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Scholastic, the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books, has chosen to retrace its steps. And a diverse coalition of stakeholders breathes a sigh of relief.

This reversal comes after facing an onslaught of online petitions, a compelling public statement bearing over 1,500 signatures from authors and illustrators, and widespread dissent from educators, librarians, parents, and policymakers.

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The Scholastic collection has critics

Earlier this fall, Scholastic introduced a collection known as "Share Every Story, Celebrate Every Voice." This initiative included 64 books authored by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including people of color, members of the LGBTQ community, and writers with disabilities.

 It showcased stories that shed light on civil rights icons and other influential figures who have significantly impacted our nation's history. It also included some arguably sexually explicit materials and not always proven facts according to some of its critics.

The controversy was initially stirred by Scholastic's decision to offer schools the choice to opt out of this diverse book collection.

The company explained its rationale by pointing to the growing number of U.S. states enacting or considering legislation that bans certain types of books in schools, primarily titles related to the LGBTQIA+ community and those addressing the issue of racism.

Scholastic highlighted the problem this posed for their Scholastic Book Fairs, which are hosted in schools and allow students to purchase books independently. Under these restrictive laws, participation in the collection could potentially expose educators and volunteers to the risk of termination, lawsuits, or even legal prosecution.

Company spokespersons confirmed that thousands of school districts had made choices regarding the 64 books as of last week, but specific breakdowns were not disclosed. 

With over 120,000 Scholastic book fairs held nationwide each year, the decision to discontinue the diversity collection, set to take effect in January, signifies a significant shift in direction.

The contentious decision to offer schools the option to bypass the diverse collection elicited widespread backlash. Scholastic faced fierce criticism from book fair organizers, librarians, and influential authors in the realm of children's literature.

Expect a U-turn

Scholastic made an announcement on October 24 that the company will discontinue the "Share Every Story, Celebrate Every Voice" collection in January, while concurrently working on a "pivot plan" for the remaining fall book fairs.

This U-turn is being advertised as a pivotal step toward ensuring that every child has access to a wide range of books. But so far there is no news on any details of the pivot plan.