Sixth Grade Can Really Kill You
Artist: Barthe DeClements
Year: 2014
Date of Action: May 13, 2014
Region: North America
Location: Rosemount, MN
Subject: Political/Economic/Social Opinion, Youth
Medium: Literature
Confronting Bodies: School District 196 Library, Rosemount, MN
Description of Artwork: Sixth Grade Can Really Kill You is a children's book which follows the main character Helen through her struggles in school. Although, she is a hard-working student she can not seem to have success in reading. She resists asking for help because of other students' mockery of the "retard room" and being called "retarded".
The Incident: A parent in the school district found the material to be offensive and requested that it was removed from the library system. With specific attention to the word, "retarded." The complaint states that the language is "not people- first language and is a disrespectful term."
Results of Incident: The library review committee voted on the book and decided to keep the work with a vote of 10-0.