Intellectual Freedom News 3/25/2022
Highlights
- Large majorities of voters oppose book bans and have confidence in libraries; “First survey of its kind confirms national bipartisan support for the freedom to read“
The new poll is the first to approach the issue of book bans through the lenses of public and school libraries. It also found near-universal high regard for librarians and recognition of the critical role that public and school libraries play in their communities.
The findings demonstrate that, far from being a partisan issue, book bans are opposed by large majorities of voters of all parties. The value of libraries and librarians has similar bipartisan support, with strong majorities of voters voicing confidence in libraries and favorability toward librarians.
Censorship
- Texas has seen a surge in requests to pull books from schools. Here are Houston’s numbers so far | Houston Chronicle
- Give students ‘unabridged education,’ protesters say at Texas Capitol rally against book censorship | Austin American-Statesman
- School district of Cadott considers removing some books | WEAU (WI)
- The tale of missing Little Queer Library books and a failed book ban in Waltham | GBH 89.7 (MA)
- Kingsland librarian fired amid controversy over advisory board | Daily Trib (TX)
- School board votes for censorship in local high school | Oldies 95 (NY)
- School book removal policies and procedures adopted | Valley Breeze (RI)
- Rally for academic freedom: Denton ISD students petition district to keep diverse book titles | Dallas Observer (TX)
- How this Old Town school handled a request to ban a book on sexual assault | Bangor Daily News (ME)
- SACS Board candidate organizing ‘book investigators’ to monitor, document titles on campus | WPTA (IN)
- Cedarburg School District to consider future use of book ‘Kite Runner’ in curriculum | TMJ4 (WI)
- ‘All Boys Aren’t Blue’ sparks book ban requests for school boards, mirroring national trend | Delmarva Now (MD)
- Wicomico school system pulls controversial book | Dispatch (MD)
- Maryland’s Wicomico County Public Schools remove All Boys Aren’t Blue from district libraries with no review | National Coalition Against Censorship
- Viewpoint: Iredell-Statesville Schools takes common-sense approach to book challenges | Iredell Free News (NC)
- Editorial: (Book) cancel culture comes to Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PA)
- Complaints: Books challenged in Houston schools are ‘contrary to everything Christian,’ promote BLM | Houston Chronicle
- Llano County librarian loses job after not removing books | KXAN (TX)
- Censorship controversy leads to ousting of Kingsland librarian | Highlander News (TX)
- Schools nationwide are quietly removing books from their libraries | Washington Post
- Mississippi teacher fired for reading unapproved picture book to students | National Coalition Against Censorship
- Appeal starts for school leader fired over ‘New Butt’ book | Kansas City Star
- Library should not remove Pride Month display | Citrus County Chronicle (FL)
- ELPL board discusses vacancies, concerns about intellectual freedom | East Lansing Info (MI)
- Placentia-Yorba Linda School District trustees to ban critical race theory; criticism soars | Voice of OC (CA)
- USD 450 rejects parents’ concerns over inappropriate library books | Sentinel (KS)
- Granbury tells librarians to pull books related to sexuality, transgender topics | NBC DFW (TX)
- Censor or ‘protect’? Residents debate if library should censor youth reading collections | Journal & Topics (IL)
- HB666 prompt debate at library meeting | Bonners Ferry Herald (ID)
Privacy & Cybersecurity
- Utah’s new privacy law: Will this new balance become the norm? | JD Supra
- FTC takes action against company for collecting children’s personal information without parental permission | JD Supra
More privacy news is available at the Voices for Privacy blog.
