News Headlines

Hi,

I have been seeing so much current news about legislation that is relevant to this group, I've been overwhelmed when thinking about how to present it for discussion. So, here's the deal: I won't.

This thread is for links to political articles, radio broadcasts, videos, and other sources covering concerns that are ongoing -or- recent (because time is strange during the coronavirus pandemic). This topic is only for the external links.

Please start a new topic thread whenever you would like to respond in depth or to invite talk about what's mentioned here. (Questions about this topic thread are excepted-- ask here, in a new thread, on my personal profile page, or wherever's reasonable.)

Headline: "Bill allowing parents to opt children out of LGBTQ-related curriculum passes state legislature" (Nashville Tennessean, Apr 14)

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2021/04/14/tennessee-passes-bill-...

Headline: "Tennessee Governor Signs Bill Allowing Parents to Opt Out of LGBTQ+ Education: Critics say the law will apply to lessons about the 'A.I.D.S. epidemic to the Stonewall riots to even Supreme Court jurisprudence.'" (them, Apr 16, updated May 4)

https://www.them.us/story/tennessee-governor-will-sign-bill-allowing-parents-to-...

Meanwhile, "another bill seeking to ban LGBTQ-related teaching materials altogether" (linked in the first article) continues to progress in the state's House.

Headline: "Atwood, Backderf, Sanchez & More Pen Letter to Texas School District Over Book Ban: A group of authors whose books have been banned by a Texas school district wrote an open letter explaining their opposition to the bans." (CBR.com, Apr 21)

https://www.cbr.com/atwood-backderf-sanchez-texas-schoool-district-book-ban-open...

Headlines: "New House bill on school budgets raises book-banning concerns" and "New education bill appears to create a new class of banned books in Idaho public universities" (The Idaho Press, Apr 19)

https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/new-house-bill-on-school-budgets-raises-bo... and https://www.idahopress.com/eyeonboise/new-education-bill-appears-to-create-a-new...

Headline: "Idaho lawmaker cites 'To Kill A Mockingbird' as proof of critical race theory in schools: Rep. Heather Scott called on a substitute teacher to illustrate critical race theory 'creeping through our schools,' and pointed to the classic book as evidence." (KTVB7; Apr 21, updated Apr 22)

https://www.ktvb.com/mobile/article/news/local/208/idaho-lawmakers-witness-to-cr...

Headline: "Controversial Bill Banning Teaching of Critical Race Theory Passes in Idaho Senate" (Newsweek, Apr 28)

Quote from Newsweek: "Critical Race Theory has become a more politically-charged topic in recent months. President Joe Biden's Education Department has proposed to use federal grant money to fund on teaching both The 1619 Project, originally from The New York Times, and Ibram Kendi's book, How to Be an Anti-Racist. Both works incorporate Critical Race Theory, and would be included in K-12 school curriculums."

https://www.newsweek.com/bill-banning-teaching-critical-race-theory-idaho-senate...

Headline: "Idaho Governor Signs Bill To Ban Critical Race Theory In Schools" (NPR's All Things Considered, May 1)

https://www.npr.org/2021/05/01/992761507/idaho-governor-signs-bill-to-ban-critic...

Headline: "North Idaho library board candidates claim they were asked by Republicans about views on LGBTQ community, censorship: The Kootenai County Republican Central Committee wanted to vet candidates and two of them told The 208 the Republicans asked some unusual questions." (KTVB7; Apr 21, updated Apr 22)

https://www.ktvb.com/mobile/article/news/local/208/north-idaho-library-board-can...

After all this, I've remembered that the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom blogs weekly for "Intellectual Freedom News". The Censorship section of this week's post is below. By going to the post, you can follow the links to the news articles.

Censorship

GOP legislatures target critical race theory | The Hill
-- Iowa Senate Republicans approve limits on diversity trainings; Democrat fears bill targets 1619 Project | Des Moines Register
-- Texas lawmakers see civics bills as a rejection of ‘woke’ philosophies. Educators say they would have a chilling effect | Dallas Morning News
-- Tennessee bans public schools from teaching critical race theory amid national debate | The Tennessean

East Tennessee school investigating teacher following racial inequality lesson | WWNY

Leander ISD’s Reading Lists Get Reviewed After Parents Complain Of Offensive Content | KUT 90.5

Frisco ISD’s ‘Read Woke’ challenge sparks controversy over critical race theory amid school board election | Dallas Morning News

‘It’s not anti-police’ | KCS investigates after teacher shares book on racial injustice | 10 News (TN)

Rockwood forum turns heated during discussion of race and class curriculum | KSDK (MO)

https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=25714

A section of "Intellectual Freedom News 5/14/2021" has been copied below. Links to the news articles are in the blog post.

Censorship

Tammany schools avoid health books addressing gender identity, orientation after public outcry | NOLA.com

Loudoun School Critics Target ‘Dirty’ Books as Recall Petitions Circulate | Loudoun Now

Book ban request under evaluation | The Timberjay

A Florida classroom offered a book inspired by the killing of Tamir Rice. Police decried it as ‘propaganda.’ | The Washington Post
-- School halts use of fictional book in which a cop kills a Black child | South Florida Sun Sentinel

A school district tried to address racism, a group of parents fought back | CNN

Republicans announce federal bills to ‘restrict the spread’ of critical race theory | NBC News

‘Unbiased Teaching Act’ advances in the Arizona Legislature | KOLD News 13 (AZ)

North Carolina House approves bill to limit teaching of race | Minneapolis Star Tribune

Here’s why Bellingham school officials are being harassed by far-right websites | The Bellingham Herald

"Intellectual Freedom News 5/21/2021"
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=25843

Censorship

Scarborough schools failed to follow policy in pulling book from 7th-grade curriculum | Press-Herald (ME)

Loudoun County Public Schools, parents at odds over ‘dirty’ books | Loudoun Times-Mirror

The Book I Wrote Was Just Banned. Now I’m Fighting to Get it to Every Kid I Can. | Huff Post

‘Drag Queen Story Time’ Library Event Draws Fire from Some Haddonfield Residents | NJ Pen

‘Firestorm’ of criticism won’t keep Bellingham schools from teaching about diversity | The Bellingham Herald

Republicans Seize on Conservative Backlash Against Critical Race Theory | The Hill

Four States Have Placed Legal Limits on How Teachers Can Discuss Race. More May Follow | Education Week
-- Legal scholars question Tennessee’s new bill restricting how educators teach about racial injustice | Chalkbeat

"Intellectual Freedom News 5/28/2021"
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=25894

Censorship

Scarborough schools failed to follow policy in pulling books from 7th-grade curriculum | Press Herald

Attempts to ban teaching on ‘critical race theory’ multiply across the U.S. | Iowa Capital Dispatch
-- White People’s Fear of Critical Race Theory is Based in Ignorance | Read Cultured
-- House Republicans introduce bill to ban teaching of critical race theory in Ohio | The Colombus Dispatch
-- Cherokee County parents upset over Critical Race Theory teachings | CBS46
-- Durham school board opposes bill they say would limit teaching about race, sex biases | WRAL

Lechelt: On banning books. Specifically, ‘Monday’s Not Coming’ | Loudoun Times-Mirror

North Carolina School District Appears to Ban Book One of a Kind, Like Me for Acknowledging Gender Identity Issues | National Coalition Against Censorship

NCAC Asks New Jersey School District to Clarify Overly Broad Material Vetting Policy | National Coalition Against Censorship

"Intellectual Freedom News 6/04/2021"
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=25924

Censorship

Teachers Say Laws Banning Critical Race Theory Are Putting A Chill On Their Lessons | Wisconsin Public Radio

Bozeman Schools officials say curriculum unaffected by AG’s opinion on critical race theory | Bozeman Daily Chronicle

Top Loudoun school officials defend equity work against charges of ‘critical race theory’ | Washington Post

Talking About Censorship and Publishing | Publishers Weekly

"Intellectual Freedom News 6/11/2021"
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=26035

Censorship

Lycoming County Commissioners at odds over library Pride Month display | Williamsport Sun-Gazette

NH library director removes planned ‘drag story time’ event | WCAX3 (NH)
-- New Hampshire library moves kid-friendly ‘drag story time’ to private venue after complaints | Boston.com

Columbia County parent circulates petition against sexual content in school libraries | Augusta Chronicle (GA)

Yearbook sales paused at Florida school over Black Lives Matter pages | ABC7 (FL)
-- ‘It’s censorship.’ Broward high school told to stop selling yearbook because of BLM spread | Report Door

A Wisconsin School District Initiative Aimed At Addressing Inclusivity Sparks Uproar From Parents | Wisconsin Public Radio

New Hampshire lawmakers ponder ban on teaching ‘divisive concepts’ on racism/sexism | Laconia Daily Sun

Alabama state school board: Keep critical race theory out of classroom | AL.com (Alabama)

"Intellectual Freedom News 6/18/2021"
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=26056

Censorship

Montville School District Announces Summer Reading List After Petition Signed by Over 1,000 | TAPIntoMontville

Commack School District removes novel from required high school reading list | Newsday
-- School board members in New York wanted to embrace diversity, but hecklers had other plans | CNN

Freedom to read essential to democracy as library display comes under attack | Williamsport Sun-Gazette

Parents sue over Black Lives Matter lessons in Lehigh Valley school district | Pittsburgh-Post Gazette

Collier County School Board approves use of controversial textbooks | WINK (FL)

Teachers come under pressure as politicians, parents battle over ‘critical race theory’ | Colorado Newsline

As More States Consider Legislation to Restrict Teaching About Racism, Educators Are Fighting Back | School Library Journal

Why are states lining up to ban critical race theory? | University World News

Critical race theory battle invades school boards — with help from conservative groups | NBC News

Scholarly Groups Condemn Laws Limiting Teaching on Race | The New York Times
-- Joint Statement on Legislative Efforts to Restrict Education about Racism in American History (June 2021) (ALA and FTRF are signatories to the the statement.)

How a Conservative Activist Invented the Conflict Over Critical Race Theory | The New Yorker

Intellectual Freedom News 6/25/2021
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=26080

Censorship

Anoka County tells libraries not to use Pride, Black Lives Matter in messaging | ABC Newspapers
-- Anoka County Library under fire for prohibiting Pride Month, Black Lives Matter displays | Minneapolis Star-Tribune

D49 school board to vote on proposal to ban teaching of Critical Race Theory | Yahoo! News

GOP sees critical race theory battle as potent midterm weapon | The Hill
-- The right-wing freakout about ‘critical race theory’ began in the 1960s | MSNBC
-- Non-Partisan Coalition Statement Opposing “Divisive Concepts” Legislation | National Coalition Against Censorship
-- Teachers on edge over critical race theory debate | The Hill
-- Joint Chiefs chairman clashes with GOP on race theory, ‘white rage’ | The Hill

Pride Month book displays at Lafayette public libraries concern board vice president | The Acadiana Advocate

Drag queen story hour in Plymouth draws ire from some | WHDH

Intellectual Freedom News 7/02/2021
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=26128

Censorship

Trevor Noah book about apartheid among 3 removed from Putnam reading list after outcry | News4Jax

Library book display causes backlash | The Sun

Students, community members protest ‘divisive concepts’ law Sunday in Keene (NH) | Keene Sentinel

Anoka County under scrutiny after internal library memo leak | KARE11

Around the Web

Schocharie (NY) residents enraged over firing of beloved librarian | Times Union

‘Crack their skulls’: The latest book on Trump shows America had a narrow escape | Independent

People want to censor education for the same reasons that slaves weren’t allowed to read | LGBTQ Nation

Half of New Hampshire’s Diversity Council Quits Over New Law, Citing Censorship Concerns | Newsweek

North Dakota State Library removes Dr. Seuss book, but not for racist imagery | Bismarck Tribune

The Republican Party, Racial Hypocrisy, and the 1619 Project | The New Yorker

What Do Teachers Think About Discussing Racism in Class? We Asked Them | Education Week

Libraries and the Curse of Knowledge | Lorcan Dempsey

‘Bigger than life’: Champion of public library services Regina Minudri dies at age 84 | Daily Californian

Marjorie Taylor Greene says LGBTQ-inclusive school curriculums are ‘child abuse’ | Metro Weekly

Library of Congress Looks to AI to Help Users Sift Through Its Collection | The Wall Street Journal

edited to remove accidental touchstones

Intellectual Freedom News 7/09/2021
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=26179

Censorship

(Kentucky) State ed commissioner condemns anti-CRT legislation as ‘censorship bills’ | Bowling Green Daily News

Bob Bullock Texas history museum pulls out of ‘Forget the Alamo’ book event after conservative pressure | KXAN
-- State museum canceled book event examining slavery’s role in Battle of the Alamo after Texas GOP leaders complained, authors say | Texas Tribune
-- The canceled “Forget Alamo” book event ignites criticism of the Texas Republicans behind it | Illinois News Today

Zeiger Elementary faces backlash for putting book with transgender hero on display | MEAWW.com

Why are states banning critical race theory? | Brookings

LCPS committees recommend keeping controversial books in high schools | Loudoun Times-Mirror
-- Committee Recommends Controversial School Library Books Stay | Loudoun Now
-- Editorial: Banning books from the classroom would be a mistake | Loudoun Times-Mirror

Intellectual Freedom News 7/23/2021
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=26231

Censorship

Right-Wingers Are Taking Over Library Boards to Remove Books on Racism | Truthout

Amid growing critical race theory legislation, education experts say textbook content could be next | NBC News

‘Divisive concepts’ ban is NH law. Will it affect the way teachers do their jobs? | Seacoastonline

Needham schools remove Trevor Noah’s book from summer reading assignment | Wicked Local

Leadership team purged at Sewickley Academy following parent pushback on equity initiatives | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

NCGOP would ban K-12 promotion of views about race | WWAY

Parents speak out against book donation | Times News Online

Alabama School Board debates resolution banning teaching of critical race theory in schools | CBS 42

Bullock Texas State History Museum Censors History Book Event | National Coalition Against Censorship
--Booking censorship at Bullock history museum | The Eagle

Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty calls on Elmbrook School District to remove sexually explicit books from library | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Letter to the editor: Your library, censorship, and the rise of Hitler | NorthcentralPA.com

‘Drama’ continues over student access to books with sexually explicit content | The Augusta Chronicle

Norwalk library considering removal of Sikh children’s book | The Hour

Some in Campbell County Criticize Library Over Pride Month Collection | Wyoming Public Radio

Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts) Under Fire by Christian Right Group in Irving, Texas | Book Riot

Intellectual Freedom News 7/30/2021
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=26292

Censorship

Tampa Bay teachers seek protections from ‘critical race theory’ accusations: They don’t want to be punished for presenting historical fact if a student or parent objects | Tampa Bay Times

Republicans newly alarmed by critical race theory see bans as ‘more of a preventative’ | NBC
-- It started with a mock ‘slave trade’ and a school resolution against racism. Now a war over critical race theory is tearing this small town apart. | The Washington Post
-- Censorship Scholar On Book Bans And Critical Race Theory | NPR
-- Opinion: Lawsuits on banning critical race theory are coming. Here’s what won’t work, and what could. | Des Moines Register

CT libraries see more book removal requests, but few get pulled form shelves | The Hour

Carmel parents share outrage over sexually explicit content in library books | CBS 4

Threats force cancellation of LGBTQ event at Nebraska children’s museum | The Hill
-- Lincoln Children’s Museum cancels drag queen story hour event following threats | Lincoln Journal Star

Upper Saint Clair School District parents fight against book they say teaches critical race theory | WTAE
-- Whitefish Bay’s library removed a sign addressing systemic racism after community complaints, including from a former Milwaukee Buck | Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Whitefish Bay residents and social justice group protest library’s removal of sign addressing systemic racism | Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Books about diverse kids were donated to this school district. Then came the discussion about critical race theory. | The Morning Call

Parents, independent schools association head question Sewickley Academy’s personnel moves | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Intellectual Freedom News 8/06/2021
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=26366

Censorship

Campbell County library board receives both support and calls for resignation | Wyoming News

Commack schools educator plans lawsuit, says he was reassigned for ‘outspokenness’ over book | Newsday

Book controversy invades Hamilton Southeastern School Board meeting | WISH TV

‘Critical race theory’ controversy hits quiet library life in Attleboro (Massachusetts) | Sun Chronicle

Libraries would be ‘warehouse of books’ without displays | Citrus County Chronicle
-- Editorial: Ignorance and censorship must be challenged | Citrus County Chronicle

New Wave of “Concerned Citizens” Discover and Challenge Classic It’s Perfectly Normal | Book Riot

21 commonly banned books in 2021, and the reasons why | Business Insider

Texas Republicans to Ban Public Schools Teaching History of White Supremacy: “Legislators Need Their Own History Lesson” | Ms. Magazine

A $5 Million Fine for Classroom Discussions on Race? In Tennessee, This Is the New Reality | Education Week

Drag Queen Storytime Continues to Stir Up Controversy as Well as Excitement Among Library Patrons | Intellectual Freedom Blog

Intellectual Freedom News 8/13/2021
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?cat=393

Censorship

Leander ISD Pulls More Books From Curriculum | Book and Film Globe
-- Leander, Texas, School District Pulls Books From Reading List | Book Riot

South Dakota Board of Regents and Gov. Kristi Noem release varied statements on Critical Race Theory | Grand Forks Herald

It’s mind boggling that books about Black people are controversial at a Northampton (PA) school district | The Morning Call

Putnam Parents Challenge Book On Summer Reading List | Patch

Alabama teachers, students fear critical race theory resolution could hamper needed discussions | AL.com

Craighead County Library Board votes no on two policy changes | Jonesboro Sun

Donation of children’s books promoting racial identity riles parents in Northampton Area School District | The Morning Call
-- Book donations and masks control discussion at NASD board meeting | The Home News
-- NASD books donation still tabled | Times News Online

Intellectual Freedom News 8/20/2021
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=26459

Censorship

Alabama Board of Education resolution bans critical race theory-type teachings in schools | Montgomery Advertiser
-- Board votes to ban teaching critical race theory in Alabama schools | Montgomery Independent

California school board bans critical race theory | Fox News

SPLC calls on Superintendent at Bigelow High School to reprint censored yearbook pages with an apology. | Student Press Law Center

Campbell library board tells people to follow procedure | Gillette News Record
-- Commissioners: Censorship is not our job | Route 17

Board fails to approve CRT statement | Leavenworth Times

Banning books takes many forms (opinion) | Times News

International News

Hungarian booksellers fear self-censorship as decree curbs sale of LGBTQ-themed books | Reuters

Turkish Govt Increasing Internet, Social Media Censorship: Report | Balkan Insight

U of O prof wins appeal in Holocaust case testing academic freedom | Ottawa Citizen

Citizen Lab finds Apple’s China censorship process bleeds into Hong Kong and Taiwan | ZDNet

Intellectual Freedom News 8/27/2021
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=26492

Censorship

Gillette residents: move — don’t remove — controversial library books | Wyoming News Exchange

High School Is Accused Of Censorship As Officials Rip Out Yearbook Pages On The News | NPR

Chelsea school board votes to keep Toni Morrison book in library despite uproar | Michigan Live

Congressional candidate Derrick Van Orden confronted teen library staffer over Gay Pride display | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
-- Library staff felt ‘threatened’ after GOP candidate complained about Pride Month display | La Crosse Tribune
-- GOP candidate obsessed with scrotums throws hissy fit over gay book display in public library | Queerty
-- GOP Candidate Terrifies Teen Library Worker In Anger About Pride Display | Book Riot

Under New Super, Westfield School Board Agrees to a Curriculum Audit on Diversity | TAP into Westfield

North Carolina Lt. Governor claims teachers are promoting “cutting off male genitalia” to kids | LGBTQ Nation

Around the Web

Eloise Greenfield, Who Wrote to Enlighten Black Children, Dies at 92 | New York Times

NCAC Objects to PBS Censorship of LGBTQ+ Children’s Program | National Coalition Against Censorship

James W. Loewen, Who Challenged How History Is Taught, Dies at 79 | The New York Times

Indianapolis Public Library CEO Steps Down in Response to Allegations of Systemic Racism | Library Journal

Anti-LGBTQ+ ‘Infowars’ Host Charged in Capitol Riot | Yahoo! News

Man Photographed as Baby on Nevermind Cover Sues Nirvana, Alleging Child Pornography | Variety

National Forum to Explore Comics in Education | SDSU News Center

A Rare Discovery on the Seventy-fifth Anniversary of John Hersey’s "Hiroshima" | The New Yorker

LibraryThing touchstones added

>1 aspirit: "This topic is only for the external links."

For a few weeks, I have been considering adding touchstones to the LT pages for authors and works named in the headlines. Do you think that's helpful? Unhelpful?

Intellectual Freedom News 9/3/2021
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=26542

Censorship

Gillette residents call for controversial library books to be moved | Powell Tribune

Leander ISD board adopts policy changes after high school book club title review | Community Impact

The Bluest Eye remains a point of contention in Chelsea | The Sun Times News

Nashville school board pledges to fight racism, white privilege amid critical race theory ban | Tennessean

Cedarburg mural removed by school board reborn (off-site) in Grafton | FOX6

Ahead of First Friday Pride Parade, Carbondale leaders rebuke letter sent to business owners | Aspen Daily News

Woman Calls for Banning of LGBTQ Books at Indy Public Library | WKFR

Teachers protest bills targeting critical race theory, race education | ABC News

‘Afraid to teach’: School’s book ban targeted Black, Latino authors | York Dispatch

Whitefish Bay tax levy passes overwhelmingly after effort by some parents to stop it over how race is taught | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Intellectual Freedom News 9/10/2021
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=26575

Censorship

Campbell County Public Library: The books not closed on 22 challenged publications | County 17

Saturday Essay: Don’t censor educational inquiry | Toledo Blade

Missouri Relocates Gay History Exhibit From State Capitol | The New York Times
-- Civil liberties group might sue over removal of LGBTQ exhibit from Missouri State Museum | KRCG

Opinion — Nate Coulter: Freedom to read | Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Critical race theory bans are making teaching much harder | Vox
-- It’s not just Texas. The faux panic and textbook wars fit into a long history | KAKE

Students at Central York High School hold protest after district bans materials by Black and Latino authors that discuss race in America | FOX 43

Around the Web

Happy Birthday, Alison Bechdel! | Intellectual Freedom Blog

Two New Works Tackle Censorship And The Power Of Speech | Forbes
-- Red Lines’ clumsy attempt to decry cartoon censorship ends up defending bigotry | AV Club

Is it Safe to Unblock Censored Content in a Foreign Country? | Maryland Reporter

Can a Nonprofit Disrupt the Pricey Prison Phone Industry? | Bloomberg CityLab

Should We Be Reading Huck Finn? | High Plains Public Radio

When Education Standards Stereotype, Marginalize, and Eliminate Indigenous Peoples | Intellectual Freedom Blog

Intellectual Freedom News 9/17/2021
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=26660

Censorship

Central York students rallying against banned books, documentaries dealing with race | Local 21 News
-- Book Ban, Including Sesame Street, Sparks Protest In Pennsylvania | York Daily Voice
-- Students Fight Back Against a Book Ban that has a Pennsylvania Community Divided | CNN
-- School official vows to review book ban that targeted Black authors | York Dispatch
-- Central York School Board declines to reverse book ban after series of protests | York Daily Record
-- School District Maintains Ban of Antiracist Books Despite Student Protests | Book Riot
-- Manchester Township woman adds Central York’s banned books to her Free Little Library | York Daily Record

Schools facing critical race theory battles are diversifying rapidly, analysis finds | NBC News

Residents sound off to commissioners in library saga | County17

Leander removes 13 books from high school book club lists amid parent concerns | Austin American-Statesman

Leander Parent Uses Racial Slur In Opposing N.W.A. Song in School | Patch

Leander Police investigating parent complaints about library book (Lawn Boy) | CBS Austin
-- Instead of School Board, Leander Police Investigate Book Challenge | Book Riot

Language crafted to ban all political symbols in classrooms | Pamplin Media
-- Outraged by BLM, Pride ban, shoppers vow to boycott Newberg | Pamplin Media

Pride issue remains a hot topic with library board | KAIT

From eBay to OnlyFans, Trump’s anti-sex internet crusade is silencing LGBTQ culture | NBC News

Sikh religion book to stay on Norwalk library shelf, despite complaint | The Hour

Ohio Mayor Demands School Board Resign over Sexually Explicit Writing Assignment | Yahoo! News
-- Inappropriate Prompts in Hudson High School Writing Book Went Unnoticed for Five Years | Cleveland.com

Around the Web

The Man Behind Critical Race Theory | The New Yorker

Why investing in libraries is a climate justice issue | High Country News

Oregon School Boards Association leaders admonish school board members: Follow the law, like it or not | The Oregonian

An Anti-Vaccine Book Tops Amazon’s COVID Search Results. Lawmakers Call Foul | GPB NPR

11 Books That Were Banned For Ridiculous Reasons | Mental Floss

How could anyone ever hate Anne Frank — why a fringe group declared war on the Holocaust’s most famous victim | Forward

How CIA used Louis Armstrong as ‘trojan horse’ in Congo: (White Malice) Book | Daily Sabah

‘Forget the Alamo’ Depicts A Racist Heritage, Sparking Backlash | Pew Stateline

Five banned books to get children excited about reading | tes

Notes: Some of the news links on OIF post go to articles behind paywalls. Edited Sep 18, 2021, message to correct a touchstone.

Intellectual Freedom News 9/24/2021
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=26761

Censorship

Lake Travis ISD pulls, will review book deemed sexually explicit | KXAN
-- Out of Darkness Pulled for Review in Central Texas Middle Schools | Book Riot

School board chair: Alert parents of book choices | The Smithfield Times (VA)
-- Central York book ban: School board to vote on reversing decision tonight | York Daily Record
-- Central York school board votes unanimously to rescind book ban: ‘It has taken far too long’ | York Daily Record
-- High school activists get controversial book ban reversed in Pennsylvania: ‘They are heroes’ | Yahoo! Life
-- In Central York, kids rose up to save books on MLK, Rosa Parks from their parents | The Philadelphia Inquirer
-- Tony Norman: Eyes wide shut at Central York High School | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
-- York County Libraries react to Central York SD book ban | ABC 27

‘Critical race theory’ roils a Tennessee school district | Reuters

The Right’s Snowflakes Are Banning Books | The Bulwark

Parents outraged, protest over children’s book on puberty at their public library | KEVN-TV
-- Protesters in Cass County say the public library must remove children’s book | KMBC
-- Cass County (MO) residents divided over fate of sex education book | FOX 4

Commissioner, teacher raise concerns regarding books at library | County 17

Summit County Prosecutor investigates whether Hudson classroom material is ‘sexually explicit’ | Cleveland 19 News
-- Summit County Prosecutor on controversial book used at Hudson High School: Fictional writing prompts are ‘not child pornography’ | Cleveland.com

Board approves CRT statement | Leavenworth Times

Banning books is a nasty habit, whether it comes from the right or left | KAKE

Leander ISD school board member resigns over graphic material found in high school books | Austin American-Statesman

As Banned Books Week Approaches, the Fight Against Censorship Intensifies | School Library Journal

Newberg community testifies on school district ban on Pride, BLM symbols | The Oregonian

NCAC Criticizes Censorship of LGBTQ History Exhibit at Missouri State Capitol | National Coalition Against Censorship

Artists, Curators and Advocates Condemn Florida Mayor’s Political Censorship of Coral Gables Public Art Show | National Coalition Against Censorship

Around the Web

Freedom to Read Foundation Banned Book Week Grant Recipients | Intellectual Freedom Blog

“Happy Birthday, Angie Thomas!” Author of The Hate U Give | Intellectual Freedom Blog

Remembering Ramona and Beverly Cleary’s Attention to Childhood Emotions | Los Angeles Review of Books

Montana education board member calls 1619 Project ‘untrue history’ | Helena Independent Record

Stafford County (VA) board votes to denounce teaching the 1619 Project, critical race theory | ABC 13

Why the Culture Wars in Schools Are Worse Than Ever Before | Politico

How to Help School Boards Resist Pressure Groups | The Washington Post

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh: Banned Books Week — How Challenges Offer Opportunities for Reflection | Patch

The Republicans Who Are Concerned About Big Tech Censorship Are Censoring Other Texans | Texas Public Radio

‘Burning Man’ presents D.H. Lawrence in all his flawed brilliance | The Washington Post

Civil rights attorney Robert Lynn forged ties between minorities, women and LGBTQ community | The San Diego Union-Tribune

Intellectual Freedom News 10/01/2021
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=26831

Censorship

Pa. school district ends ban on list of books by or about people of color after student backlash | The Washington Post
-- Central York book ban inspires donations of thousands of banned books from across the country | ABC 27

“Moms for Liberty” group demands school censor book because drawing of seahorse is too “sexy” | LGBTQ Nation
-- Laugh at the outrage over ‘sexy seahorses’ — but there’s nothing funny about conservatives trying to rewrite history | The Guardian
-- Tennessee Parents Say Some Books Make Students ‘Feel Discomfort’ Because They’re White. They Say a New Law Backs Them Up | KAKE

Calls to Ban Books by Black Authors Are Increasing Amid Critical Race Theory Debates | Education Week

Fairfax school system pulls two books from libraries after complaints over sexual content | The Washington Post

Tigard High football fans display Pride, Black Lives Matter banners to protest Newberg school board’s proposed ban | Oregon Live
-- Controversial book of writing prompts takes center stage at Hudson board of education meeting | Cleveland.com

Hundreds support Hudson school board after mayor calls for resignations over book controversy | Akron Beacon Journal
-- Commissioner says county should stop funding the library | Gillette News Record
-- Controversy stirs at Campbell County Public Library | KOTA
-- Shelstad suggests stop funding, close library if problems are not resolved | County 17

Criminal prosecution over ‘obscene material’ sought in library squabble | County 17

Book about Rosa Parks removed, then returned to Volusia classrooms | Daytona Beach News-Journal

Oregon school board adopts stricter political symbols ban | Federal News Network/AP

I'm doing this again.

