Siuslaw School District Board votes to ban book

The Siuslaw School District Board voted to ban the book "Flamer" by Mike Curato from the high school library. The book was not required reading. "Flamer" is a graphic novel that explores  topics of sexual identity, bullying, and suicide. It is number 5 on the American Library Association's top 10 most challenged books of 2023.

The Miller Test, is The United States Supreme Court's test for determining if speech is obscene, thereby not protected by free speech. It must meet all 3 conditions to be considered obscene.

Whether "the average person, applying contemporary community standards", would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest,
Whether the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct or excretory functions specifically defined by applicable state law,
Whether the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

The Review Committee voted unanimously in favor of keeping the book, but the School Board overruled them. Brian Lacouture, Tamara Cole, Josh Haberly, and John Barnett
 voted for the ban while Dianna Pimlott, Maureen Miltenberger, Kady Sneddon voted against banning the book.

The blurb on the front cover of the book "Flamer" says, "This book will save lives."