Children's Books discussion
Banned Books: discussions, lists
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Discussion of censorship, equity, and other concerns.
Bill aims to restore hundreds of removed books to DODEA libraries and classroomshttps://www.stripes.com/theaters/euro...
Two Democrats on Capitol Hill are trying to add some legislative branch clout alongside an ongoing court battle over the removal of hundreds of books from Defense Department schools.
U.S. Reps. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania last week announced a bill dubbed the Stop Censoring Military Families Act.
It seeks to restore nearly 600 books pulled from the library shelves and classrooms at Department of Defense Education Activity schools for a Pentagon-directed content review.
The bill would also limit school leaders “from taking further action to limit curricula, library content and personnel at DODEA schools,” according to a statement issued by Raskin’s office on Friday.
Mod
For someone who claims he is a Christian, Peter Hesgeth sure is anti Jesus Christ!!!! To and for me, there is NOTHING even remotely Christian in Hesgeth and indeed in anyone supporting him, but rather the total and absolute opposite.
IndianaSchool board’s use of a new sex-ed law to pull books baffles both opponents and advocates
https://www.thestatehousefile.com/pol...
Hoosiers on both sides of Indiana’s newest sex education statute—and even the Republican state senator who wrote the law—say they are puzzled that a school board in northeastern Indiana is using it to justify removing classic literature from high-school shelves.
The confusion comes after the Garrett-Keyser-Butler Community School Corporation voted in early September to take six acclaimed books, including “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Forrest Gump” and “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” out of its high-school curriculum and library.
Meeting records show the district’s school board reached its decision during a Sept. 5 special session that lasted less than 20 minutes, voting 4-1 to strike six books from the high-school curriculum and library. Board member Dottie Fuentes cast the lone “no” vote, arguing that trained teachers, not elected board members, should decide what students read.
“Should we override what a trained teacher thinks is appropriate curriculum?” Fuentes asked.
“Yes,” replied board member Matt Freeze. “As a board, we control what we want our students to read and have. We decide what we want in our school.”
Board member Brent Weller added: “State law says any s--ual content has to be approved. I say we just vote on it. I don’t think there’s any other way.”
The board quickly approved a motion to remove the six titles. Superintendent Dan Durrwachter said the special meeting was called to “expedite the process” after new policies took effect. The full discussion and vote are documented in publicly available meeting minutes and on the district’s YouTube channel.
In a statement explaining the move, the school district cited Senate Enrolled Act 442, a new law that requires school boards to review and approve all “human sexuality” materials and curriculum before it can be taught.
“With the support of our School Board, our district is reexamining areas of our curriculum, stemming from Senate Bill 442, which requires local school boards to approve all instruction and learning materials on human sexuality used for grades 4-12,” the Garrett-Keyser-Butler School District said in a statement to 21 ALIVE News on Sept. 10 that was not attributed to any individual.
“That includes the removal of certain books from our instructional resources,” the statement said. “This decision was not made lightly… [It] is not about restricting access to ideas. Rather, it is about ensuring that the core resources we provide within our schools are purposeful, age-appropriate, and effective in supporting student learning.”
While the six titles,... are set to be removed from shelves, some have raised questions about why a law crafted to regulate sex-education curricula became a rationale for removing celebrated works of literature.
[no comment from the school admin.]
The school district’s move appears to be the first time Indiana’s new sex education law was cited in a decision to remove books from libraries. It confused both supporters and opponents of the bill, who said they don’t see how the new law is related to the district’s decision.
“It would be my interpretation that if these books were not being used as a part of the curriculum for human sexuality instruction, Senate Bill 442 would not apply,” said Joel Hand, general counsel for the Indiana Coalition for Public Education. “I earnestly find no application under Senate Bill 442 to the situation described.”
Even the bill’s author, Sen. Gary Byrne, R-Byrneville, agreed the statute doesn’t expand school boards’ authority to police literature.
“The school boards already have the power and authority to approve all curriculum, and that includes our library books,” Byrne said. “The purpose of Senate Bill 442 was primarily just to make school boards do their job … and to put transparency in place. We just want, you know, things to be transparent so parents know, community knows, and more information out of what’s going on in our schools is good. It is good for education.”
Senate Enrolled Act 442, which took effect this year, requires school boards to approve all instructional materials used in sex education for grades 4-12, post those materials publicly, and obtain parental consent. It also mandates lessons on sexual consent and the use of fetal-development videos if pregnancy is discussed.
House Enrolled Act 1447, a 2023 law, requires schools to publish online catalogs of every library book and create a formal process for parents or community members to challenge materials. It also removes a previous legal defense that protected educators and librarians who provided certain materials for educational purposes.
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“People are throwing around the word ‘banning’ and that’s simply not the case,” said Hajicek, the Purple for Parents executive director. “A ban means you cannot access them legally. The school board does not have the ability to regulate complete access to the books; they are just saying they are not going to be giving access in their schools. … It’s like yelling at them for stopping at a stop sign. They’re just following the law.”
“People need to wake up and look at these books with obscenity and harmful materials,” Hajicek added. “It’s a decent human matter to prevent this from getting into the hands of minors.”
Opponents counter that the Garrett action fits a national pattern of politicizing school libraries.
The fight between the Alabama Public Library Board and the Fairhope Public Library continues. https://alabamareflector.com/2025/09/...
Alabama library board will continue to withhold Fairhope funding
The Alabama Public Library Service will continue withholding state funding from the Fairhope Public Library amid an ongoing dispute over how the library handles challenges to some books.
Members of the APLS Board Thursday voted to review some of the challenged books and decide for themselves if they meet the APLS’ definition of s--ually explicit materials.
The decision was the latest battle in an ongoing fight over books in libraries around the state that conservative groups have claimed are sexually explicit but which opponents say amount to attacks on literature with LGBTQ+ characters or themes.
“We are very disappointed that they are putting this off again,” said Randal Wright, chair of the board of trustees for the Fairhope Public Library, in an interview following the decision. “We believe very strongly that we are in compliance, and that the definition of s--ually explicit is a subjective thing. You just can’t define it with words; it is emotional as well as objective.”
Representatives from the library addressed APLS board members after the public comment period in the hopes of getting their funding reinstated. Board member Ronald Snider requested the board take a vote to authorize that funding be released, but no one else on the board supported his request.
Instead, the board voted for Chair John Wahl’s [also chairman of the state Republican Party] motion for the Fairhope Public Library to provide APLS with a list of the challenged books, in order for each member to review the materials themselves and decide if they are s--ually explicit and should be removed from the teenagers’ section of the library.
“If it is a book that contains s--ually explicit content, as defined in the definition created by this board, we want parents to make that call,” Wahl said. “We are not saying the book is bad, we are not saying the book doesn’t have literary value, but what we are saying is that we want parents to make those decisions when it comes to materials that are challenging.”
APLS voted to suspend state aid for the library after some patrons spoke out against the library. The library’s supporters responded by fundraising to help offset the $21,000 in state aid that APLS withheld. The library began to review the books that parents said should not be in the section for minors.
Since the suspension, roughly 10 patrons of the Fairhope Public Library who attended APLS meetings have accused Fairhope Public Library of shelving books they consider s--ually explicit, in violation of the administrative code APLS adopted in the summer of 2024, which required libraries to adopt policies that restrict library materials to minors that are “inappropriate for children and youth.” It also prohibits libraries from purchasing such materials and requires advance approval for placing materials on display meant for minors.