Intellectual Freedom News 1/7/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-1-7-2022/

Censorship

Book bans in schools are catching fire. Black authors say uproar isn’t about students | NBC News

Critical race theory debate spurs bills banning schools teaching ‘concepts that divide’ | Indianapolis Star
-- Indiana bills seek to regulate teaching race in upcoming session | Chalkbeat Indiana
-- Bills take aim at CRT, put limits on vaccine and mask mandates in schools | WTHR
-- Senate education committee hears conflicting testimony over who should control school curriculum | Statehouse File (IN)

Political roundup: Lawmakers favor school board control in book complaints | Tahlequah Daily Press (OK)

Teton library adopts new anti-censorship policy | Laramie Boomerang (WY)

Movement would ban LGBTQ books, online materials from school libraries | Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Lamar Consolidated ISD reviewing book content after complaints | Fort Bend Star (TX)

Controversial books remain in Rockwood libraries despite challenges | Lancer Feed (MO)

Concerns about removal of book from school library brought to Pennridge committee | Reporter (PA)

Pitt County school board votes masks required, discusses books read in middle school | WNCT (NC)
-- Book battle continues as district leaders discuss middle school novels | Reflector (NC)

Concerns over extensive book review at North East Independent School District in San Antonio, Texas | National Coalition Against Censorship

Auditor targets anti-racism books in Mississippi libraries: ‘A cancer on our society’ | Mississippi Free Press

Pella city leaders discuss removing controversial LGBTQ book from public library | KTVZ (IA) Pella city council to discuss library selection, review process | KNIA-KRLS (IA)

Gov. Kim Reynolds supports legislation targeting school books | Axios Des Moines
-- Lawmakers push for more transparency on school curriculum ahead of legislative session | Daily Iowan
-- Governor, key senator say parents need options if they object to certain school books | Radio Iowa

Intellectual Freedom News 1/14/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-1-14-2022/

Censorship

‘Gender Queer’ back in Wake County Public Libraries as revisions being made to book removal process | CBS17

Iowa legislative preview: Iowa lawmakers likely to look at school library book selection process this session | Quad City Times

Reynolds’ new school rules | Daily Iowan

ACLU Indiana on Critical Race Theory bill, other legislative issues | 95.3 MNC

Indiana lawmakers get pushback on partisan school board bill | Indianapolis Business Journal

Missouri lawmakers debate critical race theory, allowing parents to censor materials | Newsweek

Kemp endorses restoring education budget, teacher raises, anti-CRT legislation | 11 Alive (GA)

Kentucky Republicans ignore people’s needs, push anti-critical race theory bills instead | People’s World

By pulling library books, NEISD danced to the tune of a demagogue | San Antonio Express News

Tennessee prison rejects book donations because ‘Malcolm X not allowed’ | Vice

Opinion: Prison systems insist on banning books by Black authors. It’s time to end the censorship. | Washington Post

Board votes to remove book from high school library | Siloam Springs Herald Leader (AR)

Texas employee course removed after GOP governor candidate alleged critical race theory | Dallas Morning News

A Texas charter school had to remove an anti-racist quote from its website before it could open | Texas Tribune

Black authors censored as anti-CRT rage sweeps through school districts | NBC News
-- Report details how book bans are targeting work by Black writers | Complex

Revised anti-CRT policy for schools contains similarities to vetoed bill | Reflector (NC)

Movement would ban LGBTQ books, online materials from Georgia school libraries | Denver Gazette

Florida school bans teaching CRT, gender fluidity, and ‘mainstream narrative surrounding COVID’ | New York Post

Threats from Gov. Abbott among reasons why Keller ISD keeps book challenges secretive | NBC Dallas Fort Worth

Pennridge to vote on one textbook; further review on other one. | Reporter Online (PA)

Don’t discuss the Jan. 6 insurrection with students, a Bucks school district tells teachers | WHYY (Pennridge, PA)

Amid talk of banning books, NCSD student observes: ‘The world is not censored or protected’ | Oil City News (WY)

Racial concerns prompt Mukilteo to consider removing classic novel from required reading list | KING5 (WA)

Librarians harassed in El Paso, TX; ‘Heather Has Two Mommies’ back in the spotlight–Censorship roundup | School Library Journal

Natrona School Board meeting sees a variety of voices on banning books | K2 Radio (WY)

Concerned parents, citizens speak out on Greenville book-ban request (paywalled) | Daily News (MI)

Parents protest Farmington High school board meeting over CRT, 21-day equity challenge | Center Square (MI)

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis wants to let parents sue schools that teach critical race theory | Business Insider

Hate group marches from Maine to New Hampshire to protest a drag queen performing in empty theater | LGBTQ Nation

Bristow Public Schools returning some books to shelves after internal review: 47 books were part of the review | KJRH (OK)

Noon Wednesday: Prohibiting race discussions in schools | PBS Wisconsin

It’s Perfectly Normal and In the Night Kitchen removed from Llano County Library in Texas | National Coalition Against Censorship

Monett High School removes social justice book ‘Dear Martin’ after parent complaints | Springfield News-Leader

Northridge parent group raises concern about books | Goshen News (IN)

Intellectual Freedom News 1/21/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-1-21-2022/

Censorship

Now Even Police Are Getting Black Books Banned | Word in Black

Black authors are being pulled from school libraries over critical race theory fears | Newsweek

They fought critical race theory. Now they’re focusing on ‘curriculum transparency.’ | NBC News

NC teacher on book banning debate: ‘I believe that in Casper we can have conversations as neighbors’ | Oil City News (WY)

Pornography and censorship: Controversial books returned to Utah school libraries’ shelves | The Daily Universe (UT)

Kemp targets critical race theory, transgender sports participation | Georgia Recorder

Board discusses school library book removal process | Williamson Herald (TN)

Lawmakers want to block teaching race relations in schools. Here’s a look at content that was banned last year | South Florida Sun Sentinel

Shelton BOE member: Bestselling memoir not appropriate for freshmen | Shelton Herald (CT)

Controversial Indiana bill that required all school curricula to be posted online dropped | Newsweek

Va. lawsuit denounces anti-racism curriculum as ‘pathological’ critical race theory | Washington Post

On his first day in office, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin banned teaching Critical Race Theory and mask mandates in schools | Business Insider
-- Youngkin taps critical race theory opponents to lead public education in Virginia | Virginia Mercury
-- Local educators, parents react to Gov. Youngkin’s ban of Critical Race Theory | WTKR

Costello backs bill allowing parental review of school library books | KPVI (IA)

York grandmom renews bid to yank sex ed book ‘It’s Perfectly Normal’ from YMS library | Seacoast Online (ME)

Schools face pressure to purge books about racism and gender identity as banning skyrockets | Yahoo! News

Missouri General Assembly aims to ban books, critical race theory | Kansas City Pitch

Book that tackles race relations removed from curriculum | Associated Press (MO)

Board discusses book selection for libraries | Webster-Kirkwood Times (MO)

Loudoun County schools pull controversial gender book from library shelves | Washington Post
-- Superintendent’s decision to pull controversial book backed up by school board committee | Loudoun Times

Wayzata, Minnesota, school removes Lawn Boy against district regulations | National Coalition Against Censorship

Parents call for removal of controversial book from Auburn High School library | Finger Lakes 1 (NY)
-- School book ban debate arrives in Auburn | Auburnpub.com (NY)

Burlington school board debates use of Trevor Noah’s book in high school class | Kenosha News (WI)

Florida’s debate over school race lessons, CRT, to resume in Senate | Tampa Bay Times
-- Florida could ban lessons about discrimination that make White students feel ‘discomfort’ | USA Today

Florida bill would bar businesses and schools from making anyone “feel discomfort” or “guilt” about race | CBS News
-- Florida doubles down on anti-critical race theory legislation | ABC News

Librarians throw up red flags about Senate bill that allows lawsuits over materials; college, university libraries exempt | Chicago Tribune

Flagler School District library plan: parents may ban books for their own kids, but not others | Flagler Live (FL)
-- Flagler schools to offer parents opt-out options after ‘All Boys Aren’t Blue’ book debate | Daytona Beach News-Journal

‘The Hate U Give’ will remain out of ROWVA classrooms while board further reviews policy, curriculum, book | WQAD (IL)
-- ROWVA keeps book ‘The Hate U Give’ out of classroom, but in school library | Register-Mail

School board attorney drafts resolution to avoid CRT | Osceola News-Gazette (FL)

Prayer vigil rebukes controversial books in Walla Walla schools | Union-Bulletin (WA)

Efforts to ban books at Lancaster County school district part of national trend | Lancaster Online (PA)

Edited to correct a touchstone that was going to wrong work.

Intellectual Freedom News 1/28/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-1-28-2022/

Censorship

US conservatives linked to rich donors wage campaign to ban books from schools | Guardian

Book banning fever heats up in red states | Salon

Senate advances Joe Gruters’ book banning bill | Florida Politics
-- School board salaries and library books on the line | CBS 12 (FL)
-- Florida Republicans push through proposal that would allow public scrutiny of school library books, instructional materials | Orlando Weekly

Lancaster County school officials shouldn’t surrender to those seeking to ban books from school libraries (editorial) | Lancaster Online (PA)

A Healthy Democracy Does Not Support Library Censorship | Flathead Beacon (MT)

Wentzville School Board bans acclaimed novel from high school libraries over obscenity complaints | St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO)
-- ACLU readies for possible lawsuit over Wentzville school library book ban | St. Louis Today

Pennridge Parents Resist School District’s Move to Remove Books by Black, LGBTQ Authors | WDIY/ WHYY (PA)

School board to continue discussions on book challenges Monday; book disputes have been rare, officials say | Daily Reflector (NC)

Brevard School Board: training accused of critical race theory has nothing to do with race | Florida Today

Billings School Board votes to keep controversial books addressing LGBTQ+ issues | Billings Gazette (MT)
-- Billings school board votes to keep LGBTQ-themed books in libraries | Montana Public Radio

New plan would keep ‘All Boys Aren’t Blue’ in school libraries – with a catch | AskFlagler (FL)

Florida school district cancels professor’s civil rights lecture over critical race theory concerns | NBC News

Library Policy Committee Conducts Review, Clashes Over Definition of Censorship | Flathead Beacon (MT)

‘Feels like a slippery slope’: York mulls pulling sex ed book from Middle School library | Seacoast Online (ME)

Katy ISD unblocks four LGBTQ websites | Out Smart

Iowa Gov: ‘I don’t think that’s appropriate’: Context and controversy behind book challenged in Iowa | KCCI

Book causes handful of parents to pull kids from English class | KNSI Radio (MN)

Virginia’s new Republican governor, who banned critical race theory in schools, is launching a tip line for parents to report their kids’ teachers | Business Insider

Maine education groups push back against challenges to books in school libraries | Bangor Daily News

‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ will be removed from ninth-grade required reading list in Mukilteo | King5 (WA)

Pitt County school board approves policy to inform parents of novel sets read | WITN (NC)

‘They are explicit’: Some in Lexington-Richland 5 concerned about library books | WLTX (SC)

Critical race theory debate in Kansas shifts to curriculum transparency. How will it affect the classroom? | Topeka Capital-Journal

Georgia lawmakers try to identify critical race theory in schools | Atlanta Journal-Constitution
-- Bill: Give Georgia parents way to quash school materials | FOX 54
Granbury ISD pulls 130 school library books for review | WFAA.com
-- Students slam (Granbury, TX) school board over book review order, say it’s hurting ‘honor students’ | Newsweek

Williamson County Schools committee removes book from elementary curriculum | Tennessean

Mask mandates, banned books headline heated Loudoun Co. school board meeting | WJLA (VA)

Conservative group trying to ban 16 books from Polk Schools, calling them pornographic | Ledger (FL)
-- Polk County Schools removes books from libraries for review after group complains about them | LKLDNow (FL)

The fight to ban books is once again raging in Wake County public schools and libraries | Indy Week (NC)

N.J. high school board votes against recommendation to ban LGBTQ+ book | NJ.com

‘Dear Martin’ pulled from Tuscola class | Smoky Mountain News (NC)

Ridgeland mayor demands LGBTQ+ book purge, threatens library funding | Mississippi Free Press
-- GOP mayor holds library funds hostage until ‘homosexual’ books are taken off the shelves | LGBTQ Nation (MI)

Tennessee school board bans Holocaust graphic novel ‘Maus’–author Art Spiegelman condemns the move as ‘Orwellian’ | CNBC
-- The removal of ‘Maus’ from a middle-school curriculum reflects an old debate, not a new one | The Washington Post
-- Pullitzer-winning graphic novel ‘Maus’ banned by Tennessee school board for language, nudity | Newsweek

Indiana schools, libraries could face prosecution for ‘harmful’ materials under statehouse bill | FOX 59
-- CRT-inspired bill approved by Indiana House, would limit what’s taught in classrooms | Indianapolis Star

Hudson parents wanted 3 ‘offensive’ books pulled from high school library. What happened? | Akron Beacon Journal (OH)

Whew. Is the list getting longer?

However, I think there are more sections from this week's OIF Intellectual Freedom News post focused on books and library censorship.

Legislation

Va. Senate kills bill requiring parental consent to check out sexually explicit books | ABC 13 News

Opponents Say Bill Is Censorship and Whitewashing History | InDepthNH.org

Bill banning critical race theory goes to Mississippi senate | Greater New Milford Spectrum
-- Anti-CRT bill passed out of Senate committee likely unconstitutional, opponents say | Mississippi Today
-- Black Mississippi senators walk out in protest over critical race theory ban | NPR
Bill to ban lessons making White students feel ‘discomfort’ advances in Florida senate | The Hill

Library professionals complain about Indiana bill that allows lawsuits over ‘inappropriate material’ | Post Tribune/ Chicago Tribune

Texas Gov. introduces ‘parental bill of rights’ amid LGBTQ+ book banning | Los Angeles Blade

GOP Senators Back Stricter Scrutiny of School and Library Books (Florida) | Flagler Live

Access

St. Charles Public Library closed for in-person visits following threats to staff regarding mask policy | Kane County Chronicle

‘It’s basic human dignity’: Groups work to get books to incarcerated people | NBC News

I am sometimes unsure-- and possibly others in this group are also unsure-- which states are represented by the abbreviations in headlines. Below is a list from www.50states.com for reference.

STATE | ABBREVIATION(S)

Alabama | AL | Ala.
Alaska | AK
Arizona | AZ | Ariz.
Arkansas | AR | Ark.
California | CA | Calif.
Colorado | CO | Color.
Connecticut | CT | Conn.
Delaware | DE | Del.
Florida | FL | Fla.
Georgia | GA | Ga.
Hawaii | HI
Idaho | ID
Illinois | IL | Ill.
Indiana | IN | Ind.
Iowa IA | Iowa
Kansas | KS | Kan.
Kentucky | KY | Ky.
Louisiana | LA | La.
Maine | ME
Maryland | MD | Md.
Massachusetts | MA | Mass.
Michigan | MI | Mich.
Minnesota | MN | Minn.
Mississippi | MS | Miss.
Missouri | MO | Mo.
Montana | MT | Mont.
Nebraska | NE | Neb.
Nevada | NV | Nev.
New Hampshire | NH | N.H.
New Jersey | NJ | N.J.
New Mexico | NM | N.M.
New York | NY | N.Y.
North Carolina | NC | N.C.
North Dakota | ND | N.D.
Ohio | OH
Oklahoma | OK | Okla.
Oregon | OR | Ore.
Pennsylvania | PA | Pa.
Rhode Island | RI | R.I.
South Carolina | SC | S.C.
South Dakota | SD | S.Dak.
Tennessee | TN | Tenn.
Texas | TX | Tex.
Utah | UT
Vermont | VT | V.T.
Virginia | VA | Va.
Washington | WA | Wash.
West Virginia | WV | W.Va.
Wisconsin | WI | Wis.
Wyoming | WY | Wyo.

Intellectual Freedom News 2/4/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-2-4-2022/

Censorship

Efforts to ban critical race theory now restrict teaching for a third of America’s kids | Education Week
-- States weigh a raft of proposed laws to limit race, sexuality lessons in schools | NBC News
-- The GOP dials up its attacks on critical race theory | Nation

‘It’s Perfectly Normal?’: Middle school book causes controversy in York | WGME
-- York School Board votes to keep sex education book in library | WGME

School board in Tennessee bans teaching of Holocaust novel ‘Maus’ | New York Times
-- ‘If they can ban MAUS, no work is safe’: CBLDF blasts school censorship of award-winning graphic novel | Forbes
-- Tennessee school district bans teaching of acclaimed Holocaust novel Maus | National Coalition Against Censorship
-- Tennessee school board defends banning ‘Maus,’ insists graphic novel on Holocaust contains ‘unnecessary use of profanity and nudity’ | Insider.com

Why Virginia governor’s tip line is sparking new critical race theory concerns in schools | USA Today

Exclusive: Local professor speaks out after school district cancels civil rights lecture over CRT concerns | First Coast News (FL)

‘The Queer Bible’ display sparks controversy at library | Madison County Journal (MS)

Meet the moms of color from Texas fighting book bands at their kids’ schools | NBC News

Manheim Central school board hears concerns over book bans | Lancaster Online

High Plains Library District denies former librarian’s allegations of censorship, discrimination | Greeley Tribune (CO)

Auburn school district to review library book after formal complaints received | Auburn Pub (NY)

16 books removed from Polk County school libraries after objection from conservative group | WFLA (FL)

Move to ban the 1619 Project from SC classrooms will only harm future generations | Island Packet

Forsyth County Schools remove eight books for ‘sexually explicit content’ amid nationwide library debate | Forsyth County News (GA)
-- Gov. Kemp visits Forsyth school amid book controversy | FOX5 Atlanta

Librarians, others stand against Wentzville’s book ban | St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO)

Some Stamford parents say a book about a transgender child is inappropriate for 3rd graders | WSHU NPR (CT)

Banned: Books on race and sexuality are disappearing from Texas schools in record numbers | NBC News

Youth Advisory Commission member resigns over LGBT censorship project | Anchorage Press (AK)

NC school district says it will keep LGBTQ+ books in library despite parent complaints | News & Observer

How a small school district became a focal point in the battle over Texas book censorship | Snopes

Baldwinsville parents challenge BOE-approved books | Eagle News (TN)

Orange County School Board unanimously keeps challenged books in libraries | 97.9 (NC)

‘Dear Martin’ no longer an assigned read at Tuscola High after parent’s complaint | WLOS (NC)

Kent School District issues statement as LGBTQ library books are under fire | Kent Reporter (WA)

Georgia Library Association responds to the recent rise in book censorship | WABE

N.J. high school board votes against recommendation to ban LGBTQ+ book | NJ.com

Henrico Schools pull two books for review over sexual content concerns | ABC8

Intellectual Freedom News 2/4/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-2-4-2022/

Legislation

Democrats say proposed bill aimed at banning critical race theory from (Georgia) schools is too broad | WSB-TV

Crisis in the classroom: Lawmakers discuss critical race theory in SC schools | FOX 57
-- CRT ban among bills on House floor teachers are speaking out against | ABC4 News

Indiana House sends sweeping anti-CRT bill to the Senate | Chalkbeat

Indiana Senate approves bill limiting library legal defense over material harmful to minors | WFYI (IN)
-- “Harmful material for minors” bill passes despite question from Democrats: Harmful according to whom? | Statehouse File (IN)

Tennessee lawmakers file bill targeting ‘obscene’ books in school libraries | Chattanooga Times Free Press
-- Tennessee House bill targets LGBTQ+ books, advocates say | The Hill
-- East Tennessee parents, lawmakers react to proposed book ban bill | WVLT
-- Gov. Bill Lee is jumping into the school book debate. How it could play out in Tennessee | Columbia Daily Herald (TN)

Florida’s “don’t say gay” bill is the next step in the right-wing schools panic. | Slate

Legislation targets teachers for lessons on “divisive” subjects, student confidentiality | San Diego Union Tribune

Iowa House bill tackles ‘obscene materials’ in schools | Courier (IA)

Bill mandating parental notice before sexually explicit lessons advances: ‘This is not a book ban’ | WAVY (VA)

Around the Web

What’s It Like to Be the Target of A Book Banning Effort? School Librarian Martha Hickson Tells Her Story. | School Library Journal

Art Spiegelman sees the new ban of his book ‘Maus’ as a ‘red alert’ | Washington Post
-- Book bans are targeting the history of oppression | Atlantic
-- Art Spiegelman warns Holocaust stories will follow CRT as next subject pulled from schools | Newsweek
-- Sales of Maus spike after Tennessee book banning | AV Club
-- Comic book store owners are offering to ship banned Holocaust novel ‘Maus’ to Tennessee students for free | CNN

Read the books that schools want to ban | The Atlantic

Which books belong in a school library? All of them, of course | EdSurge

My young mind was disturbed by a book. It changed my life. | New York Times

Book Ban Busters: Moms across the country fight to stop book banning at schools | WUSA9

St. Louis groups launch ‘banned book program’ to distribute challenged books | St. Louis Public Radio

This popular virtual book club helped me make new friends during the pandemic–here are the 5 best books I’ve read since joining | Business Insider

Parental ‘concern’ over masks, CRT and books is being brought to you by groups who hate public schools | Wonkette

American book banning tradition is as old as the Mayflower | Washington Post

Freedom of speech was too hard won to be cavalier now about censorship | Guardian

Distinguished teacher who taught embattled diversity course sees echoes in CRT | Bowling Green Daily News

Why Toni Morrison’s books are so often the target of book bans | Time

Students called radicals by superintendent fundraise for freedom to read | Book Riot

Teaching controversial issues when democracy is under attack | Brookings

Black History Month 2022: Phony critical race theory fears thwart teaching of total U.S. history | NY Daily News

Divide over how to teach about race plays out more in schools with shifting demographics, study finds | CNN

“Moms for Libraries” is conservative propaganda | Book Riot

As the Right censors public libraries, families are forming banned book clubs | Truthout

Students, your school can’t stop you from knowing Black history | ACLU Pennsylvania

Bethlehem library books defaced with political stickers | Times Union (NY)

Dutch publisher apologizes over controversial Anne Frank book, halts printing | Times of Israel

Rocky path to publication for ‘most dangerous book’ | Harvard Gazette

Expert: Here’s what’s behind the recent surge in book censorship attempts | Yahoo! News

What lesson does censorship teach our children | Smoky Mountain News

Beyond banning: New challenges to the Right to Read | Information Today

Furries Are Leading the War Against a Book-Banning Mississippi Mayor | Vice

Somehow just discovered this thread now: it's a welcome reminder of the breadth and specificity in efforts to censor. I appreciate the regular updates though I mostly don't follow through on specific links.

Ditto -- thank you for continuing to track this important topic. What a disheartening thing to see accelerate.

>36 elenchus: and >37 sparemethecensor: nice! It's good to know people are looking.

Intellectual Freedom News 2/11/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-2-11-2022/

Censorship

What’s behind the right-wing book-ban frenzy? Big money, and a long-term plan | Salon

A push to remove LGBTQ books in one county could signal rising partisanship on school boards | ProPublica

This wave of book bans is different from earlier ones | Washington Post

Understanding Ourselves and Others: What We Lose With Book Bans | Governing

From slavery to socialism, new legislation restricts what teachers can discuss | NPR

Sarasota school board hears concerns over teaching race, limiting speaking time at meetings | Herald-Tribune (FL)

Alabama schools official reports complaints of Black History Month as teaching critical race theory | The Hill
-- Black History Monty is not critical race theory, Alabama educator says in response to complaints | Washington Post

Teaching Black History Month under Iowa’s new law | Axios Des Moines

As book ban efforts spread across country, controversy erupts at King County middle school | Seattle Times

More books are being challenged across the state of Iowa | KTIV

Tennessee gov, GOP push more scrutiny of school libraries | AP

US Pastor led ‘Harry Potter’ book burning, told followers it was a ‘demonic influence’ | Business Insider
-- In-Depth: Burning books in Tennessee, Texas pushes to keep certain books off shelves | KXXV

Why Polk County schools are handling these 16 books differently than a normal ‘complaint’ | Ledger (FL)
-- Polk superintendent outlines review process for 16 books removed from school libraries | WFLA (FL)
-- Polk County Schools to form review committee over 16 books removed from school libraries | WFTS (FL)

In Tennessee, the ‘Maus’ controversy is the least of our worries | New York Times

Texas school district refuses to ban children’s biography on Michelle Obama after receiving parent complaint | Yahoo! News

Book spurs discussion, call for banning in Berkeley County Schools | Journal-News (WV)
-- Arguments heard from both sides related to controversial book in Berkeley Co. classrooms | Journal-News (WV)

Salina parents want LGBTQ memoir removed from school libraries | KMUW NPR (KS)
-- Why is the book “All Boys Aren’t Blue” being challenged at Salina high schools | Salina Journal (KS)

Prayer vigil rebukes controversial books in Walla Walla schools | Union Bulletin (WA)

Campbell County School Board votes to draft resolution ‘condemning’ critical race theory | News Advance (VA)

County school system looks at policy changes for school books deemed obscene | Chattanoogan (TN)

Controversial books no longer under review, Kent librarian says | KOMO (WA)
-- Kent School District librarian is ready to defend LGBTQ books ‘even more now’ | Kent Reporter

TN school librarian successfully defends ‘The Undefeated’ against censors | School Library Journal

In Hood County, the fight to remove LGBTQ books from libraries isn’t new | Texas Standard

Controversial Pikes Peak Library District board members appointed in reversal of earlier vote | Gazette (CO)

Some CMS parents express outrage over controversial book requirement for students | WCCB (NC)

Colorado librarian alleges she was fired for objecting to cancellation of LGBTQ, youth of color programming: “My only option is to speak out” | Denver Post
-- Former librarian files state, federal discrimination complaints against High Plains Library District | Greeley Tribune

ACLU of Missouri to file suit against Wentzville School District over book ban | KDSK-TV (MO)

Intellectual Freedom News 2/11/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-2-11-2022/ (continuation)

Legislation


Florida’s LGBT School Censorship Bill Is a Lawsuit Factory That Overrules Many Parents | Reason
-- "Don’t Say Gay Bill” crosses first hurdles to becoming law | Spectrum News 13 (FL)

Ohio House Republicans push bill targeting tech censorship | AP

Utah parents could sue education officials or teachers for almost any reason under proposed bill | Salt Lake City Tribune

Arizona House votes to ban critical race theory in schools | AP

CRT controversy comes to WV | WV Metro News

Indiana lawmakers try to censor talk about race in schools | ACLU Indiana

Florida lawmakers to continue debate over CRT, LGBTQ issues in schools | Tampa Bay Times

Tennessee’s Governor, GOP push for more scrutiny of school libraries | Education Week

SD House lawmakers limit ‘critical race theory’ bills’ reach | Wilton Bulletin

Around the Web

The rise in book banning (podcast) | WHYY

Powerful public libraries | Daily Interlake (MT)

Why Aren’t There More Black Librarians | The Observer/Word in Black

State Sets Up Tip Line for Parents to Snitch on Schools Teaching ‘Divisive Concepts’ | Route Fifty

Fight over Trump records puts focus on low-profile National Archives | The Hill

Rooting out Glenn Youngkin’s hypocrisy | Chicago Sun-Times

At Liberty Podcast: The movement to erase Black history and culture | ACLU

“(We) are being accused of things that (we) are not doing’: Basin School District responds to CRT claims | KTVB (ID)

Flagler high school student fights back against book bans nationwide | WESH (FL)

How the “critical race theory” moral panic morphed into book-banning frenzy | Salon

Book Ban Busters — Moms across the country fight to stop book banning at schools | WUSA (VA)

Book bans: How Amazon, Google, and Apple can fight back with a Freedom Archive | ZDNet

Bookstores create ‘banned book section,’ take stance against form of censorship | MY40 (NC)

Editorial: Legislators, not schools, the ones trying to indoctrinate | Tahlequah Daily Press (OK)

Books are being banned from school libraries. Here’s what that does to students. | USA Today

Holier-than-thou book banners in Florida ought to start with the Bible | Palm Beach Post

Banning books teaches students fiction, not facts | DBKNews

St. Louis groups launch ‘banned book program’ to distribute challenged books | Los Angeles Blade

Book banning is seen in historical context in ‘Burn This Book’ (podcast) | NPR

Scribd opens free access to targeted titles: ‘We ardently oppose banning books’ | Publishing Perspectives

Opinion: Book bans are on the rise. But librarians and authors are fighting back. | Washington Post

Texas book ban prompts school librarians to launch #FReadom Fighters | Publishers Weekly

Ensuring White children’s happiness has long involved racist double standards | Washington Post

Libraries see rise in book challenges, fueled by social controversies | Sturgis Journal

Why books should not be banned for the sake of learning | Well + Good

Banning books like ‘Maus’ is part of sanitizing history | Teen Vogue

Teaching versus indoctrination debate continues after Newtown schools adopt academic freedom policy | News Times (CT)

Book banning is about the illusion of parental control | New York Times

Today’s censorship — darker, and headed for our schools | Forward KY

As her work once again faces censorship battles, Lorain set to celebrate hometown native with Toni Morrison Day next week | Cleveland Scene

‘Throw those books in the fire’: As culture wars escalate so do book bans | Sunday Morning Herald

How K-12 book bans affect higher education | Inside Higher Ed

I'm surprised that banning efforts aren't avoiding the "book burning" profile -- I guess it's not as much a caricature of ignorance as I assumed. So many of these recent headlines seem to be efforts or spectacles of literally burning books.

Alongside that, I expected many censorship efforts would be "cleverer" than calling for outright bans, but that seems to be my naivete.

Intellectual Freedom News 2/18/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-2-18-2022/

Censorship

2 students sue Missouri school district over banned books | Associated Press
-- ACLU of Missouri Sues Wentzville School District to Stop Banning Books | ACLU of Missouri

Education committee votes to limit critical race theory instruction in South Dakota’s public schools | Argus Leader

Support for book bans spreads across Tampa Bay | Axios (FL)

Polk County Schools to form review committee over 16 books removed from school libraries | ABC Action News (FL)
-- Polk County, Florida school district removes sixteen books from school libraries | National Coalition Against Censorship
-- Committees convened to review 16 books in Polk County, FL, schools | School Library Journal

Amid fear and censorship, FL school districts are pulling books off shelves in public schools | Florida Phoenix

Book banning battles hit North Carolina schools | NC Policy Watch

Libraries see rise in book challenges, fueled by social controversies | Sturgis Journal (MI)

Salina BOE meeting gets heated during book ban discussion | KSNW (KS)

3 parents want the Lee County School Board to ban 3 books | WINK (FL)

Suffield Board of Education tweaks library book policy | Journal Inquirer (CT)

Six books pulled for review because of ‘sexually explicit’ content will return to Virginia Beach schools, report says | Virginia-Pilot

Amid book challenges, parents and censorship foes raise alarms | Orlando Sentinel (FL)

Montana ACLU files records request regarding library board | Daily Inter Lake

GOP pushes U.S. schools to post all class materials online | Florida Politics

Friends student has to move show about censorship after school donors complain | Kansas.com

Ted Cruz says teachers are bringing ‘explicit pornography’ to class as Texas leads the way in book wars | Business Insider

Hanover supervisor urges school board to fast-track book removal decisions in move targeting children’s book | Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA)

Tennessee School Board stands by decision to ban ‘Maus’ despite community uproar | Rolling Stone

Union Grove Middle School pulls ‘Dragonwings’ book, challenges continue | Daily Times (TN)

Louisiana’s new social studies standards would not include critical race theory | The 74

Have battles over critical race theory had a ‘chilling effect’ in Charlotte classrooms? | Charlotte Observer

New critical race theory laws have teachers scared, confused, and self-censoring | Washington Post

Concerned NACS parents seek to ban book; district lifts contact tracing | WANE (IN)

Hadley’s crusade: A Manhattan Beach councilperson takes aim at two books | Easy Reader & Peninsula Magazine (CA)

Book battle continues, board rejects another proposal | KAIT8 (AR)

Butler School Board takes steps to ban critical race theory | Butler Radio (PA)

Parents concerned after books taken off curriculum at Bryant Public Schools | THV11 (AR)

Records show (Leander) Texas parents’ calls to ban books from schools | Axios Austin

‘We must protect this right.’ Students sue Missouri school district over banned books | Kansas City Star

Debate continues over potential book ban in Kent schools | Covington Reporter (WA)

After community challenge, Bixby Public Schools will keep pair of books in libraries | State Impact (OK)

‘I was shocked’: Ridgeland aldermen proposing new library contract after raucous meeting | Mississippi Free Press

Explicit book at Pella library draws council review | Ottumwa Courier (IA)

Library board votes not to move book | Jonesboro Sun (AR)

Bentonville parents complain of explicit material in high school library | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Controversial sign displayed in high school library in Virginia | NBC Washington

Haywood County parents complain about decision to pull book from school reading list | KTVZ (NC)

Intellectual Freedom News 2/18/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-2-18-2022/

Legislation

Lawmakers push bill that would allow parents to sue schools over ‘obscene’ books | KCRG (IA)

Senate panel increases proposed criminal penalties for ‘obscene’ school books | Iowa Capital Dispatch

Iowa Senate bill prohibiting sexually explicit material in schools advances | Iowa Torch

New bill would let city councils overrule local library, limit access to books | Iowa Starting Line

Teacher anti-CRT bills coast to coast: A state by state guide | Forbes

States pass limits on teaching race, teachers ‘caught up in a culture war’ | Voice of America

Bills to ban US schools’ discussion of LGBTQ+ issues are threat to free speech – report | Guardian

Senate bills protect conservative speech, ban critical race theory | Wisconsin Examiner

Colorado school transparency bill linked to national groups battling ‘critical race theory’ | Colorado Newsline

Bill could require posting a year’s worth of lesson plans. Teachers aren’t happy | Education Week (IN)

Indiana teachers predict mass exodus over CRT-inspired bill granting parental oversight | FOX News

House votes to increase scrutiny of schoolbooks | WJCT News (FL)
-- Mind-chilling bid to systematize public schools censorship | Miami Today (FL)

Equality Florida launches ad campaign combating ‘don’t say gay,’ classroom censorship legislation | Florida Politics

Virginia Senate passes bill directing school boards to notify parents about explicit material | NBC Washington

Tennessee, Missouri introduce library e-book bills; Illinois bill advances | Publishers Weekly

Tennessee lawmakers to take up governor’s school library bill | Chalkbeat

Critical race theory legislation sets the stage for State Board of Education race | El Paso Matters (TX)

Georgia bills seek to limit inappropriate school materials | WRDW

Georgia Senate panel advances ban on social media censorship | AP

Wyoming bill to ban critical race theory in schools or training | KGAB

Lawmakers push bill that would allow parents to sue schools over ‘obscene’ books | KCRG (IA)