First Amendment, Free Speech, & Civil Liberties
- U.S. judge rules against Kentucky clerk who denied same-sex marriage licenses | Reuters
- Parents of transgender youth fear Texas’ anti-trans orders |NPR
- Schools, censorship, and the law | The Hill
Academic Freedom & Campus Speech
- Independent student paper accuses Berea College of censorship | Richmond Register
Legislation
- Idaho House Republicans kill library budget, citing ‘harmful’ materials, pornography | Idaho Statesman
- Bill to ban books with descriptions of sex from Arizona schools moves forward | Raw Story
- Legislature makes it easier to ban school books in Florida: Editorial | Sun-Sentinel
- HB666 on pause in Senate | Coeur d’Alene/ Post Falls Press (ID)
- Georgia legislature drops effort to regulate USG teaching race, but K-12 proposals ongoing | Augusta Chronicle
- Johnson County librarians oppose Iowa bills looking to change intellectual freedom | Daily Iowan
- From libraries to police training: Controversial Ohio education bill goes beyond classroom | Columbus Dispatch
- Kentucky’s education system could face a shift if these 3 bills pass. Here’s the breakdown | Lexington Herald-Leader
Social Media
- Twitter wins dismissal of terminated user’s First Amendment suit | Bloomberg Law
Access
- Art books, GQ, ‘Game of Thrones,’ Scientology: New England prisons ban thousands of books | Providence Journal
- Incarcerated people have few ways to fight back against censorship in prisons | Prism
Information Literacy & Disinformation
- Opinion: The real goal of Kremlin disinformation isn’t what you think | Politico
- Popular podcasters spread Russian disinformation about Ukraine biolabs | Brookings
- Disinformation is a threat to democracy. Can it be reined in without stepping on free speech? | Texas Public Radio
International News
- Russia’s social media shutdown is expensive, costing its economy more than $860 million so far this year | Fortune
- Brazil high court revokes Telegram suspension after it blocks disinformation accounts | U.S. News & World Report
- TikTok censoring LGBTQ, Nazi terms in Germany: report | DW
Around the Web
- Opinion: Book bans are about winning elections, not protecting children | Austin American Statesman
- Why the school wars still rage | New Yorker
- Maryland suburban school board races ‘fertile ground’ for conservative activists angered by COVID-19 mandates | Baltimore Sun
- Maine library fights book-banning trend by seeking out controversial titles | Newsweek
- As book bans target LGBTQ+ writers and writers of color, here’s what banned books we’re reading | Ms. Magazine
- Critical race theory in schools: How can American history be taught otherwise?: Column | News Leader
- Book bans and the threat of censorship rev up political activism in the suburbs | NPR
- How Springfield school board candidates view efforts to ban books from schools | Springfield News-Leader
- Cruz and Jackson spar over antiracism curriculum at a private school | New York Times
- Progressives are resisting rightwing book banning campaigns — and are winning | Guardian
- ‘It’s a culture war that’s totally out of control’: The authors whose books are being banned in US schools | Guardian
- ‘Teach the Truth’ campaign aims to battle book bans, censorship in Texas schools | Dallas Morning News
- Culture wars could be coming to a school board near you | Time
- Sonoma Index-Tribune Editorial: Racist graffiti at Sonoma Valley Regional Library is hate crime | Press Democrat (CA)
ALA News
- Portland to host largest national library conference since the pandemic
- PLA 2022 to generate an estimated $4.4 million in revenue for City of Portland
- Keeping Communities Connected: New report spotlights creative library broadband services during the pandemic
- The 2022 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition offers a virtual opportunity — The Digital Experience
- New Federated Authentication Resources from Core
- Accepting Appointments for Career Coaching Sessions
- ALA remembers late Congressman Don Young
eLearning
- New Core Web Course Explores Fundamentals of Management
- Transforming Senior Services and Outreach
- Technology Competencies for Paraprofessionals
- Providing Effective Health Reference in the Age of Misinformation
- More eLearning opportunites
Publishing
Awards & Grants
- Revisions to Batchelder Award aim to raise recognition of book translators
- 2022 RUSA Achievement Award Winners
Subscribe to future issues of Intellectual Freedom News, a free weekly compilation of news delivered to your inbox by the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom, including
- current book challenges in libraries and schools
- articles about privacy, internet filtering and censorship
- ALA activities, conferences and institutes, products, online learning opportunities, awards and grants, international exchanges, and more
- how to get involved and make the most of what ALA offers