Libraries must also have a policy that requires minors to receive permission from their parents before checking out library materials in the adult section.
The APLS board last year approved an update to the administrative code to further define the term “s--ually explicit” and include materials with (view spoiler) and nudity.
Prior to requesting that funding for the Fairhope Public Library be restored, Snider said that the APLS board is on a path of censoring library materials. He criticized the decision, saying he believes in local control, and that decisions about library materials should be left to local library boards who oversee the content.
“Is this board going to decide for itself what book in Fairhope, in Birmingham, or Ashland, Alabama, what we think is obscene?” Snider asked facetiously.
Snider then asked if libraries are supposed to remove a book if even one patron challenges its location.
“If it goes against state code, they must,” Wahl said.
Wahl then requested the titles of the books that were challenged and the decisions that the library made about where the books will be placed.
After the administrative code was adopted, parents told the APLS board that the Fairhope Public Library continued to have books in the minors’ section that are sexually explicit.
Wright said the library completed the review of the books that were challenged and moved seven of the 14 book titles that patrons challenged. Wright said he believed the library complied with the directive from APLS as well as the updated administrative code.
APLS board members and library officials discussed the issue for almost an hour on Thursday.
During the meeting, Wright asked APLS to provide the titles of the books they wanted reshelved and the reason that Fairhope was singled out as the library that had its funding rescinded.
Wahl said there was not a list of specific books that were targeted to be reshelved.
“When you refused parents’ redress or grievance, you left this board with a vote of no choice but to get involved,” Wahl said to Wright. “I think that is what made Fairhope different, was the refusal of giving redress of grievance for parents.”
Wright said the books that parents challenged were reviewed before the administrative code was updated in the summer of 2024, and the director at the time decided to keep the books in the same location.
She then said that the library’s policy was to keep the books that were challenged in place for the next five years, a standard practice for most libraries.
“It wasn’t so much that we were refusing, we were just saying they had already been reviewed,” Wright said. “Fill out an appeal, and we will do it again if we need to because we were willing to talk about it.”
She said that patrons who challenged the books did not approach the library board after that but instead went before the Fairhope City Council and the APLS board.
Another story on the bottom of the page is related.This is such a dumb idea. It does not work. It has never worked and I can cite examples of early New Englanders who did not get the memo about abstinence in spite of our Puritan roots.
Alabama senator prefiles bill that would change sex-ed in public schools
https://alabamareflector.com/2025/10/...
SB 3, sponsored by Sen. Shay Shelnutt, R-Trussville, would require schools to “exclusively teach sexual risk avoidance and encourage abstinence from all sexual activity.”
Sexual risk avoidance is defined in the bill as “primary prevention approach to sex education that seeks to achieve the most favorable health outcomes for all Alabama youth.”
The bill prohibits schools from “providing a referral to or information about how to acquire an abortion;” “misrepresenting the efficacy of or demonstrating the use of contraceptives,” and “using images that are s--ually explicit.”
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Shelnutt filed a similar bill in the 2025 legislation session. It got approval from a Senate committee but failed to move out of the chamber, in part due to a Democratic filibuster.
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The bill would also require that parents are given a 14-day notice to opt their children out of the classes. Okarmus said this is a good measure.
“We believe that parents should be the first teachers of sex ed, and we want to be partners with them in teaching sex ed. So if a parent is not comfortable with a sex ed class being taught, that is of course, like we support their ability to opt out,” she said.
The Alabama Legislature will begin meeting on Jan. 13.
And another one on book bansDeadline approaching for public comments on APLS rule banning transgender books
https://www.alreporter.com/2025/09/29...
The proposed Alabama Public Library Service code change would define materials “promoting gender ideology” as inappropriate for children and youth.
Members of the public have until 4:30 p.m. Oct. 14 to make their voices heard in writing. Written comments must be signed and include a full name and address and can be mailed or hand-delivered to Vanessa Carr, executive secretary at the Alabama Public Library Service at 6030 Monticello Drive, Montgomery, AL 36117.
The code change would define any material that “promotes, encourages, or positively depicts transgender procedures, gender ideology, or the concept of more than two biological genders” as inappropriate for children and youth.
Last year when the APLS held a public comment session on code changes, more than 6,000 written public comments were received with a near-even split between support and opposition.
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For those who cannot submit a written comment by Oct. 14, or would just rather deliver remarks to the board in person, there will be a public hearing at 10 a.m. on Oct. 21 at the APLS office.
Censorship in North CarolinaHaven't these people heard of subject headings and book reviews?
Library committee vice chairman says library officials are slow-walking new labeling system county commissioners adopted in April
https://alamancenews.com/library-comm...
Parental guidance labels – a “content notice review policy” – not yet implemented
A new parental guidance labeling policy, intended to alert parents of young readers about mature themes in Alamance County library materials, is being implemented in such a piecemeal fashion it borders on obstruction, according to a member of the county’s library committee who helped to shepherd the policy to adoption by Alamance county’s commissioners this spring.
Formally titled a “content notice review policy,” the library’s labeling policy provides for a review of children’s or teen library materials when a patron requests a review based on content such as: graphic violence; explicit s--ual content or references; substance use; suicide or self-harm; and/or profanity or other strong language. A formal request for a review must be submitted to Alamance County’s library director, Susana Goldman, and vetted by a staff-level review committee.
If the staff review committee concludes that a library book (or other media) warrants an advisory label, a sticker reading, “Parental Guidance Suggested – See catalog for details” is placed on the spine of the book or elsewhere; a note is also placed in the library catalog, based on the policy that the commissioners adopted this spring.
Cheryl Sandford, a Burlington home-school mom and former English teacher who currently serves as vice chairman of the county’s library committee, helped to develop the “content notice review policy” and lobbied Alamance County’s commissioners to adopt it in April.
Her issue in the interest arose after seeing a display of “highly-sexualized” books outside the children’s reading area at May Memorial Library in the spring of 2022, Sandford recalled in an earlier The Alamance News.
Her fears were later amplified by materials shelved nearby in the young adult section, .... “It is the darkest part of the library,” she said. When she lobbied the commissioners to adopt the new labeling policy this spring, Sandford presented them with library books, written for children and adolescents, depicting graphic nudity, suicide, and issues such as gender identity that she said are available through the county’s library branches.
Now five months later, Sandford contends that the library system has failed to fully implement the new labeling policy. The form to request a “content review” is nearly impossible to locate on the library’s website, though hard copies are available at each library branch or for download through the library’s website.
A “Content Notice Review Request Form” must be filled out, scanned, and either emailed, mailed, or hand-delivered to the library director to initiate a review, according to the policy that the commissioners voted unanimously to adopt on April 21.
“What are we in the stone age here?” Sandford asked rhetorically. “In its current form, it’s not user-friendly. It doesn’t serve the patron; it doesn’t serve the people who are being taxed [to support the library’s operations]. It’s crossed the line into being obstructionist…It hasn’t been fully implemented – it’s drips and drabs.”
A link to the content notice review request form, as it is formally termed, “is at the bottom of everything,” Sandford said, adding that neither the policy nor the form could be located using the most basic, universal method – a keyword search.
In mid-August, a clearer description of the link to the form was posted on the library’s website, under a section titled “Policies, Forms, and more” – but at the time was still hidden from view and unable to be located with a keyword search. (More recently, the description for the link has been revised to read: “to request parental guidance suggested label.”)
