Intellectual Freedom News 04/28/2023
Highlights
- Texas library to stay open–For now | Publishers Weekly
- Beyond Book Bans — Censorship | Library Journal
- Mapping Challenges to the Freedom to Read | ALA
- National Library Week kicks off with the highly anticipated annual list of Top 10 Most Challenged Books and State of America’s Libraries Report | ALA
- National Library Week to include ‘Right to Read Day’ | Publishers Weekly
- ‘We won’t stand for it’: American Library Association’s Tracie Hall talks book ban efforts | WTTW
- Amid censorship craze, library campaign aims to turn the page | Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
- War of words: The fight over banning books | CBS News
- AASL President’s program brings together “Freedom to Read Ambassadors” | ALA
- Book bans were implemented in record numbers in 2022, how can we fight back? | Advocate Channel
Censorship
- The ACLU of Missorui; professional library organizations challenge government censorship and book removals in schools | ACLU (MO)
- Texas county commission votes to keep library in operation after threat of closure over banned books | CNN (TX)
- Proposed changes to library policy are out for public comment | Gillette News Record (WY)
- Florida school district bans dozens of books based on proposed bill | Popular Information (FL)
- Gov. Ivey pulls “woke agenda” book, removes early childhood literacy secretary | WPMI (AL)
- Saline Co. Public Library director says they will not follow resolution to remove books | KATV (AR)
- Martin County school board may reevaluate book challenge policy | WPTV (FL)
- Michigan county eyed criminal ordinance for books. Librarians fought back | Bridge MI (MI)
- Neo-Nazi accused of firebombing Geauga County church charged with federal hate crime | Cleveland.com (OH)
- Book-ban ban largely a formality for libraries in Jacksonville area | My Journal Courier (IL)
- ACLU says removal of 14 books from Spotsylvania school libraries is ‘unconstitutional’ | Fredericksburg.com (VA)
- A far-right moms group is terrorizing schools in the name of protecting kids | Vice
- First Amendment protects freedom of information for all library patrons | Waitsburg Times (WA)
- Hempfield Area School District creates policy for book challenges | CBS News (PA)
- ‘Gender Queer,’ deemed ‘most challenged book,’ to stay in high school library | WRBY (NY)
- Pulitzer Prize-winning poet pens a letter to a local school board | Washington Post (MI)
- One book remains to be voted on as school board keeps two more books in library | Carroll Times Herald (IA)
- Murrietta Valley Unified rejects textbook over ‘critical race theory’ | EdSource (CA)
- ‘Gender Queer’ book to stay in Ballston Spa High School library | Daily Gazette (NY)
- Florida school district allows removal of graphic adaptation of Anne Fank’s diary by school principal | NCAC (FL)
- Florida students walk out of classrooms to protest education restrictions and censorship | Seventeen (FL)
- Florida at center of debate as school book bans surge nationally | New York Times
- LGBT books in FPS libraries not contested | Fremont Tribune (NE)
- Volusia County to review public library policies with some eyeing book restrictions | WFTV (FL)
- Big changes coming to selection process for Manatee County public libraries | WTSP (FL)
- Group threatens school board with lawsuit over ‘pornographic’ books | News Herald (NC)
- Spring Branch ISD field trip to play canceled due to ‘age-appropriateness of the performance’ | ABC13 (TX)
- Plattsmouth students protest school board’s decision to review dozens of library books | WOWT (NE)
- Controversial book again topic of public comment | KPVI (NE)
Privacy & Cybersecurity
- Stop this dangerouis bill that would normalize face surveillance in California | EFF
- Washington State passes broad expansion of health data privacy laws | JD Supra
- Internal documents show how little the FBI did to correct misuse of Section 702 databases | EFF
First Amendment, Free Speech, & Civil Liberties
- Missouri to restrict medical care for transgender adults, citing consumer protection law | New York Times (MO)
- Bans on transition care for young people spread across U.S. | New York Times