Senate panel increases proposed criminal penalties for ‘obscene’ school books | Iowa Capital Dispatch

California bills aim at social media, medical disinformation | ABC News

Kentucky bill would make teaching about institutional racism illegal | BET

State rep accused of ‘false’ testimony against drag queen | Concord Monito (NH)

Around the Web

Longtime ‘Reading Rainbow’ host LeVar Burton urges kids to read banned books: ‘That’s where the good stuff is’ | Washington Post
-- LeVar Burton calls for kids to read banned books | Mashable

George M. Johnson: Book bans are the result of white fear of a changing world | Prism Reports

How A Queer Christian Student Helped Defeat A Proposed Book Ban | Sojourners

Everything you need to know about the rise in efforts to ban books from libraries | Baptist News Global

Library commissioner resigns to avoid conflict of interest over Kalispell controversy | NBC Montana

This wave of book bans is different from earlier ones | Washington Post

Why book banning is back | Vox

How abolishing critical race theory preserves White power | Center for Law and Social Policy

Want to ban a book? Assign it for English class. | Chicago Sun-Times (IL)

‘All the shelves would be bare’ | Center for Public Integrity

Systematically dismantling the library | Flathead Beacon (MT)

Opinion Letters: The rise in book bans and censorship | New York Times

I’ll fight to overturn US ban on my ‘Queer Bible’, says British author | Guardian

After recent attention due to library book removals, Raymond school board election looms | Journal Times (WI)

Critical race theory: The narrative winning local elections for conservatives | USA Today

A Kansas City YA author worries what kids lose when books — like his own — get banned | KCUR NPR

Opinion: The furor over ‘inappropriate’ books in schools is frightening. But there’s a thrilling subtext. | Washington Post

Parents want this book out of NC high school classrooms. So I read it | Charlotte Observer

How to create positive reading experiences for students of color | K-12 Dive

Publishing C.E.O. donates $500,000 to fight book bans | New York Times

Human Rights Campaign rounds up LGBTQ+ affirming reads as book challenges mount | The Hill

Intellectual Freedom News 2/25/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-2-25-2022/

Censorship

‘Critical race theory’ bans frustrate teachers during Black History Month | NPR

Some US school systems pause diversity programs amid pushback | FOX2 Detroit

Texas now requires new charter schools to ensure they won’t teach critical race theory | Houston Chronicle

Nebraska ed board member says books are ‘hyper-sexualizing’ kids; others say it’s a local issue | Omaha World-Herald

Virginia school forced to apologize for library sign protesting book bans | WRIC ABC 8 News

NAACP branch pledges to help Haywood chapter in fight against book censorship in schools | MY40

Amid fear and censorship, Florida school districts are pulling books off shelves in public schools | The 74

Bixby school board votes to keep 2 controversial books in the libraries | KTUL (OK)

Bentonville parents complain of explicit material in high school library | Arkansas Democrat Gazette
-- A book-banning flare-up in Bentonville raises a queston: Was it a stand, or a stunt? | Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Parent appeals to ban To Kill A Mockingbird in Columbia County schools | WJBF (GA)
-- ‘We do not provide pornography’: Columbia County addresses book ban request, rumors | Augusta Chronicle (GA)

Silver Lake parent: Seventh grade book is ‘not appropriate’ for middle school | Patriot Ledger (MA)

Rally for academic freedom: Denton ISD students petition district to keep diverse book titles | Dallas Observer

Conway School District responds to social media backlash | KATV (AR)

North Kansas City students stand up against proposed book ban | KHSB (KS)

Yorktown Schools: ‘No determination’ made on challenged books | Tap Into Yorktown (NY)

Proposal to move LGBTQ kids’ book sparks censorship fears | Public News Service (AR)

WCS school board votes to endorse committee’s decision on challenged books in elementary schools | Williamson Home Page

Lafayette library board cuts input from librarians in book banning review | Acadiana Advocate (LA)
-- Attempts to ban some library books failed. Now a rule change could make it easier | Daily Advertiser (LA)
-- Residents concerned library board change could suppress knowledge | KATC (LA)
-- Commentary: We’ve got to stop trying to ban books | KLPEL (LA)

Oklahoma’s Attorney General is investigating whether 51 books violate state obscenity law | The Frontier (OK)
-- Oklahoma attorney general’s office reviewing 54 school library books for alleged obscenity | Oklahoman
-- Oklahoma Attorney General drops obscenity investigation of school books | The Frontier

Group carrying Nazi flag interrupts reading in Rhode Island | New York Times

McKinney ISD couple challenges 282 books for removal within district; parents sound off at fiery board meeting | WFAA (TX)

Granbury, Texas, school district removes 130 books while rewriting book review process | National Coalition Against Censorship

Statewide debate over what books are in school libraries arrives in Westlake | Austin American-Statesman (TX)

Library district draws crowd over censorship | Crested Butte News (CO)

WPS elects to keep challenged LGBTQ+ books on school library shelves | Wicked Local (MA)

Parents in North Smithfield question presence of ‘inappropriate’ books in public school libraries | Northern Rhode Island News on the Web

‘Inappropriate, not suitable:’ Duval County schools gives reasons why these books have been banned | First Coast News (FL)

Hadley’s Crusade – A Manhattan Beach Councilperson takes aim at two books | Easy Reader & Peninsula (CA)

Hastings school board debates censorship after board members remove books from sale | KMSP (MN)

>41 elenchus: Not all censors in the USA care that their behavior evokes Nazi or South African National Party destruction. Some organized groups seem to be leaning into that, sadly.

Intellectual Freedom News 3/04/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-3-04-2022/

Censorship

Conservative web sites are fueling book bans in Texas and across the country | Houston Chronicle

Quest to remove ‘pornography’ has GOP Texas House members asking school leaders to take books pledge | Dallas Morning News

Oklahoma AG will no longer investigate books considered ‘obscene’ by parents | FOX23
-- ‘Bless Me, Ultima’ under review in Oklahoma. Here’s why. | Las Cruces Sun-News

Campbell County Public Library board rejects two more book challenges | Sublette Examiner (WY)

Central Bucks school board reviews library policy | Bucks County Herald (PA)

Elizabethtown Area school board continues discussion of book ban and potential budget cuts | Lancaster Online (PA)

Country star compares teachers to pedophiles in speech backing Tennessee book ban | Yahoo! News

Students sued when a school district restricted several books. The school board reinstated one novel | KRDO

Polk parents, educators speak about book bans as review committees are formed | Ledger (FL)
-- Polk book review panelists are chosen. Will have 3 months to determine fate of 16 books | Ledger (FL)

Ban these books? Committee in Indian River County examining 156 titles for pornography, CRT | Treasure Coast Palm (FL)
-- Parents take battle to ban books in school libraries to school board meeting | CBS 12 News (FL)
-- Indian River County School Board refuses to ban most of the 156 books on group’s hit list | Treasure Coast Palm (FL)

Governor releases report on “inherently divisive” school policies | WDBJ (VA)

Youngkin administration updates efforts to remove ‘divisive concepts’ from education | 13 News Now (VA)
-- Youngkin eliminates school equity initiatives in long list of programs VA superintendent calls ‘divisive’ | WUSA9 (VA)

Her senior recital was on historically censored songs. Then her school censored her | NPR

Residents voice concerns with (Ridgeland) library issues | Northside Sun (MS)

Age restriction placed on ‘Gender Queer: A Memoir’ in school library | Forest Scout (IL)

Texas civil rights groups and education equity organizations demand Granbury ISD return removed books and reaffirm inclusion | ACLU Texas

Texas continues to remove LGBTQ suicide prevention resources from state websites | NBC News

Floyd County schools to mark “mature” books, let parents decide if their children can check them | Rome News Tribune (GA)

Union County group stages ‘read-in’ to fight proposed changes to book policy | WCNC (NC)

Salina Public Schools decides not to ban “All Boys Aren’t Blue” from the school library | Salina Journal (KS)

School board responds to call for book ban | Cape May County Herald (NJ)

Amid outrcy over ‘pornographic material,’ Canyons School District revamps its book review policy | KSL.com (UT)

Sexually explicit books offend NWA parents | Axios NW Arkansas

Wake County leaders continue to evaluate process of removing books, materials from libraries | CBS17 (NC)

Concerns about censorship and intellectual freedom were raised by group of Katy ISD (TX) students | Pioneer Table

Savannah-Chatham County school board discusses library book selection process | WTOC (GA)

Westerly RI school district embroiled in a debate over memoir, Gender Queer | Providence Journal

Intellectual Freedom News 3/04/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-3-04-2022/

Legislation

Idaho librarians could face jail time for lending “harmful” books | Boise Public Radio

At least 7 state legislatures are proposing ‘book ban’ legislation, prompting concern from civil liberty advocates | Business Insider

State laws targeting critical race theory may stifle the full telling of American history | Athens Banner-Herald (GA)

New transparency bills would force teachers to post instructional materials | The Washington Post

The New Restrictions Conservative State Lawmakers are Pushing on Transgender Kids | Route 50

Controversial education bills head to full Senate | CBS12 (FL)
-- Florida lawmakers vote to prohibit Critical Race Theory in schools | WCTV
-- This year, the legislation to set term limits has more momentum due to backlash over issues like school mask mandates, and teachings regarding LGBTQ kids and race and history | WUSF (FL)

Bill banning ‘pornographic or indecent’ books at Utah schools passes committee | Salt Lake Tribune
-- ‘Pornographic or indecent’ book ban in Utah schools advances on a near party-line vote | KUER (UT)

Indiana lawmakers still eyeing education bills left with uncertain futures in final weeks of session | WFYI (IN)
-- Controversial CRT-inspired classroom bill killed in Indiana senate | WRTV

Senate panel increases proposed criminal penalties for ‘obscene’ school books | Iowa Capitol Dispatch

Johnson County teachers push back against avalanche of K-12 education reform bills | Kansas Reflector

Kentucky Senate passes anti-CRT bill, would dictate how U.S. history can be taught in classrooms | LEX18

Virginia lawmakers give parents a say on sexually explicit classroom materials | Virginia Mercury

Oklahoma legislative committee advances school library book ban bill | Oklahoman

Tennessee Republicans back bill to criminally charge educators, ban books with alleged ‘obscene materials’ | WKRN
-- School librarians face criticism in fight over book scrutiny | AP (TN)
-- Hours of testimony heard for bill banning ‘obscene’ books, bill advances | WVLT
-- GOP leaders shy from librarian attacks in book scrutiny push | Associated Press

AZ Senate Republicans advance bills to increase scrutiny of school library books, access to classrooms | Tucson Sentinel

Around the Web

Activism grows nationwide in response to school book bans | ABC News

Virginia Education Department rescinds diversity, equity programs in response to Youngkin’s order | Washington Post

Theses students helped overturn a book ban. Now they’re pushing for a more inclusive education. | Washington Post

YWCA hosts drag queen story time, educating kids on diversity & acceptance, drawing protest | Hanover Evening Sun (NY)

The battle for the soul of the library | New York Times

KC-area library leader quits after trustees rejected diversity, condemned LGBT program | Kansas City Star
-- MCPL library director quits after trustees reject diversity | Kansas City Star

Should libraries be safe spaces? | WBUR

School board sued for discriminatory policies, indoctrinating students with CRT | Christianity Daily

Report: People worried about masks, critical race theory barrage Minnesota schools with costly records requests | MPR News

Zoombombers’ disrupt library Black History Month event | Brookings Register (SD)

Critical race theory and the banning of Black authors in schools, libraries, and prisons | Times Weekly

Springfield school board candidates weigh in on critical race theory, efforts to ban it | Springfield News-Leader (MO)

History professors discuss the effects of book banning in schools | Scribe

These students are passing out ‘banned’ books on school property to raise awareness | WUSA9 (VA)

Amid push to ban books, library commissioners brush up on the basics | Austin Monitor (TX)

Opinion: Mayor Bronson should hire a real library director | Anchorage Daily News (AK)

Proposed Iowa legislation defames work of school librarians | Telegraph Herald (IA)

Some Barnes & Noble stores add ‘banned book’ sections amid recent controversy | WFXR

Georgia high school students speak out against “classroom censorship” bills | Revolutionary Report

President of the Ukranian Library Association to the world: “We are at the forefront of the fight against fakes, misinformation, and cyber threats!” | School Library Journal

Local libraries are being targeted by ‘1st amendment auditors,’ book challenges | Michigan Advance

Several Texas Republicans against “critical race theory” advance in State Board of Education primary races | Texas Tribune

First, the book-banners came for CRT and LGBTQ. Now they’re censoring women’s history | Salon

Commentary: Censorship stirs emotions, and fuels interest in banned books | Fredericksburg Free Lance Star (aspirit's notes: The link is as of this posting broken on the OIF blog, and The Free Lance-Star goes to a paywall.)

Article linking current U.S. bans to 1980s U.S. bans.

World Book Day "Catholic state school in turmoil after diocese overrules head and governors to cancel visit by gay author" https://inews.co.uk/news/catholic-state-school-john-fisher-southwark-diocese-gov...

Thanks for the additions, elenchus and DuncanHill.

Starting this week, mentions of a specific work or author in the OIF-collected headlines will have touchstones added. My edits for the works will be in parentheses like this--

"Catholic state school in turmoil after diocese overrules head and governors to cancel visit by gay author (a: Simon James Green) | inews.co.uk"

Please let me know if these extra links cause too much distraction or other problems. I would also appreciate hearing that they are helpful.

=====

Intellectual Freedom News 3/11/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-3-11-2022/

Censorship

Yorktown considering removing 9 books from school libraries | Yorktown, NY Patch

‘Gender Queer’ is OK to remain on school library bookshelf, Hudson committee determines | Akron Beacon Journal (OH)

High schools could lose AP classes if they ban ‘required topics’ from being taught | NBC News / Today

Book (a: Black and White) challenged at Lower Township school | Press of Atlantic City (NJ)

Former Mo. teacher helping lead coalition pushing back on book bans | Hays Post

Bolstered by CRT, book fights, conservative PACs aim to ‘take back’ Texas school boards | Dallas Morning News

Texas Library Association forms coalition against banning books | KXAN

Anti-censorship group forms to oppose Library Advisory Board | Daily Tribune (TX)

Texas students push back against book bans for censoring LGBTQ, racial justice issues | Texas Tribune

Two Texas parents challenged 282 books, including one on teen suicide (a: The Bridge). Here’s how the author (a: Bill Konigsberg) responded. | Houston Chronicle

Request to ban documentary of gay man (a: Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood) from Lafayette libraries to be heard in public Wednesday | Acadiana Advocate (LA)

Penncrest school board vote on anti-CRT policy Thursday | Meadville Tribune (PA)

‘Banning books’ discussed at Edmond Public School meeting | KFOR (OK)

School board policy committee discusses book reconsideration, removal policy | Williamson Herald (TN)

Library book bans, Russia investments discussed at Brevard School Board meeting | Florida Today

Auburn school board votes to keep challenged book (a: All Boys Aren't Blue) in high school library | AuburnPub (NY)

Kansas district bans book (a: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian) after anonymous grandparent complaint | Salina Post

Book (a: I Need a NEW BUTT!) controversy leads to assistant principal’s firing after class reading | Newsweek

Franklin Regional ‘pauses’ teaching of novel about Iranian Revolution (a: Persepolis) after complaints | TribLive (PA)

Wake school board panel upholds Cary High School decision to keep ‘Lawn Boy’ in library | WRAL-TV (NC)

Removing Books A Bad Precedent | The Dispatch (Worcester County, MD)

edited to correct a touchstone

Intellectual Freedom News 3/11/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-3-11-2022/

Legislation

Bill gives parents ability to review books headed to school library | KOLD (AZ)
-- Bill mandating parental oversight of school library books gets Senate panel OK | Arizona Capitol Times

Bill preventing divisive concepts like ‘critical race theory’ in K-12 schools fails | South Dakota Public Broadcasting

Mississippi legislators pass bill to prohibit critical race theory in schools | WAPT

Students gather at capitol to protest CRT bill | Georgia Tech Technique

‘This is not progress’: Memphis students oppose bills banning ‘obscene’ and LGBTQ books | Commercial Appeal (TN)

Pushback on anti-critical race theory bill continues | WLBT (MS)
-- Bill calling for educational institutions to not teach critical race theory on governor’s desk | Daily Journal (MS)

Book bans accelerate in Ohio as new bill aims to prohibit ‘controversial’ topics | News 5 Cleveland

Some parents applaud, teacher groups oppose passage of bill banning porn in schools | KJZZ (UT)

House committee advances bill prohibiting obscene or harmful reading material to be given to children | KTVB 7 (ID)
-- Librarians worry they could face criminal penalty under bill if kids obtain ‘harmful material’ | Idaho Capital Sun
-- Idaho lawmaker distributed a ‘secret folder’ before approving a bill. Here’s what it had | Idaho Statesman

Horry county parents join fight opposing anti-critical race theory bills in SC | Sun News

Florida legislature passes bill to restrict LGBTQ topics in elementary schools | Washington Post

Florida ban on critical race theory to get final vote, all amendments fail | WFLA

No ‘A Brave Little Cookie’? Randolph Bracy argues GOP bill could lead to ban of mother’s story | Florida Politics

School board term limits headed back to House after Senate change | Florida Politics

After banning ‘critical race theory,’ Oklahoma lawmakers seek further school curriculum restrictions | Public Radio Tulsa

Senate Anti-CRT bill taken up by first House committee | Weirton Daily Times (WV)

Indiana lawmakers abandon ban on ‘harmful’ library materials | U.S. News & World Report

Bill to prevent social media censoring passes Georgia Senate | Moultrie Observer

Commentary: Lafayette Library board censorship crusade is dangerous | KPEL

Librarians and school boards could face criminal penalties if ‘obscene’ books wind up in schools | WPLN (TN)
-- ‘Obscene’ books bill advances in Tennessee legislature | News Channel 5

International News

Ukraine’s libraries are offering bomb shelters, camouflage classes and, yes, books | NPR

Russia takes censorship to new extremes, stifling war coverage | New York Times
-- Russia instructs teachers to spread disinformation about Ukraine | Human Rights Watch
-- How to get real Ukraine news to Russians: This group is starting with programmatic ad tech | Fast Company
-- The Putin regime obliterates press freedom | Columbia Journalism Review
-- Russia, blocked from the Global Internet, plunges into digital isolation | New York Times

The war in Ukraine is keeping Chinese social media censors busy | WIRED
-- China erases thousands of social media accounts for vulgarity, negativity and more | NPR

European universities hit with Russian disinformation about student expulsions | Science Business

Freedom to read: Mein Kampf challenged at HCPL | The Echo – Halliburton County Canada

Around the Web

Seattle council floats using public library as emergency homeless shelter | My Northwest

Libraries Hiring Social Workers as Mental Health Issues and Homelessness Soar | Route Fifty

Fans defend Dolly Parton after legislator comments about Imagination Library | News Channel 5 Nashville

The fight over ‘Maus’ is part of a bigger cultural battle in Tennessee | New York Times

Savannah Arts Academy English teacher creates little library filled with banned books | Savannah Morning News

Groups pushing back on schools’ book censorship | 4 State News

Iowa City Public Library board supports intellectual freedom | Gazette

Large majority of Iowans think book-banning is un-American, poll shows | Iowa Starting Line

Little Free Library with LGBTQ+ books ransacked again | Boston.com

The Peoria Public Library tackles controversial issues and banned books in new book club for youths | WCBU (IL)

A key conservative instigator of the critical race theory controversies says he now wants to ‘bait’ the left into fights over Republican-led ‘transparency’ efforts in schools | Business Insider

Opinion: Teachers are under fire in increasingly bizarre ways | Washington Post

The Battle for the Soul of the Library: A Response | R. David Lankes

Intellectual Freedom News 3/18/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-3-18-2022/

Censorship

Keystone asked to remove 17 books from library | Clarion News (PA)

Bedford County School Board discusses books over “concerning content” | WDBJ (VA)
-- After review, Bedford County schools will not remove challenged books from school libraries | News & Advance (VA)

Is the Lafayette Parish library self-censoring books and movies or keeping them on shelves? | Acadiana Advocate (LA)

Woke PA’s book ban push comes to Central Bucks board meeting | Bucks County Courier Times (PA)

Hempfield school board shelves any changes to its library book policy and selections for now | TribLive (PA)

Foust addresses library book content (a: for 17 works) after parent questions | Hill Country Community Journal (TX)

Request for information on West Chester LGTBQ students raises concerns | Daily Local (PA)

Committee denies request to remove gay documentary (a: Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood) from Lafayette library | KATC (LA)

E-town school board considers ways to cut $1M from budget; opt-in system for controversial books discussed | Lancaster Online (PA)

Should banning books be up to Stamford’s school board? One member says yes, others disagree | Stamford Advocate (CT)

Ohio County Schools Superintendent Kim Miller: Parents will be heard on books | Wheeling News-Register (WV)

The insidious rise of ‘soft censorship’ | Book and Film Globe

Book challenges are becoming more frequent, driven in part by social media | TribLive (PA)

Hartmann: The Book-Banning Wentzville Mob Gets Uglier | Riverfront Times (MO)

Latest front in the culture wars: school library books | Pike County Courier (NY)
-- Book defenders and detractors take the floor as board grapples with lack of high school librarian | Pike County Courier (NY)

Forsyth County Schools planning for changes to media centers, book challenges in 2022-23 year | Forsyth County News (GA)

How Texas’ school censorship law is impacting classrooms | Texas Signal

NCAC and national teacher organizations’ statement on the freedom to teach | National Coalition Against Censorship

Hamilton County school board’s book review committee members make recommendations | Yahoo! News (TN)

‘Vulgar and obscene’: North East ISD pulls 110 books from libraries | San Antonio Express-News
-- NEISD releases list of books updated or replaced after review for appropriate content | KENS (TX)

School board upholds controversial book (a: Melissa's Story, Alex Gino), opponents vow to press on | The Pilot (NC)

Group prays for Jonesboro Craighead County Public Library | KAIT (AR)

Arizona GOP wants books like ‘The Canterbury Tales’ banned from schools | Newsweek

Wake County Library makes it harder to ban books | Indy Week (NC)

City of Ridgeland closer to restoring library services contract after funding hold | Mississippi Free Press

Voices: How censorship came to Lafayette | Current (LA)

The following sections' news did nothing good for my generalized anxiety. Please treat the headlines as content warnings if you are like me; the specifics of current state legislation are worse than headlines can get across in a few words.

Please also note if you are inclined to jump to the OIF blog to find the article link that I've moved headlines out of their original order to group state-specific news together.

=====

Intellectual Freedom News 3/18/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-3-18-2022/

Legislation

Florida lawmakers pass bill to create term limits for school boards, approval process for books | WTSP
-- Is that school book objectionable? Or this one? Legislature wants more people involved | Miami Herald
-- Florida bill makes it easier to ban school books. GOP swears it’s ‘transparency’: Editorial | Miami Herald

Florida senate passes GOP-backed ban on teaching students to ‘feel guilty’ for history | CNN
-- GOP-controlled FL senate approves HB 7; Dems say the bill falls on the wrong side of history | Florida Phoenix

The Biggest Lie About Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” Bill Erases One Crucial Word | Slate

Idaho house Republicans pass bill which could lead to prosecution of librarians for certain books | Yahoo! News
-- Editorial: Bill criminalizing librarians misses the mark | Idaho Press

HB666: Mark of the devil | Coeur d’Alene/ Post Falls Press (ID)

Legislation on local library boards moves out of the Senate | WEKU (KY)

Mississippi governor signs into law prohibition on schools teaching critical race theory | CNN

‘Divisive concepts’ bill may hurt AP courses; some fear they’ll be taken out of schools | WSYX (OH)

Bill banning ‘obscene’ books from public school libraries passes Okla. Senate | KXII

State Department of Education officially adopts rules for CRT law in Oklahoma schools | KFOR

‘Age-appropriate’ school library bill heads to Tennessee governor’s desk | Tennesseean

Anti-CRT bill one of several bills passed by House | Weirton Daily Times (WV)

Around the Web

Book bans are the new front in the culture wars. What’s really going on? | Deseret News

Want to understand the red-state onslaught? Look at Florida. | The Atlantic

Florida’s controversial anti-gay law sparks Disney censorship scandal | El Pais

Claims about ‘white genocide’ pushed Kansas City-area library leader to resign | Kansas City Star

There’s been an uptick in book challenges. How are N.H. librarians preparing? | New Hampshire Public Radio

We asked Texas Republicans banning books to define ‘pornography.’ Here’s what they told us | My San Antonio

Battles over book bans reflect conflicts from the 1980s | San Antonio Report (TX)

Texas’ traditionally sleepy school board races are suddenly attracting attention — and money | Texas Tribune

Texas students protest proposed book bans at State Capitol | Newsy

Family Literacy Night at Huntington East Middle to explore banned books | Herald-Dispatch (WV)

‘Librotraficantes’ fire up to fight latest attacks on race, ethnicity, LGBTQ studies | NBC News

The political benefit of book bans | NPR

PEN America receives $500,000 to fight book bans | Education Week

Republicans’ election strategy is to stoke fear about critical race theory | Herald-Times

A critic of critical race theory says the campaign against CRT is ‘abhorrent and dangerous and deeply disturbing’ | Current

Why the school wars still rage | New Yorker

College Board warns against censoring its AP courses | Education Week

Trump tells supporters they must fight to the death to stop schools from teaching kids about systemic racism | Vanity Fair

Barr sounds alarm about CRT, gender theory in American public schools | KATV

British publishers censor books for western readers to appease China | Financial Times

Education professors fight back against bans on divisive topics | Insight into Diversity

Book bans affect everybody — Here’s how you can help | Tor

I'm sorry about how late this message is. I've been overwhelmed with personal matters.

Here we go with the previous week's news. Headlines have been loosely grouped and ordered by location.

=====

Intellectual Freedom News 3/25/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-3-25-2022/

Censorship

Schools nationwide are quietly removing books from their libraries | Washington Post

Placentia-Yorba Linda School District trustees to ban critical race theory; criticism soars | Voice of OC (CA)

Library should not remove Pride Month display | Citrus County Chronicle (FL)

HB666 prompt debate at library meeting | Bonners Ferry Herald (ID)

Censor or ‘protect’? Residents debate if library should censor youth reading collections | Journal & Topics (IL)

SACS Board candidate organizing ‘book investigators’ to monitor, document titles on campus | WPTA (IN)

USD 450 rejects parents’ concerns over (a: four) inappropriate library books | Sentinel (KS)

How this Old Town school handled a request to ban a book on sexual assault (a: Milk and Honey) | Bangor Daily News (ME)

‘All Boys Aren’t Blue’ sparks book ban requests for school boards, mirroring national trend | Delmarva Now (MD)
-- Wicomico school system pulls controversial book | Dispatch (MD)
-- Maryland’s Wicomico County Public Schools remove All Boys Aren’t Blue from district libraries with no review | National Coalition Against Censorship

The tale of missing Little Queer Library books and a failed book ban in Waltham | GBH 89.7 (MA)

Mississippi teacher fired for reading unapproved picture book (a: I Need a New Butt!) to students | National Coalition Against Censorship
-- Appeal starts for school leader fired over ‘New Butt’ book | Kansas City Star

ELPL board discusses vacancies, concerns about intellectual freedom | East Lansing Info (MI)

School board votes for censorship in local high school | Oldies 95 (NY)

Viewpoint: Iredell-Statesville Schools takes common-sense approach to book challenges | Iredell Free News (NC)

Editorial: (Book) cancel culture comes to Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PA)

School book removal policies and procedures adopted | Valley Breeze (RI)

Kingsland librarian fired amid controversy over advisory board | Daily Trib (TX)

Complaints: Books challenged in Houston schools are ‘contrary to everything Christian,’ promote BLM | Houston Chronicle (TX)

Texas has seen a surge in requests to pull books from schools. Here are Houston’s numbers so far | Houston Chronicle

Give students ‘unabridged education,’ protesters say at Texas Capitol rally against book censorship | Austin American-Statesman

Rally for academic freedom: Denton ISD students petition district to keep diverse book titles | Dallas Observer (TX)

Llano County librarian loses job after not removing books | KXAN (TX)
-- Censorship controversy leads to ousting of Kingsland librarian | Highlander News (TX)

Granbury tells librarians to pull books related to sexuality, transgender topics | NBC DFW (TX)

Cedarburg School District to consider future use of book ‘Kite Runner’ in curriculum | TMJ4 (WI)

School district of Cadott considers removing some books | WEAU (WI)

Intellectual Freedom News 3/25/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-3-25-2022/

Legislation

Bill to ban books with descriptions of sex from Arizona schools moves forward | Raw Story

Legislature makes it easier to ban school books in Florida: Editorial | Sun-Sentinel

Georgia legislature drops effort to regulate USG teaching race, but K-12 proposals ongoing | Augusta Chronicle

Idaho House Republicans kill library budget, citing ‘harmful’ materials, pornography | Idaho Statesman

HB666 on pause in Senate | Coeur d’Alene/ Post Falls Press (ID)
-- Idaho Senate won’t vote on House bill to fine and jail librarians for obscenity | Reason

Johnson County librarians oppose Iowa bills looking to change intellectual freedom | Daily Iowan

Kentucky’s education system could face a shift if these 3 bills pass. Here’s the breakdown | Lexington Herald-Leader

From libraries to police training: Controversial Ohio education bill goes beyond classroom | Columbus Dispatch

Access

Art books, GQ, ‘Game of Thrones,’ Scientology: New England prisons ban thousands of books | Providence Journal

Incarcerated people have few ways to fight back against censorship in prisons | Prism

Around the Web

Opinion: Book bans are about winning elections, not protecting children | Austin American Statesman

Why the school wars still rage | New Yorker

Maryland suburban school board races ‘fertile ground’ for conservative activists angered by COVID-19 mandates | Baltimore Sun

Maine library fights book-banning trend by seeking out controversial titles | Newsweek

As book bans target LGBTQ+ writers and writers of color, here’s what banned books we’re reading | Ms. Magazine

Critical race theory in schools: How can American history be taught otherwise?: Column | News Leader

Book bans and the threat of censorship rev up political activism in the suburbs | NPR

How Springfield school board candidates view efforts to ban books from schools | Springfield News-Leader

Cruz and Jackson spar over antiracism curriculum at a private school | New York Times

Progressives are resisting rightwing book banning campaigns — and are winning | Guardian

‘It’s a culture war that’s totally out of control’: The authors whose books are being banned in US schools | Guardian

‘Teach the Truth’ campaign aims to battle book bans, censorship in Texas schools | Dallas Morning News

Culture wars could be coming to a school board near you | Time

Sonoma Index-Tribune Editorial: Racist graffiti at Sonoma Valley Regional Library is hate crime | Press Democrat (CA)

Intellectual Freedom News 4/1/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-4-1-2022/

Censorship

Map: Where anti-critical race theory efforts have reached | ABC News

CRT debate repeats past battles about state history textbooks | Hechinger Report (AL)

Working group to study allegations of explicit library books | Times-Union (ID)

Park Ridge residents debate what’s appropriate for teen LGBT, sexuality books in library | Chicago Tribune (IL)

Parent wants some books banned in a Johnson County school district. Board says no | Kansas City Star (KS)

New Orleans school board reverses little known ban on jazz | KXXV (LA)

Opinion column gets Lafayette resident kicked off library committee | Acadiana Advocate (LA)

Questions arise after controversial ‘Gender Queer’ book surfaces at Perry Hall High School library | Nottingham (MD)

‘Redeployment,’ Acclaimed Book of War Stories, Banned in Some Maryland Schools | Coffe or Die Magazine

Ridgeland leaders to withhold funding library until memorandum is signed | WJTV (MS)

This book (a: The Girl Who Fell From the Sky) caused a stir for some Charlotte parents. Students picked it. | Charlotte Observer (NC)

Onekama parents voice concerns over novel (a: Copper Sun) | Manistee News (OK)

LASD parent claims ‘legitimate concern’ to ban books | Gettysburg Times (PA)

Amid nationwide challenges to sexually explicit books, West Chester school district keeps ‘Gender Queer’ | Philadelphia Inquirer (PA)

Misuse of books reported at the Sharpsburg Community Library | TribLive (PA)

Llano library advisory board decides to meet in private | Axios (TX)

‘Angry’ Keller ISD parents have challenged 33 books, including the Bible, since October | WFAA (TX)