“This was an improvement; that was done within 24 to 48 hours,” Sandford acknowledged. But she has also asked for the form to be linked to the drop-down menu for the “Kids” and “Teens” sections and available through the library system’s mobile app.
Sandford has also asked the library director since early June to create an electronically “fillable” form that could be submitted directly through the library website.
“[That way] you don’t have to handwrite all of your objections; you don’t have to travel to May Memorial [Library] to deliver the form; you don’t have to address and stamp an envelope and send it to the director,” said the vice chairman of the county’s library committee. Informing patrons that there’s a mechanism to request a review, and then applying a sticker to children’s and teen library materials when warranted, “is a small service to ask of a publicly-funded library system,” Sandford said.
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Library director says one content review request has been submitted since policy took effect
“This is not the same as the movie labeling system,” the director told the newspaper, referring to the system established in 1968 by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) that assigns movie ratings such as G for general audiences; PG for parental guidance suggested; and R for restricted, requiring anyone under the age of 17 to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The content review request was submitted for The Action Bible (New Testament), which Goldman described as a graphic novel shelved in the teen section.
The following “content indicators” were listed on the “content notice review request” for The Action Bible (New Testament), according to Goldman: domestic violence, patricide, genocide, familial violence, implied nudity, murder, and infanticide. A “Parental Guidance Suggested – See catalog for details” sticker was placed on the item following the staff-level review.
The Action Bible (New Testament) is an illustrated version of the Bible that’s typically sold in Christian bookstores and is intended to bring “the Word of God to life through original, fund, and engaging experiences” for younger readers, according to a synopsis from the publisher.
However, the library’s website is currently too low-tech to create a “fillable” form that can be transmitted directly online, Goldman told the newspaper. “We don’t have a way to use an interface in that manner,” she said. “Mostly through email is how we communicate with the public – or in person. There’s no way to hit ‘submit’ and send in [a content review request].”
Censorship in MichiganGood gravy it's just WORMS it's not meant to be taken seriously!
https://archive.ph/7Zesl#selection-30...
How do staffers at the Cromaine Library decide when to label books? We found out
Some residents are concerned that recent book challenges at Cromaine District Library will lead to the censoring of LGBTQ+ materials.
Library Director Sarah Neidert recently received requests to remove over 200 books — and staffers began the long process of reviewing each and deciding whether the books should be removed, relocated to a section for older patrons, labeled or left alone.
In the end, staffers took action on 34 books. The rest remain unmoved and unlabeled.
According to policy created by the Cromaine Library Board of Trustees, if a patron objects to materials, they may fill out a "request for reconsideration" form and submit that form to Neidert. The patron must live within the library's service area and hold a pre-existing library card.
Selection of materials for the library aren't made based on anticipated approval or disapproval by patrons or library users but "solely on the merits of a work, without regard to race, nationality, political or religious view of the writer," according to policy.
The policy also emphasizes that what children read is the responsibility of their parent or guardian. The library's collection will not be determined, it says, by the possibility that a book may inadvertently come into a child's hands. Parents who wish to restrict what their child reads must accompany them while using the collection. Materials may, however, be labeled with "non-prejudicial, viewpoint-neutral labels."
... In total, eight were removed, 10 were moved to other locations (either from juvenile to teen or from teen to adult), another 13 were labeled, three were on backorder (and those orders were cancelled), and four books were missing from the library and have yet to be located.
In review, staff consider how frequently a book is checked out, how the book has been reviewed, and other notes about the item, according to a memo from Neidert shared with trustees.
Books that were removed due to space constraints or low circulation include:
“Princess Princess Ever After” by Katie O’Neill — a middle-grade graphic novel about two princesses who go on adventures together.
“Always the Almost” by Edward Underhill — a young adult novel about a transgender teen navigating life and relationships after coming out.
“Constellations” by Kate Glasheen — a graphic novel for ages 14 and older about a teen in the 1980s struggling with their gender identity and trauma.
“The Big Questions Book of Sex and Consent” by Donna Freitas — a middle-grade nonfiction book about the meaning and purpose of sex, personal relationships with sex and the complexities of consent.
“Can We Talk About Consent? A Book About Freedom, Choices, and Agreement” written by Justin Hancock and illustrated by Fuchsia Macaree — a teen nonfiction book about building healthy relationships in every aspect of life.
“It Doesn't Have to Be Awkward: Dealing with Relationships, Consent, and Other Hard-to-Talk-About Stuff” by Drew and Paulina Pinsky — a teen nonfiction book by Dr. Drew and his daughter answering questions about sex and consent and helping parents navigate what are often difficult conversations.
“Trans Teen Survival Guide” by Fox and Owl Fisher — a book of advice on growing up transgender, touching on topics like coming out, going through hormonal therapies and coping with dysphoria and depression.
While these books were removed, the library offers other books covering similar topics, including “Here and Queer: A Queer Girl's Guide to Life" and “Other Ever Afters: New Queer Fairy Tales,” — which remain in the library. They are shelved in the teen section and not labeled s--ually explicit.
Labeled books receive a sticker on the back cover above the barcode, so patrons can see the notation before checking out.
There are four labels the library uses:
“This book may contain graphic violence or s--ually explicit material – Cromaine District Library.” The only book to receive this label was “Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky.
“This book may contain graphic violence – Cromaine District Library.” The only book to receive this label was “The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester” by Maya McGregor.
“This book may contain s--ually explicit material – Cromaine District Library.” Five books received this label, including:
“Out There: Into the Queer New Yonder” by Saundra Mitchell
“Rana Joon and the One and Only Now” by Shideh Etaat
“Flamer” by Mike Curato
“Feminist AF: A Guide to Crushing Girlhood” by Brittney Cooper, Chanel Craft Tanner and Susana M. Morris
“Seeing Gender: An Illustrated Guide to Identity and Expression” by Iris Gottlieb
“This Book Is Gay” by Juno Dawson
The library is also using a “social issues” genre in juvenile fiction label, added to the spines of fiction books that dramatize social problems like gender, race or class prejudice. According to the definition provided to the board, these books are similar to realistic fiction, but with a direct emphasis on activism or dismantling a social problem. Of the challenged books, six received this label, including:
“Batcat” by Meggie Ramm
“Big Wig” by Jonathan Hillman
“Daddy and Dada” by Isaac Webster and Ryan Brockington
“Plenty of Hugs” by Fran Manushkin [two moms on the cover]
“What Are Your Words? A Book About Pronouns” by Katherine Locke
“Worm Loves Worm” by J. J. Austrian
The Cromaine Library Board was expected to discuss new policies during a meeting Sept. 18 — but the meeting was cancelled due to unspecified safety concerns. The board will next meet Oct. 16.
The hope for the futureA profile of a new chapter of the student-run DAYLO group in South Carolina.
https://myclintonnews.com/stories/you...
North CarolinaSlightly right biased
School board member pushes to remove books over graphic content
A Davidson County school board member is challenging four books including Ready Player One and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. He says they’re too graphic for kids.
https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/new...
A Davidson County school board member is pushing to remove four books from school libraries saying they contain s--ually explicit and inappropriate material.
Mur DeJonge, who is both a pastor and a newly elected school board member, campaigned last November on addressing what’s inside school libraries. He says parents first raised the issue with him before he ever took office.
