Intellectual Freedom News 11/10/2023
Highlights
- The CCBC at UW-Madison supports diversity in children’s literature | Isthmus
- ‘I want to keep the freedom to read alive and well’: Little Free Library’s Margret Aldrich reflects on the massive growth — and growing importance — of the nonprofit | Little Village Magazine
- Groups Urge Fresno County To Reject Book Ban | First Amendment Coalition (CA)
- David Cohen/EMIERT Multicultural Award nominations open | ALA
Censorship
- Moms for Liberty members call the cops on Florida librarians | Popular Information (FL)
- Hundreds of Mat-Su students stage walkout to protest school board decisions | Alaska Public Media (AK)
- Mat-Su school district investigated teachers over student-led protest | Anchorage Daily News (AK)
- Emails Show School Board Candidate Wanted to Sue District for Distributing Porn Over LGBT Books | Daily Beast (IA)
- Dover School Board unanimously rejects effort to ban ‘Boy Toy’ from library | NHPR (NH)
- Central Kentucky school district changes course, returns banned books to school libraries | Star Beacon (KY)
- Degenfelder issues library book guidance: Here’s what’s in it | County 17 (WY)
- Arkansas Librarian Who Was Fired Over Refusal to Enforce Book Bans Speaks Out | Truthout (AR)
- ID school board elections could determine fate of book restrictions | Public News Service (ID)
- Community Library Network facing litigation threat | Couer d’Alene Post Falls Press (ID)
- Fresno County supervisors to consider proposal to check children’s books at libraries | ABC30 (CA)
- In Suffield, a ruckus over a library book spills into political races | CT Mirror (CT)
- MCPS removes book about LGBTQ+ teen sex columnist from library shelves | MoCo360 (MD)
- Are Wisconsin schools banning books? Here’s what we know. | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI)
- What groups have sought book bans in Wisconsin schools? Here are four to know. | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI)
- Degenfelder outlines plan for library book limitations | Gillette News Record (WY)
- Wyoming Library Association Blasts Degenfelder’s Opt-In Guidance For Sex Books | Cowboy State Daily (WY)
- Library book ‘age-inappropriate’ committee approved in Fresno County | Your Central Valley (CA)
- Court orders Pennridge SD to provide library records to dad challenging book removals | WFMZ (PA)
- Suit settled; second filed against SRJSD | Idaho County Free Press (ID)
- Book content, policies again hot topic at Monday meeting | News Herald (NC)
- Greely High School Staff Say ‘Gender Queer’ Should Remain in Library | Maine Wire (ME)
- Librarians turn to civil rights agency to oppose book bans and their firings | Associated Press
- Patmos Library millage passes after two failed attempts in 2022 | Holland Sentinel (MI)
- Meeting to address controversial books in Anderson County libraries | Oak Ridger (TN)
- Pella Public Library keeps freedom amid book ban challenge | We Are Iowa (IA)
- Now that Democrats have swept school boards in some Republican-controlled districts, what happens next? | Philadelphia Inquirer (PA)
- Quarryville Library receives outpour of community support after township cuts funding over LGBTQ+ content | Fox43 (PA)
Privacy & Cybersecurity
- A New US Privacy Bill Seeks to End Warrantless Police and FBI Spying | WIRED
- Reform Bill Would Protect Americans from Warrantless Surveillance | Brennan Center for Justice
- More Tools, More Control: Lessons from Young Users on Handling Unwanted Messages Online | Center for Democracy & Technology
First Amendment & Civil Rights
- ACLU Statement on Reproductive Freedom Victories in the 2023 Elections | ACLU
- Report: U.S. Schools Remain Segregated, More Work to Do | Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Academic Freedom & Student Speech
- ‘An Existential Threat to American Higher Education’ | Atlantic
- Historic Kinsey Sex Research Institute may face a divorce | Inside Higher Ed (IN)
- New College in exile: Hampshire College | Teen Vogue (FL)
- There’s No Safety in Playing It Safe | Inside Higher Ed
- Students who fought high school censorship in California, Nebraska win 2023 Courage Award | Student Press Law Center
- After Antisemitic Attacks, Colleges Debate What Kind of Speech Is Out of Bounds | New York Times