NCAC criticizes Texas state representative Patterson’s attempt to bully his state’s educators to censor school books | National Coalition Against Censorship

School district in Prosper, Texas, removes 30 books in violation of procedure | National Coalition Against Censorship

Controversial Books Continue To Be Topic Of Public Comment At County School Board Meetings | Daily News Record (VA)

Cadott school board makes final decision on possible book removals | WEAU (WI)

Intellectual Freedom News 4/1/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-4-1-2022/

Legislation

The librarians uniting to battle school book ban laws | ABC News

Anti-CRT bills are aimed to incite the GOP base—not parents | Brookings

‘Victims of Communism Day’ mandate for schools heading to governor’s desk | Florida Phoenix

DeSantis signs bill intensifying scrutiny of school library books and imposing 12-year limit on school board terms | Flagler Live (FL)

Virginia is about to enact a Florida-style law censoring LGBTQ2S+ education in schools | Xtra Magazine

The state(s) of ‘Don’t Say Gay’ and other school censorship efforts | Advocate

Georgia House passes bill that changes the way books get banned in schools | Atlanta Voice
-- Georgia lawmakers want to take the ‘local’ out of our libraries | Georgia Recorder

Bill to ban ‘obscene’ books in school libraries passes Tennessee House | Action News 5
-- Tennessee House advances school book scrutiny bill | AP
-- Parents’ opinions differ on bill allowing school board members to deem books ‘obscene’ | Local News 3 (TN)

Around the Web

In ‘social-emotional learning,’ right sees more critical race theory | Washington Post

Opinion column gets Lafayette resident kicked off library committee | The Advocate (LA)

A student’s voice on critical race theory in schools | Record-Courier (NV)

Schools have become the latest culture war battleground. Are public libraries next? | KSL (UT)

Furor over CRT, pulling books is “manufactured crisis”: Dallas ISD leader | NBC DFW (TX)

Opinion: Book bans are about winning elections, not protecting children | Austin American-Statesman (TX)

Alice Walker disinvited to Bay Area book festival for anti-Israel views | Forward

Index on Censorship, inspired by Soviet dissidents, marks 50 years of fighting for free speech | Guardian

Intellectual Freedom News 4/8/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-4-8-2022/

Censorship

Efforts to ban books jumped an ‘unprecedented’ four-fold in 2021, ALA report says | OPB/NPR
-- Book challenges reach record highs | Book and Film Globe
-- Book banning efforts surged in 2021. These titles were the most targeted. | New York Times
-- Book banning and threats against librarians soared over past year, report shows | Huff Post/AP
-- In a record year for book ban attempts, ALA says these 10 books were challenged most | NPR

Follett reverses course on parental controls for customers facing censorship legislation | Publishers Weekly
-- School library software tests parent-controlled censorship system | Input

More books are banned than ever before, as Congress takes on the issue | Washington Post
-- Chairman Raskin to hold hearing on politically motivated efforts to ban books and censor free speech in schools and public libraries | House Committee on Oversight and Reform
-- Midstate students, librarian testifies at banned books hearing | WHTM

Alabama civil rights speaker says she was snubbed by Florida school over CRT fears | AL.com

Board votes to ban critical race theory in Placentia-Yorba Linda school district | Los Angeles Times (CA)

Adams 12 parent complains about graphic books (a: Gender Queer and Lawn Boy), 1 of them in school library | KDVR (CO)

Parents livid over ‘explicit’ books in Ga. schools, one mom banned from board meetings | WSET

Despite challenge, Kan. school district won’t remove Bible form libraries, classrooms | Salina Post

Francis Howell School Board candidates talk critical race theory, controversial books | KMOV (MO)

Author of Pulitzer Prize-winning Attica history (a: Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising and Its Legacy by Heather Ann Thompson) suing New York over ban on book in prisons | Rochester Democrat & Chronicle

Protesters accuse Wake of having obscene books in schools: ‘There is no excuse’ | News & Observer (NC)

Hudson school board set to vote on whether ‘Gender Queer’ can return to library bookshelf | Akron Beacon Journal (OH)

Sharpsburg Library says someone is moving books around in possible attempt at censorship | KDKA (PA)

Williamson County Schools temporarily removes library app over social justice book (a: An ABC of Equality) | Tennessean

Wilson County board keeps books in school libraries | WSMV (TN)

Texas Senate committees ordered to review university tenure, public school library books | KERA News

Anti-censorship group slams Rep. Jared Patterson’s book ban quest | Dallas Morning News (TX)

NCAC objects to removal of library books in Texas school district | National Coalition Against Censorship

Controversial books continue to be topic of public comment at county school board meetings | Daily News-Record (VA)

Warren County supervisor says ‘inappropriate’ books spark parents’ concerns | Northern Virginia Daily

Ridgeland board, library yet to come to agreement | Online Madison (WI)

Intellectual Freedom News 4/8/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-4-8-2022/

Legislation

Constitutional ban on ‘critical race theory’ in Arizona schools, universities is one vote away from the November ballot | The 74

Florida ‘curriculum transparency’ law draws ire from LGBTQ+ activists | Bay News 9

Georgia Senate votes to limit discussions on race in public schools | Ebony
-- School censorship bills clear both Georgia chambers | St. Clair News-Aegis

Indiana lawmakers forgo bill restricting school library materials | Ballotpedia

Now Republicans are defunding libraries | Idaho State Journal
-- Lawmakers are forming a committee to investigate the library menace. Why stop there? | Idaho Statesman

Opponents of Mississippi’s anti-critical race theory law fear whitewashing of history | Guardian

Organizers condemn anti-critical race theory bills as another is introduced | FOX 28 (SC)

South Dakota restricts teaching of critical race theory | CNN

Reading list: CRT and book bans in Tennessee schools | Chalkbeat
-- Tennessee students: CRT laws promote bias in school, hurt mental health | Chalkbeat

Texas Senate committee ordered to review university tenure, public school library books | KERA/NPR

Two bipartisan bills would protect kids and teens from Instagram | The Hill

International News

Canadian agency says it’s observed ‘numerous Russia-backed disinformation campaigns’ | The Hill

Canada’s Supreme Court declines to overturn the country’s first anti-piracy web-block | Complete Music Update

‘I won’t stop talking’: Ukrainians in China fight disinformation | France 24

India blocks 22 YouTube channels over alleged disinformation | La Prensa Latina

Marlborough’s libraries don’t censor books just because someone takes offence | Stuff (New Zealand)

Around the Web

Critical race theory sticking point among Arkansas Senate District 22 candidates | Arkansas Online

Riverside bookstore hosts Drag Queen Story Time despite opposition | Press-Enterprise (CA)

How a diverse coalition in a red state shut down anti-CRT legislation | CNN (IN)

10 Black writers’ names are added to Central Library’s limestone engravings | Indianapolis Star

Johnson County librarians share opposition to book banning | Daily Iowan

Voters cite critical race theory, book bans, teacher pay in Springfield school board votes | Springfield News-Leader (MO)

Missoula library board letter emphasizes stance against censorship | NBC Montana

Imagine IF Library Board Affirms Decision to Not Appeal Loss of Funding | Flathead Beacon (MT)

Kalispell’s ImagineIF Library faces lack of donor confidence | NBC Montana

Speak up for school librarians in Ohio | The People’s Defender

Anti-CRT candidate, former state school board member on shortlist for Ohio’s new education superintendent | LimaOhio.com

Library offers special morning hours for homeless people | Mail Tribune (OR)

Arlington Public Library takes a stand against banning books in schools | FOX 5 DC

‘An Assault on Many Fronts’: Students, parents, employees and administrators at historically Black colleges and universities are wrestling with the mental health challenges caused by repeated bomb threats. | Inside Higher Ed

Opinion: Critical race theory is just the latest political boogeyman | Deseret News

The viral classroom Nazi salute video has an even darker backstory. I lived it | Rolling Stone

A book list for teens who refuse to be told what they can’t read | KCUR/NPR

The banning of Persepolis to be turned into its own graphic novel | Bleeding Cool

Despite rising ‘book bans,’ queer romance novels have never been more popular | Teen Vogue

These kids’ authors are telling the stories of trans youth. Book bans won’t stop them | NPR

Impact of censorship discussed at Bexley Public Library event | Columbus Dispatch (OH)

Nikole Hannah-Jones calls wave of book bans inevitable backlash to 2020 protests | Bloomberg

Hall pass: Your ticket to understanding school board politics, edition #7 | Ballotpedia

Intellectual Freedom News 4/15/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-4-15-2022/

Censorship

U.S. schools pull more than 1,000 book titles in ‘unparalleled’ censorship bid, report finds | Reuters

New report from PEN America: “Banned in the USA”; 1,586 school book bans and restrictions in 86 school districts across 26 states | Library Journal
-- Florida has 3rd largest number of school book ban incidents | NBC Miami
-- Pa. school district leads nation with most banned books: report | PHL 17

‘Educators are afraid,’ says teacher attacked for ‘Romeo and Juliet’ unit | Washington Post

Polk book panels approve ‘Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close’ and ‘It’s Perfectly Normal’ | Ledger (FL)

Osceola schools pull four books for review, give parents library options for kids | Orlando Sentinel (FL)
-- ‘I can’t stand this filth’: Osceola school library books under review, parents demand removal | Click Orlando
-- Osceola County Schools pulls contested books from libraries | Spectrum News 13

Osceola County Schools might ban four books from school libraries | WUSF (FL)

‘Thirteen Reasons Why’ and ‘Real Live Boyfriends’ OK’d by panels for Polk County schools | The Ledger (FL)

Antioch school district turns the page on book challenge (a: of Gender Queer: A Memoir) | Chicago Tribune (IL)

OHS board visitors say Afghanistan book (a: The Kite Runner) is too raunchy for school | WCMY (IL)

Book (a: All Boys Aren’t Blue) remains in library after second challenge | KSAL (KS)

Money spat resolved over LGBTQ books at Mississippi library | ABC News
-- Ridgeland Agrees to Renew Payments to Library System After LGBTQ Book Standoff | Mississippi Free Press

Southwest Missouri high school teacher accused of using critical race theory loses job | Springfield News-Leader

Petition to reverse book ban (a: of Gender Queer: A Memoir) in the Wappingers Central School District gains traction | News 12 (NJ)

Some parents in Wayne Township fighting to ban selected books from school libraries | CBS News (NY)

I-SS to conduct official review of less than a dozen books in response to parental challenge of 75 titles | Iredell Free News (NC)

I-SS board critic says inappropriate books are leading children down ‘path of Sodom and Gomorrah’ | Iredell Free News (NC)

An author (a: Jason Tharp) was set to read his unicorn book (a: It’s Okay to Be a Unicorn!) to students. The school forbade it. | Washington Post
-- Buckeye Valley holds school board meeting after book controversy | WBNS (OH)

School board talks book policy | Claremore Daily Progress (OK)

Enid library leaders vote to change policies about LGBTQ displays | KOCO (OK)

Librarians, parents weigh in on Hempfield’s library book policy as some titles are questioned | Trib Live (PA)

Cumberland Valley to review 3 books in school library being challenged as unsuitable for kids | Penn Live (PA)

New TEA guidelines adopted to assess ‘inappropriate’ books inside Texas schools, citing Abbott | KXXV
-- Statewide Standards – Policy Regarding Library Content | Texas Education Agency

Intellectual Freedom News 4/15/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-4-15-2022/

Legislation

KY lawmakers killed bill to hand libraries over to politicians. Then they revived it. | Kentucky.com

Maryland Gives Up on Its Library E-book Law | Publishers Weekly

House debate heats up over ‘Parents’ Bill of Rights’ | Columbia Missourian

Gov. Tony Evers vetoes Republican education bills related to ethnic studies, charters, masking | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI)

Florida’s not alone — 19 other states eye LGBTQ school bills | NBC News
-- Anti-LGBTQ bills prompt firestorm of criticism from civil liberty organizations | Alabama Political Reporter

Book banning and censorship highlighted in Congressional hearing | Erie News Now (PA)

Around the Web

A library system announces a program to challenge the tide of book bannings | NPR
-- Brooklyn Public Library launches campaign against state book bans | Teen Vogue

LGBTQIA+ Titles Got the Worst of the Latest Wave of Book Censorship | The Mary Sue

Here Are The 5 Most Commonly Banned LGBTQ+ Books Of 2021 | IN Magazine

York County students help orchestrate first national book read-in | WGAL (PA)

How prevalent are book bans this year? New data show impact | Education Week

Critical race theory clash at Lakota: Two board members say leadership could be affected | WCPO (OH)

What comes after school boards ban your book | Columbus Alive

How the fight over critical race theory became a religious war | Dispatch

John Krull column: Land of the muted and home of the scared | Kokomo Tribune

School librarians speak out against book bannings and censorship | WBUR

APSU dean and BGSU professor release new book on First Amendment rights in schools | Clarksville Now

‘A library for all:’ Hundreds vote in Hudson Library board elections | Akron Beacon Journal (OH)

Public library advocates respond to book ban challenges | Spectrum News 1 (OH)

The parents fighting for diverse books | Romper

Students counter censorship attempts with banned books clubs | School Library Journal

Teachers vote to strike after gay author (Simon James Green) banned from Catholic school | Bookseller

Intellectual Freedom News 4/22/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-4-22-2022/

Censorship

Censorship battles’ new frontier: Your public library | Washington Post

How Ron DeSantis could wind up dictating your kids’ textbooks | Time
-- Florida rejects math books with ‘references’ to critical race theory | Washington Post
-- Florida schools grapple with questions after state rejects historic number of math books | Palm Beach Post

58 books removed from Walton County School’s libraries causes controversy | WJHG (FL)
-- Outlander and Normal People among 58 books ‘banned’ by Florida’s Walton County | National

Florida school district removes Call Me Max and I Am Jazz from libraries | National Coalition Against Censorship

School board approves 4 of 11 math textbooks after DeSantis’ crackdown on critical race theory | Gainesville Sun (FL)

Shawnee Heights among Kansas school districts divided on debate to ban ‘inappropriate’ library books | Topeka Capital-Journal

Library board must vote again on some items, revise bylaws to comply with state Open Meetings law | Acadiana Advocate (LA)

Lafayette library won’t remove Hollywood sexual liaisons DVD (a: Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood), will require ID to borrow it | Daily Advertiser (LA)

After some parents raise concerns, Madison County Schools places books in ‘restricted circulation’ Mississippi Today

Library book selection discussion continues | Webster-Kirkwood Times (MO)

Some N.J. schools under siege from those trying to get books on race, LGBTQ+ pulled from shelves | NJ.com

Controversial book (a: Gender Queer: A Memoir) under review | Suffolk County News (NY)

Oklahoma library cancels adult romance book club after board bans sexual content | The Week

Salem-Keizer denies request to ban anti-racism book ‘Stamped (for Kids)’ | Salem Statesman Journal (OR)

Central Bucks students say district killed production of musical ‘Rent’ | Philadelphia Inquirer (PA)

Canyon ISD discusses new TEA guidelines for evaluating, removing books in school libraries | Amarillo Globe-News (TX)

McKinney mayor pushes back against efforts to ban books | Spectrum News 1 (TX)

ACLU demands Houston-area school districts to stop removing books and apologize to students | Houston Chronicle

School board debates the use of ‘detrimental’ book (a: Walk Two Moons) in new middle school class | Suffolk News-Herald (VA)

Judging a book by its cover: School board declines to approve controversial social studies textbook (a: Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy, 2020 Presidential Election Edition) | Williamsburg Yorktown Daily (VA)

‘Everywhere Babies,’ a picture book celebrating infants, just got banned | Washington Post

Intellectual Freedom News 4/22/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-4-22-2022/

Legislation

Missouri Legislative Black Caucus blasts effort to censor Black History | KPVI News

Missouri house passes bill on race, parents’ roles in school | KY3/AP

Local library directors concerned over new Kentucky bill | WCHS

Kansas gov. Laura Kelly rejects ‘parents bill of rights’ amid school curriculum debate | Topeka Capital-Journal

International News

Why did Durham’s school board remove this Indigenous children’s book from its libraries? | Toronto Star (Ontario, Canada)

Web3 tech helps banned books on piracy site Library Genesis slip through the Great Firewall’s cracks, but for how long? | South China Morning Post

China internet censors scramble as lockdown frustration sparks ‘creative’ wave of dissent | Guardian

‘Systematic censorship’ of Palestinian content on social media alarms many | Jordan Times

Biff, Chip and Kipper book accused online of ‘racist’ depiction of the Middle East | Middle East Eye

Around the Web

Alexandria superintendent weighs in on CRT debate, calls for ending policing in schools | WJLA (VA)

Students rally in response to Fairfax schools superintendent selection process | WDVM (VA)

Two high school students who fought a book ban and won are featured at Penn TEDx conference | Philadelphia Inquirer (PA)

Michigan Democrat blasts GOP ‘groomer’ slurs and school censorship efforts in powerful speech: ‘We will not let hate win’ | Independent

Florida Gov. DeSantis wants Disney to face his ‘censorship’ law | Protocol

Ron DeSantis has taken Trump’s playbook — and made it much more dangerous | NBC News

Public libraries unwittingly offered ‘hate’ books through a private service | WGBH

Far-right campaigns targeting anti-racist education aren’t as grassroots as they appear | Prism Reports

Intellectual Freedom News 4/29/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-4-29-2022/

Censorship

Latino authors, activists set to caravan against book bans | NBC News

California school district cancels student production of ‘be more chill’ | National Coalition Against Censorship

Florida Freedom to Read Project weighs in on DOE textbook rejections | Spectrum News 9
-- What textbooks were deemed inappropriate by the Florida Department of Education | WINK

A Florida school district banned a rhyming picture book with illustrations of babies playing and sleeping (a: Everywhere Babies) | Business Insider

Florida nonprofit group wants children’s book ‘Everywhere Babies’ banned for LGBTQ imagery | USA Today

Florida’s book bans: Which titles are being pulled from school media centers? | Ledger

‘Trash’ or free speech? Parents debate what kind of books are appropriate for Hall students | Gainesville Times (FL)

Walton schools pull 24 books deemed ‘extremely age-inappropriate’ and ‘harmful’ off shelves | Northwest Florida Daily News

Book battle erupts in a Georgia school district. Will more follow? | Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Ban those books? The debate over ‘obscene’ books in school libraries comes to Savannah | Savannah Now
-- 9 Savannah school library books are called ‘obscene.’ Which books and how many students read them? | Savannah Morning News (GA)

OCSD suspends controversial novel (a: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian) | Ottumwa Courier (IA)

Community members argue for ‘challenged books’ at school board | Indianola Independent Advocate (IA)

Local Activist, Ridgeland Mayor Distance from ‘Hate Group’ in Censorship Controversy | Mississippi Free Press

Mississippi school district places restrictions on more than 20 books after parents raise concerns | Magnolia State Live

Anonymous email, library book ban at forefront of Ramsey board meeting | Patch (NJ)

Wake school board rejects book challenge. Parent called book sexually explicit | Herald-Sun (NC)
-- Wake schools panel votes to keep ‘Out of Darkness’ in Cary High library after parent petition | WRAL (NC)

Emails from Buckeye Valley school board members shed new light on book (a: It's Okay to be a Unicorn!) controversy | WSYX (OH)

Enid residents feel ‘censored’ by new library policy | Fox25 (OK)

Graphic novel (a: The Handmaid's Tale) removed from North Medford HS | Yahoo! News (OR)

Anti-LGBTQ flyers target West Chester Area School District’s book collection | WHYY (PA)

Parents raise concerns about Black Lives Matter, critical race theory in Elanco district | Lancaster Online (PA)

Residents sue Llano County officials, library director, board members to end book bans | Texas Tribune
-- Texas library censorship violates First Amendment, federal lawsuit says | Houston Chronicle
-- Texas residents sue county for removing books, firing librarian | Washington Post

Canyon ISD board hears public comments on library materials | Amarillo Globe-News (TX)

Leander students, parents gather to support freedom of choice in school libraries | KVUE (TX)

Grapevine-Colleyville school leaders confront controversial proposal on critical race theory, gender | Dallas Morning News (TX)

ACLU demands San Antonio’s North East ISD end ban on 110 books it removed from its libraries | San Antonio Current (TX)

Campbell County school board bans teaching critical race theory | WSLS (VA)
-- Questions raised over Campbell County banning CRT, ‘inherently divisive concepts’ | WSET (VA)

IW school board changes policy for challenging books, resources | Smithfield Times (VA)

Intellectual Freedom News 4/29/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-4-29-2022/

Legislation

DeSantis signs ‘intellectual freedom,’ Stop WOKE law; critics say it’s racist and unconstitutional | Florida Phoenix
-- Florida’s anti-CRT ‘Stop WOKE’ Act faces lawsuit immediately after being signed into law | Orlando Weekly
-- DeSantis signs bill restricting discussions of race and gender in workplace as critics call it unconstitutional | Flagler Live
-- DeSantis signs raft of bills cheered by Republicans: targeting Disney, approving new congressional map, and restricting how schools teach racism | CNN

Kemp to sign GOP school bills on race, book bans, and parents’ rights | Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA)

Law signed by Gov. Kemp limits who can file complaints on school library books | 11Alive News (GA)

Ohio House Bill 616 seems to do opposite of backing ‘free and fair discussion’ in schools | Akron Beacon Journal

Tennessee lawmakers pass K-12 library oversight, end session | KTAR News
-- (TN) School library bill advances, sponsor suggests book burning | Washington Post
-- After book burning comment, Tennessee lawmakers vote to let state veto library materials | Chalkbeat Tennessee
-- Tennessee passes controversial library bill giving textbook panel final say over challenged books | Nashville Tennessean

House to vote on education material censorship bill | WSMV (TN)

Copyright

Not so Smart: The SMART Copyright Act’s Dangerous Approach to Online Copyright Protection | Public Knowledge

Around the Web

Biden says Americans should stop targeting teachers, banning books | Reuters

I wrote the ninth most banned book in America (a: This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson). That sucks | The New Statesman

‘Porn report’ defames acclaimed Florida author (a: Lauren Groff) | The Sun Sentinel

Outlander’s Diana Gabaldon hits back after book ‘ban’ at Florida’s Walton County schools | National

Every teen in the US can now get free access to banned books | Vice

Commentary: Across America, Students Must Learn All History | Post Group News

The Right’s LGBTQ+ Books Ban—And the Fight to Stop Them | The Progressive

What are book bans really about? Fear. | Flagler Live

Banning books to save kids? Please. Bullets are more dangerous. | Washington Post

Critical race theory in colleges: How it can help empower students of color | Teen Vogue

Censoring books is bad for students, teachers, and democracy | Chicago Sun-Times

Opinion: The insanity of Ron DeSantis’s book-banning | Washington Post

Florida man asks schools to ban Bible following the state’s efforts to remove books | NPR

All 200+ Books Banned in Florida and What Miami Booksellers Have to Say About It | Miami New Times

SCBOE candidates answer questions about CRT, transgender students during town hall | WNEG (GA)

ROWVA board accused of not hiring teacher due to her statements supporting challenged book (a: The Hate U Give) | Register-Mail (IL)

Another Lafayette library board member submits resignation | Acadiana Advocate (LA)

To be or not to be: Local school systems in Davidson County outline policy to remove books from libraries | The Dispatch (NC)

P’burg schools aren’t teaching critical race theory despite GOP candidates’ claims — letter | Lehigh Valley Live (PA)

Hundreds of books were banned in Pennsylvania over a nine-month period | WESA

Grove City College (PA) denies ‘going woke,’ CRT in new report | Progress News

Texas Library Association draws thousands to Fort Worth, ignites book ban debate | WFAA
-- Texas librarians: Book bans are a political power play and your kids are the pawns | Fort Worth Star-Telegram

These are the books school systems don’t want you to read, and why | Washington Post

A new thread (continuation of this one) will start next week.

The continuation linking feature is not yet available for this thread. I guess we should continue to scroll, scroll, scroll until it is.

Intellectual Freedom News 5/6/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-5-6-2022/

Censorship

Books restricted, removed in MS, IA, OR, and FL districts; ‘Out of Darkness’ stays at NC high school — Censorship roundup | School Library Journal

Fla. law made school book bans easier. So one man challenged the Bible. | Washington Post

Florida reintroduces math textbooks scrubbed of ‘woke’ content | Washington Post

Reviewers of math textbooks make comments on race, climate change, Federalist Papers | Miami Herald {FL}

Polk County book review panels approve 3 books on LGBTQ topics for school libraries | Ledger (FL)

Liberty Lake city council will decide if ‘Gender Queer’ book should be removed from library | KXLY (ID)
-- Liberty Lake city council votes to retain controversial book ‘Gender Queer’ | Spokesman-Review (ID)

Salina school board: Challenged book {a: All Boys Aren't Blue} will remain in the library | Hays Post (KS)

After some parents raise concerns, Madison County Schools places books in ‘restricted circulation’ | Mississippi Today

Nixa High School has fielded 17 requests to remove books from its library since February | Springfield News Leader (MO)

Davidson parents want books banned | High Point Enterprise (NC)

Enid city council to discuss ‘possible lawsuit’ over library policy Tuesday | Enid News and Eagle (OK)

RCAS board delays decision on destroying books, seeks legal counsel | Rapid City Journal (SD)
-- Rapid City school board to vote on destroying 5 book titles | Argus Leader (SD)
-- Author offers to buy ‘to be destroyed’ books for South Dakota high school seniors | LaCrosse Tribune
-- Book ban in Rapid City schools could set disturbing precedent | South Dakota Public Broadcasting

Prosper Parent Group Is Reading And Reviewing Banned Books | Local Profile (TX)

Book Brawl: RISD decides which books are appropriate | Lake Highlands Advocate (TX)

Williamsburg-James City Council School Board reverses decision on textbook{s} purchase | Daily Press (VA)

Wausau School Board removes “sensitive topics” for grade school students amid concerns over political influence | Wausau Pilot & Review (WI)

Parent petitions SFAUSD to remove book {a: Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe} from district | WEAU (WI)

Intellectual Freedom News 5/6/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-5-6-2022/

Legislation

‘Political antics’: Democrats take aim at Kemp’s education bill signing blitz | WABE (GA)

New Maine GOP platform includes banning sex education, ‘critical race theory’ in schools | WGME

SC public library leaders fight proposal banning sexual books from children’s section | Palmetto Politics
-- Richland Library could lose $1M yearly, small libraries ‘devastated’ if SC passes amendment | State

TN politics: Lawmakers approve partisan commission to ban school library books | WKNO
-- Public school advocates raise objections to book banning bill | Newsbreak (TN)
-- Gov. Lee plans to sign school library book scrutiny bill | Local Memphis (TN)

International News

Cree author {David A. Robertson} questions why Durham District School Board removed his book from shelves | CBC {Canada}

Outspoken market analyst’s Chinese social media accounts suspended | Japan Times

Shanghai is rewriting Chinese censorship amid lockdown | WIRED

Punjab School Education Board bans three history books for portraying Sikhs in poor light | Tribune India

Around the Web

How a debut graphic memoir {Gender Queer} became the most banned book in the country | New York Times

Why books get banned | The Christian Century

Whitman’s ‘Leaves of Grass’ was banned — and cost him his federal job | Washington Post

Children’s book authors are fighting back against censorship and book bans | Truthout

Book bans will target marginalized readers, librarians say | WKNO

Teens fight for the right to read with ‘banned-book clubs’ and lawsuits | Washington Post

Garfield County Libraries welcome new executive director, Jamie LaRue | Post Independent {CO}

Taxpayers sue Florida governor over anti-Disney law | Courthouse News

Opinion: OK, no indoctrination in public schools … wait, unless it’s pro-Christian? | Des Moines Register {IA}

Minnesota school boards see unprecedented wave of resignations | Axios Twin Cities

Nashville library debuts ‘I read banned books’ cards amid censorship efforts | Guardian (TN)

‘Age-appropriate’ books, history, and CRT: What you need to know about the Tennessee curriculum debate | Chalkbeat Tennessee

San Antonio delegation protests book ban in Austin | CBS Austin {TX}

Houston school board races emerge as ‘new battleground’ over critical race theory, book bans | Houston Chronicle {TX}

In a Houston Suburb, Book Bans Fuel a Bitter School Board Race | Texas Monthly

Author Nic Stone discusses her banned book, ‘Dear Martin’ | WJBF

Opinion: Our book on puberty has been banned. This only puts kids at risk. | Washington Post {page not found}

Intellectual Freedom News 5/13/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-5-13-2022/

Censorship

Banning books: Are certain books being removed from Arkansas classrooms and libraries? | THV11

Column: Cops, not books? This town’s library may become a police station | Los Angeles Times {CA}

Indian River County School District officials cleared of charges after book lawsuit | WPBF {FL}

I-TEAM: Newly released documents reveal which items were flagged as critical race theory in textbooks | News 4 Jax
-- Mystery solved? Florida reveals why it rejected math books over critical race theory | Politico
-- Florida math textbook reviewers made comments on race, climate change, records show | Tampa Bay Times
-- DeSantis accused textbooks of ‘indoctrination.’ Here’s what he meant. | Washington Post

Brevard school board to vote on library books, student restraints and public speaking | Florida Today

Uhlfelder protests Walton schools’ book ban, calling it ‘government overreach and suppression’ | Northwest Florida Daily News

Polk Schools leaders to discuss future of 16 books pulled from campus libraries | WFTS (FL)

Nampa school board pulls 24 books from district shelves, book bans sparking national debate | Idaho News 6
-- Nampa school board votes to remove 22 books ‘forever’ from school libraries | Idaho Press

NACS board approves three math textbooks, rejects one due to “inappropriate content” | WBOI (IN)

Woman wants Kansas library to get rid of children’s book about boy who dresses in mom’s clothes {Fred Gets Dressed} | Kansas Reflector

Newton school board considers creating panel to screen books for objectionable content | Wichita Eagle (KS)
-- Newton superintendent wants stricter book review process | The Wichita Eagle

Mississippi school board upholds firing over ‘New Butt’ book | ABC News

Kansas City {MO} high school board bans LGBTQ support stickers and cards, prompting backlash | USA Today

‘Gender Queer’ to stay on school library shelf, Hudson board of education decides | Akron Beacon Journal (OH)

Book ban? Two Milford parents request withdrawal of 10th-grade novel due to sexual content | Fox 19 (OH)
-and-
Ohio Parents Demand Milford Schools Ban Historical Novel, In the Time of the Butterflies | The Daily Beast

Penncrest vote on library books delayed due to board member’s racial concerns | Meadville Tribune {PA}

Book ban in Rapid City schools could set disturbing precedent | SDPB {SD}

Superintendent removing books for sexual content, but opponents say it is educational | KTVT/WKRC (TX)

After media firestorm, library book controversy at Granbury ISD smolders as citizens continue complex task of review | Texan
-- Constables investigate book complaint at Granbury High School | CBS DFW (TX)
-- Superintendent removing books for sexual content, but opponents say it is educational | Local 12 (TX)

North East ISD will replace some books featuring LGBTQ+ characters with straight ones. Here’s how | KERA News (TX)

Utah AG gives guidance to schools on library books | KJZZ
-- Removing school library books could violate students’ First Amendment rights Utah AG’s Memo States | Deseret News
-- Attorney General Memo – State of Utah: Laws pertaining to school library books in Utah

New school principals announced; school library books called into question | Winchester Star (VA)

Henrico parent withdraws request for review of youth novel {A Good Kind of Trouble} | Henrico Citizen (VA)

Madison County school board discusses ban of critical race theory, gender and sexuality discussions | NBC 29 (VA)

Virginia Beach school board to remove ‘Gender Queer’ novel off bookshelves | WAVY (VA)

Woman demands city council ban award-winning LGBTQ book {Gender Queer: A Memoir} from {WA} public library – They refused | NCRM

GOP senators urge TV ratings board to warn viewers of ‘disturbing’ LGBTQ content | NBC News

Conservative parents take aim at library apps meant to expand access to books | NBC News

Top Navy Admiral Quietly Removes ‘Woke’ Books From CNO Reading List | gCaptain

Intellectual Freedom News 5/13/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-5-13-2022/

First Amendment, Free Speech, & Civil Liberties

How a 40-year-old Supreme Court ruling may quash the book banning wave | Freedom Forum

Protests outside homes of Supreme Court Justices bring scope of civil liberties into focus | WTOP

History shows that the First Amendment should protect abortion | Washington Post

Jewish communities react to the possible overturning of Roe v. Wade, which could violate their First Amendment rights | Business Insider

