Intellectual Freedom News 04/07/2023
Highlights
- Texas Federal District Court orders censored books returned to library shelves in Llano County, Texas | Intellectual Freedom Blog
- Closing school libraries would harm the students who need them most | Virginia Mercury
- When did libraries become the bad guys? | Tampa Bay Times
- Conservatives are banning books in America, not liberals | Jacobin
- ALA: Book bannings in the USA borke all records in 2022 | Publishing Perspectives
Censorship
- Florida high school pulls graphic novel adaptation of Anne Frank’s diary, saying it is ‘not age appropriate’ | The Forward
- New library relocation policy to start March 13 | Fremont Tribune (NE)
- Spotsylvania to remove 14 books from school libraries for explicit content | Washington Post (VA)
- After bomb threats, Iowa City school district removes book targeted by anti-LGBTQ Twitter account | Iowa City Press-Citizen (IA)
- Greenville County library board of trustees discuss proposal to limit access to certain books | WSPA (SC)
- Possible children’s book ban in Indiana draws concerns | Public News Service (IN)
- Perk Valley students stage walkout amid book policy fight | Pottstown Mercury (PA)
- Students protest after Canby School District removes 35 books from school libraries | KGW8 (OR)
- Battle on books: Montgomery County schools updates policy for LGBTQ+ reading materials | Fox Baltimore (MD)
- Llano County officials must offer library books they’d removed, judge orders | Texas Tribune (TX)
- Llano library injunction granted; appeal filed | Daily Trib (TX)
- School board to approve new policy on selection of text book | Citrus County Chroncile (FL)
- Anne Frank graphic novel banned from Florida high school for being inappropriate | CBR.com (FL)
- Here’s how one angry parent got all graphic novels pulled from a school district | VICE (OK)
- Banning books: Anderson County mayor and others ask sheriff to investigate | Oak Ridger (TN)
- Democrats bid to use censorship law agaisnt DeSantis and ban his book | Guardian (FL)
- Controversial book banned from Hillsborough County middle schools | CBS News (FL)
- Committee votes unanimously: Retain 3 challenged books | 06880 (CT)
- Books backed: Panel wants challenged books to remain in Staples library | Westport Journal (CT)
- Parents react as Broward School Board grapples with ‘book ban’ law | NBC Miami (FL)
- Book challenged by residents to remain at Westborough library | Community Advocate (MA)
Privacy & Cybersecurity
- A front company and a fake identity: How the U.S. came to use spyware it was trying to kill. | New York Times
- Opinion: If it’s advertised to you online, you probably shouldn’t buy it. Here’s why. | New York Times
- See all the police surveillance tools used in your city | USA Today
- A.I., brain scans, ad cameras: The spread of police surveillance tech | New York Times
First Amendment, Free Speech, & Civil Liberties
- A machine with First Amendment rights | Lawfare
- NCAC offers school admin guidelines for developing policies on the display of student art | NCAC
- Supreme Court rules for transgender girl in school sports dispute | New York Times
- Biden plan allows limits on trans athletes’ participation in school sports | New York Times
- Tennessee G.O.P. punishes 2 Democrats by throwing them out of House | New York Times
Legislation
- Texas senate votes to defund libraries where drag queens read to kids as it tries to limit the performances kids can attend | Texas Tribune (TX)
- Texas lawmakers’ attempts to ban library books deemed inappropriate spur confusion — and concerns | Texas Tribune (TX)
- New Oklahoma rules on school library books, transgender students should be void, AG says | Oklahoman (OK)
- Idaho bill allowing parents to sue libraries over ‘harmful’ books heads to governor | Spokesman-Review (ID)
- Children’s school and library protection act heading to governor’s desk | KMVT11 (ID)
- Idaho Gov. Brad Little vetoes bill to create ‘bounty’ on libraries | Herald-Palladium (ID)
- Book ban bill modified, passes Senate | Prairie Public (ND)
- James Valley Library System joining lawsuit against ND book ban bills | Jamestown Sun (ND)
- Missouri Republicans are one step closer to defunding public libraries | HuffPost (MO)
- Federal judge temporarily blocks Tennessee’s anti-drag law | AP (TN)
- Indiana lawmakers battle over bill that could criminalize librarians for objectionable books | WYFI (IN)
- Critics worry anti-CRT education bill will deepen SC teacher shortage | WSPA (SC)
Jounralism & Media
- Right-wing media splits from DeSantis on press protections | New York Times
Social Media
- RFK Jr wants to join states’ case claiming social media censorship | Bloomberg Law
- TikTok outrage mounts with US privacy law elusive | Bloomberg Law
Disinformation & Media Literacy
- How Fox chased its audience down the rabbit hole | New York Times
- Attacks on Dominion Voting persist despite high-profile lawsuits | New York Times
International
- Gender Queer graphic novel gets ‘unrestricted’ classification in Australia | 9News
- New Indian textbooks purged of Muslim history and Hindu extremism | New York Times
Around the Web
- ‘They’re criminalizing teachers and librarians’: Judy Blume slams Ron DeSantis’ education censorship | Rolling Stone
- White Lives Matter’ racist firebombed church hosting drag events: Feds | Law & Crime (OH)
- Pflugerville librarian: You can’t ban their books and read yours too | Austin American-Statesman
- Opinion: A new book-ban fiasco in Florida reveals the monster DeSantis created | Washington Post
- Why ban Jodi Picoult? | Book & Film Globe
- A testy election in Metro East reflects the nationwide clashes over books, libraries | St Louis Post-Dispatch
- When did libraries become the bad guys? | Tampa Bay Times
- As book bans gain favor, some say libraries could go | Miami Herald
- As classic novels get revised for today’s readers, a debate about where to draw the line | New York Times
- Bomb threats and picture books: A transgender drag performer navigates a time of turmoil | USA Today
- NYC Council calls for restoring budget cuts, with additional funds for housing, libraries and more | City and STate New York
- Wadsworth City Council denounces neo-Nazis; resident hangs photo of Hitler | Gazette
- Closing school libraries would harm the students who need them most | Virginia Mercury
- Florida teacher fired after tweets about book removals continues fight against censorship | School Library Journal
ALA News
- Core Webinar: Making the Most of One-Shot Instruction Sessions
- An essential handbook of the Dewey Decimal Classification System
- Libraries invited to apply for new Great Stories Club grant focused on teen science fiction titles
- Core Webinar: Servant Leadership Principles Applied Practically
- Nation to Celebrate Library Workers, April 25, 2023
- Travel Grants Available for First-Time AASL National Conference Attendees
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