Intellectual Freedom News 12/17/2021
Highlights
- Book bans, censorship and the growing challenge to stories about race and LGBTQ themes | WOSU
- Fight Censorship – With the severe uptick in local and statewide book challenges, ALA offers this clearinghouse of resources to assist library workers and library advocates in responding to and supporting others facing those challenges. Remember to report challenges to the Office for Intellectual Freedom, and let ALA know if you need assistance. “Should I Report Censorship?”
Censorship
- North East ISD’s removal of library books may be unconstitutional, expert says | San Antonio Report
- One school district pulls 400 books from its library. Here’s the list | Huron Daily Tribune
- Community, politicians, and educators in uproar after Ta-Nehisi Coates, William Styron, and over 400 other books pulled form Texas school district library | Yahoo! News
- 3 things to know about NEISD book review | KSAT
- Wake County Public Libraries removes [sic] LGBTQ book from circulation after complaint | News & Observer
- State officials investigating whether a North Texas district has ‘sexually explicit’ books in school | Dallas Morning News
- In Texas, a battle over what can be taught, and what books can be read | The New York Times
- School librarians speak out against recent upsurge in attempts to ban books | PBS
- Officials address local push to remove books from Bedford County school libraries | News & Advance (VA)
- Parents push schools to pull books with transgender, same-sex content | WOOD TV (MI)
- Between the World and Me: Why did Parkway Schools ban this book? | Daily Standard (PA)
- In Iowa, GOP wants teachers thrown in jail for allowing students to read the wrong book | Forbes
- As schools ban books by authors of color, young people pay the price | Refinery 29
- Controversy circulates over books: School board asked to look at titles after parent complains books are not appropriate | Daily Reflector (NC)
- Leander ISD removes 11 books, graphic novels from curriculum | Leander Patch
- Division over LGBTQ+ books and websites continues at Katy ISD | Houston Chronicle
- [Canutillo] Texas school district returns illustrated LGBTQ memoir to library shelves following public review | The 74 Million
- Katy ISD reviewing LGBTQ-related websites after backlash over blocking them | KHOU
- Katy ISD creates online portal for parents’ concerns over library books | ABC 13
- Opinion: ‘Critical race theory’ is now a dangerously divisive straw man in our schools | Times of San Diego
- Book controversy causes Williamson County to delay millions to Round Rock, Leander school districts | Austin American-Statesman
- Here’s how Virginia Beach school board meetings became a battleground over six books | WAVY
- Kansas parents and the public are uncertain and confused about the teaching of history and racism | Yahoo! News
- Fairfax Co. mom outraged at library display of ‘Lawn Boy’ and ‘Gender Queer’ next to Bible | WJLA (VA)
- After CRT complaint, Huntsville teacher training investigated by Alabama state officials | AL.com
- Committee reviewing school books leaving some with more questions than answers | News Channel 9 (TN)
- Urbandale schools could pull 5 controversial books from libraries | KCCI (IA)
- New York Times bestselling author responds to Wyoming book challenges | Wyoming News
- Concerned parents confront NCSD [Natrona County School District] Board about inappropriate books in school libraries | Wyoming News
- Louisiana parents, teachers raise concerns about critical race theory in social studies standards | Louisiana Illuminator
- Bristow Middle School parents concerned over controversial books | News 9 (OK)
- ‘They’re stacking the deck’: Loudoun County school panel votes to keep controversial book | ABC13 News (VA)
- ‘Pornographic’ book assigned to 14-year-olds at Texas [Eastlake] high school upsets parents | WANE
- Victoria Public Library board decides to keep all 21 questioned books on shelves | Victoria Advocate
- “Gender Queer, a Memoir” to Remain on Shelves at the Pella Public Library | KNIA-KRLS (IA)
- Holmen school board keeps ‘It’s Perfectly Normal’ on middle school shelves after appeal for removal | News8000
- DeSantis pushes bill targeting critical race theory in schools | NBC News
- Newly formed committee to review four books causing stir in Walla Walla schools | Union-Bulletin (WA)
- Tyler ISD works to review library books, but parent concern continues | Tyler Morning Telegraph (TX)
Privacy & Cybersecurity
- Facial recognition tech perpetuates racial bias. So why are we still using it? | Yes!
- Why Ohio’s data privacy bill is on hold for now | WKSU
- Documents link Huawei to China’s surveillance programs | The Washington Post
More privacy news is available at the Voices for Privacy blog.
