Children's Books discussion
Banned Books: discussions, lists
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Discussion of censorship, equity, and other concerns.
North Carolina- good newsCall Me Max can stay
Dozens speak at Randolph library meeting on children's book about transgender boy
https://www.wfdd.org/books/2025-10-10...
TennesseeMemphis Public Library is implementing a city-wide policy on what can and cannot be on library book displays.
https://www.memphisflyer.com/city-imp...
Incredibly horrible news from WyomingPanel advances legislation restricting s--ual content in Wyoming library books
The Judiciary Committee voted 11-2 in support of the measure, and the issue unified Wyoming Freedom Caucus lawmakers with Republicans not always aligned with them.
https://wyofile.com/panel-advances-le...
After repeatedly revising the bill over nearly three hours of discussion, the Joint Judiciary Committee voted 11-2 to sponsor legislation that would allow people to sue public libraries and school districts if they find books containing sexually explicit material — which would be newly defined in Wyoming law under the bill — in areas accessible to minors.
Albany County Republican Sen. Gary Crum did not attend Monday’s meeting and was excused from the vote. Though Crum had expressed skepticism about the bill at a recent community meeting in Laramie, according to The Laramie Reporter, a no vote from him would not have impacted Monday’s result. The bill received an affirmative vote from three of five senators on the committee. Legislation must receive majority support from both the House and Senate sides of the committee to earn an endorsement.
Interest in advancing the legislation unified Wyoming Freedom Caucus members and Republicans on the committee who don’t always align with the caucus. That alignment suggests broad support in the Legislature as a whole.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman and Cheyenne Republican Jared Olsen
Before voting to sponsor the bill for the coming session, the panel amended the legislation heavily. Lawmakers first drastically reduced the proposed fine for an institution caught violating the new law — from $50,000 per violation, which librarians said would drive them out of business, to $500.
Later in the meeting, they voted to remove that fine entirely from the bill – with Sen. John Kolb, Republican of Rock Springs, noting that existing statute would direct those fines into funds that pay for public schools. A school library could end up paying a fine back into its own funding streams, which lawmakers noted was fairly pointless.
They left open mechanisms for people to sue libraries or school districts and collect damages and attorney fees if they find “s--ually explicit” material in the children’s sections of libraries, but amended the bill to require those lawsuits to come from people who reside in the county or school district of the institution.
And, at the behest of Casper Rep. Jayme Lien, a chief proponent of the measure, lawmakers added to the bill a process for library trustees to review materials labeled s--ually explicit by their constituents and remove them from their shelves voluntarily. By doing so, libraries could avoid fines or litigation.
But Laramie Democratic Rep. Ken Chestek, a retired law professor and one of the two “no” votes on the legislation, said the bill still would open the door to activists hunting down a s--ual passage, however brief, in books a librarian might have missed and left on the wrong shelf. “It creates a bounty hunting situation,” he said.
The second no vote came from Sen. Barry Crago, a Republican and attorney from Buffalo. Crago opposed the bill, he said, because he worried the language in it was too broad and would lead to librarians having no choice but to pull contested books from the shelves altogether or face punishment.
“I don’t like these books either, I would never let my children read them,” he said. “But I can’t vote for the bill.”
But after such substantive amendment work, the committee is likely to pitch the legislation to their colleagues in February as a polished product. Amid the hectic pace of a time-compressed session, that description carries significant weight on the House and Senate floor.
“A lot of the constituent contact that I’ve had, a lot of those issues, if not all of them frankly, have been addressed by the amendments here today,” Olsen said.
Like Crago and several other lawmakers on the committee, Olsen said he would never let his children read the books in question — which are largely framed around the experience of LGBTQ people, as well as some books describing sexual assaults.
He and other lawmakers pushed back, strenuously at times, on the charge from bill opponents that they’re “banning” books.
Chestek made that charge when he argued that in many school libraries, there may not be an adult section to move books into. The only solution to avoid punishment would be to remove the books from the library entirely, he said.
“This is straight up book banning,” Chestek said. “No question about it. Not even debatable.”
Allegations of book banning were “inflammatory language,” Rep. Tom Kelly, Republican of Sheridan, who voted in favor of the bill, said in response. “That’s absolutely absurd to say that,” Kelly said. “We’re talking about having adult materials be in the adult section, that adults can go get for their kids still if they want to. It’s just not on the shelf so my son goes in there and stumbles across it.”
But opponents of the legislation, which includes the state’s librarians and a number of advocacy organizations, aren’t likely to be swayed by either the amendments or lawmakers’ view of their work. They instead see the legislation as lawmakers exercising the authority over what young Wyomingites can read, and in particular an effort to hide away LGBTQ literature. ...
“The Freedom Caucus wants to ban books, but not be called book banners,” Sara Burlingame, director of LGBTQ advocacy group Wyoming Equality, told WyoFile in a statement after the vote. “They want to tell Wyoming parents that we can’t be trusted to oversee our children’s books, and we should let them parent our children.” She called for Wyomingites to continue writing to lawmakers to oppose the bill and advocate for librarians’ independence.
“We can’t call ourselves a liberty-loving people and ban books,” she wrote.