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This year, DeJonge is on a mission to read the books cover to cover and push to remove the ones he finds inappropriate. So far, he has filed formal challenges against four titles: Ready Player One, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Hopeless, and The Art of Racing in the Rain. He says that last book appears in six elementary schools in the district. His challenge cites passages describing a teenage girl’s body and s--ual encounters.
“The most shocking things and actually the first four, all of them are very similar is the detail of vulgarity, the descriptive nature of the s--ual scenes in these books,” DeJonge said.
2 Wants To Know reviewed copies of the books and confirmed the passages exist and are not taken out of context.
“This is in fact book banning, and a very slippery slope because what you define as wholesome, may not be the same for me,” one lawmaker warned during the debate back in April.
DeJonge insists his efforts are not about erasing books altogether.
“I’m not saying that that book has to be erased from existence … but as a school system we’re there to educate we’re not there to expose our children to things that are inappropriate for their age,” he said.
A district committee recently reviewed DeJonge’s complaints and decided to remove Ready Player One from school libraries. The other three books remain.
Manybooks wrote: "https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/hegse...For someone who claims he is a Christian, Peter Hesgeth sure is anti Jesus Christ!!!! To and for..."
There have been several letters to the editor in our local paper (USA Today network) stating the same thing. He hates everyone who isn't male, cisgender/hetereosexual and White.
Mod
For someone who claims he is a Christian, Peter Hesgeth sure is anti Jesus Chr..."
Well, then he should also despise Jesus and ALL the disciples, as they were of course Jewish and spoke Aramaic.
I forgot to post this story when I saw it in the newspaper. This one is paywalled but I did take a picture of it in the physical print newspaper. The digital story is paywalled but the headline tells you what you need to know.https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/...
York, Maine
York Library stands firm on teen room decor after pride signs 'ripped down'
Two signs promoting inclusivity are believed to have been “ripped down” from the teen room at York Public Library, according to the library’s director, amid backlash over the room’s recent display of pro-LGBTQ+ signage.
North Carolina‘A flip of the switch’: Library switches sparks confusion and concern
https://smokymountainnews.com/news/it...
In June, Jackson County commissioners voted 4-1 to withdraw from the Fontana Regional Library system and begin the year-long disentanglement process from the 80-year partnership over LGBTQ+ content.
... County Manager Kevin King is charged with carrying out commissioners’ wishes in a transparent, efficient manner.
“It’s my goal to make it just a flip of the switch,” King said, describing his aim to transition Jackson’s three libraries from Fontana’s system to a county-run operation with no disruption in services.
The meeting, held in the Sylva branch, was part clarification session, part myth-busting exercise and part group therapy as members tried to reconcile their continued service with the reality that their board will likely cease to exist when Jackson County formally withdraws from Fontana on June 30, 2026.
Board chair Frederick Buskey acknowledged that the lingering confusion had left the board in limbo. Members wondered whether their advice to Fontana still had value. King explained that technically, the JCPL board remains advisory to Fontana until the separation date. After that, commissioners will decide whether Jackson’s new library board will be advisory to them, or whether it will become a governing body in its own right.
King was invited to explain what will happen next. He told board members that the advisory role remains unchanged — at least for now — but after July 1, 2026, a new board will be constituted under bylaws yet to be written.
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Sylva faces tight budgets, deep division
https://smokymountainnews.com/news/it...
The small Jackson County town of Sylva faces challenges similar to other Western North Carolina communities — balancing quality of life with growth while struggling with a relatively slim tax base requiring tight annual budgets — but divisive social issues have left the town and the county more polarized than ever.
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County politics have forced the town to stake out a public position on several issues, including the Fontana Regional Library fight. In June, Jackson County commissioners voted 4-1 to leave an eight-decade partnership with the system over LGBTQ content.
Although Sylva did eventually pass a resolution in support of the FRL — more than a month after commissioners voted to withdraw from the system — the Village of Forest Hills took it a step further by cancelling a small contract with the county for planning services. Joe Waldrum, seeking to retain a seat on the town council, voted for the resolution twice, and thinks the fight isn’t yet over.
“I’m willing to do whatever it takes to turn this ship around because to me, it does not make sense,” he said. “It’s my understanding there’s one book that maybe they want relocated to some other place in the library, and I think there’s things that could be worked out, rather than burning down the whole facility in order to accomplish that.”
[Another candidate] Sam McGuire, [a native of the county and U.S. History professor], who expressed strong support for the resolution during an Aug. 21 candidate forum, also shared his deep concern over the withdrawal and said he’d be open to next steps.
“History doesn’t repeat itself,” he said. “It rhymes, as I tell my students. History gives us context, and my specialty is Appalachian history. So growing up, I had heard family stories about family members and grandparents during the Great Depression, during the Civil Rights movement, and a lot of these challenges in the past that not only Sylva has faced, but all mountain counties have faced.”
Calvin Autrey [a native of the county,] "“I changed a lot of tires and dug a lot of ditches in my day,” he said.
Today, Autrey works at the ABC store. Married for 38 years, he said his deep roots in the community and concern for the town’s direction are what pushed him to run for office.
Autrey didn’t answer one way or the other about his support for the resolution, but he did stake out a nuanced position balancing intellectual freedom with concern for minors.
“I’m the first one for freedom of press, and no, they shouldn’t outlaw books,” he said. “But if me or you was to show pictures like that to a 10-year-old, let me tell you what, me and you’d be going to court and we would be on that there predator list.”
Taylor Armstrong may be one of very few people in Jackson County to have not yet formulated a position on the library, saying she’d have to do more research to decide if she would have supported the resolution were she on council at the time.
“I’ve seen the books that the whole issue was regarding. I’ve followed the issue and the articles in the paper, and I’ve listened to people on both sides,” she said. “I try to keep an open mind. I understand both sides of it. I do feel that there should be some regulation as to what kind of books our children have access to, but at the same time, it’s all on how you raise your kids too.”
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The FRL debate isn’t the only place divisive social issues have been raised in Sylva — they’ve also surfaced in the debate over whether the town should approve an annual Pride parade. Estimates of town cost to close Main Street and accommodate a parade run between $7,500 and $8,500.
Armstrong said financial support from the town for Pride was not fiscally responsible but added that she had no problem with the content of the Pride parade. But other parades — Christmas, homecoming, Memorial Day, Fourth of July — all pretty much cost the same.
“Not holding those parades would be more detrimental to the heart of this town, because everybody is so used to those traditions,” she said.
McGuire took the opposite stance, insisting that objections about cost and logistics could be overcome.
“Sylva Pride offered to pay for it,” he said. “I think that is a signal that changes the discussion significantly. It makes me wonder about other parades that we have — should that be a standard policy that whoever’s involved either pays for it or pays part of it? I know our budget is an issue, and so that’s kind of where this mountain common sense comes in.”
Although Autrey thinks people shouldn’t flaunt their sexuality in public, he supports the right of organizers to hold the parade — if they pay for it themselves.
“Everybody’s got their own thing. If you’re gay, you’re gay. I’m straight. The gay community is trying to force this down people’s throat. What you do in your bedroom is your business and should not be drug out in the street,” he said. “If they want to have a gay parade, or a Pride parade as they call it, fine. You pay for the police officer, you pay for shutting down the road, you pay for the businesses that’s going to lose money because you’re parading up down the street.”
Waldrum has been a strong supporter of Pride, saying during the candidate forum, “everybody’s welcome, and everybody should have equal rights and be represented in the town of Sylva.” He said he’s been speaking with Sylva Pride and trying to find a way to satisfy all parties; he’s also polled business leaders who, contrary to Autrey’s claim, say they experience a positive economic impact from the Pride parade.
