It seemed for a moment that an act of sanity was actually going to prevail.

Scholastic Books, purveyors of every kid's favorite book fair, announced they were going to give greater control over book fair book selections to parents, schools, teachers, and librarians. Let me make an important note here: This decision was to affect elementary school book fairs. We're talking about kindergarten through fifth or sixth grade. Babies, really.

What Scholastic Books planned to do was to put some of its more controversial titles, mostly in the race and gender categories, in their own section, and schools could opt in or out of including them, or they could have the books placed in a location with limited access by students. 

In a world where kids are regularly used as political pawns, and the left's radical agenda is constantly being shoved down their throats, it seemed like Scholastic Books was trying to protect kids in an unexpected moment of clarity. 

Silly me. 

A closer inspection of Scholastic's "clarity" revealed the ugly truth: They actually see themselves as almighty dragon slayers, and those pesky states that seek to preserve the innocence of childhood by keeping political agendas out of classrooms are the dragons. From their initial statement:

There is now enacted or pending legislation in more than 30 U.S. states prohibiting certain kinds of books from being in schools – mostly LGBTQIA+ titles and books that engage with the presence of racism in our country. Because Scholastic Book Fairs are invited into schools, where books can be purchased by kids on their own, these laws create an almost impossible dilemma: back away from these titles or risk making teachers, librarians, and volunteers vulnerable to being fired, sued, or prosecuted. 

There's an easy way not to get involved in this "impossible dilemma," and that's called "just do your dang job"—provide age-appropriate books and a fun atmosphere for your customers, just like you have for decades. It ain't rocket science. 

If you guessed that Scholastic Books' solution to their "dilemma" was short-lived, you are a clear-headed thinker.

Enter the woke rage mob.

Less than a week after Scholastic's announcement, they've already backtracked and ceded to the demands of the radical left. All of the usual suspects were outraged that elementary school students weren't going to have a choice between "Clifford the Big Red Dog" and "Debbie Does Dallas." 

It's unclear what Scholastic's plan is going forward, but judging from their most recent statement, growing a moral backbone isn't part of it:

It is unsettling that the current divisive landscape in the U.S. is creating an environment that could deny any child access to books, or that teachers could be penalized for creating access to all stories for their students. 

By listening to those who share our mission – we have successfully piloted our way through past difficult periods, and we will do so successfully again.

Somewhere out there, Randi Weingarten is rubbing her hands in glee. I can see the evil glint in her eye from here.

It's sad to see a cherished childhood event like the Scholastic Book Fair come crumbling down under the weight of immoral bad actors intent on warping young minds. Who among us didn't get way too excited for the book fair? Begging your parents for money so you could buy the last "Encyclopedia Brown" book and a bunch of smelly erasers. For my kids, it was Magic Tree House books and something called a "jelly bear." 

It didn't really matter what you bought, or if you bought anything at all, the book fair was a chance to escape and explore. To be a kid. 

Parents are the last -- and best! -- line of defense when it comes to protecting their children from the left, who wake up each day determined to rob kids of their childhoods. Shame on Scholastic Books for playing a part in this by straying so far from their mission.

Luckily for conservative families, though, the parallel economy is popping these days, and book companies like Brave Books are more than willing to step in where Scholastic Books has failed.