Tulsa School Refuses to Ban Gay Friendly Book

A school district in Tulsa, Okla., refused to ban a gay-friendly book after the parents of one student made multiple complaints to the school.

Buster's Sugartime, a condensed version of a 2005 episode of the Postcards From Buster TV series that featured the titular rabbit visiting the children of a same-sex couple, was targeted for banning by Don and Mary Danz. The couple argued that the book's discussion of a same-sex couple came into conflict with Oklahoma law that bans same-sex marriage.

After the Union Public Schools materials review committee refused to ban the book in October, the Danzes took their complaint to the board of education, which Wednesday voted 3-1 to keep the book, the Tulsa World reports.

"If legality in Oklahoma was an issue we were to use in criteria, then we would have to get rid of a lot of books in our library referencing things like pirates and robbers and cattle rustlers and many other topics that are certainly in popular fiction not only for children but for adults," school superintendent Cathy Burden said.

Board member Ed Payton added, "I don't see the advocacy here. I see the reflection of reality here."