First Amendment, Free Speech, & Civil Liberties
- Texas-like abortion bill [in Alabama] would let citizens sue providers | NBCDFW
- San Diego Unified Board to consider code of conduct to curtail hate speech | ABC10 San Diego
- Teachers union sues New Hampshire over law barring certain race lessons | The Washington Post
- Government wins key ruling on issue affecting hundreds of Capitol riot cases | Lawfare
- Scope, speed of educational gag order laws increasing nationwide | History News Network
- Amador County Trade School wins First Amendment fight against California | CBS13 Sacramento
Access
- AAP sues to block Maryland, New York library e-book laws | Publishers Weekly
Academic Freedom & Campus Speech
- Free to Think 2021: Political upheaval and authoritarianism threaten academic freedom and the future of higher education | Scholars at Risk
- University of Florida launches investigation into reports of pressure to destroy COVID research | USA Today
- Bill prohibiting critical race theory in technical colleges, UW system schools passes assembly committee | Channel 3000
- North Dakota ban on critical race theory for K-12 concerns higher ed professors | Grand Forks Herald
- The intellectual freedom that made public colleges great is under threat | The Washington Post
Journalism & Media
- Opinion: A judge is restraining the New York Times from reporting on Project Veritas. That sets a dangerous precedent. | The Washington Post
Social Media
- The First Amendment, social media, and college admissions | Inside Higher Ed
Information Literacy & Disinformation
- Disinformation group allegedly staked out California med board president | Medpage Today
- Flow of damaging COVID-19 disinformation must end now | American Medical Association
- The pioneer of election disinformation | The Hill
- Foreign disinformation stokes fears of violence in US | Voice of America
International News
Around the Web
- Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Book Banning | ALSC Blog
- AFT Launches Literacy Campaign, Pledging 1M Free Books for Families | Yahoo News
- Edha Gupta fought against her school’s book ban and created a more equitable education system | Seventeen
- Why we need to address scam culture | The New York Times
- As parents protest critical race theory, students fight racist behavior at school | NBC News
- Critical race theory claims follow new superintendent to Clear Creek ISD, prompt calls for resignation | Houston Chronicle
- Critical race theory bans in Florida, New Hampshire target teachers | Teen Vogue
- Second FOIA lawsuit adds more damage to library’s credibility | Jonesboro Sun
- Because books save lives: GLSEN’s Rainbow Library stays the course on what matters | School Library Journal
- Rita Christensen and Tricia Fenton: Book banning blocks our greatest freedom | Salt Lake Tribune
- A key founder of critical race theory discusses the right-wing panic over it | Truthout
- What it’s like to have your book banned by the school board | Slate
- Book banning isn’t about protecting children; it’s about political posturing | Iowa Capital Dispatch
- How an Arizona school board controversy became the perfect political issue | New Yorker
- Kelly Yang looks to rally fellow authors, publishers, and public in battle against censorship | School Library Journal
- Critical race theory protesters target Fort Worth school district’s racial equity work | Fort Worth Star-Telegram
- Essential politics: On the politics of banning books | Los Angeles Times
- School meeting drama continues, but books survive challenges | Iowa Starting Line
- Texas’s fight over school books | The New York Times
- Fighting censorship in school libraries | Miami Times
- How should parents deal with the ‘book banning’ controversy? Utah library advocates offer ideas | Deseret News
- Book banning is a sign of societies losing their minds | Toronto Star
- Central York student speaks on panel hosted by national human rights organization | York Daily Record
- After teens going to an LGBTQ library group were met with protesters in North Idaho, a debate has erupted about the region’s political climate | Spokesman-Review
- Commentary: Libraries should be a place of acceptance | San Antonio Express-News
- Yanking Books From School Libraries: What the Supreme Court Has Said, and Why It’s Murky | Ed Week
- Banned Author Anne Rice Dies, Leaving Legacy that says it’s OK to Struggle | Intellectual Freedom Blog
- Special Prosecutor Rejects Criminal Complaint Filed Against Campbell County Public Library | Intellectual Freedom Blog
- Censorship in Texas: #FReadom Campaign Inception, Reflection, & Highlights | Intellectual Freedom Blog
ALA News
- YALSA announces 2022 Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award finalists
- United for Libraries welcomes six new board members
Awards & Grant
- Submit a Nomination for the Prestigious Kilgour Technology Research Award
- YALSA announces 2022 William C. Morris finalists
- Patricia Zeider named YALSA’s 2021 Emerging Leader
- ALSC selects Hyunjin Han as 2022 Emerging Leader
eLearning
Publishing
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