- In new brief, FIRE asks Supreme Court to protect academic speech inside and outside the classroom | FIRE
State & Local Governance
- New conservative majority on Mead School Board says they’ll represent parents. Some teachers worry that may come at the expense of students | Spokesman-Review (WA)
Social Media
- The new Twitter is becoming a cesspit of disinformation–study it now | Nature
- Platforms Must Stop Unjustified Takedowns of Posts By and About Palestinians | EFF
- Hawley, Paul clash on Senate floor over TikTok ban | Hill
- LGBTQ suicide prevention org the Trevor Project is leaving Elon Musk’s X for good | TechCrunch
Disinformation & Information Literacy
- Chatbots May ‘Hallucinate’ More Often Than Many Realize | New York Times
- Exclusive: Elon Musk’s X restructuring curtails disinformation research, spurs legal fears | Reuters
- AI Misinformation: How It Works and Ways to Spot It | CNET
Net Neutrality & Broadband Access
International
- In Mexico, Surveillance Orders That Read Like a Political Power List | New York Times
- Israel’s War Will Expand Surveillance for Us All | Progressive
- Germany’s Stifling of Pro-Palestinian Voices Pits Historical Guilt Against Free Speech | New York Times
Around the Web
- Olathe school candidate, who sued after being kicked out of board meeting, wins lawsuit | Kansas City Star
- LGBT Issues Galvanize Democrats’ Push for School Board Control | Wall Street Journal
- Get to Know the Influential Conservative Intellectuals Who Help Explain G.O.P. Extremism | New York Times
- Book banning is on the ballot Tuesday — right here in Minnesota | Minnesota Reformer
- Virginia school board elections face pivotal moment as cozy corner of democracy turns toxic | Parkersburg News and Sentinel
- School Board Elections in Lehigh Valley Become Battleground for Polarized National Politics | BollyInside
- This bestselling author’s book was challenged in schools. So, she opened a store for banned books | Philadelphia Tribune
- Moms for Liberty Candidates Take a Beating in Some School Races | Daily Beast
- Dems sweep seats in hotly contested school board races | WFMZ (PA)
- Republicans win big in Nazareth school board race, Democrats appear to sweep Saucon Valley, cities | Lehigh Valley News (PA)
- Democrats claim control of Central Bucks school board in tense election | Philadelphia Inquirer (PA)
- Pine-Richland voters elect school board members who support book ban | CBS News (PA)
- Central voters reject candidates running on culture war issues. Other districts didn’t. | York Daily Record (PA)
- Loudoun Co. school board sees shake-up as Democrats secure majority amidst ongoing turmoil | WJLA (VA)
- Some school boards turn conservative in hotly contested and expensive election year | Spokesman-Review (WA)
- Liberal and moderate candidates take control of school boards in contentious races across US | AP
- Colorado school board races mostly a mixed bag, but teachers union says voters rejected extremism | CPR News (CO)
- School board elections could make (or break) our democracy | Progressive
- UPDATE: School board voters fight back | Popular Information
- Westport write-in candidate wins school board seat, unofficial results show | CT Insider (CT)
- A new PEN America report documents increased censorship in classrooms | WFSU
- Students Rally For The Right To Read | Arts Council of Greater New Haven
- BU finds Ibram X. Kendi’s antiracist research center managed funds properly, despite turmoil | AP
ALA News
- Social Responsibilities Round Table seeks nominations for the 2024 Herb Biblo Outstanding Leadership Award for Social Justice & Equality
- ALA Nominating Committee announces councilors-at-large candidates
- Helmick, Pun Seek American Library Association Presidency for 2025-26 Term
- Bibliotherapy-informed practices, programs, and events
- Applications Now Open for the Core Online Course Scholarship for Library Professionals from Developing Countries
- ALA Conferences Opens 2024 Annual Conference & Exhibition Poster Session Submissions
- AASL launches new research into content supporting the national standards
- JSTOR and Choice jointly publish research presenting new insights on teaching with digital primary sources
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