“I believe there’s justification right there,” Waldrum said in support of the town picking up the cost for Pride — just as it does for other parades. “I think whatever we can do to support our neighbors, our businesses, our citizens, I think we need to do just that.”
In addition to the five-candidate free-for-all, there is another one-on-one race where voters will have to choose between incumbent Jon Brown’s performance and challenger Perry Matthews’ potential to address the same issues as the other candidates.
Sarah Hirsh, a vocal FRL supporter, initially filed to run but later dropped out. Like McMahan, her name won’t be on the ballot, leaving only Matthews and Brown.
Brown, who was born and raised in Sylva,...
“When I am going to vote on something, I don’t jump to conclusions. I like to hear all the angles. I like to hear all sides, and I like to do my research,” he said.
Matthews, born in Cherokee in 1985 and raised in Jackson County, ...
“I’m really here for my community and just for us to keep moving forward to the future together as a community,” he said. “That’s my whole reason for running.”
As an indigenous person, Matthews acknowledged that outside the Qualla Boundary, elected officials with Cherokee ancestry are rare. Although not an enrolled member due to complex generational paperwork snafus, that doesn’t make Matthews any less Cherokee, or any less proud to be Cherokee.
“I’ve worked hard to not be looked at as just another kid from the rez because that has followed me my whole life,” he said. “I love my culture and I also love my community that I live in. I’m proud to represent the EBCI but am equally proud to represent the people of Sylva as a member of this amazing community.”
The resolution in support of FRL passed by council in June was certainly a statement. Asked if there was anything more council could or should do to make its voice heard, Brown said no.
“I honestly don’t think there is,” he said. “I think passing a resolution in support of our library and making our support known was sufficient for now, but I do think that we as a town need to support our library and ensure it stays open, because it’s a real treasure for our community.”
Pressed on the same question, Matthews was in general agreement with Brown, saying he doesn’t think the town should go any further, to avoid possible repercussions from Jackson County commissioners. Matthews does, however, want to continue to make it known that the withdrawal will have a concrete impact on taxpayers.
...
One of the most distinct differences between the two candidates is their stance on the Pride parade. Brown cited cost and community division as reasons to deny the permit.
“From what I have heard from most people our community, they don’t want to see the Pride parade happen,” he said. “Granted, there are a good number of folks in our town who do want that, so unfortunately it’s become a divisive issue, but I just don’t think it’s a prudent thing to have in our town.”
Matthews pointed to the bottom line from his vantage point in the local business community.
“It boosted local economy like crazy just with that event alone,” he said. “There were so many shops that would host little after-party things or get-togethers. It brought people from all over, not just Western North Carolina, but from other states.”
MichiganJudge dismisses parent's lawsuit against Lowell Area Schools over first amendment rights
A judge dismissed a lawsuit by Stefanie Boone against Lowell Area Schools, citing lack of legal standing.
https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/l...
A lawsuit filed by a parent against a West Michigan school district over "violating her first amendment rights" was dismissed.
Self-described parental rights advocate Stefanie Boone, who has three students in Lowell Area Schools (LAS), sued the district and several of its current and former employees in June 2024. That case was dismissed by a district judge Tuesday.
In the suit, Boone claimed LAS implemented policies that prohibit her directly from contacting district staff and from posting references to LAS on social media, violating her rights as a parent and community member.
The lawsuit states Boone is a vocal critic of the district. Much of her complaints center on "DEI, SEL, social justice issues, alternative sex and gender ideologies, and other liberal political ideology," documents say.
Boone's social media directly criticizes staff at LAS. She claims the middle school principal is "flexing sexuality in her office." A similar slew of posts call out other educators in the district over the book 'All Boys Aren't Blue,' saying it's a (view spoiler)
The posts circulated, leading former high school principal Steve Gough to send a letter to Boone. He requested that she "cease and desist from any reference to any Lowell Area School employee on social media" and that she "have no contact with... staff without prior permission from the involved building principal or the superintendent."
Boone claimed the policies were unconstitutional, prompting her to file the lawsuit. The judge ruled the district simply requested she stop posting about district employees on social media and that she could still contact the district, just through different personnel. In her response to the dismissal, Boone says she was denied contact with the district.
Boone also claimed the district violated Title IX, saying she was "marginalized" by the community for voicing her objection to the school's book offerings. The judge ruled that because she claims she was marginalized, not her students in the district, she had no standing to sue under Title IX.
Thus, the lawsuit was dismissed.
....
LAS library media director Christine Beachler says she has been the target of untruthful, personal social media attacks by Boone for five years.
After a video of Beachler during a library tour in February went viral, Beachler told 13 ON YOUR SIDE it pushed it over the edge.
“At the point when that video came out number one. It went viral,” Beachler said in May. “So, there were over a million people seeing it. But to actually have threats of, you know, on my life that was unreal. I mean, how do you justify that in your mind, that I'm doing my job exactly as the school board has told me to do?”
The video, posted by Boone, showed Boone on a LAS library tour. She asked Beachler where books with adult content are located.
Beachler says Boone has targeted her and LAS over “pornographic” books in the library. Boone has apparently called Beachler a pe---phile and groomer online.
Beachler filed a civil lawsuit against Boone, asking for damages and for Boone to take down all posts that reference her.
“This is not where she wanted to end up,” said Beachler’s attorney Liz Geary. “She has tried every way she can think of to stop this, and unfortunately, [Boone] has, as we've alleged in our suit, has kept pursuing her political agenda to Christine's detriment.”
The 28-page lawsuit details the years of alleged harassment against Beachler, starting with Boone campaigning to remove certain books from LAS.
Beachler, who has worked in Lowell for 37 years, says she does not have the power to remove books from the library.
“I didn't write the books, I didn't choose all the books. I don't have the authority to remove the books from the library,” Beachler said. “Only the school board can remove books for content.”
The lawsuit claims Boone would read excerpts of books out of context in an attempt to shock listeners.
In 2021, the lawsuit claims Boone started targeting Beachler in her role as Library Media Director and goes on to list other ways Boone has allegedly targeted her throughout the years.
The lawsuit says Moms for Liberty, a group Boone is a part of, is critical of "LGBTQ+ and racially inclusive school curriculum" and has advocated for book bans. It also says Boone calls books she disapproves of "p---graphy."
“There are books that some people would maybe feel inappropriate for their children, and other people feel that the books are appropriate for their children,” Beachler said. “That's why our policies work really well, that every parent gets to choose for their own child or children. And it's, you know, the complaint is not even about the books.”
...
Three years ago, Beachler tried sending a cease-and-desist letter to Boone, asking "respectfully" for her stop, but she says the harassment did not.
“I mean, in fact, there are times where it's almost been celebrated," she says. “I haven't really seen remorse or anything like that. ....
After dedicating her entire career to working with kids, Beachler says the "horrific names" are hard to hear.
“If somebody doesn't like a book, they have every right to share that they don't like a book and they don't want their child to like that book,” Beachler said. “But that doesn't mean that I'm a bad person or I'm a pe--phile... The insults that have been hurled at me and have been said about me are just, are unbelievable.”
Boone’s words and actions, and now the words and actions of the over a million people who have seen and interacted with the video, made Beachler fear for her safety.
...