Gov. Abbott says Texas may contest a Supreme Court ruling on migrant education | NPR

City settles free-speech lawsuit, changes social media policy | 4WWL (LA)

Palo Alto will not advance hate-speech law | Palo Alto Online

Journalism & Media

Florida school yearbook on hold over student protest photos | ABC News
-- Seminole County school board reverses decision to censor ‘don’t say gay’ protest yearbook photos | Orlando Sentinel
-- Seminole yearbook dispute reveals pain to come — Editorial | Orlando Sentinel

Hawaii student journalists are poised to gain press freedom guarantees | Honolulu Civil Beat

Texas high school censors “well written and legally clean” editorial about drug searching | SPLC

Intellectual Freedom News 5/13/2022 (second continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-5-13-2022/

Around the Web

Web3’s Library of Alexandria: News and civic documents to be backed up on decentralized web | Axios

In the last year, the Republican Party has transformed | Letters from an American

How anti-critical race theory bills are taking aim at teachers | FiveThirtyEight

Stevie Wonder speaks out against ongoing ‘assault’ on civil liberties: ‘America is a at a time of crisis’ | Jackson Progress

The story behind banned books in Arkansas schools | thv11.com

DeSantis mandates lessons on communism for {FL} high school students | Washington Post

Library culture wars trickling down to local Idaho politics | Idaho Press

Letter to the editor: Don’t let Maine Republicans ban books | Press Herald

Maine will consult Urban Dictionary in fight to rid roads of ‘obscene’ vanity plates | Bangor Daily News

No action taken after library board discusses lawsuit | Enid News (OK)

Upset by book bans, teens start forbidden book club in small Pa. town | Washington Post

Students protest ousting of teacher disciplined for showing support to bullied teen {PA} | Salon

Dave Eggers offers to replace books a South Dakota school board wants to pulp | Guardian

Most Tennesseans oppose book banning, despite recent laws, new poll finds | Tennessean

From Mesquite to Marble Falls: Reporter recounts Llano County Library advisory board controversy | Mesquite {TX}

Audelia Road Library draws highest counts in early voting | Lake Highlands Advocate (TX)

Texas conservatives taking aim at CRT see big wins in school board elections | KOMO
-- North East ISD incumbents had difficult night — two ousted, one hanging on | San Antonio Express-News
-- Candidates backed by conservative PAC sweep Tarrant County school board elections | Texas Tribune
When their high school started banning books, these students fought back and won | USA Today

Banned book section opening soon at El Paso public libraries | KFOX14 {TX}

City of El Paso Public Library unveils banned book sections | KTSM

Librarians discuss current Texas push to ban books | Mesquite News

CRT law undermines Texas charter school for Black and Latino students | 74

Canyon ISD board votes to renew contract of Superintendent Dr. Darryl Flusche | Amarillo Globe-News (TX)

Intellectual Freedom News 5/20/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-5-20-2022/

Censorship

Conservative parents take aim at library apps meant to expand access to books | NBC News

Only 3 reviewers said Florida math textbooks violated CRT rules. Yet state rejected dozens | Miami Herald

Next on Moms for Liberty library challenge list: The Kite Runner, Slaughterhouse-Five | Florida Today

Polk Schools to return 16 books in question to libraries, opposing group threatens to sue | Ledger {Fl}

College student finds possible ‘critical race theory’ in Florida math book, report finds | Orlando Sentinel

Book by ‘Queer Eye’ star {Jonathan Van Ness} among 56 parents want removed from St. Johns County Schools | News4Jax (FL)

After Parents Read Rape Scenes At Board Meeting Schools Remove Books | Sarasota FL Patch

Here are top 10 most challenged books last year. An Idaho school board already banned some | Idaho Statesman

Rediscovered Books to offer free books, oppose Nampa school board book ban | Idaho News 6

Glenview Library trustees to discuss creating flag policy | Journal & Topics (IL)

Keokuk school board removes book {The Scottsboro Boys} from elementary school library | TSPR (IA)

Des Moines non-profit caught in book censorship controversy | WHO13 (IA)

Shawnee Heights school board votes against banning five challenged books | Kansas Reflector
-- After months of review, Shawnee Heights Board of Education votes to keep controversial books in schools | Topeka Capital-Journal

‘Remove it! Send it back!’ A sample of books challenged at Kentucky public libraries | Lexington Herald Leader

RSU 40 reviews challenged books again | Courier-Gazette (ME)

Book banning fears intensify after assistant principal fired over book {I Need a New Butt} | WAPT (MS)

Nixa school board bans queer memoirs ‘Fun Home’ and ‘All Boys Aren't Blue,’ restricts others | Springfield News-Leader (MO)
-- ACLU tells Nixa schools to preserve evidence, warns of possible lawsuit over book bannings | Springfield News-Leader

Wentzville School Board to vote on banning another book {Fun Home} for sexual content | St. Louis Dispatch (MO)

Harlem school board bans ‘Gender Queer’ book | WIFR {NY}

School Library Books: Removal Campaign Continues | The Pilot (NC)

Student protesters threatened, while a new policy to censor library books looms in Central Bucks School District | WHYY
-- Proposed Central Bucks library policy targeting ‘sexualized content’ spurs worries about sweeping book removal | Philadelphia Inquirer

Book-banning Proposal Sparks Outrage at Council Rock School Board Meeting | The Centurion (PA)

Elizabethtown Area School District parent challenges best-selling novel ‘Me and Earl and the Dying Girl’ | Lancaster Online (PA)

A lawsuit has been filed against the banning of books in Llano County | CW39 (TX)

Book ban: More people challenging titles in Eanes ISD | KXAN {TX}

Texas librarians face harassment as they navigate book bans | Texas Tribune

‘Should I play it safe or push the envelope?’ Texas librarian struggles ordering books for school | ABC13

In Canaan, 3 books with LGBTQ+ themes at center of controversy | VTDigger (VT)

Virginia Beach School Board group removes ‘Gender Queer’ book from libraries, calls it ‘pervasively vulgar’ | Virginia-Pilot
-- Battle over books in Virginia Beach now targets Barnes & Noble, Amazon. And it’s making its way through circuit court. | Virginia-Pilot

Intellectual Freedom News 5/20/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-5-20-2022/

Legislation

Berea school board opposes 3 ‘divisive concepts’ state bills | Cleveland.com (OH)

Cleveland council condemns bill that would censor topics of diversity, sexual orientation in schools | WOIO (OH)

Lawmakers letting CRT rule for OK schools stand after proposal to disapprove | KTUL
-- Sec. Walters tells textbook companies to obey CRT ban | OCPA

Louisiana House panel shuts down bills related to critical race theory | WWL-TV
-- Critical race theory bills killed by Louisiana Legislature | Louisiana Illuminator

SC critical race theory ban fails to pass legislature before session ends. What to know | Charlotte Observer

What’s the Tennessee textbook commission? A new law could empower the board to ban books statewide | WPLN

Journalism & Media

SPLC commends the reversal of censorship at Lyman High School in Florida | SPLC

Lyman High School students receive yearbooks with added disclaimer after photo controversy delay | WESH 2 (FL)

Around the Web

When Right-Wing Attacks on School Textbooks Fell Short | The Nation

The purpose of book bans is to make queer kids scared | Literary Hub

Authors respond: Four writers discuss effort to ban their books in Polk County schools | Ledger {FL}

School censorship mars end of Florida school year, LGBTQ advocates say | Orlando Sentinel

All 200+ books banned in Florida and what Miami booksellers have to say about it | Miami New Times

A photo of Florida students spelling out a racial slur is under investigation | NPR

Opinion: Critical race theory at issue in Cherokee school board races | Atlanta Journal-Constitution {GA}

Rediscovered Books to offer free books oppose Nampa school board book ban | KIVI (ID)

Lesbian couple {in MA} says vandalism of their ‘Little Queer Library’ feels like ‘censorship’ and hatred | Blaze

Drag queens sue state rep. for defaming them | Concord Monitor {NH}

Anti-CRT school board candidates look for wins across NY state | CBS4
-- School elections: Fiery rhetoric against equity initiatives mostly fizzles at polls | lohud.com
-- Majority of ‘parents rights’ candidates lose in Capital Region school elections | Times-Union

Fights over school boards share ballot with North Carolina’s Senate primary | KESQ

Author {Dave Eggers} of “to be destroyed” book visits Rapid City | KEVN (SD)

Banned books battle: Author of book on ‘to be destroyed’ list visits Rapid City | News Center 1 (SD)

Texas librarian fired for ‘insubordination’ was just trying to do right by readers | Daily Kos

City of El Paso Public Library highlights banned books in new section | KVIA.com {TX}

Culture wars attract big money to Texas school board races | Texas Standard

District 7 Councilmember’s remarks on the freedom to read resolution | City of San Antonio {TX}

Buffalo shooting reignites debate over critical race theory, US history education | USA Today

When right-wing attacks on school textbooks fell short: Some essential lessons from an earlier culture war | The Nation

Carolyn Hax: When kids ask for books they’re ‘too young’ to read | Washington Post

Children’s book authors condemn recent bans | The Hill

Intellectual Freedom News 5/27/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-5-27-2022/

Censorship

Book bans in prison cut inmates’ lifeline to outside world | NBC News

Schools, public libraries now censoring digital library apps within hours of complaints | The Mary Sue

Fireproof ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ edition is up for auction: A ‘symbol against censorship’ | CBS News

More people file objections with county library over {Gender Queer} book controversy | Crested Butte News (CO)

Florida’s Department of Education asked textbook publishers to avoid references to critical race theory and social justice | Business Insider
-- Florida warns against CRT, ‘Social Justice’ in social studies textbooks | Newsweek

Pasco braces for book challenges with ideas for new school library rules | Tampa Bay Times (FL)

Divided St. Johns County School Board votes to keep 7 controversial books on library shelves | News4Jax (FL)
-- Several audience members escorted out of St. Johns County School Board meeting | St. Augustine Record

A Florida library’s LGBTQ pride display started a yearlong battle | Tampa Bay Times

Nampa district’s book ban to affect AP English classes, along with school libraries | Idaho Press

Kansas library board decides to keep ‘Fred Gets Dressed’ despite mother’s complaint | Kansas Reflector

Protest held over proposal to ban books from Hillsdale Community Library | WILX (MI)

Hillsdale librarian resigns in wake of failed LBTQIA+ children’s book ban proposal | Hillsdale Daily News (MI)

Parents weigh in on Wentzville school district’s decision to ban ‘Fun Home’ | KSDK (MO)

Enid LGBTQ+ group planning Pride library exhibit after board changes policy | Enid News & Eagle (OK)

Central Bucks is proposing a library policy that targets ‘sexualized content.’ Here’s why people are concerned. | Philadelphia Inquirer
-- Central Bucks teachers, parents voice concerns over proposed library policy | 6ABC (PA)
-- Mychalejko: On the ‘expressway to unconstitutional censorship’ | Bucks County Courier Times (PA)
-- Proposed book approval process for Central Bucks schools vague, unclear some parents say | WHYY

Kutztown School Board approves controversial parental consent form for ‘Gender Queer’ | Reading Eagle {PA}

Upstate school board looks at rating system for appropriateness in books | WSPA (SC)

Greenville Co. school board votes to restrict access to transgender children’s book {Melissa} | WSPA {SC}

Map: Which books have been banned in Greater Houston school districts? | KHOU (TX)

Frisco schools leader rebukes GOP lawmaker on ‘sexually inappropriate’ library book claims | Dallas Morning News (TX)

Conroe ISD considers changes to its library materials policy | Houston Chronicle (TX)

‘Speech police’: Hood County law enforcement investigates ‘porn’ in Granbury ISD library | Dallas Observer (TX)

ABFE responds to Virginia judge’s tentative ruling on ‘obscene’ books | Book Web

Intellectual Freedom News 5/27/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-5-27-2022/

First Amendment, Free Speech, & Civil Liberties
selections

Judge Finds Probable Cause That “Court of Mist and Fury” and “Gender Queer” Are “Obscene for … Minors”: This finding is now being used as a basis for seeking a restraining order banning Barnes & Noble from distributing the books to minors. Is that constitutional? | Volokh Conspiracy

CCIA, NetChoice file Supreme Court reply brief on First Amendment issues in Texas social media case | CCIA

First Amendment attorney weighs in on new Florida law banning protests at homes | News4Jax

What many on the right get wrong about the First Amendment | Washington Post

Future of the First Amendment 2022: High schooler views on speech over time | Knight Foundation

Legislation

Education Legislation Largely Focuses on Funding, Censorship | Nashville Scene

NC Republicans push ban on teaching LGBTQ issues, plus other rules for schools | News & Observer

NC parents’ bill that bars K-3 LGBTQ curriculum clears panel | WFAE / Asscociated Press

NJ lawmakers worried about ‘anti-racist’ indoctrination want school library ‘transparency’ | NJ101.5

Arizona House Republicans advance bill addressing critical race theory in public schools | Courthouse News Service

Intellectual Freedom News 5/27/2022 (continuation 2)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-5-27-2022/

International News

Government bill on Holocaust denial ineffective and likely unconstitutional: civil liberties group | Canada.com

Bookstore owner detained over Orwell’s ‘1984’ | Happy

Dutch journalists, rights group file lawsuit challenging EU ban on RT, Sputnik | Today Online

Around the Web

Book bans in prison cut inmates’ lifeline to outside world | NBC News

At Subcommittee hearing witnesses warn classroom censorship laws hurt students and teachers, erode constitutional freedoms | House Committee on Oversight and Reform
-- Students share growing concerns over classroom censorship with Congress | WSBTV

Kid lit authors petition Congress to condemn book banning | Publishers Weekly

New Data From NPD Finds “Press Coverage of ‘Antiracist Baby’ and Other Banned Books Led to Increased Sales” | InfoDocket
-- Banned books–‘Gender Queer,’ ‘Maus,’ Antiracist Baby’–see jump in sales | School Library Journal

Teens fight book banning with their own banned book clubs | ABC News

For Black Americans, teaching about systemic racism is more urgent than ever | Washington Post

Video captures vandal removing $1,000 in LGBTQ books from roadside library | LGBTQ Nation

Barnes & Noble pressured to restrict sales of 2021’s most banned book | CBS News
-- That Barnes & Noble ‘Gender Queer’ lawsuit? It’s the next phase in anti-LGBTQ censorship | The Mary Sue

National school board group says it wrongly took sides in political debate | Washington Post

Marjorie Taylor Greene says Democrats “want to turn your kids gay” | LGBTQ Nation

My queer life is not inappropriate, and neither are the books that reflect it | Literary Hub

New York City’s three public library systems announce the launch of the NYC banned books challenge | Library Journal

School privatizers are leaning hard into the culture wars | Jacobin

Why the MLIS is a powerful weapon in fighting book bans | Publishers Weekly

What’s it like to be banned? We spoke to {Jonathan Evison} the author of one of America’s most controversial books | Katie Couric Media

Youth detective story {The Case of the Missing Lightning Bat Sinclair} flagged due to young homosexual character | Spectator

The long history of book burning | The Hill

Florida high schooler who says he was censored in graduation speech speaks out | ABC News
-- Florida high school graduate uses ‘curly hair’ as code for ‘gay’ after being censored in commencement speech | Independent

As students rally, Orange school board shows support for LGBTQ concerns | Orlando Sentinel {FL}

Pasco’s sensible idea on school library books – Editorial | Tampa Bay Times {FL}

Parents weigh in on Wentzville School District’s decision to ban ‘Fun Home’ | KDSK (MO)

Hate Crime Reported at Hamilton Public Library {NY}

Anti-CRT group holds forum in West Fargo, small protest held outside | KFGO {ND}

Amazon employees protest the sale of books they say are anti-trans (Washington Post)

The OIF posted the latest weekly news headlines later than usual.

Intellectual Freedom News 6/3/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-6-3-2022/

Censorship

Freedom to Read Advocates Sound Alarm as Obscenity Lawsuit Advances in Virginia | Publishers Weekly

Book banning in the US: These are the authors of color who censors are trying to silence | CNN

What the Florida CRT controversy means for the future of textbooks | Future Ed

State orders Orange schools to reveal who bought ‘Gender Queer’ book for libraries | Orlando Sentinel
-- Florida Department of Education investigates who bought “Gender Queer” for Orange County Schools | WUSF

St. Johns County schools committee recommends new restrictions for controversial library books | News4Jax {FL}

Idaho Education Association upset with Nampa school board decision to ban 22 books | KTVB

‘Forever is a long time’ Nampa school board member Jeff Kirkman discusses recent 22 book removal | KTVB7 (ID)

Pride, Black History Month book displays among those no longer allowed at Lafayette public libraries | Acadiana Advocate (LA)
-- Louisiana county libraries block displays for groups, issues | ABC News
-- Lafayette libraries are limiting book display topics. Here’s why. | Daily Advertiser

Books that are part of sexual violence curriculum for young students worry some Topsham-area parents | Times Record (ME)

School board candidate checks out many LGBT books from library so others can’t see them | Frederick (MD) News-Post

Hillsdale to consider banning Harry Potter as library wars hit Michigan | Bridge Michigan
-- At Hillsdale library, resignations and alarms about politics, pedophilia | Bridge Michigan

Michigan prisons ban Spanish and Swahili dictionaries to prevent inmate disruptions | NPR

ImagineIF trustees spar over policies aimed at preventing censorship | Flathead Beacon (MT)

Enid LGBTQ+ group planning Pride library exhibit after board changes policy | Enid News and Eagle {OK}
-- New Pride book exhibit goes up at Enid library, first under new policy rules | Enid News and Eagle

Central Bucks School District tweaks controversial book policy. ACLU says it’s still ‘legally problematic’ | Bucks County Courier Times (PA)
-- Proposed book approval process for Central Bucks schools unclear, some parents say | WHYY

How a Texas student packed school board meetings to challenge book bans | NBC News

Virginia Beach, Chesapeake school divisions remove ‘Gender Queer’ from school libraries | 13 News Now (VA)

The Wisconsin GOP’s search for ‘inappropriate’ books in school districts | Wisconsin Examiner

Park County School District #6’s Educational Resource Complaint Committee will hear the case to remove two “controversial” books {The Color Purple and How to Be an Antiracist} from the Cody High School Library | Big Horn Radio Network {WY}

Cody School District Says No To Banning “The Color Purple” | Cowboy State Daily (WY)
-- Cody High School Library Retains Controversial Books | Big Horn Radio Network

Intellectual Freedom News 6/3/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-6-3-2022/

Legislation

Arizona House Republicans advance bill addressing critical race theory in public schools | Tucson Sentinel
-- GOP ban on ‘critical race theory’ in AZ schools poised to fall 1 vote short | AZ Mirror

SPLC files amicus brief in suit against Florida’s Stop WOKE Act | Southern Poverty Law Center

Teachers rally against new law limiting classroom lessons as state tries to dismiss lawsuit | Concord Monitor (NH)

Ohio GOP introduces legislation banning critical race theory in schools | Columbus Underground

SC Senate lawmakers, LGBTQ advocates react to ‘controversial’ budget amendments {including one that restricts county library materials} | WCIV

International News

Agatha Christie book {And Then There Were None} banned by Upper Canada school board | Toronto Sun

Racial profiling trial begins into power of Quebec police to make random car stops | Globe and Mail {Canada}

Bahrain working on comprehensive set of laws to combat hate speech | Zawya

Putin’s war at home: Censorship and disinformation | European Council on Foreign Relations

Turkey’s disinformation law will strike further blow to media freedom | Balkan Insight

Ramstein {in Germany} cancels library’s ‘drag queen storytime’ for Pride Month following criticism | Military.com {USA}

Around the Web

A Parental Rights Group Threatened To Ban My Book {All Boys Aren't Blue by George Johnson} The Same Day As The Texas School Shooting | Yahoo News

Gender identity lessons, banned in some schools, are rising in others | Washington Post

Pushing us back into the closet: Banned books edition | RVA Magazine

The group banning LGBT books wants to replace them with anti-gay propaganda | Vice

Racist and violent ideas jump from web’s fringes to mainstream sites | New York Times

Sheriff Ivey to Belford: Deputies won’t enforce Brevard school board speaking policies | Florida Today

Now under scrutiny, social-emotional learning once hoped to stem school violence | WINK (FL)

Brevard teacher’s ‘banned book’ drive raises over $5,000, angers Moms for Liberty | Florida Today

How the Proud Boys gripped the Miami-Dade {FL} Republican party | New York Times

Former private school teacher says GSA faced censorship from school administration | Georgia Voice

Guru Donuts holding banned books reading following Nampa School Board decision | KTVB7 (ID)
-- ‘Forever is a long time’: Nampa school board chair discusses recent book ban | Idaho Press
-- Nampa School Board to discuss challenged books process at special Monday work session | KTVB7 (ID)

Far-right organization launches online ‘heat map’ singling out some Missouri schools as ‘hot spots’ of ‘woke’ activity | Business Insider

Medford School District Book Removal Amounts to Censorship, Says State Library Association | e-greenara (OR)

NPL ‘banned books’ library card becomes permanent thanks to local, national success | WSMV (TN)

Wisconsin Gov. Evers says GOP will ban books if he loses | El Paso Inc.

Amazon confirms it removed Harvey Weinstein autobiography that he likely didn’t write | Los Angeles Times

Penguin Random House taps Margaret Atwood to take a stand against book burning | PR Week

Facing angry parents? Keep cool when adults demand book removal | School Library Journal

11 Parents on How They Want Kids to Learn About History, Racism and Gender | New York Times

Searching for Middle Ground: Alternatives to Book Censorship | Good E-Reader

Intellectual Freedom News 6/10/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-6-10-2022/

Censorship

Catholics crowd source LGBTQ-Pride library censorship | Los Angeles Blade
-- Catholic org encourages libraries to “hide the Pride” in gross new campaign | Into

Ketchikan City Council declines to cancel planned drag queen storytime event | KRBD (AK)

Parents enflamed by mature graphic novel {Flamer} in K-6 library, NMUSD mulls book policy | Daily Pilot (CA)

Petition calls for books to be removed from University Schools middle and high school libraries | Greeley Tribune (CO)

Osceola library supervisor explains process behind book selection to school board members | Click Orlando (FL)

Vonnegut Museum wants meeting with Brevard moms group over banned book {Slaughterhouse-Five} | Click Orlando (FL)

Nampa School Board to discuss challenged books process at special Monday work session | KTVB (ID)
-- Nampa librarian tells school board fewer books is not the answer after book ban | NPR
-- Idaho school boards can’t simply ban library books without following a process | Idaho Statesman
-- School board, staff, parents discuss path forward on challenged books | Idaho State Journal

Pussy Riot, ‘Bong hits 4 Jesus’ in 5th grade summer-reading book {Shaping the Debate: Defining and Discussing Free Speech} spark parent concerns | NOLA.com (LA)

Acadiana advocacy group declares opposition to book display ban in Lafayette public libraries | KLFY (LA)
-- An interview with Lafayette library director Danny Gillane on book display censorship | KLFY (LA)

California parent alleges St. Mary’s public schools are ‘sexualizing’ children | Southern Maryland News

Frederick County school board candidate checks out LGBTQ+ books to keep out of reach of children | WMAR (MD)

After emotional testimony, Carroll County school board bans Pride flags | Fox45 News (MD)

Hillsdale community sees mounting tension over potential library book bans | WKAR (MI)
-- Some seek removal of Hillsdale library board member who proposed political restrictions on materials | Fox47 (MI)

Library group again implores Wentzville school board to stop banning books | St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO)

C-6 parents may monitor their children’s library activities next school year | My Leader (MO)

Library board doesn’t understand constitutional rights | Flathead Beacon (MT)

Holly Weaver: To ban it or not? A local teacher fights for the right to teach a book {Salvage the Bones} | Greensboro News & Record (NC)

8 books challenged in Catawba County have been reviewed; most remain in libraries | Hickory Daily Record (NC)

‘Censorship is a slippery slope.’ Ashland library rejects call to remove five books | Ashland Daily Record (OH)

Medford School District {The Handmaid's Tale: Graphic Novel} book removal amounts to ‘censorship,’ says state library association | OPB (OR)

Elizabethtown Area School District denies request to remove ‘Me and Earl and the Dying Girl’ from library | Lancaster Online (PA)

Emails show RCAS board members informed of removing books | Rapid City Journal (SD)
-- Woster: The banned-book sagoua continues, with new details in emails | South Dakota Public Broadcasting

LGBTQ+ related books a hot topic in Abilene City Council meeting | KTXS (TX)
-- Council to review Abilene Public Library policy in wake of complaints about LGBTQ book | Abilene Reporter News

Abilene City Council hears arguments pro and con on LGBTQ materials in libraries | Abilene Reporter News {TX}

‘Speech police’: Hood County law enforcement investigates ‘porn’ in Granbury ISD library | Dallas Observer (TX)

Cy-Fair ISD sees increase in calls to remove contentious books | Community Impact Newspaper (TX)

Spotsylvania review panel determines challenged books can stay in high school libraries | Free Lance-Star (VA)

Roanoke County schools’ leaders consider policy changes for school libraries, discussing controversial topics {prompted by previous removal of When Aidan Became A Brother} | Roanoke Times {VA}

Kent School District to vote on ban of book {Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts)} featuring LGBTQ+ content | King5 (WA)
-- ACLU threatens possible legal action if Kent school board removes LGBTQ+-themed book | KOMO News (WA)
-- Kent school board pushes vote back on ban of LGBTQ+-themed book from middle school | KOMO News (WA)

Cody School District says no to banning “The Color Purple” | Cowboy State Daily (WY)

Intellectual Freedom News 6/10/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-6-10-2022/

Legislation

Teachers rally against new law limiting classroom lessons as state tries to dismiss lawsuit | Concord Monitor (NH)

Florida is firing back in a fight over how race can be taught in public schools and in the workplace | WFSU

Kids are already struggling as ‘Parents Bill of Rights’ head to governor’s desk | NC Policy Watch

Bill targeting race, gender lessons in Michigan schools moves ahead | Chalkbeat

Around the Web

‘It’s embarrassing’: ‘Reading Rainbow’ host LeVar Burton fires back at rise in banned books | USA Today

Across the country, educational equity was in vogue. Then it wasn’t. | Washington Post

Librarians support students amid anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation, challenges | School Library Journal

‘The support was overwhelming’: Round Rock holds first Pride Festival | KVUE

Sen. Marco Rubio gloats as he gets Air Force base to cancel Drag Queen Story Hour | LGBTQ Nation

Book banning in the US: These are the authors of color who censors are trying to silence | CNN

How a book gets banned in America | Vice

Florida, critical race theory and the future of textbooks | The 74

Vonnegut Library to donate 1,000 copies of ‘Slaughterhouse-Five’ to Florida schools | Indy Star

Guest opinion: Book banning a ‘lazy response’ to ideas that scare us | Idaho News

VPL board meeting moved to city hall | Community Newspaper Group {IA}

Eric Schmitt’s latest target: student surveys in Kansas City area and across Missouri | KansasCity.com

Diverse books remind readers that their stories matter. Why are schools trying to ban so many of them? | Chalkbeat Detroit {MI}

Citing threats of violence, Apex cancels drag queen story hour during Pride festival | News & Observer
-- ‘Wrong decision.’ Some in Apex outraged after drag queen story hour canceled at Pride Fest | ABC11 {NC}

Winston-Salem art gallery holds banned book discussions | Spectrum Local {NC}

A meeting about critical race theory attracted dozens of East Penn residents. Instead of race, they heard about math scores and life skills. | Morning Call (PA)

A summer of banned books: BookPeople, Austin Public Library team up for ‘freedom to read’ | Austin American-Statesman (TX)

The rise in book bans, explained | Washington Post

Determining which sections of the blog post appear relevant enough for sharing here was more draining today than usual. Please let me know if there's a specific topic you're following that didn't make it over to this group.

