Accountable by Dashka Slater

Summary:

Sometimes its just not funny...

When a High School Student started a private Instagram account that used racist and sexist memes to make his friends laugh, he though of it as "edgy" humor. Over time the posts started getting more and more sharp. Victims and other students from Albany High School soon discovered the account and it wasn't long until everyone knew. The impact spread like ripples in water as the victims, the account creator, followers, parents, principle's, police, lawyers, city councils where affected by the account. No one in the small city of Albany, California was safe from the repercussions of the account's discovery. In the end, no one was laughing and everyone was left asking: What is Racism? What is accountability? Where does accountability being and end for online speech that harms? When should the consequences stop? How much responsibility can we place on a young High School student when racism has been in our society for years. This book follows the true story of a racist social media account and the teenagers whose lives it changed.

Word of Caution (May Contain Spoilers):

The following is a content warning from the author herself:

"This book contains descriptions of racist, sexist, antisemitic, and ableist memes, images, language, and incidents, as well as references to suicide and disordered eating."

Please approach this book with caution, as the content may be triggering or upsetting for many people.

Positive Notes:

I am not saying this lightly... this book should be a mandatory read for High School students everywhere. This book is well researched and carefully put together protecting and gently educating readers on what accountability is while keeping in mind the very real consequences of sexism and racism. Teenagers often get caught up believing the most important thing is staying in the "in" group, getting laughs from friends, or being included in the group. Consequently, they make the harmful mistake of forgetting to speak up. In a digital age it is important to understand the real-world consequences of online choices. Teenagers and young adults need to understand the reality that, sometimes its just not funny.

Who:

I recommend this book as a must read for all high school students and young adults.