Even with evidence of widespread support among lawmakers, House Judiciary Chairman Art Washut noted that the controversial and complex measure could soak up debate time during the 2026 session. In even years, legislative sessions are designed to craft the state’s two-year budget, and are conducted over just 23 working days. Lawmakers are also facing what is likely to be a complex discussion of public school funding.
“We’re going to have our hands full,” he said, “but this is a very important topic.”
Also really bad news in UtahAudit: More stringent selection policies could lead to less 'sensitive materials' in school libraries
https://www.ksl.com/article/51389932/...
Despite budgetary pressures, this Florida school board spends big bucks on banning bookshttps://www.wusf.org/politics-issues/...
IllinoisOK well it IS a Catholic school so... I think "curating" books to suit Catholic values is to be expected but the short notice and over a few books is ridiculous.
Banned Bookmobile: Quincy Catholic Schools say ‘no’ to visits from mobile library
https://muddyrivernews.com/top-storie...
Quincy’s Catholic schools no longer want the Quincy Public Library’s Bookmobile to stop at their campuses.
The Bookmobile was supposed to stop today at Blessed Sacrament Elementary School and on Friday at Quincy Notre Dame High School, but the schools have decided some of the content of the Bookmobile does not reflect Catholic teachings and those visits were canceled. There was a notice sent out to Quincy’s Catholic Schools on Monday regarding the decision...
The library recently hosted the “Freed Between The Lines” event and a book entitled “This Book is Gay” was one of the books distributed. One Quincy alderman, Jake Reed (R-6th Ward) and several citizens spoke out about that book being one of the ones selected for distribution because of its graphic s--ual content.
Chris Gill, chief administrative leader of the Quincy Catholic Elementary Schools, said they are still in discussions with the Quincy Public Library regarding the issue.
“We have attempted to collaborate with the library on this issue,” Gill said. “But as of yet, they will not remove materials we find morally objectionable for a child to be exposed to. Until we reach an agreement and the materials are removed, it is the Church’s and thus QCS’s position that the book mobile will not be allowed on our campuses.”
Anna Oakley, communications director for the Quincy Public Schools, said QPS has no plans to stop bookmobile visits.
Library officials released the following statement: “Quincy Public Library respects the recent decision by the Catholic Schools to discontinue Mobile Library visits. Our mission remains to provide equitable access to information, ideas, and enrichment opportunities for all members of the community. Because the Mobile Library is a public service, QPL cannot remove or restrict materials based on content or viewpoint. We remain committed to serving all who wish to use library resources and services.”
But library officials say no books are highlighted on the Bookmobile.
“All books are kept on regular shelves — none are highlighted or on display,” according to a statement. “Our shelves are color-coded by age group: Adult, Young Adult, and Children. If a younger child shows interest in a book outside their age range, our librarians guide them to the appropriate section. There are typically two Mobile Librarians on board who are attentive to all patrons. We also require that school staff accompany the children on board.”
They also pointed out that materials in the Bookmobile are tagged according to their age appropriateness.
PEN America has submitted a legal brief in support of the Supreme Court hearing the case of Little vs. Llano County.https://pen.org/press-release/legal-b...
KentuckyDaviess County Public Library
Library board appoints Dorth as chair, relocates 4 books to adult section
https://www.owensborotimes.com/news/2...
The Daviess County Public Library Board on Wednesday appointed Kevin Dorth as its new chair and approved moving four books from the young adult section to the adult section. Board members also agreed to revisit both its public comment policy and the future of the young adult collection.
Newly installed board member Tim Kline made the motion to appoint Dorth. The motion was seconded by Kathi Mattas, who said her reasoning was that Dorth had been on the board the second longest of the current members. The motion passed 3-1. Rodney Ellis voted no, saying he was not opposed to Dorth but believed the role should go to Al Mattingly, who was absent.
After the meeting, Dorth said he was honored to serve and believed his selection was a practical choice.
“I think just logically, me being on the board for over two years, that was the call,” he said. On the difficult decisions before the board, he added, “We’re going to try to work with everybody, come up with a compromise.”
The board members present then voted 3-1 to relocate four books — Sex Plus, Queer, This Book Is Gay, and Flamer — after a patron appealed a review committee’s decision to keep them in the young adult section. Mattas moved to relocate the books based on “the s--ually explicit” and “the ratings by the publishers,” saying she did not believe they belong in the section for children as young as 13.
Kline supported the move and offered a detailed explanation, saying he reviewed specific pages and believed the main issue was the broad age range of the young adult section.
“I just think as a general matter, we ought to rethink just what it means to be a young adult, because I don’t think a 13-year-old and an 18-year-old are anywhere close to the same boat,” he said, pointing to content he described as inappropriate for younger teens.
Ellis again opposed the action.
Following public comments, Library Director Erin Waller asked the board to review its public comment policy, saying staff had been unfairly characterized.
“I’m deeply offended at the accusation that the library staff is doing anything to intentionally harm children,” she said. “We need very, very clear guidance … to protect the staff.”
When the discussion turned to whether the young adult section should be dismantled entirely, Waller clarified she does not support removing it but would do what it took to protect staff.
“I’d support moving all the books out of that section … because I’d do anything to support my staff,” said Waller, who said in an interview after the meeting that she’s specifically referring to accusations made during public comments and is not aware of any employees being directly treated poorly by patrons.
Asked about the potential of removing the young adult section after the meeting, Dorth said the age range is a concern.
