors from marginalized communities or encompass narratives about race, sexuality, gender, and violence. While "The Sassy Wizard Kid" doesn't dabble in such politicized themes—it's a hilarious, satirical Black spin-off of "Harry Potter" featuring a kid named "Jamiroquai Gemstone" who grew up in a magical Atlanta barbershop—its plot digs into the core issue by illustrating how attempting to ban one book triggers a cascading effect detrimental to students' development.
Crystal, the brainchild behind Forever Bitch Apparel, protests the book, asserting that as a Christian (with the word "bitch" tattooed on her chest), she objects to the portrayal of magic and the wizard's tone with his parents. Mind you, she hasn't read the book; these are mere opinions she absorbed from a subreddit named "Black Mamas On The Watch." Ava, Barbara, and our beloved librarian, Rosalyn Inez, disagree with Crystal's stance. Nevertheless, determined to keep the book from students, Crystal threatens to escalate the issue to the district.
As the PTA VP, Crystal wields some influence in the district's eyes. After a botched budget meeting, Ava, keen to avoid ruffling feathers, concedes. Upon learning of the ban, Tariq bursts into Abbott, confronting the teachers about yanking the book his "son" was to read that night. Tariq then issues his own request, advocating for "The 48 Laws of Power"—a tome that should send you scurrying if you spy it on your date's shelf—as a new library acquisition. Barbara remarks, "This is what happens when we let parents dictate our literary offerings," but Ava vows to broker a compromise to restore "The Sassy Wizard Kid" to its rightful place.
For a fleeting instant, Tariq devises a clever ploy to circumvent the ban and keep "The Sassy Wizard Kid" in circulation. He sets up a clandestine "book speak-easy," complete with a diverting shelf draped in a curtain adorned with a screen-printed depiction of permissible tomes, effectively concealing the forbidden volume. However, his scheme unravels when a student, in a fit of loud preaching, attempts to return his copy of the prohibited text while Crystal is lending a helping hand in the library. The confrontation between Crystal and Tariq intensifies, prompting them to exert pressure on the Abbott library staff to resolve the matter. Exasperated, Rosalyn slams shut the library doors, declaring them sealed until the school devises a satisfactory solution. With no viable alternatives in sight, Ava convenes a PTA meeting to democratically seek a resolution.
The issue, put to a vote, results in an impasse, sparking a chain reaction amongst the previously silent parents who now rally to have "The Sassy Wizard Kid" removed. This spurs a flurry of diverse opinions regarding the books that should be made available to the students. As Barbara, Ava, and Rosalyn strive to appease the parents, Melissa grapples with the repercussions of her indecisiveness. She bumps into her ex-lover Gary, from whom she parted ways following his proposal in the previous season. During their catch-up, Gary extends an invitation to his upcoming wedding, prompting Melissa to ask her current casual paramour, Captain Robinson, to accompany her as her plus-one. Melissa is taken aback when Robinson declines, citing a prior engagement—a date with someone else. He reminds her that she was the one who advocated for keeping their relationship casual.
This revelation sends Melissa into a tailspin, culminating in her insulting Robinson's new partner. Barbara and Jacob intervene, forcing Melissa to confront her genuine feelings for the firefighter. In a grand romantic gesture befitting her changing heart, Melissa enlists Mr. Johnson to sound the fire alarm, drawing Captain Robinson to the school. She bares her vulnerability, a stark contrast to her usual nonchalant demeanor. Captain Robinson agrees to exclusivity, albeit reluctantly, as he informs her that he must now arrest Mr. Johnson for falsely pulling the alarm.
Meanwhile, the PTA meeting descends into chaos. One father suggests that if "The Sassy Wizard Kid" stays, they might as well introduce the children to Steve Harvey's entire body of work (which Tariq remarks would pair "exquisitely" with "The 48 Laws of Power"), adding that what they should truly ban is "Clifford The Big Red Dog." Another parent proposes banning "The Little Prince" due to its promotion of "French values," leading to 34 other books being placed on the chopping block. Finally, Barbara steps in, taking charge with her customary wisdom. She reminds the parents that while it's easy to find fault in any book, "there are countless ideas within these pages that your children will never encounter or learn from if you deny them access." Ava then connects Barbara's sentiment with a passage from "The Sassy Wizard Kid," which imparts the lesson of a growth mindset, ultimately opening Crystal's eyes to the reasons behind their deep affection for the book.
Crystal openly confesses her opposition to "The Sassy Wizard Kid," asserting that she doesn't desire her child to peruse pages imbued with lessons of disrespect towards elders. In this crucial juncture, Barbara and Ava meticulously dissect the issue, gently reminding Crystal that it is her duty, not the school's, to engage her child in such conversations. Echoing the profound words of a former chair of the American Library Association's Intellectual Freedom Committee, "Censorship is about wielding control, whereas intellectual freedom cherishes respect." The utmost manner in which we can safeguard our children lies in equipping them with the tools and the trust to delve into fresh perspectives at their own cadence, entrusting them to formulate the right choices, guided by our wisdom as adults. By the meeting's close, the parents reach a consensus, deciding to reopen the library's doors...untarnished by external meddling. However, this isn't the sole accord among them: as Barbara initiates her testimony about "a tome for collective perusal," alluding to the bible, the parents dissipate as swiftly as they had gathered.
