JCPL Teens

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is currently under fire by Wesley Scroggins, an associate professor of management at Missouri State University. Wesley wrote an opinion piece in the News-Leader of Springfield, Mo., in which he characterized Speak as filthy and immoral. Then he called it “soft pornography” because of two rape scenes.

Laurie Halse Anderson says, "My fear is that good-hearted people in Scroggins’ community will read his piece and believe what he says. And then they will complain to the school board. And then the book will be pulled and then all those kids who might have found truth and support in the book will be denied that. In addition, all the kids who have healthy emotional lives but who hate reading, will miss the chance to enjoy a book that might change their opinion."

Read more about this on Laurie Halse Anderson’s blog.

You can also hear her read her poem in response to reader comments about Speak on her blog. The poem is called "Listen."