- ACLU sues Tennessee over ban on gender-affirming care for minors | Tennesseean (TN)
- Montana G.O.P. bars transgender lawmaker from House floor | New York Times
- The authoritarian agenda in 2023 has one clear aim: LGBTQ+ censorship | Them
- Efforts to restrict transgender health care face pushback in three states | New York Times
- Disney has a ‘strong case’ against DeSantis over his ‘retaliatory campaign,’ First Amendment experts say | CNN
- School officials forced students to remove ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ sweatshirts. Now, they’re suing. | Reason
Academic Freedom & Campus Speech
Legislation
- New rule to block Missouri library funding set to go into effect May 30 | St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO)
- Over half of states have passed measures to stop CRT, equity efforts in schools, report says | ABC News
- DEI legislation tracker | Chronicle of Higher Education
- Analysis: Idahoans rallied against library bill, but the debate is far from over | Idaho Capital Sun (ID)
- Iowa GOP passes education bill that bans books with sex and limits LGBTQ instruction | Des Moines Register (IA)
- Tennessee education bill would ban discussion of systemic racism at colleges | Truthout (TN)
- Tennessee legislation would criminalize publishers that distribute ‘sexually explicit’ books to schools | School Library Journal (TN)
- Texas House advances bill that would remove ‘sexually explicit’ books from school libraries | KERA (TX)
- Missouri library funding gets restored in Senate committee’s latest state budget proposal | NPR (MO)
- Florida House passes bills that target children at drag shows and transgender bathroom use | WUSF (FL)
- In one day, three bills targeting transgender Floridians pass House | Tallahassee Democrat (FL)
- Florida House passes bill to criminalize provideing gender-affirming care to minors | Health News Florida (FL)
- As Florida advances bills distressing the transgender community, one teen flees for a better life | WUSF (FL)
- So-called ‘Don’t say gay’ rules expanded through 12th grade in Florida | ABC News (FL)
- Sen. Rachel May pens bill ensuring school libraries provide students with array of books | CNY Central (NY)
- Burgum vetoes bill imposing criminal penalties on librarians for display of explicit books | KFGO (ND)
- North Dakota governor vetoes 1 library bill, signs another | Journal Courier (ND)
- Librarians could be held liable for obscene books under new Arkansas law | KAIT (AR)
- Texas Senate passes bill requiring public school classrooms to display Ten Commandments | CNN (TX)
- Texas House passes bill that aims to keep sexually explicit materials out of school libraries | Texas Tribune (TX)
- Texas education board could ban textbooks that discuss gender identity under proposed bill | Texas Tribune (TX)
- Indiana gender identity bill passes Indiana House | WTHR (IN)
State and Local Governance
- Mayor Eric Adams calls off unpolular library budget cuts | New York Times (NY)
- Missouri libraries dodge GOP funding strike — for now | Missouri Business Alert (MO)
Social Media
- Supreme Court to hear First Amendment cases regarding public officials’ social media accounts | Politico
Disinformation & Media Literacy
- Standing up to hate and misinformation | Library Journal
- Why disinformation and misinformation are more dangerous than malware | PC Magazine
International
- Third of UK librarians asked to censor or remove books, research reveals | Guardian
- Anti-drag protester who accused drag queen of ‘grooming children’ convicted of hate crimes | PinkNews
- China says chatbots must be strictly censored by communist guidelines | Futurism
Around the Web
- It’s time to debunk the myth that the LGBTQ community is harmful to children | Psychology Today
- CBS’ book-banning segment irresponsibly whitewashed extremist ‘parental rights’ group Moms for Liberty | MediaMatters
- Why Americans must unite against the organized effort to ban library books — Opinion | Tennessean
- This Detroit teacher’s mission: Bring back school libraries | Chalkbeat
- Biden says teaching should not be ‘life-threatening’ job | AP
- How many book bans were attempted in your state? Use this map to find out | PBS