Intellectual Freedom News 6/17/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-6-17-2022/

Censorship

Canceling drag queen reading at Ketchikan’s library could be illegal, says city attorney | KRBD (AK)

Where does a sex ed book {Sex Is a Funny Word: A Book about Bodies, Feelings, and YOU} belong in the library? | Payson Roundup {AZ}

Deputies: Proud Boys disrupted drag queen storytelling at San Lorenzo library | CBS Bay Area (CA)
-- Proud Boys disrupt San Lorenzo library drag queen story hour | Los Angeles Blade

Genderbread Person? Gone. Schools chief asks teachers to pull books, materials ahead of new law | Palm Beach Post (FL)

Opinion: First ban the books; then decide how to justify it | Lewiston Tribune (ID)

Nampa students, teachers, and parents protest banned books outside district office | CBS2 (ID)

Suburban Chicago school board keeps ‘Gender Queer’ book that conservative parents, Proud Boys wanted banned | Chicago Sun-Times (IL)

Geneseo residents bring up school safety, ‘critical race theory’ at Geneseo board meeting | Quad-City Times (IA)

Reconsideration committee, school board vote to keep controversial book {The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian} in curriculum | Ottumwa Courier (IA)
-- Controversial book returns to Evans Middle School curriculum | KTVO (IA)

Not banning books: Lafayette Public Library clarifies position on not creating displays | KATC3 (LA)
-- Lafayette Citizens Against Censorship petitioning against Lafayette Public Library | KLFY (LA)

(Maryland) School board candidate checks out LGBT books in library to create ‘a safe place for children’ | South Florida Gay News

Library group again implores Wentzville school board to stop banning books | St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO)

How one book {Out of Darkness} disappeared from Dare school libraries | Outer Banks Voice (NC)

Macon County commissioner denounces library Pride Month display; opposes funding increase | Asheville Citizen Times (NC)

Litchfield library, trustees navigate LGBTQ book-ban effort | Manchester Ink Link (NH)

‘Censorship is a slippery slope.’ Ashland library rejects call to remove five books | Mansfield News Journal (OH)

Erie County school district removes “Gender Queer” book, while debate still roils in other districts | Broad + Liberty (PA)

Elizabethtown book {Me and Earl and the Dying Girl} ban debate | ABC27 (PA)

Mt. Lebanon parents file lawsuit alleging teacher misconduct on gender issues | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PA) {Note: She allegedly got permission to use books and videos to recognize International Transgender Day of Visibility in class.}

Central Bucks school board approves first reading of controversial book policy | WFMZ {PA}
-- Central Bucks residents speak out on Pride flag, library book policy | Patch

Woster: The banned-book saga continues, with new details in emails | South Dakota Public Broadcasting

‘A political circus’: Texas education board bracing for showdown over social studies curriculum | Houston Chronicle

Ken Paxton wants Texas to help defend Llano County officials being sued for banning books | Texas Tribune

AG Paxton backs local library book removal defense | Axios (TX)

Utah Library Assoc., LGBTQ+ advocacy groups criticize Orem City Council for ‘censorship’ of city library’s child-oriented Pride Month display | Gephardt Daily (UT)
-- Orem City Library director responds to ‘censorship’ criticism over Pride Month display | Gephardt Daily (UT)

Parents upset after school librarian read gay children’s fairytale book {Prince & Knight} to students | WUSA9 (VA)

Hanover chooses not to revoke book from school library | WTVR (VA)
-- Hanover school board votes to keep ‘A Place Inside of Me’ on library shelves | NPR (VA)

Pride month book display taken down after complaints at Forest Library | WSET (VA)

Dori: Kent, Tahoma parents found certain school reading material sexually ‘graphic’ and ‘inappropriate’ | KIRO (WA)

Intellectual Freedom News 6/17/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-6-17-2022/

Legislation

National politics finding way into South Dakota education legislation | Argus Leader

Wolf vows to veto legislation ‘censoring’ education on sexual orientation, gender identity | Bradford Sun (PA)

These Indiana schools made racial equity their mission. Now they face hostile legislation. | Chalkbeat Indiana

Access and Copyright

Book bullies attempt to hide our diversity | Chicago Sun Times

Judge in Maryland strikes down library e-book law | Mankato Free Press

Maryland ebook licensing law is unconstitutional, U.S. court rules | Reuters

Judge strikes down Maryland law requiring publishers to make ebooks available to libraries | WJLA / Associated Press

‘Wildly inappropriate’ attack on net neutrality or ‘exciting’ new tool to fight piracy? Experts divided on new dynamic website blocking court order | National-Post

International News

Historical books, documents in danger as Marcos family returns to power {in Philippines} | News Lens

“Like a slow-motion coup”: Brazil is on the brink of a disinformation disaster | Nieman Lab {interview with Patricia Campos Mello}

Exclusive: U.S. targets Russia with tech to evade censorship of Ukraine news | Reuters

Around the Web

School Librarians Under Pressure | Publishers’ Weekly

The read scare of 2022: Who benefits from new books being censored and why does it matter? | Skidmore News

‘It’s embarrassing’: ‘Reading Rainbow’ host LeVar Burton fires back at rise in banned books | USA Today

With Google dominating search, the internet needs crawl neutrality | Fast Company

Once more for those in the back: Libraries are not neutral | Publishers Weekly

When libraries are a battlefield: Standing up for kids’ right to read | Publishers Weekly

Caught in the culture wars, teachers are being forced from their jobs | Washington Post

White parents rallied to chase a Black educator out of {a Georgia} town. Then, they followed her to the next one. | PBS

I deliver books to Santa Cruz jails; don’t tell me libraries don’t matter | Lookout Santa Cruz {CA}

An Idaho school board banned 23 books. So a local bookstore gave out copies for free | NPR

Illinois librarians brace for book banning efforts to ‘get a lot worse’ as challenges grow | Belleville News Democrat

10-year-old {in La.} creates library offering free LGBTQ books | AP

‘They are accepted’: Drag Queen Story Hour to be included in Apex Pride Festival | ABC 11 (NC)

Gillette librarians protest budget cuts | Sublette Examiner (WY)

Intellectual Freedom News 6/24/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-6-24-2022/

Censorship

Drag story hour hosts, under attack, dig in their heels | ABC News

Teachers fear Juneteenth school lessons amid critical race theory clampdown | Newsweek

After weeks of heated debate, a drag queen read a book {The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish} to children at Ketchikan’s public library for the first time | KTOO (AK)
-- Proposal seeks to cut Ketchikan library funds over storytime event hosted by drag queen | Anchorage Daily News (AK)
-- Drag Queen Story Time – Legal issues | Mitch Seaver, City Attorney (AK)

‘Gender Queer’: How Milken ‘Marginalized a marginalized voice’ | Milken Roar (CA)

‘We must push it back’: LGBTQ activists denounce hate after San Lorenzo drag queen library incident | Mercury News (CA)

Drag queen skips ‘story time’ in Berkeley due to safety concerns | NBC Bay Area (CA)

Walker Co. mother addresses school board over ‘vulgar’ books | WDEF (GA)

Standards-based grading, challenge books discussed at Nampa School Board meeting | KTVB (ID)

Lafayette community, library leaders debate ban of book displays that highlight diversity | Daily Advertiser (LA)
-- Library board lets stand decision prohibiting book displays that single out segments of population | The Advocate (LA)

Gorham educators defend controversial posters, books dealing with sexuality | Portland Press Herald (ME)

Minnesota police group criticizes use of book {Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story About Racial Injustice} at Edina school | Hometown Source (MN)

Independence removes book with a non-binary character {Cats vs. Robots 1: This is War} from elementary school libraries | KCUR (MO)

New York library reverses removal of Pride displays from children’s sections following outrage | ABC News
-- Long Island library board votes to ‘remove all Pride displays’ and LGBTQ books from children’s section | New York Daily News
-- Smithtown library board to vote on reversing removal of LGBTQ displays | Newsday (NY)
-- Kathy Hochul to probe LI libraries that reportedly removed LBGTQ materials for kids during Pride month | New York Post

Officials, advocates offer differing versions after Proud Boys disrupt Pride Storytime event | WQHR (NC)

‘Culture of kindness’: Forest Hills school board proposes resolution banning anti-racism | Cincinnati Enquirer (OH)
-- Forest Hills School District approves new resolution ‘banning anti-racism’ | WLWT (OH)

Portsmouth Public Library Board hears public comments on controversial pride display | WSAZ (OH)

Cumberland County clarifies library policy amid calls over storytime event featuring drag queen | Sentinel (PA)

Books still hot button topic at LASD board meet, spending and security questioned | Gettysburg Times (PA)

Council Rock School Board okays books despite some pushback | Bucks County Herald (PA)

'Hide the Pride:' National protest campaign behind disappearance of Columbia library Pride display | State (SC)

What you should know about Frisco ISD changing two policies regarding library book objections | Frisco Enterprise (TX)

Llano county hires attorney in library civil suit {regarding the removal of several books from the library based on content, changing e-book services to prevent access to the books, and naming a new Library Advisory Board with a more restrictive political agenda} | Daily Trib (TX)

After {When Aidan Became a Brother} book removal, library policy up for adoption by Roanoke County School Board | Roanoke Times (VA)

Several books at center of district policy located at county libraries: Books are focused on sex, gender | Oconomowoc Enterprise (WI)

Wisconsin school district rejects book about Japanese internment {When the Emperor Was Divine} | Wisconsin Examiner
-- When a ‘diverse’ book ban goes awry | The Bulwark

WI School District Throws Out Book About U.S. Japanese Internment Camps | Patch (WI)

School board to keep book {The Handmaid’s Tale at a high school} | Cody Enterprise (WY)

Intellectual Freedom News 6/24/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-6-24-2022/

International News

Ukraine to restrict Russian books, music in latest cultural break from Moscow | CNBC

How China wants to censor online comments | MIT Technology Review

Blinken’s China speech sparks 25,000 word rebuttal, media censoring | Newsweek

China’s political surveillance system keeps growing | Diplomat

Around the Web

Book bans are on the rise, but students are fighting back | CNET

Threat of GOP-led book bans looms over ’22 elections | Up North News

Drag queens are not the ones sexualizing drag story hour | Washington Post

Some lawmakers hope to crack down on drag shows watched by children | WBEZ

Anti-LGBTQ incidents and bills are weighing on the queer community. Consultants and activists share meaningful ways employers can help workers. | Business Insider

Secret Moms for Liberty audio captures threatening rhetoric targeting a school librarian | Arkansas Times

As terms like ‘SEL’ draw fire, organizations supporting schools sharpen their message | Education Week

Sunday reading: When the stealth slate wins the school board | Indy Week

10-year-old creates free library offering LGBTQ books to fight book bans | LGBTQ Nation

Paramount won’t censor content from other eras | No Film School

Be gay, read books: Aesop’s free queer library is back | Dazed Digital

Nonbinary author {Maia Kobabe} has ‘most banned’ book in US | Bay Area Reporter

After racist videos circulate at a Roseville high school, parents call for honest conversation about the N-word | Cap Radio (CA)

Hillsborough County School Board candidate defends book bans and CRT while lacking evidence | Creative Loafing Tampa (FL)

Illinois librarians brace for book banning efforts to ‘get a lot worse’ as challenges grow | KPVI

Nixa students: Censorship of books fosters ignorance | Springfield News-Leader (MO)

Too LGBTQ? State Library Commissioners fret over new logo’s color scheme. | Montana Free Press

Judy Blume documentary to shed light on author’s youth in NJ | New Jersey Monthly

There's a strong theme to the past week's news. Are you ready for it?

Intellectual Freedom News 7/1/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-7-1-2022/

Censorship

Some states are changing the laws that govern community libraries | NPR

Campaign to remove LGBTQ+ books from public libraries reaches Sonoma County | Press-Democrat (CA)

Reversing course after shakeup, San Francisco school board votes to keep controversial George Washington murals on view | Art Newspaper (CA)

Colchester First Selectman pulls book {Who is RuPaul?} from library, sparks controversy | WFSB (CT)
-- Book on RuPaul pulled from display at Colchester public library after first selectman fields complaint from parent | Hartford Courant (CT)

Walker County mother concerned about school libraries | Times Free Press (GA)

Nampa School District discusses process for books and materials | KTVB.com (ID)

‘Gender Queer’ novel’s inclusion on reading list sparks debate at Barrington school district | Daily Herald (IL)

Jennings library removes Pride Month items | Tribune (IN)

Book {It’s Okay to Be a Unicorn!} removed from DeWitt kiosks | Clinton Herald (IA)

Library facing questions about removal of Juneteenth display | Commonwealth Journal (KY)

Lafayette community, library leaders debate ban of book displays that highlight diversity | Daily Advertiser (LA)

Three women appeal decision to keep controversial book {Gender Queer: A Memoir} on Dirigo High School’s library shelves | Sun Journal (ME)

Man with gun turned children’s reading book event to chaos in Sparks Library | News4 (NV)
-- Sparks, Nevada drag queen story hour disrupted by armed Proud Boy | Los Angeles Blade

Library restores Pride Month displays in children’s rooms | AP (NY)

Union county officials cancel library’s participation in pride festival | WSOC (NC)

School board considers changes in the way book selections, objections are handled | Daily Reflector (NC)

Challenger: I’m not trying to ban books but these are not appropriate; review will extend into next school year | Hickory Daily Record (NC)

Proud Boys disrupt Pride event at Wilmington library | WRAL (NC)
-- Proud Boys, other demonstrators disrupt children’s Pride Storytime | Port City Daily (NC)

Forest Hills meeting ends with resolution against critical race theory | Cincinnati Enquirer (OH)
-- Forest Hills School District could face legal action over ban on anti-racism teachings | WVXU (OH)
-- Backlash in Forest Hills: ‘We will not sit idly by while you… destroy this school.’ | Cincinnati Enquirer (OH)

Portsmouth public library hears citizen complaints, support of Pride Month display | Portsmouth Daily Times (OH)
-- Portsmouth Public Library Stirs Up Controversy Among Parents | Scioto County Daily News

Crook County Schools adopts new reading curriculum | Central Oregonian

Medford {OR} superintendent, deputy approved ban of {The Handmaid's Tale} graphic novel | Yahoo! News

Pride displays taken down at Greenville library; groups seeks change | Greenville Online (SC)

LGBTQ+ advocacy group seeks change after Greenville library took down Pride displays | Greenville News (SC)

LGBTQ display at Jackson Madison County Library leads to controversy | Jackson Sun (TN)

Texas parents face down Proud Boys at library Pride event | Real News Network

GISD looking at proposed change in library materials policy | Herald Banner (TX)

Roanoke County School leaders approve new book review policy | WSLS (VA)

Pride Month display taken down after complaints at Forest Library | WSET (VA)

‘America First’ proponents attack LCPS with new lawsuit challenging district’s inclusion and equity policies | Loudoun Now (VA)
-- Loudoun County Public Schools hit with lawsuit for ‘moral corruption of children,’ parental ‘violations’ | Fox News (VA)

Tri-City school board will ‘take a stand’ on CRT. But will board policy have any impact? | Tri-City Herald (WA)

Kent School Board votes against banning book featuring LGBTQ+ content | King5 (WA)

A parent accused Oconomowoc schools of teaching age-inappropriate material. The district threatened a defamation lawsuit. | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI)

Chippewa Falls school board decides not to ban book {Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe} but require parental permission before students may be assigned it | Chippewa Herald (WI)

Anatomy of a book banning | Washington Post

Intellectual Freedom News 7/1/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-7-1-2022/

First Amendment, Free Speech, & Civil Liberties selection

It’s 2022 and two books are on trial for ‘obscenity’ {in Virginia: Gender Queer: A Memoir and A Court of Mist and Fury} | ACLU

Reminder: The lawsuit against private bookseller Barnes & Noble is in Virginia. —aspirit

Legislation

How LGBTQ voices are being erased in classrooms | ACLU

Arizona teachers won’t face new limits on teaching race, ethnicity next year | Tucson.com

Freedom to Read fight continues as Florida library media specialists face summer of fear and unknowns | School Library Journal

What’s the Political Strategy of DeSantis’s “Don’t Say Gay” Bill? | The New Yorker

‘No one felt safe’: Florida schools, students feel effects of so-called ‘Don’t say gay’ law | Tallahassee Democrat

Teachers voice concerns after Orange County previews ‘Don’t Say Gay’ impact to classrooms | WFTV

Leon County schools LGBTQ guide approved over heated comments | Tallahassee Democrat

Divided Pa. Senate panel advances 2 bills limiting sexual content in public schools | Penn Live
-- SB 1277 — Inviting censorship of educational and library resources | ACLU (PA)
-- Pa. Senate passes so-called ‘don’t say gay’ bill and votes to have schools notify parents about sexually explicit library books | Morning Call (PA)

College CRT ban becoming law | South Dakota State News

New legislation could mean changes for public libraries | Lex18 (KY)

I'll be back soon with the third post for last week. There's just too much to emotionally process all at once.

Intellectual Freedom News 7/1/2022 (continuation, 2)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-7-1-2022/

International News

Libraries in Canada hit by wave of hate, threats, as right-wing groups protest all-age drag events | CBC

‘An invisible cage’: How China is policing the future | New York Times

Chinese censors scrub internet after senior party official gives speech on timeline of zero-Covid in Beijing | CNN

Around the Web

Freedom to Read is Essential for our Democracy | CT Examiner

He took his school to the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1980s for pulling ‘objectionable’ books. Here’s his message to young people | CTV News

How libraries came to be sanctuaries for LGBTQ kids | The 74

LGBTQ books are being banned from schools. Here’s how kids can still read them. | USA Today

I read the 5 most challenged and banned LGBTQ+ books of last year — here’s what I thought | BuzzFeed

Safe-space clubs for LGBTQ students increasingly targeted by right-wing activists | Raw Story

Two directors quit Vinton library after complaints about hirings, LGBTQ and Biden books | Gazette (IA)

LI student won battle against book ban — 40 years ago | Newsday (NY)

Group to hold presentation on ‘critical race theory’ | Minot Daily News (ND)

After the spotlight: How a book ban fight changed one Pa. community | WHYY

Chattanooga activist group started a national movement for students’ rights | Chattanooga Times Free Press (TN)

Mayor Nirenberg joins library director to speak about protecting access to library collections | KENS5 (TX)

Little fuss this year over Orem displays of LGBTQ allyship | Daily Herald (UT)

Commentary: Republicans are banning books about historical truths their own leaders have apologized for | Rome News-Tribune

Are Schools Too Inclusive? Some People Think So (Opinion) | Education Week

Five stand trial for sedition in Hong Kong over children's books about sheep
Hong Kong unionists have pleaded not guilty to publishing "seditious" material as a five-day trial began over illustrated children's books. The case revolves around a series of books published by the now-defunct General Union of Hong Kong Speech Therapists that featured cartoon sheep and wolves, which prosecutors said were analogies for Hong Kong residents and mainland Chinese that were intended to “incite hatred” toward the latter. ... They jointly face the charge of "conspiracy to print, publish, distribute, display and/or reproduce seditious publications" under the colonial-era crimes ordinance, with a maximum penalty of two years in jail.
(Guardian, 2022-07-06).

Earlier stories:

2021-07-15. Self-censorship hits Hong Kong book fair in wake of national security law.

2021-07-22. Five arrested in Hong Kong for sedition over children’s book about sheep.

Intellectual Freedom News 7/8/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-7-8-2022/

Censorship

With rising book bans, librarians have come under attack | New York Times

The Proud Boys are waging war on Pride Month. Drag Queen Story Hours for children are a big, sparkly target | Business Insider

Signature-gathering to begin soon for initiative to defund Ketchikan’s library over drag queen event {for reading The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish} | KRBD Community Radio (AK)

Interest surges in a children’s RuPaul biography after Colchester’s first selectman warned of ‘provocative drawings’ | Connecticut Public Radio

Guest opinion: Protect our library: Culture wars come to Sanibel | News-Press (FL)

ACLU of Idaho filed public records request to Nampa School District after book ban {of 22 titles} | NPR

Parents sue Ohio district for banning ‘anti-racism’ curriculum | Revolt

From COVID to censorship: How a right-wing book ban took hold in Bucks County {with more than 17,000 students}| WHYY (PA)

Library board hears concerns about children accessing sexually explicit books | Abilene Reporter News (TX)

Utah State Board of Education still trying to thread the needle on book ban law guidance | KUER Public Radio (UT)

Banned books: School board blocks book about WWII Japanese Americans {When the Emperor Was Divine} | Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (WI)

When parents feel shut out of decision-making by school boards, petitions and lawsuits follow | Journal Times (WI)

Book {Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe} will not be part of any curriculum at CFAUSD | WEAU (WI)

Intellectual Freedom News 7/8/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-7-8-2022/

Privacy & Cybersecurity

Texts, web searches about abortion have been used to prosecute women | Washington Post

Big Tech remains silent on questions about data privacy in a post-Roe US | MIT Technology Review

US publisher Macmillan confirms cyberattack forced systems offline | TechCrunch

First Amendment, Free Speech, & Civil Liberties

With sweep and speed, Supreme Court’s conservatives ignite a new era | Washington Post
-- Alarm as US Supreme Court takes a hatchet to church-state separation, US Constitution, and civil liberties | The Guardian

Va., Md. leaders: Supreme Court justice safety request raises First Amendment concerns | WTOP

The House Oversight and Reform Committee is stated to hold a hearing July 13 on the impact of the Supreme Court’s June 24 reversal of Roe v. Wade will have in the U.S. | Hill

Does religious freedom protect a right to an abortion? One rabbi’s mission to find out | Time

Restoring the Guardrails of Democracy | National Constitution Center

Opinion: Freedom to Read is Essential for our Democracy | CT Examiner

Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law has started and it’s already grim | Q News

Texas lunges into the center of battles over personal freedom | Washington Post

ACLU of Texas warns against unlawful order by Gov. Abbott | ACLU

Free-speech groups, book world fight back in Virginia obscenity case | Virginia Mercury

How Drag Queens are Fighting Queer Censorship | The Progressive

Legislation

Battles continue as Florida’s race instruction law takes effect | WFSU News
-- ‘Stop WOKE’ court battle rages on as law takes effect | Orlando Sentinel
-- In trainings, Florida tells teachers that religion belongs in public life | Washington Post

For West Virginia’s libraries, a proposed constitutional amendment could mean yet another budget cut | Register-Herald

Laws targeting free speech about abortion would put journalists at risk | PRISM

Around the Web

David McGrath: I feel imprisoned in Ron DeSantis’ Florida on the Fourth of July | Chicago Tribune

Drag queen storytimes come to southern Illinois libraries | Belleville News-Democrat

TR Library looks to update controversial materials policy | Three Rivers News (MI)

Red Bank library program champions diversity despite protests | Two River Times (NJ)

How, in 2022, are we still having debate over book bans? | Bristol Herald Courier (TN)

A group of Texas educators proposed using the term ‘involuntary relocation’ to describe people sold into slavery in K-2 curriculum | CNN

Commentary: Summer reading as an act of resistance | Culpepper Star-Exponent (VA)

Stop banning critical books in Wisconsin, elsewhere | Madison.com (WI)

Who controls what books you can read? | Reason

Why local officials are facing growing harassment and threats | Bloomberg CityLab

Intellectual Freedom News 7/15/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-7-15-2022/

Censorship

Court upholds Arizona prisons’ ban on explicit materials for inmates | Cronkite News

San Francisco Public Library accused of censorship, Islamophobia over mural project | CBS News {CA}

Amid Colchester book controversy, review of all children’s material paused | NBC Connecticut

Group demands books in Coventry Pride display be burned | Journal Inquirer (CT)
-- Burn LGBTQ+ books for children, group of mothers demands local library | Yahoo! News

Sarasota County school board sued over ‘obscene’ library materials | WWSB (FL)
-- Man seeks court order to remove ‘sexually explicit’ books from schools | Patch (FL)

Florida atheist petitions to ban the Bible in Miami-Dade and Broward schools | Miami New Times

Display books trigger review of Sanibel library’s protocols | Sanibel Island Reporter (FL)

Video of Clay County father challenging contents of school book {Lucky by Alice Sebold} makes national headlines | News4Jax (FL)

‘A slippery slope’: Residents defend Dixon library following push to remove LGBTQ comics depicting sex acts | Sauk Valley News (IL)

Some parents want controversial ‘Gender Queer’ removed from Barrington High School library | Daily Herald (IL)

Dickinson County Library’s book collection questioned during board meeting | TV6 (MI)

Parents discuss banning books at Madison School Board meeting | Clarion Ledger (MS)

Independence parents divided on school board banning book {Cats vs. Robots Volume 1: This is War} over a nonbinary character | KCUR Public Radio (MO)
-- Angry parents pack meeting to sound off after Independence schools ban library book | Kansas City Star (MO)

Pulitzer Prize-winning book on prison uprisings {Blood in the Water} banned in New York prisons | Reason

NHCSO investigated schools for ‘obscene and pornographic’ books, DA found no unlawful content | WHQR Wilmington {NC}

Schools Put New Book Removal Procedures On Hold | The Pilot (NC)

ACLU of Ohio alleges Buckeye Valley Local Schools violated a Columbus author’s {Jason Tharp's} First Amendment right | Ideastream Public Media

Large crowd speaks out against books they call pornographic at Ashland Public Library | Ashland Source (OH)
-- 200 pack Ashland Public Library seeking removal of health books they see as pornographic | Ashland Times-Gazette

Oklahoma governor calls for public schools audit for potential mishandling of public funds and teaching CRT | CNN

Parents’ Choice TN files lawsuit challenging curriculum, says law against teaching CRT | WZTV

Bedford County library addresses concerns following protests over Pride display | WSLS (VA)
-- Treatment of recent Bedford County library display prompts comments to supervisors | News and Advance (VA)

Fauquier County parents clash over book censorship | Fauquier Now (VA)
-- Fauquier County parents want books removed from school over content | WUSA9
-- Some parents want Kettle Run library to remove 3 books {A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas, Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez, and Deogratias: A Tale of Rwanda by Jean-Philippe Stassen} they see as pornographic, violent | Fauquier Times
-- LETTER: Call it what it is: Censorship | Fauquier Times

Movement to ban books reaches Wisconsin schools, libraries | WBAY

Intellectual Freedom News 7/15/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-7-15-2022/

Access

Court upholds Arizona prison ban on sexual, explicit content | News Times

Libby is stuck between libraries and publishers in the e-book war | Protocol

Publisher’s lawsuit seeks to take down Internet Archive’s digital lending library | World Socialist Web Site

Copyright

Unmasking anonymous copyright infringers: Where the DMCA, First Amendment, and fair use meet | National Law Review

First Amendment, Free Speech, & Civil Liberties Selections

First Amendment advocates respond to a new Arizona law limiting recording of police | NPR

10th Circuit Court of Appeals, which oversees Kansas, rules that people have a First Amendment right to film police | Lawrence Journal-World

What happens when laws that suppress protests clash with our freedoms? | Virginia Mercury

The new threat to good schooling for minority Americans | Washington Post

A lawsuit against race-based teaching in Florida can proceed | WUSF

Satanic Temple to sue Pennsylvania school district over rejection of ‘After School Satan Club’ | Daily Beast

Legislation

10 anti-LGBTQ laws just went into effect. They all target schools | Washington Post

Information Literacy & Disinformation

The fight over truth also has a red state, blue state divide | New York Times

The sale of 2 Spanish{-language} talk radio stations may counter the spread of disinformation | NPR

Disinformation is the next big cybersecurity threat | Security Magazine

Journalism

Sarasota Herald-Tribune deletes op-ed by Proud Boy wife after backlash — but doesn’t address major conflict | Mediaite

Privacy & Cybersecurity

Newspaper editor appeals court ruling that protects the privacy of people who want library books banned or reclassified | Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition

In a post-Roe world, the future of digital privacy looks even grimmer | New York Times
-- Privacy advocates fear Google will be used to prosecute abortion seekers | Georgia Public Broadcasting

Lawmakers warn end of Roe v. Wade poses threat to biometric data privacy | FindBiometrics

Social Media

Klobuchar, Warren press Meta on ‘censoring’ of abortion posts | Axios

A legal shield for social media is showing cracks | Politico

What is Section 230 and how is it different than the First Amendment? | Foundation for Economic Education

GLAAD gives social media giants poor grades over lack of protections for LGBTQ users | NPR
-- GLAAD: Social media networks fail to protect LGBTQ users | Axios

Intellectual Freedom News 7/15/2022 (continuation, 2)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-7-15-2022/

International News

China’s surveillance state hits rare resistance from its own subjects | New York Times

Twitter, challenging orders to remove content, sues India’s government | New York Times

Photos: Thousands march in Romania as law censoring LGBTQ looms | Al Jazeera

Russia seeks to punish expats who criticize war on social media | Bloomberg

Around the Web

To fight book banning, support librarians | New York Times

Librarians caught up in vicious anti-LGBTQ cultural book bans are quitting | Los Angeles Blade

Library trustees, commissioners aren’t upholding their fiduciary duty | Daily Interlake

The new censorship fight at our public libraries | Tampa Bay Times

The dangerous lesson of book bans in public school libraries | Reason

Principal bans discussion of ‘All Boys Aren't Blue’ — Scales on Censorship | School Library Journal

What should a queer children’s book do? | New Yorker

“Critical race theory” is being weaponised. What’s the fuss about? | Economist

Teachers union wants Democrats to fight back against Republicans’ critical race theory attacks | NBC News

Urban Library Trauma Study – Final Report | Urban Librarians Unite

The far-right Christian quest for power: ‘We are seeing them emboldened’ | New York Times

Fayetteville Library seeks community participation in art project celebrating banned and challenged books | KNWA (AR)

Newton County superintendent remains neutral amid critical race theory controversy | Covington News (GA)

Nampa, Idaho, school district removes over 20 books from schools | National Coalition Against Censorship

Group starts recall for library board | Bonners Ferry Herald (ID)

With another leader leaving, Vinton Public Library closes for now | Gazette (IA)

What Kansas City librarians have learned since 1995’s book-banning effort in Olathe {KS} | NPR

How Western Library became the first public library in the nation for Black Americans | Louisville Courier-Journal (KY)

Montana rejects library logo over similarity to Pride flag | Valdo State Daily Times

One Small Step for Democracy in a ‘Live Free or Die’ {NH} Town | New York Times

Battle over sex and gender in books divides a Texas Town | Wall Street Journal

What to know about the controversy around Where the Crawdads Sing | TIME

Intellectual Freedom News 7/23/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-7-23-2022/

Censorship

Criticism of a graphic novel {The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir} available to children in LA libraries is defended by officials | Daily Breeze (CA)

Despite ‘taking a pause’ on class libraries, BPS assures some books will be available | Florida Today

Miami-Dade school board votes to disallow 2 sex ed textbooks discussing abortion, contraception | Local10 (FL)

Group starts recall for library board | Bonners Ferry Herald (ID)
-- The war on libraries roils 'the best small library in America' | Spokane Spokesman-Review

‘The V-Word’ survived an attempted ban but two copies of the book were removed from Lafayette Parish libraries anyway | Acadiana Advocate (LA)

Parents upset over possible book bans at Livingston Parish Library Board of Control meeting | WAFB (LA)
-- Livingston library board member’s ‘inappropriate’ book list draws vocal opposition | Louisiana Illuminator

Flathead County accepting applications for ImagineIF board vacancy | Daily Interlake (MT)

School board member: ‘The more banned books the better’ | WRGB (NY)

Salem high schools will keep “Gender Queer” on shelves following grandparent challenge | Salem Reporter (OH)

Oklahoma threatens librarians: ‘Don’t use the word abortion’ | VICE
-- Oklahoma City library releases guidelines on patrons seeking abortion information | The Oklahoman

Salem-Keizer rejects second book ban request, keeps ‘Gender Queer’ in local high schools | Salem Statesman Journal (OR)

What killed ‘equity’ in Pine-Richland? | PINJ News (PA)

Fairview, Pennsylvania, superintendent removes Gender Queer from library | National Coalition Against Censorship

Guest Opinion: Yes, Central Bucks, your library proposal is a book ban | Intelligencer (PA)

NCAC criticizes Rhode Island school district for silencing student protesters | National Coalition Against Censorship

Rally for academic freedom: Denton ISD students petition district to keep diverse book titles | Dallas Observer (TX)

Fauquier County parents want books removed from school over content | WUSA9 (VA)

Wisconsinites rally around book {When the Emperor Was Divine} rejected by Muskego board for focus on Japanese experience | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
-- Parents plan teach-in event after school board rejected book on Japanese-American incarceration | Wisconsin Public Radio

Bedford school libraries to offer alerts to parents on what students check out | News-Advance (VA)

Intellectual Freedom News 7/23/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-7-23-2022/

Copyright

You can’t buy these books | Nation

Social Media

The book banning movement has a chilling new tactic: Harassing teachers on social media | MIT Technology Review

Around the Web

Moms for Liberty’s conservative activists are planning their next move: Taking over school boards | NBC News
-- How conservative moms became the new class of candidates hoping to flip the balance of power at schools | WFTS (FL)
-- DeSantis speaks at summit for Moms for Liberty, a conservative group working to elect their own candidates to school boards and minimize influence of teachers unions | Yahoo! News
-- Casey DeSantis talks school board endorsements with Moms for Liberty | Florida Politics

Broward school district donated LGBTQ books ahead of new Florida law | South Florida Sun Sentinel

Iowa town gets wish: No more LGBTQ books, because no more library | Wonkette
-- All the little things you lose in the Culture War | Esquire

The man behind the nation’s first Black library {Rev. Thomas Fountain Blue} receives a grave headstone more than 80 years after his death | WHAS11 (KY)

Letter: The last straw | Flathead Beacon (MT)

Homegrown library serves Amish in southern Tuscarawas County | Times Reporter (OH)

‘I No Longer Feel Safe’: A{n Openly Gay} Mayor Resigns, Citing Threats | Route 50 {OK}

Why is Gov. Stitt targeting issues at Tulsa public schools? | Oklahoman

He championed all books and created a ‘sanctuary’ for patrons. Now, Nashville Public Library’s director is headed for his next chapter: retirement | WPLN News {TN}

10 of the most absurd titles on State Rep. Matt Krause’s ‘banned books’ list | Dallas Observer {TX}

Pride rally at Forest Public Library supports freedom to choose what to read | WSET (VA)

Bomb threats, canceled events, empty schools: How a bullying probe paralyzed a Wisconsin town’s democracy | Wausau Pilot and Review (WI)

The CRT Summer School is back: Here’s why it’s more important than ever | Root

It’s critical to support local library and school librarians | Examiner News

An ode to librarians as they come under siege | NY Daily News

Drag queens are “Not gonna back down” after attacks on story hours | Decider

Alumna who fought book ban as school librarian receives national award | Rutgers Today

What the Florida CRT controversy means for the future of textbooks | FutureEd

Backlash, hostility, and safety fears: What it’s like to be a Chief Equity Officer in the anti-CRT era | Education Week

International News

Is the world’s biggest library full of stolen content? | The Age

China has a problem with data leaks. One reason is its surveillance state. | Wall Street Journal

A million-word novel got censored before it was even shared. Now Chinese users want answers. | MIT Technology Review

Leaked document reports extensive censorship tactics used by Instagram-style app in China | News.com.au

Amid exodus and societal shifts, Hong Kong’s independent bookstores offer freedom of thought, community | Hong Kong Free Press

Russia fines Google for failing to remove news it calls ‘fake.’ | New York Times

More than 1,500 books have been banned in public schools, and a U.S. House panel asks why | Florida Phoenix

I didn't remember seeing this in the news last spring, though it was mentioned....

The House hearing of "Free Speech Under Attack: Book Bans and Academic Censorship" was held early in April by Maryland's 8th District Representative Jamie Raskin (D) and included Ruby Bridges as a witness.

An Intellectual Freedom News post was not published this past weekend.

I might grab some more of the links I went through last week and throw them into a list here myself.

Did anyone else see censorship news they wanted to share this week?

There's a new post, but a hand injury is limiting what I can do with it this week. Update: I was able to rest then edit this post slowly to sort the headlines by state.

