Intellectual Freedom News 01/20/2023
Highlights
- Outspoken Lafayette Parish librarian Cara Chance wins national award | Acadiana Advocate
- 10 librarians nationwide receive I Love My Librarian awards | Washington Post
Censorship
- LGBTQ+ books in Crawford County libraries causing controversy | KNWA (AR)
- Crawford County Library system funding approved; LGBTQ+ book controversy continues | Talk Business & Politics (AR)
- Madison County School Board Bans 21 Books From High School Library | Mad Rapp (VA)
- Book bans in US prisons undermine rehabilitation | New Lines Magazine
- These books and authors were challenged the most at Louisiana libraries | LA Illuminator (LA)
- 3-2-1 protest: Central Bucks community demosntrates against education gag policy | Bucks County Beacon
- Conroe ISD votes to keep ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ in libraries after late-night debate | ABC13 (TX)
- Judge dismisses suit against JCPS librarian over books centering LGBTQ voices | Louisville Public Media (KY)
- Pastor speaks out after library changed mind about hosting ‘Pastor Story Hour:’ Faith belongs in public square | Fox News (MA)
- Drag queen event at Taunton library disrupted by apparent neo-Nazi protesters | Taunton Gazette (MA)
- Dozens rally at Mass. library to support drag story hour | NBC 10 Boston (MA)
- Supporters of drag queen story hour form ‘rainbow wall’ in response to protesters | Baltimor Banner (MD)
- Southern Indiana parents voice concerns after book including same sex marriage was read during library story time | WDRB (IN)
- Floyd County Library Board To Discuss Children’s Book About Gay Characters Tonight | LEO Weekly (KY)
- Riverside Library board affirms director’s ruling against book ban | Riverside-Brookfield Landmark (IL)
- Letter: Sexually explicit book needs to be removed from library | Fremont Tribune (NE)
- Sonoma County Library Commission may consider removing Black Lives Matters, Pride flags from branches | Sonoma County Gazette (CA)
- Florida rejects A.P. African American Studies class | New York Times
- Norwin director wants to ban book that uses derogatory term he used on social media | Trib Live (PA)
- Book removed from Portage Public Schools after citizen complaint | Michigan Live (MI)
Privacy & Cybersecurity
- Little-known surveillance program captures money transfers between U.S. and more than 20 countries | Wall Street Journal
First Amendment, Free Speech, & Civil Liberties
- ACLU Asks City, Library to Edit ‘Constitutionally Problematic’ Access Policies | Warwick Post (RI)
- New Hampshire Educators Pleased Federal Court Rules to Allow Lawsuit Against State’s ‘Divisive Concepts’ Law to Proceed | American Federation of Teachers
- Supreme Court poised to reconsider key tenets of online speech | New York Times
- Ron DeSantis’s war on ‘wokeness’ is a war against the First Amendment | Vox
- The intertwined future of attacks on abortion and gender-affirming care | ACLU
Academic Freedom & Campus Speech
Legislation
- North Dakota weighs ban of ‘sexually explicit’ library books | AP News (ND)
- Republican wants to expand definition of ‘child pornography’ to make it easier to ban LGBTQ+ books | LGBTQ Nation
- Nebraska state senator introduces bill to ban CRT and review school library books | KETV (NE)
- Texas bill proposes jail time for teachers providing ‘obscene’ books | Houston Chronicle (TX)
- Missoiuri Republicans renew early focus on parental rights, critical race theory | Missouri Independent (MO)
State and Local Governance
- New state rules tell school librarians to ‘err on the side of caution’ when picking books | Sun Sentinel (FL)
- State education officials pass rule on schools’ library book choices | My News 13 (FL)
- New training tells Florida school librarians which books are off-limits | Education Week (FL)
Information Literacy & Disinformation
International
- UK Threatens Blowtorching Internet Platforms – Including Wikipedia | Center for European Policy Analysis
- Iran sought a surveillance project with ‘unprecedented’ reach | Washington Post
Around the Web
- Michigan parents outraged after teacher gifts middle school students ‘pornographic’ book | ABC6
- Author George M. Johnson: We must ensure access to those who need these stories most | NPR
- 50 Years Ago, “Anti-Woke” Crusaders Came for My Grandfather | History News Network
- Letter to the editor: Resist censorship of ideas in our schools’ libraries | Portland Press Herald
- Magarian: The fatal flaw in efforts to restrict ‘inappropriate’ library materials | St. Louis Today
ALA News
- ALA Public Policy and Advocacy Office names Kent Oliver, Sara Benson senior policy advisors
- Library, Archives Associations encourage member participation in National Day of Racial Healing
- ALA Continuing Education launches sustainability course in partnership with Sustainable Libraries Initiative
- AASL Inquire Project selected for ALA Emerging Leader Work
- Cybele Garcia Kohel selected as 2023 AASL Emerging Leader
- Brandi Veal selected as 2023 AASL Emerging Leader
- Core Announces Slate of Candidates for 2023-2024 Election
- New from ACRL – “Cultural Heritage and the Campus Community: Academic Libraries and Museums in Collaboration”
- ALA offers webinars on new federal resources for sustainable library buildings
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