"The South Orange & Maplewood community in New Jersey has been through some very tough times. Schools superintendent Jason Bing says at least five young people enrolled at the public Columbia High School (CHS) have attempted to die by suicide this year. In December, one CHS student died in an accident; another young person, enrolled at a private school but known to many CHS students, died by suicide the same month."
"The School District of South Orange & Maplewood's most immediate response to this mental health crisis: it removed Junot Diaz's novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao from a high-level English class at CHS, which serves the suburban towns of South Orange & Maplewood about 15 miles west of New York City. After pushback from parents and students, the district said that parents could sign a permission form to allow their children to study the novel in class."
South Orange & Maplewood, New Jersey, experienced multiple youth crises, including at least five Columbia High School students attempting suicide this year and two youth deaths in December. The School District removed The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao from a high-level CHS English class as part of an immediate response. After parental and student pushback, parents were allowed to sign permission forms for classroom study; PEN America still classifies that approach as a book ban. Administrators requested the removal and the district plans an opt-in mental health screening and expanded mental-health offerings for CHS students.
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