Intellectual Freedom News 5/20/2022
Highlights
Censorship
- Conservative parents take aim at library apps meant to expand access to books | NBC News
- In Canaan, 3 books with LGBTQ+ themes at center of controversy | VTDigger (VT)
- Only 3 reviewers said Florida math textbooks violated CRT rules. Yet state rejected dozens | Miami Herald
- RSU 40 reviews challenged books again | Courier-Gazette (ME)
- Next on Moms for Liberty library challenge list: The Kite Runner, Slaughterhouse-Five | Florida Today
- Polk Schools to return 16 books in question to libraries, opposing group threatens to sue | Ledger
- Nixa school board bans queer memoirs ‘Fun Home’ and ‘All Boys Aren’t Blue,’ restricts others | Springfield News-Leader (MO)
- ACLU tells Nixa schools to preserve evidence, warns of possible lawsuit over book bannings | Springfield News-Leader
- A lawsuit has been filed against the banning of books in Llano County | CW39 (TX)
- Student protesters threatened, while a new policy to censor library books looms in Central Bucks School District | WHYY
- Virginia Beach School Board group removes ‘Gender Queer’ book from libraries, calls it ‘pervasively vulgar’ | Virginia-Pilot
- Book ban: More people challenging titles in Eanes ISD | KXAN
- Harlem school board bans ‘Gender Queer’ book | WIFR
- Texas librarians face harassment as they navigate book bans | Texas Tribune
- College student finds possible ‘critical race theory’ in Florida math book, report finds | Orlando Sentinel
- Keokuk school board removes book from elementary school library | TSPR (IA)
- Shawnee Heights school board votes against banning five challenged books | Kansas Reflector
- Book by ‘Queer Eye’ star among 56 parents want removed from St. Johns County Schools | News4Jax (FL)
- ‘Should I play it safe or push the envelope?’ Texas librarian struggles ordering books for school | ABC13
- ‘Remove it! Send it back!’ A sample of books challenged at Kentucky public libraries | Lexington Herald Leader
- Glenview Library trustees to discuss creating flag policy | Journal & Topics (IL)
- Wentzville School Board to vote on banning another book for sexual content | St. Louis Dispatch (MO)
- Book banning fears intensify after assistant principal fired over book | WAPT (MS)
- Des Moines non-profit caught in book censorship controversy | WHO13 (IA)
- Here are top 10 most challenged books last year. An Idaho school board already banned some | Idaho Statesman
- Rediscovered Books to offer free books, oppose Nampa school board book ban | Idaho News 6
- Book-banning Proposal Sparks Outrage at Council Rock School Board Meeting | The Centurion (PA)
- After Parents Read Rape Scenes At Board Meeting Schools Remove Books | Sarasota FL Patch
- School Library Books: Removal Campaign Continues | The Pilot (NC)
- Elizabethtown Area School District parent challenges best-selling novel ‘Me and Earl and the Dying Girl’ | Lancaster Online (PA)
Privacy & Cybersecurity
- FTC to vote on COPPA policy statement May 19 | IAPP
- FTC to Crack Down on Companies that Illegally Surveil Children Learning Online | FTC
- California lawmakers push ahead with sweeping children’s online privacy bill | CBS News
More privacy news is available at the Voices for Privacy blog.
First Amendment, Free Speech, & Civil Liberties
- Court deals setback to First Amendment suit against Elizabeth Warren | Publishers Weekly
- Disputes over school anti-racism policies, ‘critical race theory’ move to courts | UPI
- Right to film cops weighed by US court overseeing 6 states | Star-Tribune / Associated Press
- Florida student suing over ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law says school is trying to censor his graduation speech | CBS42
- Free speech under attack (part II): Curriculum sabotage and classroom censorship | House Committee on Oversight and Reform
- Congress to hold second hearing on censorship issues | Publishers Weekly
- Florida bans protests outside homes | Washington Post
- Supreme Court strikes down limit on repaying campaign loans in win for Ted Cruz | CBS News
- Chuck Todd: GOP using First Amendment to ‘appease the white supremacist movement’ | The Hill
- Supreme Court should address prior restraints on former gov’t employees | Just Security
- Gay student says school stopping run for student leadership | Herald Bulletin (FL)
Academic Freedom & Campus Speech
- Monitoring Free Speech on Oklahoma’s Campuses | Inside Higher Ed
Legislation
- Lawmakers letting CRT rule for OK schools stand after proposal to disapprove | KTUL
- SC critical race theory ban fails to pass legislature before session ends. What to know | Charlotte Observer
- Berea school board opposes 3 ‘divisive concepts’ state bills | Cleveland.com (OH)
- Cleveland council condemns bill that would censor topics of diversity, sexual orientation in schools | WOIO (OH)
- Louisiana House panel shuts down bills related to critical race theory | WWL-TV
- Critical race theory bills killed by Louisiana Legislature | Louisiana Illuminator
- What’s the Tennessee textbook commission? A new law could empower the board to ban books statewide | WPLN
Net Neutrality & Broadband Access