“My trepidation with these books [labeled young adults was the] huge age range — 13 to 18,” he said. “Until we narrow that down, I wasn’t comfortable having some books in that particular section.”
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MissouriR2 Parents Question Book In School Library
Dianne Peck
Posted 10/15/25
The Lincoln R-2 School Board held its September session with Parrot, Sanders, Eichler, Siercks, and Casey present. Smallwood and Eckhoff were absent. Also attending were Kevin Smith, Adam Curtis, …
PAYWALLED
https://www.bentoncountyenterprise.co...
Mod
https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/...
Much too nice a letter to that horrid MONSTROSITY Kristi Noem, and at the very least, the full names etc. of all those ICE agents who have detained, harangued and abused actual American citizens and have claimed that they are not Americans, that their passports and documents must be fake and forged simply because of their names, their appearances etc., they need to be made public, they need to be publicly fired with extreme prejudice and relentlessly and lastingly shamed (as well as anyone even remotely supporting and agreeing with them).
Jodi Picoult high school musical banned in Indiana.https://www.clickorlando.com/entertai...
"The superintendent of Mississinewa High School in Gas City, Indiana, canceled a production last week of “Between the Lines,” saying concerns were raised over “sexual innuendo” and alcohol references in the musical. Jeremy Fewell, the superintendent, did not respond to a request for comment."
SERIOUSLY? Does he ever go in the school and walk around the halls? I bet there's more sexual innuendo and alcohol references in conversation. ...
Picoult noted that the same Indiana high school has previously produced “Grease,” where the sexual innuendo and alcohol abuse is much greater, including a pregnancy scare, sex-mad teens and the line “Did she put up a fight?”
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The original work, which features a nonbinary character, had already been edited with licensed changes to make it more palatable for a conservative audience, including removing any reference to the nonbinary character's gender orientation.
Kelly Jensen of BookRiot's Literary Activism Newsletter reports:"On October 23, 2025, the state of Utah quietly added yet another book to its list of titles that must be removed from all public schools. Jay Asher’s bestselling young adult novel turned Netflix show Thirteen Reasons Why was added to the list following bans in Nebo, Toole, and Washington school districts."
https://bookriot.com/utah-bans-thirte...
Now the bad news. GASP! Oh no they didn't!Kelly Jensen reports in BookRiot's Literary Activism Newsletter: "Sumner County Library Board (TN) just appointed losing swimmer turned anti-trans activist Riley Gaines to the library board. This is the library that has failed to pass a blanket ban on trans books for those under 18; now, well, they just might."
https://www.tennessean.com/story/news...
County Commissioners Jeremy Mansfield and Tim Jones announced on social media on Oct. 21 that Gaines had been appointed to fill one of two vacancies on the board.
The second position was filled by Steve Wasilowksi, according to the Sumner County Democratic Party, who were in attendance at the meeting. Wasilowski had been recommended by the commission as a library board member in August.
One of these vacancies was created by the ending of Board Chair Joanna Daniels’ term this month. Now, with the two new appointments, the board will need a new chairperson.
The appointments come after a controversial policy that seeks to ban all books containing transgender topics from county libraries has been proposed, and rejected, multiple times by the current library board.
Jones stated in his post that Gaines’ appointment was in response to this months-long struggle to pass the policy.
“The Library Board will return to a conservative board!” Jones stated, adding “The question at stake was the fate of our county libraries. Removing transgender ideological books was not technically on the agenda but reducing the board from nine to seven was. This would’ve shifted the majority to a nonconservative board which would bury any attempt get rid of the woke transgender literature that is so damaging to our youth.”
If the policy were to pass, it would be the second county in the state to attempt to ban books in public libraries based on the book’s content — second only to Rutherford County, which passed a similar policy in June before quickly rescinding it due to significant national pushback.
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The policy seeks to ban anything that makes mention of "pertaining, promoting, or subjecting a minor to transgender or gender confusion ideology,” as well as "subjecting, introducing, condoning, or encouraging" adults to "identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the sex they are assigned at birth."
The policy also seeks to ban any inter-library requests for books containing the "promotion of transgender or gender confusion in minors," and required that any books challenged for containing sexually explicit or transgender topics, the book must be pulled from shelves within 24 hours, before any review of the content is done.
It has persisted on agendas for the Sumner County Library Board since it was originally proposed in early 2025. It was tabled the first time it was proposed, rejected the second time, rejected the third time on stronger margins.
The policy was discussed again at a work study on Oct. 8, then set to be voted on a fourth time on Oct. 14, as well as Oct. 20, but neither meeting met quorum.
Daniels, previously chair of the board and a major drive behind the policy, described the policy to The Tennessean in August as part of her overall mission to “get the libraries back in order — back into conservative viewpoints and clean them up.”
At the August meeting, which was the most recent time the policy has been rejected by board vote, Daniels denied repeatedly that the policy posed any First Amendment concerns.
“We have full authority to decide what goes on the bookshelves and what doesn’t. It does not go against the First Amendment,” she said. “The First Amendment protects your right to speak, not where you speak and necessarily what you speak.”
The First Amendment gives large protections to where you can speak and what you speak, with narrow limitations.
When asked by The Tennessean after the meeting if she was positive that the policy, should it pass, would withstand a First Amendment lawsuit, she said “absolutely.”
