Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did Slater’s multi-perspective, journalistic approach affect your reading experience? Did hearing from so many different people, from Charles and Andrea to parents and administrators, make it easier or more difficult for you to form your own conclusions about who was accountable?

2. Slater wrote another notable work of narrative nonfiction, The 57 Bus, which also explores a complex incident involving teenagers, community fallout, and the justice system. If you’ve read it, how does Accountable compare in its exploration of youth, harm, and responsibility? If not, how does this book stand out from other nonfiction you’ve read on similar topics?

3. The book doesn’t end with a simple resolution but with the characters on separate, unfinished journeys toward healing and understanding. What did you think of this ending? Did you find it satisfying, and what might it suggest about the long-term nature of racial trauma and personal accountability?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Think about Eren’s “aha moment” when he realizes his silence was a form of condoning the Instagram account’s racism. Have you ever been a bystander in a situation, online or in person, where you felt conflicted about speaking up? What factors influence whether you choose to intervene or remain silent in a group setting?

2. The book explores how “edgy” online humor can serve as a cover for bigotry. In your own experiences online, where do you personally draw the line between a joke and harmful speech? Did reading this book change how you think about the impact of the memes and content you see or share?

3. The social hierarchy in Charles’s friend group meant that objections from lower-status members like Wyatt were ignored. Can you recall a time when you saw someone’s opinion dismissed or amplified based on their popularity or status within a group? How does social pressure influence whose voices are heard and valued?

4. Slater presents a wide array of perspectives, from the targeted girls like Andrea and Billie to followers like Murphy and Jon. Which person’s story or point of view did you find the most challenging to understand or empathize with, and what made it difficult for you?

5. The narrative introduces four different frameworks for justice: punitive, permissive, restorative, and transformative. Which of these frameworks for justice did you find yourself most drawn to as the events unfolded? Has this story changed your perspective on what true accountability should look like?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. What does Jon’s descent into the world of “race realism” reveal about the ways pseudoscientific ideologies are packaged and spread online? Where do you see similar forms of misinformation gaining traction today, and what makes them so persuasive to certain audiences?

2. The events at Albany High unfolded against the backdrop of rising white nationalism, culminating in the 2017 Charlottesville rally. How does the book connect the seemingly small-scale bullying at a high school to larger, violent political movements? In what ways does this context help explain the deep fear and trauma experienced by the targeted students?

3. The central legal conflict explores the tension between First Amendment rights and a school’s responsibility to prevent harassment, hinging on the Tinker test. How did reading about the legal arguments and the eventual court rulings challenge or confirm your views on the regulation of student speech, especially when it originates online and off campus?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Dashka Slater frequently inserts chapters that provide historical or sociological context, such as “What a Noose Says” and “What a Gorilla Says.” How did these authorial interventions shape your reading of the students’ actions? What is the effect of pausing the narrative to explain the deep-seated history behind these racist symbols?

2. How does the recurring motif of hair function throughout the narrative? Consider how it represents Andrea’s identity, her vulnerability to microaggressions, and her attempts to reclaim her sense of self.

3. Charles is portrayed as a teenager dealing with significant unspoken family trauma. How does this backstory complicate his role as the main perpetrator? Does it serve to excuse his actions, or does it provide a more complex understanding of how personal pain can lead someone to inflict harm on others?

4. Throughout the book, Slater highlights the limits of punitive justice. How is this theme developed through the SEEDS mediation session, the public shaming of the followers at the student sit-in, and the eventual lawsuits?

5. Slater structures the book non-linearly, using multiple viewpoints and flashbacks. What is the effect of this fragmented narrative style? Why do you think she chose this approach over a more straightforward, chronological account of the events?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were responsible for designing a restorative justice process for the students at Albany High after the account was discovered, what key steps would you take? Who would you involve, and what would your primary goal be for the participants?

2. Imagine a conversation between author Dashka Slater and Jon Ronson, who wrote So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed. What do you think they would agree or disagree on regarding the student protest and the long-term effects of the public shaming the followers experienced?

3. Imagine you are creating a short documentary based on one person’s experience in the book. Whose story would you choose to tell and what key moments from the book would you highlight to convey their journey and perspective?