“Ironically, the day I was served with a lawsuit attempting to trample on my first amendment rights, my Facebook and Instagram accounts were suspended. This was unannounced until the moment it happened. I have appealed the decision and am awaiting further guidance.
As an experienced educator and a mother of 6, I have the unique advantage of seeing all perspectives within the world of education. I will always stand for parental rights and transparency in education, as is the law in Michigan, no matter which lens I view it through.
I have consistently stated that my efforts toward transparency within our public schools are not personal, although some individuals may see it that way. I do not condone violence or extremism toward an individual simply because of a difference of opinion.
I am hopeful for a swift resolution to my federal case against Lowell Area Schools and some of the staff there, including Ms. Beachler, so that we may begin to move forward in transparency and respect for parental rights in public education.”
While Geary says First Amendment rights are protected, and there’s "no bigger advocate for the First Amendment than Christine [Beachler]," this is not protected.
“The First Amendment doesn't allow you to say things about other people that are untrue, to make false statements, either knowingly or with reckless disregard as to the truth of those statements,” says Geary. “You can't do that, and those statements have caused real harm. Words have power, and when you put your words, your false statements, out into the world to thousands and over a million people, that has an impact and that is not protected by the First Amendment.”
...
As vice president for the group Forest Hills for JUST Education, Boone previously led the charge to recall the Forest Hills School Board in 2021. They also sent out a flyer supporting the separation of Algoma Township library from Kent District Library, falsely claiming that the community's "taxes support drag queen reading hour."
Scary and totally out of touch with reality letter to the editor in Colorado from a Meeker Regional Library Board member about why they got involved with the board. Hint: it's not because they believe in the freedom to read or anything good like that. Read at your own risk.https://www.theheraldtimes.com/letter...
WyomingSCSD#2 Seeking Comments on School Book Policy
https://sheridanmedia.com/news/208889...
On Wednesday, Oct. 8 from 6 to 7 p.m., at Sheridan Junior High School, SCSD#2 staff and community members will have an opportunity to share their thoughts, provide feedback and ask questions about Policy IJL, (Library Materials Selection and Access). The school urges those interested to attend and share their ideas on library materials.
The issue of school library materials has been the subject of much community comment and concerns at SCSD#2, as well as throughout the nation.
Several community members have shared their concerns with the SCSD#2 School Board, with opinions on both end of the spectrum. Some approached the board about several books, which they felt included offensive content, should be taken from the school library shelves; with others arguing that choosing the books should be left to the school librarian and other professionals at the school.
Obviously an opinion piece but it gives you an idea of the titles that are banned,The 5 Dumbest Additions to Texas’ Banned Books List
Some of the banned choices left us scratching our heads, and some were just straight-up ironic.
https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/d...
Texas school district yanks Holocaust book ‘The Devil’s Arithmetic’ over ‘DEI contenthttps://www.timesofisrael.com/texas-s...
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https://www.timesofisrael.com/texas-s..."
Hopefully, with increasing numbers of Holocaust books being banned, American Jewish groups will rise up and actively do battle with Trump and his putrid administration (and with Nazi governors like Abbott, DeSantis etc.).
Library Advocacy Requires a Voice in the Legislative Processhttps://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/...
South Carolina Students and Librarians Sue State Education Superintendent Over Book BansSouth Carolina public school students and school librarians file a lawsuit against the state's education superintendent over book bans.
https://bookriot.com/aclu-sc-lawsuit-...
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I guess that would also mean punishing Native Americans for not celebrating or for (legitimately) being critical of Christopher Columbus. Honestly, I am seriously wondering if Donald Trump will consider rounding up Native Americans and trying to get them deported to Asia etc.
A Texas District Has Just Banned Students from Secondary School Librarieshttps://bookriot.com/new-braunfels-is...
I haven't read these yet, I've been on vacation, but here's the latest from BookRiot's Literary Activism newsletter.https://bookriot.com/library-election...
A Georgia Reading Bowl Bans Titles from Competition, Including a Book on Book Bans
Eight books, including a book about the current spate of book bans and their impact on teens, have been banned from a Georgia Reading Bowl.
https://bookriot.com/helen-ruffin-rea...
WHAT?! Seriously?! https://www.fox7austin.com/news/leand...
"Mr. Jeff Parker was the second speaker from the community. He spoke of the assassination of Charlie Kirk and what he feels may have lead to it. He said, “Tyler Robinson was not born to be an assassin. He was taught to be an assassin. How and by whom? Every one of you tonight should reflect on that sobering question. How did that young man learn to be an assassin? ...
“Forget all that misdirection about book banning. Rather, it’s about ensuring our libraries are filled with light, not darkness. You are the adults in the room. What our precious children learn and become is in your hands.”
Slightly better news from TexasLeander ISD reinstates dozens of books after being removed from classrooms
https://www.fox7austin.com/news/leand...
Authors appeal ‘Tango Makes Three’ book ban ruling in federal courthttps://www.clickorlando.com/news/202...
Attorneys for the book’s authors and a student Friday quickly appealed a federal judge’s ruling that rejected a First Amendment challenge to a 2023 decision by the Escambia County School Board to remove the book “And Tango Makes Three” from school libraries.
The attorneys filed a notice of appeal three days after Chief U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor ruled against authors Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson and the student, identified in the case by the initials B.G.
An excellent report on quiet/soft censorship- what PENAmerica's list leaves outAs book bans decline, concerns mount over librarian and teacher self-censoring
https://thehill.com/homenews/educatio...
Woah Massachusetts! Hurry up with that anti-book ban bill. Danvers is where the Salem Witch Trials began, actually! Did we not learn anything from 1692?! ‘All American Boys’ book stirs controversy in Danvers Public Schools
The 2015 young adult novel is not banned or restricted, school committee says
https://archive.ph/IBkhb#selection-12...
“All American Boys,” a young adult novel, has spurred backlash in Danvers, where some parents object to the book’s profanity, reference to drug use, and portrayal of police brutality.
At a meeting of the Danvers School Committee Monday night, parents, residents and educators spoke for and against the book being taught in eighth grade English Language Arts classes.
The district took a preemptive step to head-off controversy, by announcing after the curriculum was released that parents may opt out of having their children read the book.
Still, parents and residents had plenty to say.
One parent, cited the schools’ handbook on profanity and obscenity and said “All American Boys” use of swear words, underage drinking, and drug use was reason enough for the book not to be taught.
He recalled a conversation where he had to tell his son what “shotgunning beers” and “crack” meant because of the book’s language.
One grandparent called for the removal of a broad swath of books addressing social issues, including diversity equity and inclusion, LGBTQ+, critical race theory, social and emotional learning.
He urged the committee to stop what he termed the “Equity Industrial Complex of consultants” to influence the curriculum.
“The majority of students, 92% are being cast aside...for the 8-10% who deserve special treatment,” he said.
The meeting, which was televised by the town’s cable television station, also drew supporters who say “All American Boys” and other books exploring race and class are critical to a student’s education.
“Reading and discussing important works of prose and poetry will also help students develop empathy for others while learning about who they are as individuals,” said Sarah Stone, a middle school ELA teacher who read a letter from the Danvers Teachers Association, the union representing teachers.
Union members stood behind Stone in a show of solidarity against teachers being censored or questioned over learning materials.
“We stand firm in opposing any effort to suppress knowledge, to label controversial views, or dictate what is orthodox in history, politics, and belief,” Stone said.
