Intellectual Freedom News 06/16/2023
Highlights
- Freedom to read | Chicago Reader
- 2022 Academic Library Trends and Statistics data now available | ALA
- Moms for Liberty challenges rebuffed in North Carolina — Censorship News | School Library Journal
Censorship
- The Campbell County Library Board votes to change their collection policy | Wyoming Public Media (WY)
- Campbell County library board passes new collection policy | Sheridan Press (WY)
- Essex library restores ‘Pride’ displays after over 20 books were removed by visitor | WTNH (CT)
- Culture wars return to East Bay library a year after right-wing disruption of drag story hour | San Francisco Standard (CA)
- Temecula’s conservative board may try to fire school district’s superintendent. The backstory | Desert Sun (CA)
- La Crosse activists respond after GET book ban concerns | News8000 (WI)
- DeSantis is wrong. Book bans in Florida schools and in other states aren’t a ‘hoax.’ | USA Today
- Ludlow school committee taking up book ban propsal | Commonwealth Magazine (MA)
- Why a South Carolina high school decided to censor Ta-Nahisi Coates | Popular Information (SC)
- Hanover County School Board votes to adopt controversial new book policy | NBC 12 (VA)
- Hanover County School Board grants itself authority to ban books in new policy | WRIC (VA)
- Hanover County approves new library policy for books and then bans 17 titles | Richmond-Times Dispatch (VA)
- School districts struggle to implement new laws on sexually explicit books | Virginia Mercury (VA)
- Warren’s Democratic Committee says removing LGBTQ books is discrimination | Northern Virginia Daily (VA)
- Warren supervisors withhold 75% of library funding; adopted budget calls for no tax increases | NV Daily (VA)
- Free speech group threatens to sue Orem library for removing displays | FOX 13 (UT)
- Controversial book policy in Ludlow up for a vote Tuesday | MassLive (MA)
- Central York school board sends book review policy to a vote | FOX 43 (PA)
- LGBTQ books removed from Pride Month displays at Essex Library | Hartford Courant (CT)
- Controversy over Caro library books continues | WNEM (MI)
- Utah lawmaker accuses school district of distributing porn to minors through books | Salt Lake Tribune (UT)
- Hoboken library’s banned book’ event still happening this weekend despite controversy | New Jersey News 12 (NJ)
- Commission hears residents comments on library issues | Blackshear Times (GA)
- Lancaster County school district library policies regarding sexually explicit content in schools are now in effect | WITF (PA)
- Drag Story Hour implementing safety marshal system in repsonse to protests, anti-LGBTQ legislation | ABC7 News (CA)
- Troy schools to review transgender-themed library books | Miami Valley Today (OH)
Privacy & Cybersecurity
- How AI is revolutionizing how governments conduct surveillance | NPR
- This surveillance system tracks inmates down to their heart rates | WIRED
- Science shouldn’t give data brokers cover for stealing your privacy | Scientific American
- One of the last bastions of digital privacy is under threat | New York Times
- Hey, Alexa! What are you doing with my data? | Federal Trade Commission
- White House pushes for renewal of electronic surveillance law provision | Guardian
First Amendment, Free Speech, & Civil Liberties
- Teacher, ACLU file challenge to new K-3 ban on ‘human sexuality’ education | News and Tribune (IN)
- Supreme Court’s Jack Daniel’s decision clarifies First Amendment parody defense in trademark infringement cases | JD Supra
- Middleborough boy asking Boston court to halt school’s ban on ‘There are only two genders’ shirt | Boston 25 News (MA)
- Charlotte middle school teacher fired over Critical Race Theory, lawsuit claims | Charlotte Observer (NC)
Academic Freedom & Student Speech
Legislation
- Hobbs calls Queen Creek senator’s proposal an attempt to ban books | Your Valley (AZ)
- Abbott signs law banning ‘sexually explicit’ books from schools, requiring new rating system | KERA (TX)
- Anti-book ban bill becomes law | Daily Herald (IL)
State & Local Governance
- Michigan board of education votes to push back against book bans | Chalkbeat (MI)
Social Media
- New data shows conservatives are still not being censored on Facebook, even as engagement with political pages declines | Media Matters
- Through Don’t Delete Art Manifesto, free speech orgs combat social media policies that supress artistic expression | NCAC
International
- France accuses Russians of impersonating French government and media to spread disinformation | Record
Around the Web
- As more schools target ‘Maus,’ Art Spiegelman’s fears are deepening | Washington Post
- Our literature we prize, and our books we will maintain | Gazette
- This summer reading list fights fascism | Arkansas Times
- ‘Drag Queen Bingo’ event held in Milwaukie despite violent threats | KGW8
- Drag Story Hour at the San Lorenzo Library met with protesters | KTVU (CA)
- Meet the team facing off against anti-LGBTQ groups at drag queen story hours | ABC News
- City facing funding shortfall for library expansion | Fremont Tribune
- Families pack downtown Reno library for Drag Queen Story Hour | Reno Gazette Journal
- Liberals try to reclaim ‘parents’ rights’ from conservatives in education | Washington Post
- LGBTQ Americans could become a ‘new class of political refugees’ | New York Times
- Playbook: The 4 SCOTUS rulings that could rock America | Politico
ALA News
- ALA, FINRA Foundation to distribute 200 all-in-one financial education program kits valued at $2,000 to public libraries
- ALA, Capital One announce 14 rural libraries selected for Community Connect: Fostering Digital Access grants
- Applications Open for Inaugural Core LIFT Award for Professional Development
- Core Releases Library Binding Survey Report
- ALA Store at 2023 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition
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