Intellectual Freedom News 2/3/2024
Highlights
- Eleanor Roosevelt Banned Book Awards to be held Feb. 17 at Bard College’s Fisher Center | Westfair Business Journal
- Project Outcome for Academic Libraries releases 2023 report | ALA
- American Library Association to receive lifetime achievement award from National Book Critics Circle | ALA
Censorship
- Book Challenges Come to King George County Public Schools | Advance (VA)
- District 20 proposes library review board; ‘parent choice is an important value for us’ | Gazette (CO)
- Group hopes to combat efforts to ban or censor book access at Alabama libraries | FOX54 (AL)
- As book bans are on the rise, a chamber event discusses local solutions | Lehigh Valley News (PA)
- APLS blacklist grows to 82 books, including Amish romances | Alabama Political Reporter (AL)
- School Board bounces one book from school library shelves | Suncoast News (FL)
- Newark School Board Hears Anger Over pro-Palestinian Book Pulled From Classes | TapInto Newark (NJ)
- KTN School Board unanimously upholds decision to keep book on Kayhi library shelf | Ketchikan Daily News (AK)
- Angry Republicans are going to protest against a “Hate has no home here” flag in a classroom | LGBTQ Nation (FL)
- Pressed by Moms for Liberty, Florida school district adds clothing to illustrations in classic children’s books | Popular Information (FL)
- ‘Unacceptable and hurtful’: RCPS librarians struggle with recent book ban | Breeze (VA)
- First RCPS Library Work Session Kicks Off New Review Policy | Daily News-Record (VA)
- EXPLAINER: What’s Happening With Rockingham County’s Book Ban? | Daily News-Record (VA)
- Taking a stand: LGBTQ+ student challenges book ban in Rockingham County | Dogwood (VA)
- Citizens stand up for reading in Lee County as 88,000 books are being reviewed | WINK (FL)
- Newark residents outraged over removal of teen novel as board changes policy for controversial books | Chalkbeat (NJ)
- ImagineIF Library Board Adds Obscenity Language to Collection Policy | Flathead Beacon (MT)
- ImagineIF Board of Trustees change to collection development policy draws criticism | Daily Inter Lake (MT)
- Cox requested ‘queer’ books be removed before school policy re-write | Verde Valley Independent (AZ)
- LCSD1 begins review process for first set of challenged books under controversial library policy | Wyoming News (WY)
- Library board approves second set of changes to collection development policy | Gillette News Record (WY)
- Who’s banning books? So far, only Augusta County Public Schools | News Leader (VA)
- Nassau County schools remove 34 books, including ‘The Bluest Eye’ and ‘Perks of Being a Wallflower’ | First Coast News (FL)
- Enfield Library drag event canceled over concerning social media threats | NBC Connecticut (CT)
Privacy & Cybersecurity
- How Surveillance Is Changing Our Most Intimate Relationships | New Republic
- Schools are using surveillance tech to catch students vaping—and doling out harsh punishments | Fast Company
- How Black Mirror-style surveillance culture could be making workers less productive | Independent
First Amendment & Civil Rights
- Pelosi Wants F.B.I. to Investigate Pro-Palestinian Protesters | New York Times
- Disney Loses First Amendment Fight With Ron DeSantis in Federal Court | Variety (FL)
- Advocates file federal complaint over ‘Parents’ Bill of Rights’ law | News from the States (NC)
- ACLU mounting legal challenge against Ohio gender-affirming care ban | Hill (OH)
- Federal appeals court affirms that the city of St. Louis is liable for First Amendment violation arising from social media blocking | ACLU (MO)
Academic Freedom & Student Speech
- At Penn, Tensions May Only Be Growing After Magill’s Resignation | New York Times
- New FIRE report finds 85% of top colleges have restrictive speech codes | FIRE
- The Real Problem With American Universities: It isn’t DEI. | Atlantic
Legislation
- Georgia GOP senators target American Library Association with new bill | Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA)
- Bill would repeal obscenity exemption for libraries and schools | Gillette News Record (WY)