All American Boys tells the story of two high school boys, one white and one black, and their experience with police brutality. It was published in 2015 by co-authors Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. The book has spurred controversy in public schools before, including in Tiverton, R.I. in 2022, according to the Newport Daily News.
Several Danvers parents spoke in support of the teachers and said that opting-out teaches kids that they walk away from uncomfortable and hard topics.
One mother, said while the themes of racism and violence are uncomfortable, the book teaches students about empathy and fosters important discussions about racism and privilege.
“No one is asking you or your child to change their mind or political beliefs, just to think critically, to be able to discuss topics and facts with a firm moral compass,” she said. “We can’t raise our kids in a bubble of fairytales and romance novels and expect them to thrive in the real world.”
Gabe Lopes, school committee member, said books like All American Boys are not dangerous or propaganda, but the use of the term “white-privilege” in the student’s curriculum is dividing and creates walls when discussing social justice.
Lopes affirmed that no books have been banned or censored in Danvers and “All American Boys” remains available in classrooms and libraries.
He said the opt-out option is a short-term accommodation for families, and not a change in policy.
“Opting out might feel like protection but engaging thoughtfully and respectfully [in the book] is preparation,” Lopes said.
This was so dumb and so over the top pointless. A handful of parents? Only 0.03% Opt Out Of LGBTQ+ Education In Maryland After SCOTUS Gives Them A Right To
After SCOTUS gave families a right to opt out of LGBTQ+ education, Montgomery County, Maryland is reporting only 43 families took them up on it.
https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/on...
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Love this, but of course everyone involved will now be on Donald Trump and his minions' hit list (although I do think the London Ontario teens should send a copy of American Dictator to Trump).
Obviously a biased article. Who decides what is "inappropriate"? Why would there be anything inappropriate in a school library in the first place? If you don't want your kids to read it, opt out. Easy.Utah audit finds 'notable' number inappropriate books on school shelves
https://www.deseret.com/politics/2025...
Another awful story about book banning, this one from WyomingPanel advances legislation restricting sexual content in Wyoming library books - WyoFile
https://wyofile.com/panel-advances-le...
Catching up on the news from Banned Books Week and other news this week. Kansas
Hays residents support, denounce Banned Book Week display during library meeting
https://hayspost.com/posts/40bf9fa4-1...
This Colorado district was sued after removing library books. It’s fundraising for legal feeshttps://www.cpr.org/2025/10/16/elizab...
Other community members oppose both the book removals and the fundraising campaign.
Jessica Capsel, an Elizabeth resident whose son attended school in the district until she switched him out last year, said she believes the time and money district officials are spending on the lawsuit are distracting them from educating kids.
“That pop up [window] begging for money pops up every time you change a page” on the district’s website, said Capsel, who won a lawsuit against the district over open meeting violations last spring but is not directly involved in the library book lawsuit. “So clearly that’s where their priority has been.”
Tim Macdonald, legal director of the ACLU of Colorado, said by email that the organization didn’t “come after” Elizabeth. Instead, he said, district students and families wanted the district to comply with the Constitution and stop banning books that have content or viewpoints with which board members disagree.
“Fighting for the constitutional rights of students in Colorado is how we protect children; violating their constitutional rights is not protecting children,” he wrote.
It’s unclear how much money the Elizabeth district has spent fighting the book removal lawsuit in the 10 months since it was filed.
Financial records on the district’s website suggest modest spending on the two primary law firms representing the district. Only about $6,500 was paid to First and Fourteenth, which has a location in Colorado Springs, and nothing was paid to Mitchell Law, located in Austin, Texas, during the first six months of 2025.
The district spent about $57,000 in that same period on a third firm, Miller, Farmer, Carlson Law. That firm typically handles routine matters for the district but is also listed in court documents as representing the district in the book removal case.
It’s also unclear much money has been raised to cover legal fees for the district’s lawsuit and where that money is going.
Ganahl, whose conservative news outlet Rocky Mountain Voice is running the online donation page titled “Save Elizabeth School District,” didn’t respond to Chalkbeat questions about how much her group has raised and whether the money is being sent to the school district.
She sent a statement that said in part, “Our fundraising assistance supports the board in exercising its authority to curate age-appropriate library content, responding to parental concerns about sensitive themes like explicit content or divisive topics.”
Julian Ellis, one of the district’s lawyers from First and Fourteenth Law, also didn’t respond to emailed questions about how much money he’s collected. The district’s website lists Ellis as the person designated to receive paper checks — payable to an Alexandria, Virginia, group called the Article III Foundation — to help cover the district’s legal costs.
Lori Gimelshteyn, executive director of the parents rights group Parents United America, which hosts an online donation page for Elizabeth’s legal costs, didn’t respond to Chalkbeat questions about how much her group raised and where the money is going.
A fourth partner in the Elizabeth district’s legal fee fundraising effort is Citizens Defending Freedom, based in Mulberry, Florida. The group last Thursday held a “Protect Our Children” fundraiser for Elizabeth at a Colorado Springs church, with the ticket proceeds going to Ganahl’s group. A flyer circulating on Facebook said the cost ranged from $100 for a single ticket to $2,000 for the “platinum” package, which included 10 tickets, VIP seating, and a private reception with the four speakers.
A spokesperson for Citizens Defending Freedom referred a question from Chalkbeat about fundraising totals to Bonnie Wallace, one of the event speakers. Wallace, a legislative liaison for Recovering America, an organization that promotes Biblical values in public policy, did not respond to multiple emails from Chalkbeat.
Authors are getting banned over their personal social media posts!‘They didn’t even read the book’: How children’s authors are being canceled over Palestine | Books
https://www.theguardian.com/books/202...
Johnston (Iowa) school board candidates debate priorities in public forumhttps://www.desmoinesregister.com/sto...
Johnston Community School District, home to roughly 7,160 students across eight schools, is the 13th largest district in Iowa. Six candidates are running for three seats in the Nov. 4 election.
...
Apart from the routine rotation of answering pre-screened questions, the forum, held on Tuesday, Oct. 14 at Johnston High School Auditorium, also reflected broader statewide debates over school curriculum and book bans.
Visibly in attendance were Moms for Liberty. Their presence set the stage for the candidates’ responses, some of which mentioned the group’s actions in Johnston’s school district.
“When the Moms for Liberty started trying to ban books from our school library and classrooms, we showed up,” candidate Kaycee Schippers said.
...
School board races in Iowa are nonpartisan but politics have increasingly become clear over the last few election cycles in the metro.
“When the Moms for Liberty tried to initiate a Turning Point USA club in our high school, we spent the better part of the year fighting to keep them out to protect our kids,” said Schippers, who serves on the board of Annie's Foundation, a nonprofit trying to counteract book bans.
...
Patrick Green, a father of five sons, three still in Johnston's school system, said he has heard feedback from residents that some of the current board votes are out of sync with the values of the broader community. ... “Safety also includes emotional and psychological safety. That's why I support transparency with families, setting appropriate boundaries in curriculum and content. Parents should know what their kids are being exposed to,” Green said.
...
A crowd of approximately 70 parents and students attended Tuesday’s forum.
Among them was Lori Stiles, who ran for the school board in 2023 and was endorsed by The Family Leader, a Christian organization.
Stiles said she believes the conservative candidates were strong, but had criticism for Schippers’ rejection of Moms for Liberty.
“If you look at what the Moms for Liberty stand for, it's constitutionally based. I don't understand what the problem is with that," Stiles, 62, said.
