Facing a mental health crisis, an NJ school pulled a beloved novel from English class

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February 21, 2026

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editor@creativeunderworld.com

The school district removed Junot DíazThe Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao from the curriculum of a high-level English class at Columbia High School in Maplewood, N.J., in response to a mental health crisis.’/>

Junot Díaz’s The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao was removed from an English class at the public school. PEN America says it’s part of a trend of scrubbing literature dealing with uncomfortable topics.

(Image credit: Anastasia Tsioulcas)