=====

Intellectual Freedom News 8/4/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-8-4-2022/

Censorship

A school district was given LGBTQ-affirming kids’ books. Then parents objected | San Diego Union-Tribune (CA)

Florida school board rejects sex ed. textbook under pressure | Education Week

As efforts to ban books escalate, a new petition is filed against Sarasota’s school board | WUSF (FL)

Heid announcing opt-in policy for controversial books | Lakeland Now (FL)

Florida school board member demands ‘disciplinary action’ over pornographic books in schools: ‘I’m disgusted’ | Fox News

Miami {FL} school board reverses itself, approves sex ed textbook | San Diego Union-Tribune

‘Mama Bears’ sue Forsyth County Schools for censorship | Appen Media (GA)

Antioch village officials reject calls to ban {bookstore sales of} book about gender confusion {Gender Queer: A Memoir}; ‘It’s important to carry titles that widen our worldview’ | Chicago Tribune {IL}

Downers Grove superintendent believes controversial book {Gender Queer} ‘belongs in our libraries’ | Dupage Policy Journal {IL}

JCPS board considers request to ban book | WFLP (KY)
-- JCPS parents push district to remove ‘Gender Queer’ from schools | WHAS (KY)

Lafayette librarian keeps job after board members attempt to fire her over book display | Lafayette Daily Advertiser (LA)
-- Community members gathered in large numbers to support librarian facing termination | KLFY (LA)

Upset over LGBTQ books, a Michigan town defunds its library in tax vote | Bridge Michigan

Harrison County Library Board to discuss censoring children’s books | WLOX (MS)

Madison County Schools removes 10 books from general library circulation. Here’s why. | Mississippi Clarion-Ledger

A battle over books | Webster-Kirkwood Times (MO)

In wake of library board shake-up, book removal advocates appear emboldened | Flathead Beacon (MT)

Auburn school board considering library book policy changes | Auburn Pub (NY)

Prison officials remove ban on Attica book {Blood in the Water}, except for 2 crucial pages | New York Times

Tulsa Public Schools removes graphic books from library | AP (OK)

Two Oklahoma school districts punished for violating CRT ban | KOKH
-- Okla. downgrades school district over complaint it shamed White people | Washington Post

Local library directors left confused as Curry Board of Commissioners express transphobic opinions, request buffer between unsupervised children and books about puberty, sexual identity | Wild Rivers Outpost (OR)
-- Commissioners wade into library debate | Curry Pilot (OR)

Central Bucks approves contentious library policy targeting ‘sexualized content’ in books amid community opposition | Philadelphia Inquirer (PA)
-- Pennsylvania school district passes strict book banning policy | National
Coalition Against Censorship
-- Central Bucks school board passes library book policy; community members say it’s a new kind of book ban | WHYY
-- ‘Educational censorship’: Central Bucks approves library policy some view as book ban | USA Today

LGBTQ library books to remain despite residents’ complaints to council | Victoria Advocate (TX)
-- Victoria County sides with group that wants city library books removed | Victoria Advocate (TX)

Utah school district pulls 52 books after concerns and flagged another 32 for later review | Salt Lake City Tribune

Naval Academy accused of teaching CRT, sued for records | Newsweek

Intellectual Freedom News 8/4/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-8-4-2022/

Legislation

Georgia educators hold rally for education; speak out against new restrictive laws | Atlanta Daily World

Ohio’s ‘divisive subjects’ bill a dangerous drift toward censorship | Canton Repository

Draft version of SC abortion bill raises concern among First Amendment experts | WFAE

Senate panel turns to kids’ online safety | The Hill

International News

Russia is quietly ramping up its internet censorship machine | WIRED

Anti-gay protesters wave rainbow swastikas at Richman drag queen storytime | Richmond News {Canada}

Police called as protesters storm children’s story hour hosted by drag queen at local library | Independent {UK}

Around the Web

The right in the US has a new bogeyman: Libraries | Guardian

Bedrock, USA: New Podcast Explores Rise of Extremism in Local Politics | Bloomberg CityLab

Column: Book-banning is on the rise, as part of the far-right’s assault on democracy | Los Angeles Times

The spread of book banning | New York Times

Op-Ed–The new political catchphrase: ‘parents’ rights’ | CT News Junkie

Is it worse to ban a book, or never to publish it? | Atlantic

What the US can learn from apartheid-era book bans in South Africa | Conversation

Educators fight back against gag orders, book bans, and intimidation | NEA

Critical race theory’s merchants of doubt | TIME

The impending miseducation of Florida’s schoolchildren | Florida Phoenix

Arrests made as white supremacist group marches during drag queen story hour in Boston | WCVB (MA)

ImagineIF staff honored for response to challenged books | Daily Inter Lake (MT)

Two Okla. Districts Get Downgraded Accreditations for Violating State’s Anti-CRT Law | Education Week

Is Alan Dershowitz being canceled on Martha’s Vineyard? | Boston Globe

Austin Public Library’s Banned Camp stands up to Texas’ growing book bans | My San Antonio

Texans flock to Austin to debate CRT, other social studies lessons with board of education | Houston Chronicle

Removal of Books With "Lascivious Content" from School Libraries Likely Allowed Under First Amendment | The Volokh Conspiracy

The OIF has missed two weeks of posting. This is immediately after the one week that followed a missed posting.

So here's BookRiot for updates for the past few missing weeks.

https://bookriot.com/book-censorship-news-august-19-2022/

https://bookriot.com/anti-censorship-groups/ (after the advice on how to find activist buddies)

https://bookriot.com/book-censorship-news-july-29-2022/ (after the introduction of the School Board Project)

Unfortunately, neither headlines nor source links are provided in these blog posts. You'll need to pick out keywords and search on your own if interested in seeing the news articles.

Texas school district pulls the Bible, The Bluest Eye and other books from library
(Tarrant county) school district is scrambling to remove books from its library shelves ahead of the fall semester, after they were challenged by parents and community members. Among the books removed are a graphic novel adaptation of Anne Frank’s diary, Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, and the Bible. It's not clear why more than 40 books were challenged.
(Guardian, 2022-08-23).

Touchstone: Anne Frank's diary : the graphic adaptation.

Query. The Bible has been mentioned a couple of times higher up the thread. Do religions' holy books get challenged often?

>106 Cynfelyn: The short answer: "Yes."

This is an excellent question that I believe deserves a longer answer. There's an expansive background as well as curiosity about challenges to holy books. Let's create a new thread today so we all have more space for the topic.

Thank you, Cynfelyn, for creating a new topic about holy books.

The entire Office of Intellectual Freedom website is down, returning an automatic "500 Internal Server Error" notice. I have not found an explanation for why.

New BookRiot posts:

• Here are the Most Challenged Comics and Most Banned Comics Since 2000

• Texas School Board Bans the Word “Transgender” from District

• Duval County Public Schools {FL} Bought Dozens of New Books. They’re Sitting Indefinitely in Storage

Additional news:

A Florida district declines dictionary donations as it navigates a new book law | NPR

'Don't say trans': Texas school board's new policies spark an outcry | Washington Post

Book bans in schools have landed librarians in activists' crosshairs | USA Today

Conservative activists want to ban 400 books from a {ID} library — but they aren't even on shelves | NBC News

{TX} School Librarian 'Enraged' Over Order to Remove 'Banned Books Display' | Newsweek

{OK} Teacher quits in protest after being punished for banned books sign | Washington Post

The OIF blog is back! 🎉

Let's see what is has now....

Holy ————.

Ready or not, here we go.

=====

Intellectual Freedom News 8/26/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-8-26-2022/

ALA responds as legislation threatens librarians for offering information on abortion services | Publishers Weekly

Censorship

Listen online: “How efforts to ban books impact public libraries” discussed on WNYC’s “The Takeaway” | Library Journal

Book bans are threatening American democracy. Here’s how to fight back. | Washington Post

Researchers did a deep dive into efforts to restrict critical race theory. Here’s what they found. | Chronicle of Higher Education

LGBTQ+ back-to-school event canceled due to safety concerns | KNWA (AR)

With book bans surging nationwide, Eagle County is not untouched | VailDaily.com (CO)

115 books in Collier Schools on LGBTQ+, race, and sex get advisory | Naples Daily News (FL)

Florida teacher quits after posters of Black leaders were seized by school district employee | BET

As efforts to ban books escalate, a new petition is filed against Sarasota’s school board | WUSF Public Radio {FL}

Florida atheist petitions to ban The Bible in Miami-Dade and Broward Schools | Miami New Times (FL)

School district slaps warning labels on books with LGBTQ characters | LGBTQ Nation (FL)

Polk County schools change policy for library book restrictions | Ledger (FL)

Library purchases paused by Florida Superintendent–to keep media specialists ‘safe’ | School Library Journal
-- A Florida district declines dictionary donations as it navigates a new book law | NPR

Seven of the eight banned library books approved for return to Forsyth school libraries | Forsyth County News (GA)

Book disputes land suburban Atlanta school district in court | Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA)

Smut allegations lead to contentious debate at overflowing library board meeting in Idaho | Union-Bulletin (ID)

‘It’s not about the books’: Boundary County library director resigns over intimidation and ‘political atmosphere of extremism’ | Spokesman-Review (ID)
-- Boundary County Library’s future in question | Bonners Ferry Herald (ID)
-- Conservative activists want to ban 400 books from a library — but they aren’t even on shelves | NBC News (ID)

ACLU demands excluded documents surrounding Nampa School District book ban | Idaho News 6

Dixon Library Board bolsters policy against censorship following call to remove LGBTQ comic books | Sauk Valley (IL)

Battle over LGBTQ books at rural Iowa town’s public library | KETV (IA)

Controversial book {Gender Queer} is staying in Iowa high school library | K92.3 (IA)

State board rejects appeal that sought to pull ‘Gender Queer’ from school library | Iowa Capitol Dispatch

LGBTQ+ books at the center of library controversies in Michigan & Iowa | Advocate

Louisiana teacher sues conservative group after she was called a ‘pedo’ and a ‘groomer’ for opposing censorship in her local library | Insider

Livingston Parish Council passes resolution to ask libraries to restrict access to some books | The Advocate {LA} {not linked correctly in the original blog post}

Virtual LGBTQ+ lecture rescheduled at UL after cyber attack of racial, homophobic slurs | Acadiana Advocate (LA)

A librarian is being threatened for creating LGBTQ book displays | VICE (LA)

Buxton-based school board considers removing books about sexuality and gender identity from school libraries | Portland Press Herald (ME)

Dixfield-based school board bans gender book {Gender Queer} from Dirigo library | Portland Press Herald (ME)

Neo-Nazi gathering causes drag queen to cancel story hour in the Seaport | Boston.com (MA) {Note: The books that were supposed to be read were not mentioned in the article.}

Michigan library faces closure after voters reject funding to protest LGBTQ literature | Just the News
-- US library defunded after refusing to sensor LGBTQ authors: ‘We will not ban the books’ | Guardian
-- National attention as Jamestown Township library millage fails over LGBTQ books | Holland Sentinel (MI)
-- Library OKs language for second millage attempt after first try fails amid LGBTQ book controversy | MLive.com

Board votes to remove books {eight titles} from media centers | Davison Index (MI)

Madison County Schools removes 10 books from general library circulation. Here’s why | Clarion-Ledger (MS)

School librarians in Missouri pull books as new law allows charges for ‘explicit’ material | St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Policy would give NP school superintendent last word on pulling library items | North Platte Telegraph (NE)

Omaha radio interview sets off firestorm for Kearney Public Schools | Kearney Hub (NE)
-- Kearney superintendent pushes back against Innis comments on controversial books | Lincoln Journal Star

The Brooklyn Public Library gives every teenager in the U.S. free access to books getting censored by American schools | Open Culture {NY}

Alamance-Burlington Schools latest district to hear complaints about LGBTQ-themed books | Times-News (NC)

Ashland Public Library debate surrounding books continues at larger venue | Ashland Source (OH)
-- Book brouhaha brings another big crowd to Ashland library meeting | Times Gazette (OH)

As the school year begins, calls for book bans begin to accelerate in Ohio | News5 (OH)

Parents speak out against ‘explicit’ school library books on sex, race, ‘giant penises’ | KOMO News (OK)

Stillwater parents speak out against explicit library books in schools | KOKH (OK)

An Oklahoma school district put a teacher on leave after she shared a link to Brooklyn library’s banned book site | Insider
-- An Oklahoma teacher says she resigned over a state law requiring teachers to censor books in classroom libraries | CNN

Pennridge school board could limit student expression, employee ‘advocacy,’ books | Bucks County Courier-Times (PA)

Central Bucks passes another policy targeting inappropriate content | TAP into Doylestown
-- CBSD policy prohibits class materials with ‘sexualized content’ | WHYY (PA)

Amid protest at Spartanburg library, SC senator says ‘sexual identity’ books should be removed | Herald-Journal (SC)

State senator threatens to defund libraries over certain books | WMBF (SC)

Horry County {SC} board bans CRT despite it not being taught in classrooms | Newsweek

Anne Frank adaptation, 40 more books pulled form Texas school district | Washington Post (TX)
-- North Texas ISD responds to criticism after pulling and reviewing books community says are inappropriate | CBS DFW (TX)
-- Keller school board to vote on guidelines on library books, instructional materials | Fort Worth Star-Telegram
-- Order to remove dozens of challenged books in Texas, including The Bible, is an appalling violation of students’ rights | PEN America
-- Texas Superintendent says Anne Frank adaptation will be back on shelves ‘very soon’ | Philadelphia Jewish Exponent

Most efforts to ban books in Texas schools came from 1 politician and GOP pressure, not parents | Houston Chronicle

Humble ISD parents form group to remove ‘dirty books’ from school libraries | KTRK (TX)

CY-Fair ISD students must now get parents’ permission to borrow books at school library | Houston Chronicle (TX)

Grapevine-Colleyville passes limits on CRT, books, and bathrooms | Dallas Morning News (TX)
-- A North Texas school district now lets teachers reject children’s pronouns — even if parents approve of them | Texas Tribune
-- Texas school district approves policy banning classroom discussions of race and gender, restricts books and pronoun use | Hill
-- ‘Don’t say trans’: Texas school board’s new policies spark an outcry | Washington Post {duplicate in thread}
-- Book battle burning over sexually explicit items in Abilene’s public library system | Abilene Reporter News (TX)
-- Tumult over sexually-explicit library materials spills over to council | Abilene Reporter News (TX)

‘I am not upset. I’m enraged’: Administration asked school librarian to take down banned books display after one parent complained | Daily Dot (TX)
-- Belton Middle School students support viral librarians’ banned book display while parents protest | KCEN (TX)

Pearland ISD trustee raises concerns about district’s policy for inappropriate books | Community Impact (TX)

Conroe, Texas, school district to remove ‘obscene’ books from libraries | National Coalition Against Censorship

Katy ISD police ‘investigated’ a library book {Flamer} after complaint alleged it was ‘harmful to minors’ | Houston Chronicle {TX}

Some Katy ISD parents think more should be done to restrict what books are available to students | Houston Chronicle {TX}

Alpine School District restricts 52 library books | KSL News (UT)

Policies that notify Virginia parents of ‘sexually explicit content’ in school materials are on the way | Virginian-Pilot

Virginia Republicans are testing a new way to ban books and restrict their sales. In the long run, it might just work. | Slate

Virginia Beach schools to remove some library books, keep others after complaints | Virginian-Pilot

Parents can now challenge Virginia Beach school library books, but one board member says that’s not enough | Virginian-Pilot

Parents protesting more books at Prince William school libraries | Inside Nova (VA)

Book chronicling transgender teens {Beyond Magenta} to remain on Chesterfield school shelves | Virginia Public Media

Mead School District to consider banning critical race theory, gender identity books | Spokane Public Radio (WA)

Banned books are reinstated to Cadott School Library | Central Wisconsin Broadcasting

Intellectual Freedom News 8/26/2022 (1st continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-8-26-2022/

Privacy & Cybersecurity Selections

Kansas schools to parents: You can keep tabs on what your kids check out from our libraries | NPR

FTC announces advanced notice of proposed rulemaking on commercial surveillance and data security | JD Supra

Hiding OUT: A case for queer experiences informing data privacy laws | Public Knowledge

San Diego joins other cities in restricting cops’ use of surveillance technology | Engadget

Lawmakers demand FBI, DHS, and others reveal purchases of personal data that circumvent warrants | Gizmodo

Oracle’s ‘surveillance machine’ targeted in US privacy class action | TechCrunch

First Amendment, Free Speech, & Civil Liberties Selections

America’s censored classrooms | Pen America

Defamation suit about election falsehoods puts Fox on its heels | New York Times

Faced with a rise of extremism within its ranks, the US military has clamped down on racist speech, including retweets and likes | Conversation

Civil rights groups call for probe into fake ICE university that detained students, seized millions of dollars | Hill

Victory! Federal court upholds First Amendment protections for student’s off-campus social media post | EFF

The stabbing of Salman Rushdie renews free speech debates | New York Times

After Roe, Republicans sharpen attacks on gay and transgender rights | New York Times

Alabama political group gathering evidence of alleged violations of school gender identity, CRT rules | Alabama.com

ACLU sues over Arizona law limiting filming of police | AP

Court: Arkansas can’t ban treatment of transgender kids | Associated Press

From critical race theory bans to anti-LGBTQ rules: Will conservatives transform California schools? | San Francisco Chronicle

‘Is this how we want to be known?’ Wellington residents discuss possible book ban {of various titles} | Coloradoan

DeSantis loses another First Amendment fight, this one over ‘Stop Woke Act’ | Florida Phoenix
-- Judge blocks DeSantis’s ‘Stop Woke Act,’ says Florida feels like a ‘First Amendment upside down’ | Hill

Mothers behind book-banning campaign claim their First Amendment rights are being violated | Flagler Live (FL)

Schools’ policy for checking out controversial library books switches to opt-out only | Lakeland Now (FL)

Parents sue Linn-Mar school district over policy supporting trans, non-binary students | Iowa Starting Line

{Maryland} Judge throws out parents’ lawsuit over school policy to not out trans kids to their parents | LGBTQ Nation

Tulsa Public Schools punishment for alleged CRT violation being used to challenge law | KTUL (OK)

Newly elected DA suggested prosecuting librarians for “inappropriate” books | LGBTQ Nation (TN)

‘I won’t be silenced’: North Texans testify in Congress about censorship in education | Dallas Observer

Legislation

Republicans Running for Statehouse Seats Sharpen Attacks on Public Education | Route 50

Sen. Rand Paul wants to repeal the Espionage Act amid the Mar-a-Lago investigation | NPR

Michigan Republicans aim to restrict school discussion of systemic racism | Bridge Michigan

New Missouri law makes it a crime for educators to share ‘explicit’ books with students | CBS News
-- New Missouri law on banned books sparks debate | WDJT

Internet decries book ‘censorship’ after teacher shares impact of state law | Newsweek (TN)

One year later, confusion remains over application and enforcement of ‘critical race theory’ ban | Texan

Academic Freedom / School Journalism

Fighting the good fight | Inside Higher Ed

Conservative students sue Clovis college administrators. ‘Barriers against our ideas’ | Fresno Bee {CA}

University professors are afraid. Florida’s crackdown on ‘woke’ academia is already working — Editorial | Miami Herald

Nebraska school officials close newspaper after LGBTQ issue | WRAL News / Associated Press

Intellectual Freedom News 8/26/2022 (2nd continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-8-26-2022/

Access

Reading while incarcerated saved me. So why are prisons banning books? | New York Times

Social Media

Facebook and Instagram remove Robert Kennedy Jr.’s nonprofit for misinformation | New York Times

Rights groups tell {Facebook's} Zuckerberg to stop ‘dangerous censorship’ of abortion content | Common Dreams

Instagram reveals algorithm change after Palestine censorship claims | National

How frustration over TikTok has mounted in Washington | New York Times

Social media is polluting society. Moderation alone won’t fix the problem | MIT Technology Review

Censored: The exhibitions that Instagram doesn’t want you to see | Art Newspaper

States are bracing for social media-enabled election violence | Bloomberg

Facebook, Twitter release 2022 midterms policies to fight the big lie | Washington Post

Information Literacy & Disinformation

The Alex Jones verdict and the fight against disinformation | New York Times

Ambitious project takes new approach to world’s disinformation problem | Cision

Schools find conspiracy theories interfere with making classrooms inclusive | NPR

‘A cascade of online hate’: anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination, disinformation flourishes on social media | Hill

On TikTok, election misinformation thrives ahead of midterms | New York Times

Bringing lessons from cybersecurity to the fight against disinformation | MIT

Experts worry monkeypox disinformation will harm LGBTQ+ community | Hill

Google examines how different generations handle misinformation | MIT Technology Review

Misinformation ‘Harms nearly every element of election administration,’ committee report finds | Nextgov

How the idea of a ‘transgender contagion’ went viral–and caused untold harm | MIT Technology Review

Florida didn’t ban ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ as fake list suggests | AP

International News

U.K.’s online censorship bill causes far more harm than it attempts to prevent | Reason

Intellectual Freedom News 8/26/2022 (3rd continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-8-26-2022/

Around the Web

‘The perfect target’? Movement to ban books from schools brings vitriol toward librarians | USA Today

When they came for librarians: My profession is under attack — what happens now? | Salon

Opinion: As a kid, a book I wasn’t looking for changed my life | CNN {minor spoiler: The book was Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.}

Literary figures hold rally for Salman Rushdie in New York | TRT World

Students lose access to books amid ‘state-sponsored purging of ideas’ | Washington Post

Banning books is now way to protect young minds | Washington Post

How Slaughterhouse-Five became a repeated target of book burners | Reason

Book bans, lawsuits resurgent 40 years after ‘Island Trees’ | Bloomberg Law

The right is misusing the word “grooming” and it can have serious consequences | Teen Vogue

Republican war on books: They don’t just want to control your body — next up, your mind | Salon

Stress, harassment, censorship: What educators face as politics roil schools | Education Week

Checklist aims to help teachers create reading oases in book deserts | K-12 Dive

Florida students return to schools reshaped by Gov. DeSantis’ anti-‘woke’ education agenda | WSVN News

‘It’s challenging’: How Idaho libraries are coping with budget cuts after smut claims | Spokesman-Review

Lafayette council looking into path to remove library board members | Advertiser (LA)

Librarian and Filmmaker Expand West Point Library’s LGBTQ+ Collection | Mississippi Free Press

Books riddled with bullet holes found in library book return bin | Daily Inter Lake (MT)

14 candidates pursue open seat on ImagineIF library board | Daily Inter Lake (MT)

NJ high school librarian who opposed removal of LGBTQ books receives national honor | MyCentralJersey.com

How efforts to ban books impact public libraries | Takeaway NYC

It’s a book, not a belief system | Dallas Morning News {TX}

Restrictive school board policies threaten the right to read | Texas Library Association

Peabody teens join library’s banned book club | CBS News {MA} {not linked correctly in the original blog post}

Texas mom’s campaign to ban LGBTQ library books divided her town – and her family | USA Today

Texas librarians, bearing the brunt of book ban battles, see their numbers dwindle | Houston Chronicle

Black-owned Austin bookstore fights against banned books with new nonprofit | Fox 7 Austin {TX}

What is ‘soft’ censorship? When school districts don’t ban books, they still limit student access | 19th News

Media guide: Reporting on book bannings and school censorship | GLAAD

A template for talking with school and library boards about book bans | Book Riot

15 banned & challenged books you should read with your kids | Woman’s Tale

I checked several times last weekend but did not see an update of OIF's blog. Now a post is showing up for this previous Friday. Here are its pieces.

=====

Intellectual Freedom News 9/2/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-9-2-2022/

Censorship

These teachers’ book list was going to be restricted. Their students fought back | Education Week

Group Disrupts Drag Queen Story Hour Event in Campbell | NBC Bay Area {CA}

Book debate: St. Johns County school district keeps 8 books, some with restrictions | St. Augustine Record (FL)

Leader of group targeting Polk school library books asks police agencies to take action | Lakeland Ledger (FL)

A Library Struck by Controversy That Began Over a Book It Didn’t Own | Route 50
-- Armed Idaho locals show up to library board meetings to push ban of over 400 books | CNN
-- Conservatives join liberals in ‘quiet and polite’ Idaho protest to protect their library from book-banners | CNN

Book ban battle. Dist. 99 students honored for fight to keep ‘Gender Queer’ on library shelves | My Suburban Life (IL)

Downers Grove library defends decision to host Drag Queen Bingo event | Shaw Local (IL)

A Des Moines metro book ban update | Axios Des Moines (IA)

Conservative Christian groups are targeting Louisiana libraries | NPR

Madison, Mississippi, school district restricts books on race and LGBTQ+ themes | National Coalition Against Censorship

Area schools remove books under new law that is unlikely to be enforced | St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO)

Missouri schools are taking books off shelves due to ‘sexually explicit’ content ban | NPR

An Oklahoma teacher gave her students access to banned books. Now she’s under scrutiny | NPR
-- Oklahoma Wants to Revoke License of Teacher Who Shared ‘Books Unbanned’ QR Code | Vice
-- Brooklyn Public Library’s “Books Unbanned” program aims to provide young people with access to censored literature | CBS News

Oklahoma state board affirms decision to downgrade accreditation for 2 school districts over violating law on race and gender teaching | CNN

Norman Public Schools parent says former teacher ‘should have criminal charges | KOKH (OK)

Ryan Walters calls to revoke former Norman teacher’s certification | Oklahoman

Austin (TX) Council opposes book banning, adopts Freedom to Read resolution

City closes library to remove ‘displays’ | Huntsville Item (TX)

Carroll schools deem parts of book by grandson of slave {Life is So Good} by George Dawson} inappropriate for some students | Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX)
-- A North Texas school district says a book chapter by its namesake about a lynching is not appropriate for some students | CNN

Grapevine HS students walkout over school’s new policy on CRT, books, and pronouns | WFAA (TX)

How a book is challenged, reviewed, and potentially removed at Bryan ISD | KXXV (TX)

Library advisory board creates committee for contested book reconsiderations | Abilene Reporter-News (TX)

English teachers rally against graphic novel bans in Texas school district | Pagelagi (TX)

‘I want to have a sound process’: Belton ISD superintendent weighs in on controversial, viral banned book display | KAGS (TX)
-- Belton ISD updates policies on challenged books in response to viral TikTok video | KCEN

Utah schools are adopting new book-banning procedures | Axios Salt Lake City (UT)

Court dismisses lawsuit against books said to be ‘obscene’ for minors in Virginia Beach | 13 News Now (VA)
-- Judge thwarts Va. Republicans’ effort to limit book sales at Barnes & Noble | Washington Post
-- ‘Gender Queer’ author ‘relieved’ after court rules book’s sale can’t be restricted in Virginia | Time
-- Virginia Beach School Board meeting gets heated on schoolbook material | 13News Now (VA)

Fairfax County Public Library board sticks by materials selection policy | FFX.Now (VA)

Moms for Liberty want 14 more books removed from school libraries | Fauquier Times (VA)

The Germantown Library’s Pride-themed exhibit sparked controversy. Now, the board is considering banning public use of the display case | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel {WI}

Intellectual Freedom News 9/2/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-9-2-2022/

First Amendment, Free Speech, & Civil Liberties

Parents ask federal judge to block Florida schools from carrying out ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law | Politico

Yeshiva University asks Supreme Court to let it block LGBTQ student club | CNN

Kansas district settles lawsuit over student pronouns | AP

Guidelines supporting trans students don’t violate parents’ rights, a Federal judge rules | Education Week

Legislation

Missouri bans sexual images in school library books | Ozarks First/Associated Press

Tennessee school library law’s expanded scope puts new burden on teachers | Tennessee Chalkbeat

International News

Serious concerns as almost a third of librarians asked to censor material (Great Britain) | The Bookseller

The censorship machine erasing China’s feminist movement | New Yorker

Around the Web

Local libraries have become a major political and cultural battleground | NPR

The right has long tried to impose its vision on American education | Washington Post

Americans don’t want books banned, but they’re divided over what schools teach | Five Thirty Eight

I don’t want to choose between job security and teaching the truth (opinion) | Education Week

Libraries losing directors over controversies | Jonesboro Sun

Morse Institute Library in Natick is a safe haven for banned books | Natick Report {MA}

Michigan library defunded over LGBTQ books hits $245,000 on GoFundMe | Center Square

Controversy over pride flag leads to surprising changes in southwestern Minnesota city | Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Library sees resignations following bullet-riddled books | Flathead Beacon (MT)

Texas YA, adult banned book clubs launched amid title challenges | KXAN (TX)

A Texas school board rejects ‘In God we trust” signs in Arabic | NPR

Opinion: Back to school, back to fighting far-right attacks on education | North Dallas Gazette

Intellectual Freedom News 9/9/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-9-9-2022/

Censorship wars: Why have several communities voted to defund their public libraries? | WBUR

Censorship

Conservatives join liberals in ‘quiet and polite’ Idaho protest to protect their library from book-banners | CNN

Local school committee votes to keep controversial books on shelves, but board delays next step | WFTV (FL)
-- Osceola County School Board pulls back approval items after heated discussion | Click Orlando
-- School board overrules local leaders’ ban on four books | Newsweek

Broward’s elementary schools will start publishing their list of books. Some deemed ‘objectionable’ might get tossed. | South Florida Sun Sentinel

Unbanning history: Georgia teen organizers fight back against school censorship | Southern Poverty Law Center

Why two books on gender identity, sexuality {Gender Queer: A Memoir and It's Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health} are roiling local schools | Portland Press-Herald (ME)

‘It’s Perfectly Normal’ will not be banned at Maine school district | NBC News Center Maine
-- Bonny Eagle school board votes against removing controversial book from middle school library | Portland Press-Herald (ME)

Librarians fight censorship as attacks grow around state | Lansing City Pulse {MI}

Despite a bit of spitting, name calling, parents will keep bringing kids to Drag Queen Story Hours | Fairfield Sun Times (MT)

Rochester council, and community, reject bid to ban four LGBTQ+ books: ‘This is an attack’ | Foster’s Daily Democrat (NH)

What are some notable books that have been banned in some Oklahoma schools? | Oklahoman

This Oklahoma teacher helped students get banned books. An official wants her license revoked | USA Today
-- An Oklahoma teacher gave her students access to banned books. Now she’s under scrutiny | NPR

Oklahoma school book ban blocks works from eight Black authors–Full list | Newsweek

Battle over books rages in North Texas school district amid outcry over new policy | KMA

Parents blame conservative cell phone company for school book bans | Advocate (TX)

Huntsville residents push back after city removes ‘Read With Pride’ display from public library | NPR (TX)

Belton ISD addressing challenged books, parent access | Belton Journal (TX)

Council opposes book banning, adopts Freedom to Read resolution | Austin Monitor (TX)

Texas YA, adult banned book clubs launched amid title challenges | KXAN

Keller ISD sparks controversy over book removals | Timber Creek Talon (TX)

How book bans turned a Texas town upside down | New York Times

Obscenity suit exposed an outdated law and a society too reliant on government to raise kids | Virginia Mercury

Library hears public comments about children’s library content | Dayton Chronicle (WA)

Public libraries face threats to funding and collections as book bans surge | Time Magazine

Censorship attempts will have a long-lasting impact on school library collections, SLJ survey shows | School Library Journal

Intellectual Freedom News 9/9/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-9-9-2022/

First Amendment, Free Speech, & Civil Liberties / Academic Freedom selections

Professor, student file new First Amendment challenge to ‘Stop WOKE Act’ | WLRN (FL)

Inside the academic freedom crisis that roiled Florida’s flagship | Chronicle of Higher Education

Government Operations chair tells universities to drop LGBTQ policies | Tennessee Lookout

Texas school district imposes broad restrictions on transgender students’ rights | Education Week

Journalism

High school journalists in LA learn about censorship, from their own principal | LAist
-- Student journalists reveal a changing world. Let them. | New York Times

Around the Web

Battle lines drawn for school board wars | Santa Barbara News-Press {CA}

Drag queen story hour at Campbell bookstore interrupted by protesters | Mercury News {CA}

Florida Gov. DeSantis leads a nationwide shift to politicizing school board races | NPR

DeSantis censors school libraries | FSU News {FL}

Art Spiegelman’s ‘Maus’ is the latest One Book, One Chicago title. It feels like a provocation. | Chicago Tribune {IL}

Wake County librarian advocates for diverse books, speaks out against book banning | Spectrum News 1 (NC)

Challenged books: The fight for freedom to read hits close to home | Enid News (OK)

Conservative Texas phone company fueling extremist takeover of schools | Guardian
-- How a far-right, Christian cellphone company ‘took over’ four Texas school boards | NBC News

School just started but the debate surrounding gender and race in classrooms is already at a fever pitch | CNN

Teens are fighting back against LGBTQ book bans | VICE

Peter Eckersley, tech activist and founder of Let’s Encrypt, dies at 43 | TechSpot

Serious concerns as almost a third of librarians asked to censor material | Bookseller

Daring to speak up about race in a divided school district | New York Times Magazine

Against critical race theory being taught in schools? Read this. | Hill

NCAC announces virtual resources for Banned Books Week | Government Technology

International News

Chinese social media sites are quietly putting digital fingerprints on screenshots | VICE

Netflix: Gulf states demand removal of ‘offensive’ content | Wire

Hong Kong judge finds five guilty over children’s books | BBC

Question:

Would anyone else like to see news headlines from 2021 sorted by state for Banned Book Week? That might highlight trends in a new way. However, I rather not exert the effort when there's a lack of interest.