Daniels’ push for the policy began around the same time that Rutherford County passed a nearly identical policy, which it quickly rescinded due to national pushback and a First Amendment lawsuit from the ACLU of Tennessee and PEN America over an additional 145 books that were banned in the county last year.
This is very distressing. A judge shouldn't pass judgement on anything except the law and not call people "a controversial issue."Federal judge dismisses Ohio teacher’s lawsuit over LGBTQ+ classroom books
https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news...
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by an Ohio teacher who claimed her constitutional rights were violated when she was suspended for keeping LGBTQ-themed books in her classroom.
Karen Cahall, a third-grade New Richmond Exempted Village School District teacher for more than 30 years, filed the lawsuit in December 2024 after she was suspended without pay for three days. In the complaint, Cahall said the disciplinary action was based on her decision to include four books with LGBTQ+ characters in her classroom library.
On Sept. 29, U.S. District Judge Douglas Cole of the Southern District of Ohio ruled in favor of the district and dismissed Cahall’s case.
“There is no question that, on the facts here, Cahall knew that the LGBTQ-themed books that she placed in the classroom related to a ‘controversial issue,'” Cole wrote in his decision. “The [district’s] policy defined ‘controversial issue’ as including ‘a topic … likely to arouse both support and opposition in the community.’ Indeed, Cahall was aware that LGBTQ+ issues had done just that.”
According to the original complaint, Cahall kept the books — “Ana On The Edge” by A.J. Sass, “The Fabulous Zed Watson” by Basil Sylvester, “Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea” by Ashley Herring Blake, and “Too Bright to See” by Kyle Lukoff — among more than 100 others in her classroom. None of them was required reading or used in formal instruction, the suit stated.
“She specifically notes that she added the books to her collection because of a ‘controversy’ surrounding LGBTQ+ topics and she did so precisely because she thought that controversy damaging to the emotional health of LGBTQ+ students,” Cole wrote. “A teacher’s desire to protect her students’ emotional health is a laudable sentiment. But against the backdrop, she … should have known that whatever the precise contours of a ‘controversial issue,’ there was no question that it extended to the books at issue here.”
Cahall’s lawsuit argued the district’s “controversial issues” policy was vague and selectively enforced, violating her rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments. But the court found that her constitutional claims did not meet the legal threshold.
“Whether considered in light of the original complaint of the proposed amended complaint, Cahall’s Equal Protection claim falls short,” Cole wrote.
The ruling also cited precedent that limits public school teachers’ speech rights in the classroom.
“Teachers do not have a First Amendment right to make their own ‘curricular and pedagogical choices’ in a public school,” Cole wrote. “The district pays her to instruct students, and as part of that, it has the right to specify the materials that she uses to accomplish that objective.”
He added that while Cahall did not teach directly from the books, her actions still fell within the scope of her duties.
“Cahall alleges she does not ‘teach’ from the books here. But the rule in Evans-Marshall did not turn on the precise manner in which the teacher used the books. Rather, the Evans-Marshall court said the relevant question was whether the teacher had engaged in the conduct at issue ‘pursuant to’ her duties as a public-school teacher,” Cole wrote.
“That is because, when a teacher acts ‘pursuant to’ her duties, the school administration has a right to control that conduct, much like any employer has a right to control how its employees perform their jobs,” the judge continued. “And Cahall, in selecting books for her in-classroom library, acted pursuant to her teaching duties.”
In her original complaint, Cahall said she included the books based on her “sincerely held moral and religious beliefs that all children, including children who are LGBTQ+ or the children of parents who are LGBTQ+, deserve to be respected, accepted, and loved for who they are.” [::clap clap:: Well done teacher!]
She also argued the policy failed to clearly define what constituted a “controversial issue” and claimed that other teachers had been permitted to display symbols of religious belief in the classroom.
The books were brought to the district’s attention in October 2024 after a parent contacted the school board.
Former Superintendent Tracey Miller began disciplinary proceedings, and on Nov. 6, Cahall was formally suspended. In a letter, Miller said Cahall had previously sought approval for the books to be placed in the school library and was denied.
“You may believe that some of the books listed above are appropriate for some of your students, but it is not for you to decide,” Miller wrote.
Also distressing. Utah and South Carolina have state school book ban laws. This is PUBLIC library folks! PUBLIC! A reminder: The head of APLS is also the chair of the state Republican Party!https://gulfcoastmedia.com/stories/ap...
The Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) will hold a public hearing on Oct. 21 in Montgomery on a proposed state code change that would ban transgender materials for minors.
If approved, the new code will deem "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 minors under the age of 18. The code lists exemptions for books and materials on religion, history, biology and human anatomy.
The proposed code change was first introduced in May by board member Amy Minton, who said that the proposal was in response to legislation such as the "What is a Woman?" law signed by Gov. Kay Ivey earlier this year, as well as executive orders signed by President Donald Trump restricting the teaching and promotion of gender ideology.
Minton is also running for the District 10 seat in the Alabama Senate. She announced her candidacy in June.
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The APLS accepted public comments through Oct. 14, either mailed or hand-delivered. Last year when the organization held a public comment period considering code and policy changes, more than 6,000 comments were received, with many both supporting and opposing proposed changes.
