Intellectual Freedom News 08/25/2023
Highlights
- FTRF, AASL join amicus brief in support of publishers, booksellers, and authors challenging Texas school book censorship law | ALA
- Book challenges are having a chilling effect on school librarians nationwide — SLJ Survey | School Library Journal
- PLA launches Super Searchers training program to boost information literacy skills | ALA
- ALA urges libraries to participate in National Voter Registration Day | ALA
Censorship
- ‘Angels in Ameria’ outrage sidelines Temecula Valley USD teacher | Patch (CA)
- Group seeks ban at Iron River library | Ashland Daily Press (WI)
- Local group wants public library to launch rating system in Wausau | Wausau Pilot & Review (WI)
- Parents call for Marathon County Library book rating system, while others speak against censorship | Wausau Daily Herald (WI)
- Pahrump library considers controversial policy segregating children’s books | Nevada Independent (NV)
- Library shelves plan on questionable youth books–at least for now | Pahrump Valley Times (NV)
- Saline County quorum court aims to take power from library board with vote on Monday | Arkansas Times (AR)
- Pointing fingers and drawing lines: Saline County’s library fight draws a crowd | Arkansas Times (AR)
- Amid months-long fight over censorship, Saline County judge wins the power to fire librarians | Arkansas Times (AR)
- Bomb threat investigation underway at Yolo County Library branch in Davis | CBS News Sacramento (CA)
- Davis public library speaker misgendered trans athletes. Did her free speech cross a line? | Sacramento Bee (CA)
- Bomb threat and hate speech against library follow targeted harassment from Riley Gaines and other right-wing media figures | Media Matters for America (CA)
- Bomb threats made to north suburban, Lake County public libraries | Chicago Tribune (IL)
- ACLU of Illinois responds to bomb threats at Illinois libraries | ACLU Illinois (IL)
- Secretary of State condemns rash of bomb threats at libraries | NPR Illinios (IL)
- 2nd bomb threat made to Ellen Ochoa elementary; parents check students out of school | Newson6 (OK)
- The national debate over books has come to West Texas. And librarians are stuck in the middle. | Texas Tribune (TX)
- Gordton, state library, call on library association to open discussions about group’s direction | Casper Star Tribune (WY)
- Troy schools remove two books, keep seven after resident’s complaint | Dayton Daily News (OH)
- Lafayette Parish Library director Danny Gillane fired by board | Acadiana Advocate (LA)
- Lafayette library board may have violated open meetings law | Acadiana Advocate (LA)
- Clyde-Savannah agrees to pull contested books | Finger Lakes Times (NY)
- 4 books face calls to be banned from Douglas County Public Libraries | CBS Colorado (CO)
- Georgia school district is banning books, citing sexual content, after firing a teacher | AP (GA)
- Cobb schools write new book ban chapter under Georgia ‘parental rights’ law | Georgia Recorder (GA)
- Cobb County school district removes books from shelves, citing inappropriate content | WUGA (GA)
- Georgia Teacher Fired for Reading Book About Gender to Fifth-Grade Class: ‘Censorship Perpetuates Harm’ | People (GA)
- Inside the 44 books challenged at the Prattville Public Library | Alabama Political Reporter (AL)
- Erie County councilman to discuss idea of censorship resolution for Blasco Library | Your Erie (PA)
- Man kicked out of North Texas school board meeting for reading from banned book | Dallas Morning News (TX)
- Granbury ISD trustees vote to censure colleague who is accused of ‘sneaky behavior’ of entering high school library to investigate books | NBC DFW (TX)
- See the replay: HEPL board suspends book review process | Indianapolis Star (IN)
- Galway school board overwhelmingly votes against banning two books | Times Union (NY)
- Here are all banned, restricted books in Manatee County schools after new Florida law | Bradenton Herald (FL)
- Charlotte schools changing the way books are selected and removed in schools | WCNC (NC)
