Dave Eggers’ Novel Was Banned From South Dakota Schools. In a New Documentary, the Community Fights Back (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Dave Eggers (center) meets with students in the documentary ‘To Be Destroyed’.Photo:MSNBC Films

MSNBC Films

A still from the documentary ‘To Be Destroyed’.MSNBC Films

Jill Westbrook, a Rapid City teacher featured in the film, recalls the occasional objection to a book’s content throughout her time as an educator, but wasn’t prepared for the severity of the decision to destroy books.

During his time in Rapid City, Eggers, who is also the founder of the youth writing non-profit826 National, met with teachers like Westbrook and attended school board meetings. He co-organized an event with his colleague Amanda Uhle at local bookstore Mitzi’s Books, where community members came together in support of keeping the books on the shelves. Copies of all five banned books were also available to purchase at the store.

The covers of the books banned in Rapid City, S.D.

“We have to be able to defend why certain books are taught,” Eggers says. “And then on the other side, we have to be aware of and respect the processes that are in place where teachers and administrators approve of lists of books.” One of the director’s goals was to give all community voices a chance to speak; the documentary includes interviews with citizens in favor of the book removals, as well.

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“What I like about the film is that it gives a chance to have a conversation,” Bradford tells PEOPLE, adding, “I think there is common ground for Americans to talk about this subject without demonizing each other.”

Though the five books did end up getting removed from the school district’s shelves, recent years have brought major shifts to the Rapid City school board.Jamie Clapham and Michael Birkeland, the school board’s first Black woman and first openly LGBTQ+ board members respectively,won their electionsin June 2022.

Even in light of those changes, Westbrook says that speaking up against book banning feels like a risk. Despite many of her fellow educators standing up for the right to read, 88 positions for classroom teachers remain vacant following the incident as of June 2022.

Dave Eggers (right) meets with students in the documentary ‘To Be Destroyed’.MSNBC Films

“We lost a lot of really great teachers,” Westbrook says. “We lost five really great pieces of literature in our classrooms, but we found our voices and our students found their voices, and we are not really going to let those disappear again.”

Chbosky, whose novelThe Perks of Being a Wallflowerwas first removed from shelves in 2003, says it’s “no longer shocking” to see his book on banned lists. Watching Rapid City’s fight against removing the five books from their district’s own banned list, however, has left him “very grateful” — particularly because those books that may benefit young readers.

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“You never know where the next kid is,” the author tells PEOPLE.“You never know where the next person who needs to hear the words, who needs to not feel alone, who needs that sense of hope, to just find his, her, their truth or focus or path. I think it’s an act of heroism to ensure that those kids are able to find these books.”

To Be Destroyedwill air on MSNBC on Aug. 11 at 9PM/ET.

source: people.com