Follow-upAlabama library board’s transgender book hearing ends in heated debate: Protecting kids or politically motivated?
https://www.al.com/politics/2025/10/a...
About 60 people spoke out Tuesday morning at the Alabama Public Library Service about a proposed rule to keep books about transgender ideology out of sections of libraries designated for people under 18.
The three-hour hearing marked the end of the public comment period about the proposed rule change.
About 34 people spoke in favor of the rule, and about 25 spoke against it.
The seven-member APLS Board of Directors is expected to vote on the change at its meeting in November, Board Chairman John Wahl said.
Wahl, who is also chairman of the state Republican Party, said he expects it to pass, although he said it might be amended.
The proposed rule says “any material that promotes, encourages, or positively depicts transgender procedures, gender ideology, or the concept of more than two biological genders shall be considered inappropriate for children and youth.”
The speakers, both those who supported the rule and those who opposed it, were applauded by like-minded people in the audience.
The meeting ended on a contentious note, with Board Chairman Wahl and District 1 Board Member Ronald Snider disagreeing sharply on the motivation for the rule change and how it was promoted.
Snider said the board should, “No longer pretend that this board’s action previously and under this proposal is not imposing censorship on libraries.
“That’s what it’s doing. It’s politically motivated. It is taking away control from local libraries who are appointed by local governing bodies. And we’re going down a path that is very unfortunate. We’ve harmed libraries tremendously - all of this controversy that never should have come to this board. It should stay at the local level.”
Wahl said the board’s action came in response to parents across the state who were concerned about what they saw in public libraries.
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The board received 8,478 written responses to the proposal, and 6,781, or 80%, were supportive of the change.
But Snider noted that most of the letters came after the Republican Party, which Wahl leads, sent out a newsletter urging people to submit comments supportive of the rule, including a link to a form letter.
“I think it’s important to point out that up until October 13th there had been almost no comments made with respect to these proposals,” Snider said.
“It was on October 13, John, that you had the Republican Party that you chair send out emails soliciting support.
“And that’s when we received almost over 6,000 responses. We received 6,000 responses in two days that were primarily form letters.”
Wahl said he did not personally direct the Republican Party to orchestrate support for the rule change. Wahl said other groups also encouraged their members and supporters to submit comments. He said it was not unusual for letters to arrive in batches at the close of a comment period.
Wahl said there were 873 written responses received before Oct. 14 and 70% of those supported the rule change.
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Speakers were given two minutes to tell the board why they should approve or reject the new rule.
One of the early speakers, Esther Williams, said she worked with thousands of children and teens during a career as a teacher and counselor, including some who identified as LGBTQ.
“I can assure you that none of them chose that identity because of the books they read,” Williams said.
“All of them knew they were different from a very early age. None of them chose to be gay or trans any more than their peers chose to be straight. These kids are beautifully and wonderfully made.”
Williams told the board she wished they understood the pain and isolation those children felt.
“The pain is not because of who they are, but it is because of the way you’re treated and people not understanding who they are.
“They are marginalized and demonized by the very people who should be supporting him. When you move books that display them in a positive way, you are telling them that they are wrong for being who God created them to be.”
Supporters of the rule change said it is wrong to teach children that they can choose their gender.
Sheila Wright gave examples of what she described as the radical messages in some books intended for children.
“The authors say that it’s never too early to begin the conversation about gender,” Wright said.
“It is okay to wonder, am I a girl? Am I a boy? Am I both? Am I neither? There is no right and wrong answer.”
“This propaganda that they can change their gender is being pushed on minors by radical activists and is having lifelong horrific consequences,” Wright said.
“It is an evil lie. A girl can never be a boy and a boy can never be a girl.
“The truth is that God created man in his own image and he created them male and female.”
Some of the speakers at Tuesday’s hearings were librarians who opposed the rule change.
Matt Layne of Mountain Brook, a past president of the Alabama Library Association, read a statement that the proposed rule violates a constitutional principle that the government cannot suppress it finds offensive.
“These changes do not protect children - they police ideas,” Layne said.
Layne said he expected the board to move forward with the rule regardless of the financial, emotional, or educational cost.
“So I want to speak directly to the families and individuals this board’s wrong-headed policies will harm: to our transgender sisters and brothers, sons and daughters, and dear friends - to all members of the LGTBQIA+ community - we see you,” Layne said.
“Your voices and your stories are precious and essential. You have every right to find your stories told, shared, and represented on the shelves of the Alabama libraries your tax dollars fund.”
Many of the supporters of the change based their view on the Bible.
Rule proponent Leonard Schaefer said the dispute over transgender ideology was part of a larger spiritual war that has been ongoing since Genesis 3.
“Satan hates truth, God and free humans,” Schaefer said.
“He wants us all to be his slave. We are continually in a political war between destructive liberalism and conservative law and order.
“We’re in a personal war to protect our family from evil in the world wanting to own the next generation.”
Schaefer said freedom of speech must be exercised responsibly, and that includes protecting young people from what he called corrupting influences.
He said it was not censorship or a violation of free speech to move material from the children’s department to the adult section.
District 3 Board Member Amy Minton, who supports the rule change, said the children who are struggling with their gender identity need compassion, but said that does not come from what she believes is a false ideology.