- Several Bills Target Book Bans in School and Public Libraries | Seven Days (VT)
- Clamping down on book bans, harassment of librarians | NJ Spotlight News (NJ)
- Library obscenity bill has faded into the stacks, but remains a concern to librarians | Metro News (WV)
- A bill banning the ability of school boards to ban books has cleared the state Senate | WVTF (VA)
- Bill proposed in NH seeks to ban books considered “harmful” to minors | WHDH (NH)
- Utah is the latest state to ban diversity, equity and inclusion efforts on campus and in government | NY1 (UT)
- Washington bill addresses library dissolution efforts | KVI (WA)
- Who can ban books in New Hampshire schools could soon change | Boston Globe (NH)
State & Local Governance
- Public comment period on APLS changes expected to start Feb. 1: The suggested changes could put conditions on state aid for public libraries | Alabama Political Reporter (AL)
- State library system votes to withdraw from American Library Association | 1819 News (AL)
Net Neutrality & Broadband Access
- Los Angeles Passes Resolution Banning Digital Redlining by ISPs | BroadbandBreakfast
Disinformation & Information Literacy
- A.I. Is Coming for the Past, Too | New York Times
Around the Web
- A Publishing Giant’s Risky Fight Against Book Bans | Wall Street Journal
- How to fight LGBTQ+ book bans | Out
- Here’s how right-wing media are attacking America’s education system | Media Matters
- Best-Selling Author Laurie Halse Anderson on Challenging Iowa’s Controversial Book Ban | First Amendment Watch
- Fanatical book banners in Florida and Texas have long been sucking up all the fumes of national outrage, but this week Oklahoma vaulted to the top of the ignominy pile. | Washington Post
- We must protect the integrity of Massachusetts libraries (Editorial) | MassLive
- A secret shelf of banned books thrives in a Texas school, under the nose of censors | NPR
- ‘Antiracist’ author Ibram Kendi discusses politics, book bans in New Orleans appearance | NOLA
- From “Don’t Say Gay” to Abortion Bans, A New Pronatalism Is Here | Nation
- The Young Black Conservative Who Grew Up With, and Rejects, D.E.I. | New York Times
- I’m Fighting Book Bans at My Tennessee Library | Newsweek
- Manatee County group holds ‘read-in’ outside school board meeting, protesting new book removal policy | FOX13
- The extremist branch of Idaho’s GOP is producing a moving experience | Idaho Ed News
- Central York students, teachers join coalition to stop censorship | York Dispatch
- War of the Words: Colorado Eyes Challenges to Drag Queen Story Hours, LGBTQ+ Books | Westword
- A new member is joining what has become a high-profile library board. Here’s who. | Corpus Christi Caller Times
- Miseducation and the Project of Panic, Propaganda and Power | Ms.
- Column: Need help finding a good book? Try one your 9th-grader isn’t allowed to read | Los Angeles Times
- Hanover library lease agreement approved by council after week of controversy | Evening Sun
- A Brief History of the Grand Old American Tradition of Banning Books | Literary Hub
- Group hopes to combat efforts to reduce book access at Alabama libraries | FOX54
- Books are back in Methuen school libraries | Eagle Tribune
- Juno Dawson: ‘So-called champions of free speech want to ban my books’ | Standard
- Educators wrestle with new limits on teaching Black history | Axios
- SF Giants owner supports far-right group attacking Black history and trans youth | Sports Illustrated
ALA News
- K-12 school librarians invited to apply for $5,000 Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award
- American Library Association launches national search for executive director
- Core Webinar – Best of Core Forum: Asking for Help in a Helping Profession
- February 2024 Online Learning with RUSA
- ALA, FINRA Foundation Select 300 Public Libraries Nationwide to Receive Children’s Financial Education Kits
- PLA announces 2024 conference scholarship winners
- Core Webinar – Best of Core Forum: Using Critical Reflection to Navigate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Issues
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