Oklahoma teacher who challenged book bans now works with teens on reading programs

Published February 6, 2023 at 10:52 AM MST

An educator poses with books, including "The Bluest Eye," by Toni Morrison, that have been the subject of complaints from parents in Salt Lake City, Utah. The wave of book bannings around the country has reached a level not seen for decades. (Rick Bowmer/AP)

Summer Boismier was an Oklahoma high school English teacher who gave her students a QR code that led to the Brooklyn Public Library’s page on banned books.

Controversy ensued and the state secretary of education petitioned to revoke her teaching credentials, leading her to quit her job ultimately.

Here & Now‘s Scott Tong speaks to Boismier about her story and the “brain drain” these state regulations result in, as aspiring educators avoid areas where lessons are strictly regulated.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.