Alabama State library board head seeks help from GOP backers. Opponents say ‘conflict of interest’https://www.al.com/news/2025/10/state...
The head of the state library board and GOP party solicited Republicans for letters of support to remove books with positive transgender themes and characters from children’s bookshelves.
John Wahl is chair of both the Alabama Public Library Service and the Alabama Republican Party. AL.com obtained an email newsletter to Republican Party members asking for help with “Chairman Wahl’s ongoing efforts to protect Alabama’s children and ensure our public libraries remain age-appropriate areas.”
Wahl’s efforts, however, have opposition. A statewide library advocacy group has said that Wahl’s actions are an inappropriate use of his roles in both organizations and a “clear conflict of interest.”
Wahl made his appeal in the newsletter describing for supporters what comes next.
“The APLS is currently considering a new State Code amendment that would help safeguard children’s sections from materials promoting transgender procedures and gender ideology,” the newsletter stated. “The APLS Board has voted to move forward — but before they can be adopted, they must go through a public comment period.”
The state library board has not “voted to move forward” with the code change, which states that “any material that promotes, encourages, or positively depicts transgender procedures, gender ideology, or the concept of more than two biological genders” is inappropriate for children under 18. The code excludes books on religion, history, biology or human anatomy.
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The newsletter states Wahl “has been leading the charge to protect Alabama’s children from s--ually explicit materials, but now he needs our HELP with an important project.”
The newsletter gives instructions on how to submit a comment to the state library service, including a link to a form letter. The original date of the newsletter is not shown but a follow-up email was sent to the group Oct. 13 from Jeannie Burniston, the Republican Party’s director of legislative affairs and communications. The deadline to submit letters was Oct. 14.
“We also ask that you share the link with like-minded friends and family members and invite them to sign — every letter helps ensure our children’s safety and the integrity of our public libraries,” the newsletter stated.
Library advocacy group Read Freely Alabama complained in 2023 that Wahl serving on both organizations presented a conflict of interest. The library board disagreed and Wahl was later elected board chair.
Read Freely told AL.com in a statement they are “unsurprised to see Wahl once again demonstrate the clear conflict of interest as he abuses his position as ALGOP Chair to influence the APLS. Alabama libraries and library patrons deserve better.”
The group said this code change “flies in the face of both the constitution and parental rights.”
“Mr. Wahl should remember that parents, not the government, have the authority to choose what their families read, and this is a right that Alabama parents already have,” Read Freely said. “It is inappropriate to shift that responsibility to librarians, and even more inappropriate to threaten libraries who will not bend to his demands to openly discriminate against transgender Alabamians.”
PennsylvaniaSuperintendent outlines goals for Manheim Township schools; resident calls for banning library books
https://lancasteronline.com/news/regi...
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Another book ban request: District resident Mark Diener read passages with s--ual content in public comments from the novel, “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” by Garth Stein and called for its removal from the middle school’s library. He reiterated his call from the Oct. 9 meeting to remove the young adult novel “Last Night at the Telegraph Club” by Malinda Lo, from the middle school library.
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Counterpoint: School board candidate Jessica McCardell and district resident and substitute teacher Soraya Hintz made public comments in support of the district’s process for determining which books are proper in its libraries.
“I’m especially glad that my taxes pay for librarians and books,” Hintz said.
At the end of his public comments, Diener offered chocolate candy bars and free “no pr0n” t-shirts to students at the board meeting who agreed to take his “purity pledge.” Pate-Hefty told Diener the district had asked him not to interact with minors at a board meeting without permission from their parents.
...
QNPoohBear wrote: "Censorship in Michigan https://archive.ph/7Zesl#selection-30...
How do staffers at the Cromaine Library decide when to label books..."
They don't QUIT! Now it's even worse and the story is paywalled
Kelly Jensen of BookRiot reports: "A right-wing legal firm is offering their services to Cromaine Library (MI). Why? Well, this is a board censoring LGBTQ+ books, including removing and labeling them."
The story
https://www.livingstondaily.com/story...
Cromaine trustees divided on free representation offer from Alliance Defending Freedom
The Cromaine District Library Board had a lengthy discussion Oct. 16 about legal representation, transparency and the proper procedure for hiring an attorney.
Included on the meeting agenda was a presentation from Logan Spena with the Alliance Defending Freedom. The firm has offered to represent the library at no charge (pro bono). The presentation wasn't on the agenda for a meeting in September, canceled last-minute over reported safety..."
Kelly Jensen adds:
Speaking of Cromaine Library (MI), the board is agreeing to read all 222 challenged books.
https://www.livingstondaily.com/story...
When books were being pulled from Iowa classrooms, these teens started an after-school club to read themhttps://www.iowapublicradio.org/ipr-n...
Pennsylvania really is something else. IF the principal AND superintendent sign off on a text book then why debate it? Plus how can a textbook be "anti-American" if it's about American history? AP students are supposed to learn to think critically and write well-crafted essays and pick the correct answers on an exam. The text book and teacher's lesson plans are designed to help the students pass that exam. The would-be censors stance lacks logic.https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/ne...
Dover Area school officials object to AP history textbook, arguing it is 'anti-American'
Dover Area's elected school board is set to vote Tuesday on a proposed Advanced Placement U.S. history textbook after some members objected to its use, arguing it would make students "anti-American."