>117 aspirit: I am considering doing this for select states:

• Florida
• Pennsylvania
• Idaho
• California
• Texas
• Missouri

Intellectual Freedom News 9/16/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-9-16-2022/

Censorship

Wellington board of trustees takes action against book bans in the town’s public library | Fort Collins Coloradoan

Federal lawsuit filed against Guilfod, CT, schools by parents opposing critical race theory | Globe Newswire

Amity debates library books, sexuality, diversity, and the role of parents in schools | CT Examiner

Orange school board candidate complains about sexually explicit books | Yahoo! News (FL)

Polk group petitions school board to change policy on books it considers harmful | Ledger (FL)

Miami school district says it denied Pulitzer play {Anna in the Tropics} due to racy scenes. Others say censorship | Miami Herald

Nampa to consider new policy for removing books | Idaho Ed News

LGBTQ comic books under scrutiny back on the shelves at Dixon Public Library | Shaw Local (IL)
-- Dixon Library Board looking into policy changes for displays | Shaw Local (IL)

Chicago-area library cancels drag queen bingo event for teens over ‘vitriolic’ threats | NBC News
-- ‘Drag Queen Bingo’ for kids inappropriate use of library funds: Pekau | Patch (IL)

Residents, Republicans angry about being barred from Grayslake library event; ‘The whole purpose of a public library is to have open information’ | Lake County News-Sun (IL)

Committee formed to consider banning book from PHS English | Perry News {IA}

Two books in Spruce Mountain High School library challenged | Livermore Falls Advertiser (ME)

SJ school board clarifies book review policy after parent comment on ‘pornographic’ book | WSJM (MI)

7 books pulled from Dearborn Public Schools after parents express concerns | WXYZ (MI)

Regional library board declines to move controversial book {It's Perfectly Normal} | Isanti-Chisago County Star (MN)

22 titles pulled from Missouri district shelves to comply with state law and more — Censorship roundup | School Library Journal

KPS addresses LGBTQ+ books controversy following board meeting drama | KSNB (NE)

Supt. removes LGBTQ book from Western High library | Alamance News (NC)
-- ABSS superintendent has ‘Gender Queer: A Memoir’ removed from high school library | WNCT (NC)

NCAC calls on Norman Oklahoma School District to clarify HB 1775 only applies to curriculum | National Coalition Against Censorship
-- How the Brooklyn Library helped fight book bans in Oklahoma | New York Times

Huntsville residents push back after city removes ‘Read with Pride’ display from library | Houston Public Media (TX)

Victoria library advisory board adopts new book policy | Victoria Advocate (TX)

Katy ISD teacher ‘decimated’ class library, removing every YA book to avoid controversy, parent says | Houston Chronicle (TX)

Spotsylvania to remove 5 books from high school libraries following review | Free-Lance Star (VA)

Virginia Beach school leaders address ‘threatening’ emails sent to school staff | 13 News Now (VA)

Fauquier County school board plans to revise policies around books containing ‘sexually explicit content’ | WTOP (VA)

Mead school board strikes down proposals that would have banned critical race theory, gender studies | Spokesman-Review (WA)

Intellectual Freedom News 9/16/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-9-16-2022/

First Amendment, Free Speech, & Civil Liberties / Legislation selections

An unprecedented uptick in book bans brings First Amendment scrutiny | First Amendment Watch at NYU

The ACLU’s fight against classroom censorship, state by state | 74

Hearing held on ND critical race theory | KNOX

Representative to introduce bill to rid Pennsylvania school libraries of obscene content | Pennsylvania Star

Amid book bans, Virginia parents push for more ‘authority’ over what kids can read in school libraries | ABC News

Access

Gov. Newsom announces free online tutoring for all Californians, grants to improve libraries across the state | Random Lengths News

Around the Web (in original order)

Teacher: ‘To censor and ban books is to erase whole parts of humanity’ | Columbus Dispatch

Brooklyn Public Library has issued 5,100 free library cards to make banned books available for teens | CNN

Today’s book bans might be more dangerous than those from the past | Washington Post

Censorship is the refuge of the weak | New York Times

How book bans are affecting schools and libraries | Week

Banning LGBTQ books isn’t just stupid and ineffective–it’s cruel beyond measure | Common Dreams

The human costs of LGBTQ book bans | Counterpunch

N.J.librarian who fought book banning co-creates app to help others do the same | NJ.com

Teacher Voice: How the sad shadow of book banning shuts down conversations and lacerates librarians | Hechinger Report

Students are back in school with less to read | Inside Sources

What parents can do when schools ban books | Washington Post

Richard Borow, L.A. attorney who fought for Angela Davis’ right to teach at UCLA, dies | Los Angeles Times

Idaho’s far right suffers election loss to 18-year-old climate activist | Intercept

Anti-drag harassment continues across the country | Prism

‘Maus’ author Art Spiegelman to receive honorary National Book Award after book banned | USA Today

Parents react to North Allegheny school board decision to eliminate all library secretary positions | Yahoo! News

Ibram X. Kendi on his new book and why kids today need the kinds of books being banned | Reader’s Digest

John Green on people trying to ban his book at his old school | Vulture

NCAC, A Kids Co., release new kids book about banned books | National Coalition Against Censorship

Gender identity, critical race theory generate discussion before Lakeland Union High School board | WXPR (WI)

What happened to critical race theory? CT Republicans ditched the messaging after mixed results | CT Insider

Shelf life: York Public Library celebrates the freedom to read | Seacoast Online

UB Libraries presents Banned Books Week events beginning Sept. 19 | University at Buffalo

College, public library set banned book discussion series | Wilmington News Journal

NRPLF names Sunny Hostin honorary spokeswoman for Banned Books Week | Patch

As Banned Book Week approaches, Middletown librarians discuss challenged works in 2022 | Newport Daily News

Des Moines library to launch ‘banned books’ library card | Axios

Worries before Banned Books Week | Monadnock Ledger-Transcript

A new battleground: School chiefs | Politico

Oklahoma bookstore challenges state book ban, sells merchandise with QR codes linking to open copies | ABC 7

Library director was ‘blindsided’ by not being notified about meeting | Jamestown Sun (ND)

Two CRT rallies planned at tomorrow’s school board meeting | Loudoun Now (VA)

https://twitter.com/Lessa4Libraries/status/1573426614465335296

Lessa Nani Pelayo-Lozada
@Lessa4Libraries
🧵It's been a busy #BannedBooksWeek talking to media outlets across the country -- check out some of the articles that have come out:
5:38 PM · Sep 23, 2022 ·Twitter Web App

📚 Banned Books Week highlights current, historical attempts to censor books in schools and libraries:
091922-tul-nws-bannedbooks-p1
tulsaworld.com

📚 The Frightening Reason Why Books Are Being Banned Nationwide:
tellmebest.com

📚 At least 50 groups in the US advocated to ban books in the past year:
cbs58.com

📚 The American Library Association discusses book censorship increases during banned books week:
nbc-2.com

📚 Book-banning attempts in US have reached unprecedented level:
truthout.org

📚 Students are back in school with less to read:
insidesources.com

📚 Book bans surge as advocacy groups wage war on literature:
lamag.com

Intellectual Freedom News 9/24/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-9-24-2022/

Censorship

School book bans and challenges, at record highs, are rising again | Washington Post

Miami-Dade school board capitulates to right-wing groups in sex ed textbook debate UPDATED | Miami New Times (FL)

Closed classroom library pic shocking: Who do we trust to define if books OK?–Opinion | Treasure Coast Palm (FL)

Book restrictions: 3 books in Collier Schools now need parental permission for check-out {by high school students} | Naples Daily News {FL} {The books are Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty, Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, and The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison}

Community divided over Kansas school district book ban push | Great Bend Post (KS)

As school book bans gain traction in the U.S., Barrington rejects bid to remove two LGBTQ books | WBEZ (IL)

Library seeks dialogue on complaints about teen section content, protests about censorship | Republic (IN)

Bonny Eagle school board delays decision on whether to keep controversial book in high school library | Portland Press Herald {ME} (paywalled)

After banning books in May, Nixa school board made other changes. Parents are crying foul. | Springfield News-Leader (MO)

Disturbing threats to NYC teen drag star lead to cancellation of ‘fun-filled’ event at NYPL | NY Daily News

Board re-evaluates Cabarrus County Schools’ library book policy | WBTV (NC)
-- NC school board members say they want book ban transparency. Parents are skeptical. | Charlotte Observer (NC)

NC school board members say they want book ban transparency. Parents are skeptical. |Charlotte Observer

Questions remain as library board, public clash over explicit book {Let's Talk About It: The Teen's Guide by Erica Moen and Matthew Nolan} | Valley City Times Record (ND)

Williamson County library backs ‘Banned Book Week’ after schools remove book {Walk Two Moons} | Tennessean

Katy ISD reverses course, allows access to LGBTQ+ internet resources previously filtered out | KHOU (TX)

Removal of LGBTQ+ book display from Huntsville Public Library draws crowds to council meeting speaking in favor and against the decision | Click2Houston {TX}

Belton ISD board of trustees revise old policy to assist parents concerned about inappropriate books | KCEN (TX)

Mayor Jeff Bauknight says books in question at Victoria Public Library will not be removed | Crossroads Today (TX)

Keller asks library to remove post promoting banned books out of fear of controversy | Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX)

City of Keller orders Keller Public Library to remove post about Banned Books Week

Intellectual Freedom News 9/24/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-9-24-2022/

{This is an unrevised list, with only a touchstone added. The order is the same as in the blog post. I think it's by publication date?}

Around the Web

National conservative groups pour money into local school board races | Politico

‘We’ve moved backwards’: US librarians face unprecedented attacks amid rightwing book bans | Guardian

Emily Knox: Book bannings are a lagging indicator of society’s reaction to change | Faith and Leadership

Maine governor race is center stage in a national conservative group’s latest attack on LGBTQ books | Bangor Daily News

Attempts to ban books are accelerating and becoming more divisive | New York Times
-- Book banning, curriculum restrictions, and the politicization of U.S. schools | American Progress
-- Book-banning efforts rising at unprecedented rate, US libraries report | Alaska Native News

Royal Oak library highlights effort against banning books | Oakland Press (MI)

Banned Books Week: How a NH school district wrestles with allowing book challenges | Seacoast Online

Crusading for parental rights may cloak other motives | Washington Post

The banned books you haven’t heard about | Atlantic

How attacks on critical race theory are affecting teachers | Education Week

Book bans create fear in schools | Language Magazine

Book bans reflect outdated beliefs about how children read | Conversation

Students resist banned titles with a book club | Axios

Banned Books Week: Celebrating the freedom to read, defending the freedom to learn | People for the American Way

‘Censorship divides us’: Spokane Public Library holds events for Banned Books Week | KXLY

Neo-Nazi charged with violence outside Drag Queen Story Hour event appears in court | Pink News

Memphis museum cancels drag show as armed protesters show up | 59 News

Rushdie and free speech, from Tehran to Pittsburgh | Belt Magazine

Book bans are an attack on the freedom to read, teach, and learn | Seattle Medium

Organized opposition to the right to read–Recent changes to the library landscape | Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

CT Libraries Observe Banned Books Week | Public News Service

On Banned Books Week, a CT library director says ‘we received numerous ugly complaints’ | Stamford Advocate

Utah libraries standing against censorship and book-banning | KSLTV
-- Utah authors sign letter decrying ‘plague of book banning’ | Salt Lake Tribune

Fighting censorship through Books Unbanned | Hamilton Magazine
-- Brooklyn Public Library has issued 5,100 free library cards to make banned books available for teens | CNN

Don’t send a librarian to do a parent’s job | Daily Montanian

Flying Dog Brewery takes over libraries across DMV during banned books week | Yahoo! News

Intellectual Freedom News 10/03/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-10-03-2022/

With book banning on the rise, libraries are creating ‘sanctuaries’ | WBEZ Chicago

Why are so many books being banned? Behind the scenes | The Daily Show

Have We Forgotten What A Public Library is For? | Washington Post

Censorship

Ban on sexually explicit materials in Arizona schools set to take effect | Cronkite News (AZ)

CUSD parent alarmed by book {an older edition of Melissa} her son found in school library | SanTan News {AZ}

Library funding under challenge in northeast Arkansas | Arkansas Times

LGBT books under review by Poway Unified, educators and librarians speak out | CBS 8 (CA)

Greeley middle school celebrates ‘freedom to read’ as challenges to books continue | Greeley Tribune (CO)

Ferguson library receives threats following drag story time event | Patch (CT)

Book bans: List of books challenged in schools tracked by Florida Freedom to Read Project | Fort Myers News-Press

Northview teacher, school board chair call for review of 120 ‘obscene’ books; school board to address book policy | North Escambia (FL)

Threatening Letter Including Bullet Prompted Downers Grove Library to Cancel Drag Queen Bingo Event | NBC News
-- Threats that prompted Downers Grove library to cancel drag bingo are part of a national trend, experts say | NBC News5 (IL)

Seaman High School bans book during special board meeting | WIBW (KS)

Special Topeka school board meeting held to discuss banned books | KSNT (KS)

JCPS board votes unanimously to keep ‘Gender Queer’ book in school libraries | WLKY (KY)

A school librarian pushes back on censorship and gets death threats and online harassment | Education Week (LA)

Dearborn Public Schools temporarily restricts access to seven books and sets up a book review committee | Arab American News (MI)
-- Dearborn mayor: Rally opposing library books was an effort by ‘bad-faith actors’ | Michigan Advance
-- Dearborn book bans draw supporters and foes | Detroit News (MI)
-- Tense rallies in Dearborn amid debate over LGBTQ books | Detroit Free Press

Mother files police report over ‘gay’ book {This Book is Gay} in high school library | Metro Weekly (MI)

‘Access equals equity’: Anti-censorship advocates fear new book ban’s impact | Columbia Missourian

Nixa High School restricts access to 10 books including Toni Morrison’s ‘The Bluest Eye’ | Springfield News-Herald (MO)

Suburban school districts in St. Louis area more likely to ban books under new law | St. Louis Today (MO)

Kirkwood parents speak out against book bans | St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO)

How one N.H. school district is rethinking its response to book challenges | NHPR

During Banned Books Week a school district wrestles with how to allow book challenges | New Hampshire Bulletin

Debate sparked after book {Gender Queer} removed from ABSS shelves | Elon News Network (NC)

A parade against book-banning in Doylestown, as Central Bucks School District targets ‘sexualized content’ | Philadelphia Inquirer

Pennsylvania school district accused of banning Girls Who Code book series | Guardian (PA)
-- School district denies banning Girls Who Code books | Games Industry
-- Did a Pennsylvania School District Ban the Girls Who Code Books?The Answer Is Complicated. | Gizmodo
-- PEN America responds to questions raised about book bans in the Central York, PA schools | PEN America

Rhode Island school librarian speaks out at school committee meeting | Intellectual Freedom Blog

Greenville library meeting reveals confrontation between board chair, employees | Post and Courier (SC)
-- Police called to Travelers Rest library branch to investigate ‘obscene material’ | Fox News Carolina (SC)

‘Stamped’ removed from Pickens County Schools | Fox Carolina (SC)

Sequatchie County parent wants to ban book {Looking for Alaska} from school library because of ‘sexual content’ | Local3 News (TN)

Museum cancels drag show after armed protesters show up | Hyperallergic (TN)

Library group asks FBI to investigate threats, including those in Fort Worth | Dallas Morning News {TX}
-- Letter of Concern to FBI Regarding Threats of Violence in Libraries | ALA Executive Board

Eanes ISD postpones annual ‘Banned Book Week’ lesson following concerns | KVUE (TX)

Katy ISD now requires parent permission for secondary students to check out classroom library books | Houston Chronicle (TX)

Katy ISD adds more restrictions on student access to library books | Houston Chronicle {TX}

Park City board of education postpones book ban policy decision… again | KCPW NPR (UT)

Spotsylvania, Virginia, school district removes books without review | National Coalition Against Censorship (VA)

Tensions grow amid challenged book discussions at Phillips Public Library | WXPR (WI)

Parents ask library to restrict LGBTQ+ books | WAOW (WI)

Dozens Speak Out Against Banning LGBTQ Books at NCSD Meeting | K2 Radio (WY)

Intellectual Freedom News 10/03/2022 (1st continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-10-03-2022/

{These headlines are in the original order from the blog post.}

Around the Web

The strain of censorship on public libraries | NPR

The conservative parents seeking power on local school boards | San Diego Union-Tribune

Conservatives infiltrate Silicon Valley school board races | San Jose Spotlight

How the Proud Boys supercharged an era of far-right extremism | Progressive

Banned Books Week: As book bans become ‘more numerous, more organized, more effective,’ Brooklyn Public Library fights back | Brooklyn Paper
-- Brooklyn Public Library vs. the Book Banners | Indypendent

The Prince song that started a wave of artistic censorship | Far Out

Book community celebrating the freedom to read during Banned Books Week | KBTX

Libraries closing under threat: Banned Books Week turns dark as numerous city libraries shut down after bomb scares | Book & Film Globe
-- All Nashville Public Library branches close after bomb threat. Police say it wasn’t credible. | NewsChannel 5
-- Threats close Denver’s public libraries, area high school amid surge in ‘traumatizing’ hoax calls nationwide | Denver Post
-- Hawaii public libraries to reopen Tuesday after closing due to ‘unspecified threat’ | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
-- Libraries across the US are receiving violent threats | VICE

How independent bookstores help in the fight against book banning and why it matters | NPR

Rising tide of censorship and scrutiny has schools scrambling to avoid backlash | Chalkbeat

Woke is now a dog whistle for Black. What’s next? | Washington Post

Banned books, censored topics: Teaching about the battle over what students should learn | New York Times

Standing up to the new censorship | Washington Post

Educators will teach ‘truth about oppression’ despite CRT attacks | Education Week

How social-emotional learning became a frontline in the battle against CRT | NPR

Disinvestment poses as great a threat to libraries as book bans | Truthout

School board races in Florida are bolstered by national conservative groups | WLRN

Armed protesters showed up to a Texas church’s drag bingo event | Them

Banned-book author {Ashley Hope Pérez}: If a book isn’t in the school library, ‘It might as well not exist’ | Education Week

Gov. Henry McMaster in Aiken: Critical race theory has no place in South Carolina | Aiken Standard

Art from the most banned book in the country on display in San Rafael | Marin Independent Journal

Amid ‘avalanche of censorship,’ federal lawmakers introduce resolution recognizing Banned Books Week | FIRE

The fight against book bans feels lonely when met with silence. I'm feeling that because of local events.

Anyway, here are selections from the smaller sections of last week's OIF blog post along with short summaries meant to clarify the headlines. Please still read the original article(s) if possible and start a new thread if you are interested in discussion.

Intellectual Freedom News 10/03/2022 (2nd continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-10-03-2022/

Judge dismisses lawsuit over DOJ memo on school board threats | CNN
{In response to parents who accused US Attorney General Merrick Garland of impeding their free speech in a 2021 memo about the "disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence" against education officials, a federal judge said the group misunderstood the intent of the "series of measures" directing federal authorities to address threats against people because of school policies (including those for the inclusion of books).}

Cranston library suspends use of meeting space pending policy review | Boston Globe {paywalled}
{An anti-transgender event approved by trustees at the public library sparked a protest by hundreds of people and this review.}

Update: Judge rules against school librarian Amanda Jones in civil case | School Library Journal
{A Louisiana school librarian who was attacked online for speaking up in a public library meeting in support of access to (LBGTQ or sexual health) books sued for damages and injunctive relief. A judge has ruled against her case (saying that that the harassment and defamation only hurt her feelings, according to Jones.}

Parental rights fight in Kansas schools spawns book bans, scrutiny of LGBTQ students | Butler County Times-Gazette
{...more of the same. This is likely familiar to Banned Books group members by now.}

Ketchikan proposition 2 author downplays impacts of library defunding measure in KRBD forum | KRBD (AK)
{A measure suspected of targeting LGBTQ content for young children would remove a property tax that the library director says is vital for almost all activities, many of the library's services, and pay for staff. She also says residents who wouldn't be contributing to the library's funding through the tax would be ineligible for a library card. The author of the measure says he expects the voters to reject it and that if they don't, the government will find some way to make up for the half-million-dollar-per-year hit to the budget.}

edited to correct a typo

The ALA's Office of Intellectual Freedom has a message in the latest blog post.

Given the volume of news, commentary, and updates addressing intellectual freedom and privacy issues in libraries across the United States and even internationally, we are experimenting with a twice-a-week publication schedule – moving to Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Intellectual Freedom News 10/08/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-10-08-2022/

Censorship

Defunding measure for Jonesboro library likely to be on November ballot | Arkansas Times
-- Democratic Senate candidate worried about after-school programs amid petition | KAIT-8 (AR)

Sex education book {Let’s Talk About It: The Teen’s Guide to Sex, Relationships and Being a Human} temporarily removed from at least 2 Cherry Creek school libraries | Sentinel Colorado
-- Sex ed book pulled from Cherry Creek school libraries after parent complaint | Sentinel Colorado

Superintendent is retiring after Colorado school board president urged parents to search schools for ‘objectionable material’ | Colorado Sun

School board bans public review of ‘banned books’ display | Westport Journal (CT)

Banned books controversy reaches board of ed | 06880 (CT)

100+ ‘questionable’ books placed in restricted section while Escambia schools review them | Pensacola News Journal (FL)

CCSD school board discusses policy on reconsideration of library books | Carroll Times Herald (IA)

Committee declines to remove ‘The Hate U Give’ form PHS classes | Perry News (IA)

Maine school district votes against removal of one of the nation’s most-challenged books {Gender Queer} | Hill (ME)
-- Board of Buxton school district votes against removing book from library | Portland Press-Herald (ME)

RSU 1 board to decide if Central School library book about transgender teens {Beyond Magenta} will stay or go | Portland Press-Herald (ME)

Michigan library could close after town votes to defund it over 5 LGBTQ-themed books | CBS News
-- Despite increase in challenges to remove books, libraries work to remain ‘open, safe, and free’ | Michigan Live

See the formal challenges to pull 13 books off Kent County library shelves | Michigan Live

‘Drag Story Hour’ events bring joy — and protests — to St. Paul libraries | MPR News (MN)

Kirkwood, Webster school districts remove books from library shelves | Webster-Kirkwood Times (MO)

Westfield Library takes stance against book bans, passes resolution | Westfield NJ Patch

School board bans pair of books {The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You}| Pickens County Courier (SC) {paywalled}

RCAS board votes to get rid of controversial books {How Beautiful We Were; Girl, Woman, Other; and The Perks of Being a Wallflower} | KEVN {Black Hills FOX} (SD)

School board member says book that references BLM {A Place Inside of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart} doesn’t belong in school library | Hendersonville Standard (TN)

Manufactured controversy | Hill Country Community Journal (TX)

Decatur Public Library keeps explicit books {Let's Talk About It, Flamer, and It’s Perfectly Normal} despite parents’ requests for removal | Texan

Madison school board proposes banning library books as part of new state policy | Culpeper Star-Exponent (VA)

It’s Banned Books Week. And in Walla Walla, efforts continue to remove books from public school libraries | Walla Walla Union Bulletin (WA)

Intellectual Freedom News 10/12/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-10-12-2022/

Censorship

Committee to recommend retaining two challenged books {Beyond Magenta and Felix Ever After} in Conway School District library | Arkansas Times

Conservative group files paperwork to defund Arkansas library after it showed LGBTQ pride display | Raw Story
-- Vote to decide future of Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library | NWA Times (AR)

Banned Books’ display sparks new debate at TEAM meeting | Westport Journal (CT)
-- Banned book display at Westport school draws outrage from some parents | Patch (CT)

Local library explains policies on banned books | WICS (IL)

CCSD school board discusses policy on reconsideration of library books | Caroll Times Herald (IA)

Controversial book {Gender Queer} dominates public discussion | Courier-Gazette (ME)

Proud Boys protest at Saturday’s Drag Queen Story Hour at Brookside Gardens | Bethesda Beat (MD)

Dearborn Public Schools issue new library book review process | CBS News Detroit
-- Group of residents to speak on behalf of ‘vulnerable students,’ against banning books at school board meeting | Press & Guide (MI)
-- LGBTQ and faith communities struggle for unity in Dearborn, Hamtramck | Detroit Free Press

Parents object to book about sexuality {Gender Queer} in Spring Lake school library | WOOD-TV {MI}

Proposed policy lays out process for book challenges at Hempfield Area | Trib Live (PA)

Pl. Valley returns banned books | Times News (PA)

Arlington library board may bar LGBTQ displays from youth sections as Pride Month debate continues | KERA (TX)

Novel for next Big Read in Kenosha takes heat, but ‘Homegoing’ staying put | Kenosha News (WI)

Intellectual Freedom News 10/12/2022 (continuation)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-10-12-2022/

An anti-LGBTQ group threatened to sue writers for defamation. The ACLU is standing up for them | LGBTQIA Nation

{Federal} Judge will decide if White teacher’s lawsuit would violate First Amendment rights of Evanston schools to discuss race | Cook County Record {IL}

How a Norman teacher’s actions called a state’s laws, literature and learning into question | McAlester News-Capitol (OK)

Tribal nations demand repeal of Oklahoma’s anti-CRT law | Bloomberg

Paso school board candidates address critical race theory, LGBTQ-plus issues | New Times {CA}

Viewpoint: Hazy legislation is forcing Montana’s schools toward censorship | Missoula Current

PA could pass law to stem book-banning tide | Patch

A new Supreme Court case could fundamentally change the internet | Vox

How social media ‘censorship’ became a front line in the culture war | Washington Post

US schools increasingly turn to facial recognition in search of safety | Biometric Update

How to protect yourself if your school uses surveillance tech | WIRED

Chelsea Manning: ‘I’m still bound to secrecy’ | New York Times

Online Privacy for Nonprofits: A Guide to Better Practices | Electronic Frontier Foundation

Undercover at the library: spies, reference desks, and the invention of privacy | Syllabus Project

President Biden Signs Executive Order Implementing EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework to Facilitate Cross-Border Data Transfers | Data Law Insights {not linked in blog post}

Billie Jean King Library transitions to to-go service over security concerns | CBS News

Matter of safety or invasion of privacy? How new policy on cameras plays out in LCS schools | Tallahassee Democrat {FL}

Former Boundary County Library director details what led up to her resignation, dangers of censorship | KREM {ID}

A free listening service from the New Orleans {LA} library is spotlighting local musicians | NPR

University of Texas at Arlington creates LGBT ‘Rainbow Lounge’ in school library | Texan

Should you care if your teen wants to read a banned book | Evolve Treatment Centers

Durr: Book bans wage war against English educators as legislation tightens | Standard

Defunding a library is a symptom of blind populism | News-Herald

How Chinese citizens use puns to get past internet censors | Rest of World

Intellectual Freedom News 10/19/2022
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-10-19-2022/

Kittery library adopts ‘Freedom to Read’ as U.S. book bans surge: ‘Essential to democracy’ | Seacoast Online

Books Unbanned | African-American Policy Forum
-- Coiner of the term “critical race theory” brings banned books to voters | MSNBC

Censorship

Conway school board passes bathroom ban, culls books with transgender themes | Arkansas Times
-- ACLU of Arkansas criticizes Conway school board’s actions targeting transgender students | Arkansas Times

Controversy over LGBTQ library books in Poway Unified | CBS8 (CA)

Granite Bay High School Site Council approves list of controversial materials | Fox40 (CA)
-- A book ban in Placer County? High school parents protest Oscar Wilde, Flannery O’Connor | Sacramento Bee

Fairfield Library decides to not remove controversial book {Let's Talk About It: The Teen's Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human} | CT Insider

Escambia High School students speak out against school book restrictions | WEAR (FL)

Escambia County school district in Florida restricts over 100 books prior to completing formal review | National Coalition Against Censorship (FL)
-- Escambia school board works to fine tune book challenges and chart out Warrington’s future | Pensacola News Journal (FL)

Hundreds turn out for public comment at library board meeting, some seeking to have books removed, others decrying censorship | The Republic (IN)

ORR has been asked to ban several books on gender, race issues. Here’s what we know. | South Coast Today (MA)

‘Please, calm down’: School board meeting descends into chaos as protesters target LGBTQ books | USA Today (MI)
-- Dearborn board returns to book policy after meeting halted Monday | Detroit News (MI)
-- These are the 6 library books being reviewed by Dearborn Public Schools | Click on Detroit
-- More than 600 Dearborn residents argued Thursday over whether LGBTQ books with sexual themes should be available to students | Bridge MI
-- Conservative Muslims join forces with Christian right on Michigan book bans | Guardian (MI)
-- ‘Standing up against censorship’: West Michigan libraries push back against book bans | WZZM (MI)

Parents object to book about sexuality {Gender Queer} in Spring Lake school library | WOOD (MI)

Centralia Public Library board votes against restricting access to books | Centralia Fireside Guard (MO)

Nebraska lawmakers call for investigation into the Department of Education | KLKN (NE)

Cabarrus County Schools debate who gets to initiate book removals | WCNC (NC)

Sumner County debates banning book {A Place Inside of Me} from schools | WKRN (TN)

GOP women hear status of K-12 schools, some express displeasure with return of ‘porn’ to libraries | St George News (UT)

Loudoun Co school board’s ‘sensitive and controversial’ topics policy doesn’t define terms | WJLA (VA)

Parents say school board violated policy | CBS19 (VA)

Board of Ed candidate’s book-removal request {of more than 30 books} spurs discussion of FCPS policy | Frederick News Post (VA)

Elmbrook Schools to review policy on censored books | Wisconsin Examiner

Intellectual Freedom News 10/19/2022 (continuation with selections)
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-10-19-2022/

Privacy & Cybersecurity

I turned my home into a fortress of surveillance | Atlantic

The rise of ‘luxury surveillance’ | Atlantic

The complicated danger of surveillance states | MIT Technology Review

Tour Amazon’s dream home, where every appliance is also a spy | Washington Post

‘Make DMs Safe’ campaign pressing tech giants on encryption grows post-Roe | Washington Post

Legislation

Jay Ashcroft, potential Missouri governor candidate, floats library book ban proposal | St. Louis Dispatch (MO)
-- MASL Statement on Missouri Secretary of State’s Proposed Rule Change

Book battle continues in state legislature | Times Observer (PA)

Rabb announces legislation to rein in book bans in Pa. | PA House

LGBTQ bill on child abuse creates uproar in Virginia and beyond | Washington Post

An explosion of culture-war laws is changing schools. Here’s how. | Washington Post

International: Turkish opposition applies to annul disinformation law | Reuters

International: A proposed Russian “LGBQT Propaganda” bill would ban work by Dostoevsky{, Ostrovsky,} and Bulgakov. | The Hub

Around the Web

North Alabama drag show canceled after teacher’s story hour performance spurred threats | AL.com

In New Ulm, culture wars at forefront in local school board election | Minneapolis Star Tribune (MN)

Furor over sexually explicit books misguided, says LGBTQ advocate and state house candidate | Cowboy State Daily {WY}

WATCH: Experts warn ‘swatting’ hoaxes at U.S. schools appear coordinated | 74

When the national culture wars come to your school | Washington Post

Today’s book bans echo a panic against comic books in the 1950s | Washington Post

Conservative PACs inject millions into local school races | ABC News

Republicans fully embrace McCarthy-style book bans | Progressive Magazine

This Liberty book club only reads the titles other parents want banned from schools | KCUR

School Library Journal, Children’s Book Council create poster to support LGBTQIA+ youth | School Library Journal

Poll finds sharp partisan divides over teaching LGBTQ issues | Washington Post

Poll: Half of Americans know little about CRT, what’s actually taught in schools | The 74

Masking, CRT among frustrations of group trying to unseat JCPS school board incumbents | WLKY

The rise of book bans and the fall of uncensored education | Study Breaks

In praise of scary things: Restricting kids’ access denies them a mode to process fear — editorial | School Library Journal

Inside Steve Bannon’s ‘disturbing’ quest to radically rewrite the US constitution | The Guardian