Elementary school faces backlash after telling students not to bring '13 Reasons Why' to campus

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — An Orange County elementary school was facing backlash Wednesday as an anti-censorship group weighed after administrators told parents the controversial book, "13 Reasons Why," would not be allowed on campus.

The book, which deals with issues of teen suicide in a graphic nature, has also been made into a TV series on Netflix.

The principal at Stone Lakes Elementary School emailed parents over concerns that students were discussing the book and TV show and that the former was not welcome on campus.

Josh Zukerman, with the National Coalition Against Censorship, said the school shouldn't be telling students what they can, and can't, read.

"I'd say that, no pun intended, that's a textbook case of censorship," he said. "While we do empathize with the principal's concerns about the difficult themes in the book, we believe that the fight to read and the right to possess literature, is a fundamental First Amendment right."

Parents had a mixed reaction to the issue, with one saying the book might encourage children to commit suicide.

Another said censorship was never the answer.

"Anytime you preclude the ability to read something, I don't care what it is, that is blatant censorship," he said.

Cox Media Group