- How the Republican plot to stall Gigi Sohn’s FCC nomination is about to cripple the future of internet rights | Daily Dot
- Public Knowledge urges FCC to adopt policies ending digital discrimination | Public Knowledge
- How the GOP assault on social media flipped net neutrality on its head | Washington Post
Journalism & Media
- SPLC commends the reversal of censorship at Lyman High School in Florida | SPLC
- Lyman High School students receive yearbooks with added disclaimer after photo controversy delay | WESH 2 (FL)
Social Media
- Two GOP judges just stripped social media companies of basic First Amendment rights | Vox
- Inside the secret chat rooms censoring critics on a pro-Trump ‘free speech’ social media app | ABC
- ACLU of Indiana lawsuit says Boone County blocked resident from Facebook page | Indiana Lawyer
Information Literacy & Disinformation
- A fringe conspiracy theory, fostered online, is refashioned by the G.O.P. | New York Times
- How the Biden administration let right-wing attacks derail its disinformation efforts | Washington Post
Copyright
International News
- ‘Dozen’ created 73% of disinformation during Parliament protest | 1News
- China’s internet censors try a new trick: Revealing users’ locations | New York Times
Around the Web
- Anti-CRT school board candidates look for wins across NY state | CBS4
- When Right-Wing Attacks on School Textbooks Fell Short | The Nation
- Texas librarian fired for ‘insubordination’ was just trying to do right by readers | Daily Kos
- Authors respond: Four writers discuss effort to ban their books in Polk County schools | Ledger
- City of El Paso Public Library highlights banned books in new section | KVIA.com
- Author of “to be destroyed” book visits Rapid City | KEVN (SD)
- Lesbian couple says vandalism of their ‘Little Queer Library’ feels like ‘censorship’ and hatred | Blaze
- Drag queens sue state rep. for defaming them | Concord Monitor
- Culture wars attract big money to Texas school board races | Texas Standard
- The purpose of book bans is to make queer kids scared | Literary Hub
- School censorship mars end of Florida school year, LGBTQ advocates say | Orlando Sentinel
- All 200+ books banned in Florida and what Miami booksellers have to say about it | Miami New Times
- District 7 Councilmember’s remarks on the freedom to read resolution | City of San Antonio
- Fights over school boards share ballot with North Carolina’s Senate primary | KESQ
- Opinion: Critical race theory at issue in Cherokee school board races | Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- Buffalo shooting reignites debate over critical race theory, US history education | USA Today
- When right-wing attacks on school textbooks fell short: Some essential lessons from an earlier culture war | The Nation
- Banned books battle: Author of book on ‘to be destroyed’ list visits Rapid City | News Center 1 (SD)
- Rediscovered Books to offer free books oppose Nampa school board book ban | KIVI (ID)
- Carolyn Hax: When kids ask for books they’re ‘too young’ to read | Washington Post
- A photo of Florida students spelling out a racial slur is under investigation | NPR
- Children’s book authors condemn recent bans | The Hill
ALA News
- ALA Executive Board endorses Loida Garcia-Febo as 2022-2023 IFLA President-Elect
- Idina Menzel and Cara Mentzel get loud for libraries as honorary chairs of Library Card Sign-up Month 2022
- Authors Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan to present at the virtual Digital Experience at the 2022 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition
- Melanie Welch named director of ALA’s Public Programs Office
- Author, storyteller, and screenwriter R.L. Stine will present at the 2022 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition
- Kimery elected 2023-2024 AASL Supervisors Section ChairLucas elected 2022-2024 AASL Independent Schools Section Secretary
- Thakkar elected 2023-2024 AASL Independent Schools Section Chair
- Morris elected 2023-2024 AASL Educators of School Librarians Section Chair
- Fuhrman elected 2022-2024 AASL Director-At-Large, Chapters
- Kordeliski elected 2022-2024 AASL Director-At-Large
- Rivera elected 2022-2024 AASL Secretary/Treasurer
eLearning
- Informing Parents and Families About Recommended COVID-19 Vaccines for Children
- Public Library Director Crash Course: Getting the Skills You Need
- A Trauma-Informed Approach to Library Services
- Effective Library Signage: Tips, Tricks, & Best Practices
- Design and Marketing for Library Course
- Protected: Closing the Digital Divide: Elevating Librarian Expertise and Curation at the Point of Need
- Granular Usage Reporting and its Implications for Libraries
- 13 Things in Instructional Design for Library Instructors
- Cognitive Load and Instructional Design
- Unlocking Value: Keys to Incorporating Open Access in Library Collections
- More eLearning opportunites
Publishing
Awards & Grants
- Five projects receive 2022 AIA/ALA Library Building Award
- Apply now for PLA Digital Literacy Workshop Incentive, supported by AT&T
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