The textbook in question — “American History: Connecting with the Past,” by Alan Brinkley — was recommended by the high school principal and its social studies department, and signed off by Assistant Superintendent Timothy Mitzel.
Mitzel said the College Board recently updated the AP U.S. History exam to include the administrations of presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump.
“This course has just had a rewriting of that AP exam to include the last 20 years of United States history,” Mitzel said. He added that a physical textbook allows students to collaborate and study more effectively than online materials.
When the board reviewed the request last week, two board members raised concerns on political grounds.
“My review does not show this book as unbiased,” said Board Vice President Craig Kindig.
Dover Area's far-right school board has passed a series of anti-LGBTQ+ policies in recent years. It joins a number of other districts, including South Western and West Shore, which have scrutinized textbooks recommended by educators.
High School Principal Jennifer Fasick said numerous textbooks are recommended for use but not required. She said they decided to pick this one because it is an updated version of the book the school currently uses and because they find it has an unbiased approach.
Board President David Conley said he didn’t have a lot of time to look at the book, but he did glance through the chapter titles. He specifically called attention to Chapter 16, “The Conquest of the Far West,” as an example of his perceived bias.
Conley said America's westward expansion, when the Indigenous population was forced to relocate to other lands under President Andrew Jackson’s direction, was “inexcusable.”
“But for the people of the United States, it wasn’t a conquest of the land,” he continued. “It wasn’t a military campaign.”
He said the settlers wanted freedom, independence, a new life and a tangible stake in the country. [At the expense of the indigenous peoples and people at that time KNEW it was wrong to forcibly remove the indigenous peoples from their land!]
Conley also expressed concern that racism and white supremacy were introduced quickly in that chapter and hoped the teacher would mitigate that discussion.
“And this is why I think some of our students are reluctant to express pride in their own country, because they feel like it’s not that great of a country — look at all the wrong we’ve done,” the board president said, admitting it is an “imperfect union.”
Still, Conley said the text shared more good events than bad ones.
But he raised concerns about the section of the text that covered the Red Scare, a period in U.S. history marked by widespread panic over the rise of left-wing ideologies. He felt the text failed to include a warning about collectivism, the historical idea that the individual is subordinate to the larger societal group. That kind of thinking, he said, is the “enemy of freedom.”
[HA! He's speaking about himself here, of course.]
Conley also made reference to a New York City mayoral candidate, without explicitly naming Zohran Mamdami, saying he is concerned someone he considers to be a communist might be elected. [What does the mayor of NYC have to do with AP history textbooks for students in Pennsylvania?]
“That will come to a town near us eventually if we continue down the road that we’re going,” he said.
Mitzel reminded the board that history is taught with the best intentions to the students, to prepare them for college and their future careers out in the world. The text was also written with the test in mind, including concepts and definitions that students must know.
Superintendent Catherine Houck asked for the board to share their concerns of bias so the teachers from the department can address the issues.
Kindig responded by invoking "critical race theory," an analytical framework developed by legal scholars that views historical events through the lens of systemic racism. There's very little evidence of CRT being taught in K-12 schools, although the jargon has been used by conservative activists to target all manners of lesson plans about racism.
The whole issue gave him heartburn, Kindig said.
Conley, meanwhile, raised concern that the kinds of teachings contained in the textbook would lead students to become "anti-American."
“They’re getting this from somewhere,” he said. “I would like to think Dover is the exception to that.”
Back to Michigan State House bill would require partisan school board races
https://radio.wcmu.org/local-regional...
Local school board races in Michigan could become partisan under a bill up for consideration in a House committee Tuesday morning.
That would mean candidates running for their local board of education would appear on the ballot as a Democrat, Republican, or a member of another political party.
Local school board races in Michigan are currently nonpartisan.
Representative Jason Woolford (R-Howell) sponsors the bill to change that. He said it would make school board candidates and elections more transparent.
“School issues are already debated through a partisan lens. From curriculum, to spending, to parental rights. So, House bill 4588 doesn’t inject partisanship. It simply acknowledges the reality and equips voters with clear information,” Woolford said.
Opponents to the bill say it would only make education discussions more political.
State Representative Matt Koleszar (D-Plymouth) said he didn’t see a need for the legislation.
“Adding a partisan distinction is only going to bleed down into our schools, which hurts our children. It is the last thing we should be doing,” Koleszar said.
...
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Well, in my opinion, in far far too many so-called red states, students are obviously not supposed to learn to think critically, neither at school nor later at the college and university level either (per goose-stepping government decree, it seems).
Manybooks wrote: "Well, in my opinion, in far far too many so-called red states, .."Yes in the South but Pennsylvania isn't South and it isn't exactly a red state. They do have their Amish and Mennonites and Quakers and other religious groups in the eastern part of the state though. They SHOULD be teaching AP history in Pennsylvania, one of the original 13 colonies and states. Warts and all. That's history and you can't change it and if the test wants the students to say certain things in their essays in order to pass the test, then the problem is with the test and not the textbook. Some people are obviously not smart enough to reason that out.
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Yes in the South but Pennsylvania isn't South and it isn't exactly a red state. They do have their Amish and Me..."
Yes, warts and all, but Trump is allergic for historical warts.
