Hagen says it’s critical that students fight back against book-banning districts. “I think this activism that students are participating in is what will change it,” Hagen said, “as well as other school districts seeing the response this has had and I hope it’s positive peer pressure. not to go that route.” On Tuesday, the district voted unanimously to keep one of the books listed in the lawsuit, “Gabi, a Girl in Pieces.” The vote came the evening after the lawsuit was filed. complaint. The Wentzville School District told News 4 it was aware of the lawsuit but did not wish to comment. News 4 also contacted the ACLU to discuss the lawsuit, but is still awaiting a response.” I taught those books, I used to be an English teacher,” Heather Fleming said. “One of the things we know is that students really connect with stories that show them both a mirror and a window.” Fleming is the founder and director of In Purpose Educational Service s (IPES), a non-profit that works on equity As students fight to keep banned books off school shelves, Fleming is working on an initiative to raise money to distribute these books free of charge. books to communities. were banned by black and brown people, or people from historically excluded groups, and so we wanted to make sure that we made these books available to people who wanted to hear the stories of people from historically excluded groups,” Fleming said.