Not everyone in the crowd agreed with Stiles' perspective.
“One of the issues here in Johnston has been the influence of the Moms for Liberty group and frankly, I don’t really understand the appeal of that group,” Frances Rockey, 80, said.
Rockey, who is part of the board of directors of the Johnston Area Democrats, said she would have liked to have the opportunity to ask candidates about their affiliations with the group, as she claimed some were supportive of the movement.
“They had a chance to prepare everything ahead of time, and it sounded a little bit scripted to me,” she said about the dynamic of the forum.
...
PEN America and Moms for Liberty debate two sides of book banshttps://www.usatoday.com/story/entert...
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Just call Donald Trump George III and today's Republicans BRITISH (but specifically 18th century BRITISH) and the Democrats PATRIOTS and you have it just right.
And I do absolutely and totally despise the United States of America under Trump!!
Manybooks wrote: "And I do absolutely and totally despise the United States of America under Trump!!No no... you despise Trump and the Trump Administration. Please don't say you despite the United States. We're a big country with 50 states and each state has their own government. Today was a lovely day of protesting where thousands of people (and some dogs) marched, held signs, flags, wore t-shirts, costumes and spoke out for democracy. We support working families, immigrants, Canada, the Ukraine and apparently Palestine. The police were on hand to help, not to stop protestors. Students were handing out signs on what to do if you see ICE. They have a hotline and the students and neighbors rush out and hassle the agents until they go away.
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No no... you despise Trump and the Trump Administration. Please don't say you despite the Unite..."
I was just venting, but I do have issues with anyone who voted for Donald Trump and even more so with anyone who at this time still supports him. I was reading somewhere on the internet that Donald Trump even wants to consider deporting Americans whose ancestors came to the USA illegally in the 1800s, but considering that Trump's own grandfather was an illegal immigrant from Bavaria ...
Banned Books Display in Lush Storeshttps://socialjusticebooks.org/banned...
Banned Books Display in Lush Stores
On the #TeachTruth Day of Action, every Lush store in the United States installed a display about banned books, featuring the picture book Fry Bread. See more photos.
On the #TeachTruth Day of Action, every Lush store in the United States installed a display about banned books, featuring the picture book Fry Bread (one of 176 books that were removed from classrooms in Duval County, Florida, in January 2022) and a link to learn more at the Zinn Education Project.
Since 2022, Lush has contributed to the fight against book bans by featuring informational displays in their more than 200 stores in the United States. In January of 2024, all shops received When Wilma Rudolph Played Basketball (reported as the second most challenged school library book in Texas in 2021) and in 2025, they are spotlighting Fry Bread. Lush worked with Teaching for Change on the book selection, orders, and messaging. Both titles are among the dozens on our Social Justice Books list of recommended banned books and they are both among four titles featured in our Teach Truth pop-up display.
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https://socialjusticebooks.org/banned...
Banned Books Display in Lush Stores
On the #TeachTruth Day of Action, every Lush store in t..."
How cool, but hope that Lush store employees will not face any death threats and scrutiny from the Orange Menace.
What to know about Arkansas’s embattled Act 372, which would allow for the jailing of librarians and removal of any book deemed “inappropriate for minors” by anyone who disagrees with the content.Arkansas wants to jail librarians. The First Amendment won’t allow it.
https://www.thefire.org/news/arkansas...
What happens to books after libraries ban them?https://www.indystar.com/story/news/l...
In cases where a book is banned, library experts said it's generally up to the library and its policies to dictate what happens to physical copies afterward. There are usually three options: store, donate or trash a book.
Indiana Code does not specify what to do with books if they are removed, so Magnusson said it's murky what typically happens to physical copies. Sometimes, she said books sometimes just end up in storage boxes because librarians don't know what to do with them.
Public libraries would most likely donate books to their Friends of the Library groups, Julie Wendorf of the Indiana Library Federation said. They can be sold at book sales, she said, and profits go back to the libraries.
School libraries are more likely to toss or recycle a book in this situation, said Wendorf, who is director of the Crown Point Community Library. It's these libraries as well that are more likely to outright ban a book, rather than move it another section, Magnusson said.
IndyStar reached out but did not hear back from three school districts to ask what they did with books after they were banned.
Libraries can also take all sorts of actions when they decide a book is not fit for all audiences. Books in children's sections may be reshelved to adult aisles, or certain titles require parent permission or a staff member to retrieve them.
Florida’s book bans aren’t about parents—they’re about control | OpinionStephana Ferrell, Florida Freedom to Read Project
https://www.floridatoday.com/story/op...
"If you were outraged over Jimmy Kimmel, you should be three times as outraged over this. Our libraries belong to the people. We fund them collectively. And they should serve everyone in our communities — without discriminatory, viewpoint-based censorship."
'A First Amendment problem': Lawsuit over book bans at Department of Defense schoolsThe ACLU sued the administration in April, saying book bans at schools for military kids were unconstitutional. 'Nearly 600 books are still missing.'
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
Sykes, the ACLU attorney, told USA TODAY in June that the government should not use politics to limit what students can study. “It’s quite obvious that these (restrictions) were not reasonably related to a legitimate pedagogical concern but in fact were about implementing a ban on ideas the government finds politically incorrect or politically difficult.” That, according to Sykes, “becomes a First Amendment problem.”
Children's Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Out of the Blue (other topics)The Princess in Black and the Prince in Pink (other topics)
My Rainbow (other topics)
Butt or Face? Volume 3: Super Gross Butts (other topics)
The Day the Books Disappeared (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Jodi Picoult (other topics)Sarah J. Maas (other topics)
Ellen Hopkins (other topics)
Jodi Picoult (other topics)
Scott Stuart (other topics)
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Moorhead Area Public Schools pulling and reviewing library book some suggest is racist
Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness
https://www.valleynewslive.com/2025/0...
Moorhead Area Public Schools officials have pulled a book from the library at Horizon Middle School West some are finding inappropriate and racist.
An issue was raised on social media about the book entitled, ‘Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness’ written and illustrated by Anastasia Higginbotham.
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Superintendent Dr. Brandon Lunak confirmed the book, which has been in circulation for two years and has only been checked out twice, is under review.
Lunak said the book was on a list of popular novels recommended to the district by a professional group.
But Lunak said the district needs to do a better job of vetting the books on that list before the district gets them for their libraries.
He encourages parents and guardians to reach out to their child’s principal if they have concerns about a book. He also wants them to know about its policies with how books are chosen.
“If there’s any time that a parent or a student has a concern with a book or a novel that’s in any of our libraries, there’s a policy and procedure to follow,” said Lunak. “We do take those thoughts seriously.”
Lunak even recalled his own education in providing guidance on such matters.
“My seventh grade health teacher taught me that feelings are neither right nor wrong, and I believe that to this day and I agree we have that in place so if there is someone that believes that’s the wrong text to have, then we need to follow that procedure that we have.”
Lunak says Minnesota state education standards have some “certain demographics in our society are reviewed, looked at and provided to our kids so they can have the option to see themselves in the books is what they tell us.”
“So, at the end of the day, I think that’s some of the concern because I think some of the folks that may see that text or maybe see that novel don’t feel it’s relevant,” Lunak said.
And while believing it’s good to have diverse literature, Lunak admits there’s a fine line.
“We want to continue to do what’s right for kids and at the same time hear some of those concerns that are being brought up in the community,” said Lunak.
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