- Collier County school board member’s plan to eliminate ideologies from classrooms | WINK (FL)
- Waller in process of reviewing books listed in ‘audit,’ recommends no changes so far | Owensboro Times (IN)
- ‘There won’t be libraries left’: How a Florida county became the book ban heartland of the US | Guardian (FL)
- Fort Worth schools close campus libraries for two weeks, remove over 100 titles from shelves | Texas Standard (TX)
Privacy & Cybersecurity
- Proposed Federal privacy laws could afffect schols | Government Technology
- Not everything is secret in encrypted apps like iMessage and WhatsApp | Washington Post
First Amendment, Free Speech, & Civil Liberties
- Stakes are high as judge hears motion to block Texas book rating law | Publishers Weekly (TX)
- Court refuses to block Indiana law that bans “Instruction … on human sexuality” to public K-to-3rd students | Volokh Conspiracy (IN)
- At a time of anti-trans sentiment, a New York lawsuit brings hope for the community | NPR
- State backs Escambia board in book restriction lawsuit | Observer (FL)
- Athens, Tennessee, man will have to tear down building after losing First Amendment appeal | Chatanooga Times Free Press (TN)
- Judge denies RFK Jr.’s request for restraining order against Google in censorship suit | Politico
- Kansas judge allows ACLU to intervene in lawsuit over gender markers on driver’s licenses | AP (KS)
Journalism & Media
Academic Freedom & Student Speech
Legislation
- How 2 gay Missouri legislators see a way forward after a session of attacks on LGBTQ rights | KCUR (MO)
- PEN America warns of a growing wave of ‘educational intimidation’ bills | Hill
State and Local Governance
- Alabama library board requesting attorney general’s opinion due to concerns over books | DBS42
- Protest crowds at city hall in wake of library board vote | News-Press Now (MO)
- Arkansas to inspect AP African American Studies lesson plans for evidence of critical race theory, indoctrination | Arkansas Times (AR)
Disinformation & Information Literacy
- X’s check mark policy is fueling disinformation | IJNet
- Elon Musk’s latest change to X won’t just be annoying–it will also be a disinformation nightmare | Fast Company
Social Media
- FIRE and NCAC’s letter prompts Tennessee city to revise unconstitutional social media policy | FIRE
- ‘Highest level of mis-and-disinformation we’ve ever seen online’: AEC | Listen
Around the Web
- On classroom culture wars, teacher in chief Jill Biden treads lightly | Washington Post
- Bans on diverse picture books? Young kids need to see their families represented, experts say | ABC News
- Freedom to read under attack — again | Minneapolis Star Tribune
- Absalom Jones Episcopal Center for Racial Healing counters surge in book bans with library project, new book club | Episcopal News Service
- Why supporting your public library is crucial | Teen Magazine
- It’s getting harder to deal with soft censorship | Book and Film Globe
- Austin’s head librarian gets real about censorship and community building | Austin Monthly
- Making the case for a library in a book desert | Investigative Post
- Event held to raise awareness about banned books | Bay News 9
ALA News
- Core Webinar – Best of Core at ALA Annual Conference: The Marvelous Middle; Finding Ways to Grow and Thrive in Middle Management
- Elizabeth L. Black Selected as 2023 Christopher Hoy/ERT Scholarship Recipient
- Andrew G. Claybrook Selected as 2023 Miriam L. Hornback Scholarship Recipient
- William Lee Potter Awarded the 2023 Core Christian Larew Memorial Scholarship
- A handbook for effectively serving museum visitors
- Caroline A. Ayers Selected as the 2023 Mary V. Gaver Scholarship Recipient
- Georgina Broyles Selected as the 2023 Tom and Roberta Drewes Scholarship Recipient
- AASL Commends the Delaware Library Association
- Hilda K. Weisburg’s updated leadership guide for school librarians
- AASL Commends the As Told By Foundation
- AASL Commends the Queen City Book Bank
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