News

Booksellers sue to block Texas book ban on ‘sexually explicit’ content

Wednesday, July 26th, 2023

via The Washington Post (Maryland)

The lawsuit is part of a growing clash over moves by GOP-led states to prohibit or restrict access to books, particularly those about race and identity.

Book Bans

Fort Worth parents speak out against sexually explicit books in school libraries

Wednesday, July 26th, 2023

via Star Telegram (Texas)

The complaints at Fort Worth school district come after books were pulled recently from elementary and middle schools libraries.

Book Bans

Booksellers sue over Texas law requiring them to rate books for appropriateness

Tuesday, July 25th, 2023

via Texas Tribune (Texas)

Two Texas bookstores and three national bookseller associations file suit over House Bill 900, which requires private booksellers to rate books on appropriateness, and bans 'sexually explicit'…

Book Bans

Booksellers Move to the Front Lines of the Fight Against Books Bans in Texas

Tuesday, July 25th, 2023

via The New York Times (Texas)

With a book-rating law set to take effect in September, a group of booksellers, along with publishers and authors, filed suit to argue that it is unconstitutional.

Book Bans

Public libraries are the latest front in culture war battle over books

Tuesday, July 25th, 2023

via The Spokesman Review (Washington)

FRONT ROYAL, Va. -- Melody Hotek watched the library board room filling up and knew she was in for a tough night. Soon every seat was taken and people lined the walls, some 120 in total, with two sheriff's deputies on hand for any trouble.

Book Bans

New York is critical for Republicans to keep US House control

Tuesday, July 25th, 2023

via The Kansas City Star (Kansas)

WASHINGTON — The path to control of the U.S. House flows from the New York suburbs to the Hudson River Valley and west to the Catskill Mountains and Syracuse, where Republicans are trying to hang on to six seats in places President Joe Biden won in 2020.

Book Bans

All the ways Ron DeSantis is trying to rewrite Black history

Monday, July 24th, 2023

via The Washington Post (Maryland)

From laws to standards, Florida's governor is shaping and limiting what students can learn.

Racism, Book Bans

Minnesota and the unbanned book list

Monday, July 24th, 2023

via StarTribune (Minnesota)

Libraries are a treasure. Not everyone treasures them.

LGBTQ+, Book Bans

The Conversation: How book-banning campaigns have changed the lives and education of librarians – they now need to learn how to plan for safety and legally protect themselves

Monday, July 24th, 2023

via Press Herald (Maine)

THE CONVERSATION — Despite misconceptions and stereotypes – ranging from what librarians Gretchen Keer and Andrew Carlos have described as the 'middle-aged, bun-wearing, comfortably shod, shushing librarian' to the 'sexy librarian … and the hipster or tattooed librarian' – library professionals are more than book jockeys, and they do more than read at story time. They […]

LGBTQ+, Book Bans, School Board – General

Smithsonian literary fest flagged ‘sensitive’ topics before cancellation

Saturday, July 22nd, 2023

via The Washington Post (Maryland)

The Smithsonian denies that the festival's contents played a role in its decision. But participants still have questions.

Book Bans

Syracuse author offers free books to improve literacy for kids

Saturday, July 22nd, 2023

via syracuse.com (New York)

A local author is combining her love for child education and diversity advocacy by annually holding the Preserve the Black Child free pop-up book fair.

Book Bans

Vice President Kamala Harris warns of ‘national agenda’ to whitewash Black history

Saturday, July 22nd, 2023

via Lohud (New York)

Vice President Kamala Harris and allies amplified complaints about Florida schools' new history standards.

Parent Involvement, Book Bans, School Board – General

In Jacksonville, V.P. Kamala Harris warns of ‘national agenda’ to whitewash Black history

Saturday, July 22nd, 2023

via Jacksonville.com (Florida)

The vice president and allies amplified complaints about Florida schools' new history standards.

Parent Involvement, Book Bans, School Board – General

Harris, on DeSantis’s turf, blasts Florida curriculum on Black history

Friday, July 21st, 2023

via The Washington Post (Iowa)

Vice President Harris, in Florida, denounced what she calls an effort to rewrite the history of Black people in America.

Parent Involvement, Racism, Book Bans

Judge declines to reshelve banned book in Pickens County lawsuit

Friday, July 21st, 2023

via The Post and Courier (South Carolina)

A federal judge denied a pretrial request to pause a school district's book ban, citing a lack of clarity about why the district is opposed to the book.

Book Bans, School Board – General

Kamala Harris attacks ‘extremists’ in Florida after DeSantis education fight

Friday, July 21st, 2023

via Washington Examiner (District of Columbia)

Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday spoke out against Florida's new standards for teaching black history, championed by the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL).

Book Bans

DeSantis defends Florida schools’ black history teaching against Kamala Harris

Friday, July 21st, 2023

via Washington Examiner (District of Columbia)

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) blasted Vice President Kamala Harris over her criticisms of Florida's education system's teachings on black history and slavery.

Racism, Book Bans