- There were 1,269 efforts to ban books in 2022. These were the most targeted. | Wall Street Journal
- Bomb threats and picture books: A transgender drag performer navigates a time of turmoil | USA Today
- Library leaders to speak out on ‘Right to Read Day’ | KFGO (SD)
- National wave of anti-CRT measures trickles into California schools | EdSource
- Drag isn’t a danger to kids. It can help them find themselves — just like it did for me. | USA Today
- Drag Queen Story Time protest temporarily shut down Franklin Boulevard | ABC10
- How a campaign against transgender rights mobilized conservatives | New York Times
- After bowing to DeSantis’ censorship of Black history, the College Board is making more changes to its new AP African American studies course | Fortune
- Black parents seek schools affirming their history amid bans | Los Angeles Times
- When the culture wards come for the public library | New Yorker
- Texas Republicans seem hell-bent on turning K-12 schools into churches | Vanity Fair
- Silent no more: Public libraries shout back against censorship craze | Kiowa County Press
- Why GOP culture warriors lost big in school board races this month | Politico
- ALA: Number of unique book titles challenged jumped nearly 40% in 2022 | NPR
- Broward County Library announceas book sanctuary openings | Valdosta Daily Times
- Chicago Public Library receives $2 million for Black history archives | Philanthropy News Digest
- Vermont State University backtracks on cuts | Inside Higher Ed
- The fight for the American public library | Bloomberg
- Princeton’s Drag Queen Story Hour is about love, acceptance, inclusion | Patch
- Grijalva: Protecting our studetns’ right to read | Tucson Sentinel
- Georgia lawmakers seek to stigmatize transgender people and violate the First Amendment | Savannah Morning News
- Kids should be able to read books they might relate to | Lancaster Online
ALA News
- Amanda Jones is the 2023 Paul Howard Award for Courage Recipient
- The Last Paladin wins W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction
- EBSCO Information Services and the American Library Association Award Ten Librarians with Scholarships to Attend ALA Annual Conference
- Core Webinar: Technical Services Tools at Work
- Bestselling children’s book authors Cara Mentzel and Idina Menzel, and acclaimed Maysoon Zayid presenting at the ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition
- LA, AASL praise library legislation to expand access for students nationwide
- New from ACRL – “Exploring Inclusive & Equitable Pedagogies: Creating Space for All Learners”
- ALA welcomes Prison Libraries Act of 2023
- Metadata creation as a part of cataloging
- AASL President’s Program Brings Together “Freedom to Read Ambassadors”
- Core Webinar: Small Library Assessment Hills You Can Climb
- ALA Announces 2024 Carnegie Committee
- Kelvin Watson Wins ALA Medal of Excellence Award
- Lance Werner wins ALA’s Ernest A. DiMattia Award for Innovation and Service to Community and Profession
- National Library Week kicks off with the highly anticipated annual list of Top 10 Most Challenged Books and State of America’s Libraries Report
- Dolly Parton Awarded Honorary Membership in the American Library Association
- Core Webinar: Mind the (Training) Gap: Assessing Metadata Competencies During a Multi-System Migration
- irtual Forum on Ways to Use the Newly Revised ALA Core Competences of Librarianship – May 17
- 2023 Core Election Results
- Library services for people with dementia
- American Library Association celebrates National Library Week, April 23-29
- Core Webinar: To Hold a Cloud: MARC Holdings in the Modern LMS
- ALA Announces Building Library Capacity Fund Grants for Minority Serving Institutions
- Three public libraries awarded ALA’s 2023 Peggy Barber Tribute Grant
- Carlsbad (N.M.) Public Library and Lexington (Neb.) Public Library Awarded ALA’s Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant
- YALSA Names New Editor for Quarterly Journal, YALS
- Yvette Garcia Elected 2024-2025 YALSA President
- Michael Lambert named PLA 2024-2025 president
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