Parents banned my book. Their kids read it anyway.

Several months ago, a high school many states away invited me to discuss my young adult novel, “Made in Maine,” with its entire 11th grade. Eager to make the event meaningful for the students, I developed a curriculum around specific issues facing both adolescents and adults in the story: abandonment and adoption, self-worth, homophobia, socioeconomic disparity, belonging, the power of community and, ultimately, hope.

Imagine my surprise, then, when I received an email just days before my visit from the coordinator of the “Meet the Author” event: “I did want to be open and honest and let you know that some parents had concerns about the book’s alignment to their family values, so we let the reading be optional. Our English teacher felt that she would like you to spend your time with her 11th grade class discussing your journey on becoming an author.”

I scrambled to adjust my plan, my anticipation turning to dread. Had my words made this enterprise hugely awkward for the whole school community? Would the outraged parents form an angry gauntlet as I walked in? Would they keep their kids home to protest my mere presence? Was my car safe? Was I safe?

And what, exactly, was so offensive in my story? Was it the contemporary language, which is authentic in its cadence and vocabulary? Was it the use of the common adolescent phrase “Oh my God,” which technically takes the Lord’s name in vain? Or was it the existence of a minor character who is gay? And if the known conservative Christian element of the school population lodged the complaint, how did this challenge jibe with Jesus’ embracing the marginalized?

Given the frightening chaos of international policy and massive layoffs instigated by our country’s new administration, the issue of censorship and book banning has been shoved to the backburner. However, it is symptomatic of a seismic shift in our confidence to trust our own intellectual and moral instincts.

Teacher friends confide that they are now nervous about using works by authors such as Toni Morrison or James Baldwin, despite their having been in the curriculum for decades. With nearly every DEI initiative being slashed like it’s repellent kudzu, instructors face unprecedented pressure on their curricular choices. And who suffers? The students, who are far more sophisticated in their discernment than those who censor fully understand.

My novels intentionally do not shy away from tough topics. Life is challenging for many, and it is critical for people, especially adolescents, to find representation in literature. They need to know that they belong. I write not only to tell a compelling story, but also to give a voice to those whose voices have been silenced. I dedicate the novel to all who feel lonely or ashamed or unlovable because of how you look, where you live, whom you love or who you are.

In response to my concern about what had become a significant issue, the school coordinator assuaged my anxiety. This situation actually created much debate with the 11th grade class in a good way. The teacher did a great job of letting both sides speak. Most of the students wanted the “freedom” to read any book. It actually drove more kids to become interested in reading.

Despite my trepidation, the school visit went far better than I expected. The teachers and administrators were extremely warm and welcoming, and the students in attendance were enthusiastic and engaged. After my presentation, a few students lingered behind to whisper, “I really liked your book.” And yes, more than one had a parent who had objected.

When our children are young, it is necessary for us to guide and teach them. When our children are young adults, it is just as necessary for us to listen to them and, ultimately, to trust them. For if parents do not allow their young adult children to think critically and act deliberately, those teenagers become adults who lack self-confidence and self-trust and are easily swayed by the opinions of others.

Our hope, in this current climate of fear and upheaval, lies in our youth, who often are more accepting, thoughtful and open-minded than many adults.

Let us trust them.

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