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It is hugely embarrassing for the United States as a nation (and also should be), but most embarrassed and contrite should be ALL Republican politicians, all Donald Trump appointees and of course also anyone who voted for the "orange haired spoiled brat toddler" and supports and tries to make lame excuses for Trump.
We deserve an apology but Donald Trump and his acolytes are obviously not capable of and too moronic to conceive this.
I honestly not only totally hate Donald Trump but my anger is also against anyone who voted for and still supports him (and if Trump's tariffs are now hurting American businesses, American workers and consumers, that is ALL on Trump and absolutely NOT in any way even remotely on Canada).
And frankly, it is indeed pretty hilarious seeing Donald Trump having these silly and huge meltdowns (but equally kind of scary since Adolf Hitler had pretty much exactly the same types of meltdowns).
But also, Donald Trump is obviously really ignorant and massively stupid, since the advertisements that riled him up so much are from Ontario and Ontario is just one Canadian province and that Doug Ford is the premier of Ontario and does not speak for all of Canada (duh Donald, duh, duh, duh). Those ads were thus provincial and not federal (even though many if not even most Canadians more than likely agree with the ads and also with Doug Ford's fiscal and not social Conservative perspective and attitude, but that does not change the fact that the ads were provincial and were not made or supported by the federal government). Understand that basic difference, Donald???
Also appreciate that Canadian politicians are supporting Doug Ford and not caring about Donald Trump's hissy fit.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trum...
OregonChallenges to library items in Newberg take a nefarious route
Read more at: https://newberggraphic.com/2025/10/20...
...
“We were notified by a patron on March 30 that people were removing or hiding our LGBTQIA+ booklists and bragging about it online,” library officials said in a March 30 report to the OIFC. “We started keeping track on a Microsoft Teams channel on April 1. Since then we have found fully-stocked booklists completely missing or moved behind other booklists on (May 3, May 22, June 10 and June 24).” Newberg library officials stressed that those responsible for tampering with the booklists (theme-based printed materials) didn’t go through proper channels to air their grievances, but that the organization has learned from the experience. “We are keeping a better eye on the booklists and keeping track on (Microsoft) Teams has also helped everyone beware of this happening, wherever it’s happening in the library,” library officials said, adding that they have not received any more challenges so far this year.
Read more at: https://newberggraphic.com/2025/10/20...
Texas The "parental rights" groups are now targeted public libraries -contrary to their initial supposed mission.
https://www.crossroadstoday.com/news/...
The Victoria Parents' Book Coalition is celebrating a reported victory for their cause with a list of book removals from the Victoria Public Library.
VPBC representative Mackenzie Baca said during a city council meeting that a letter from the Victoria Public Library confirmed the removal of several books related to LGBTQ+ ideology and Critical Race Theory from the juvenile and children's section of the library.
Also in TexasAbilene
The MFL complained about 27 books in the school libraries
27 books in Abilene ISD under review for explicit content
https://www.bigcountryhomepage.com/ne...
At the October 6th Abilene ISD School Board meeting, concerned parents, former educators, and citizens were visibly uncomfortable as they and others from their group read aloud excerpts from books they described as vulgar. The group was demanding that the books be removed from the shelves. Leading the charge is Tammy Fogle, Taylor County Chair for Moms for Liberty. She also sat down with KTAB/KRBC for a separate conversation on the topic.
“We need to get these inappropriate materials that State Law SB 13 says should be removed from the libraries out,” said Fogle.
KTAB/KRBC spoke with AISD Executive Director of Secondary Education and Library Coordinator, Lyndsey Williamson, who confirmed that 27 books
EditSign
, including those read aloud during the recent board meeting, were immediately removed from circulation after their formal submission for review through a Challenge Form.
The titles are currently under evaluation by a group of 7 voting and 7 non-voting district parents who make up the School Library Advisory Council (SLAC), which is a co-accordance with established district policy, though she said only one of those 27 had been brought to district attention before the October 6th meeting.
“We don’t necessarily have the authority to pull just any book in our library. What we want to be careful of is one person not having the authority to do that because all of our beliefs are different, whether it’s our personal or our religious beliefs are different,” Williamson said.
AISD Executive Director of Secondary Education and Library Coordinator Lyndsey Williamson told KTAB/KRBC that the formation of the SLAC, while optional, was a decision made by the district in accordance with Texas Senate Bill 13 (SB13). That bill, passed in 2021, set forth a framework for Texas schools to provide library content transparency for parents, and a process by which concerned students, parents, or staff can submit books for formal review.
“Some of [the books] are no-brainers. They need to come out, but others aren’t quite that easy. And they may be books that maybe certain groups just don’t agree with, but it doesn’t mean that they’re inappropriate for our students,” said Williamson.
More than 10 concerned citizens approached the podium to speak in favor of removing the books. Those titles cover topics such as sex, sexual abuse, and drug use at different points. One person argued, (view spoiler)
Another, read from a book which she did not identify by name, stating that it addressed “drug use and sexuality that it leads to.” She read, (view spoiler)
Tammy Fogle also read from a book that was previously found in the library at Abilene High School, and according to AISD, has been removed from availability to students, called ‘Me Earl and the Dying Girl’...
There were a minority of speakers who voiced a desire to see the current process followed for those who wish to see books removed from school shelves. Two people stated their appreciation for the school board and the work being done by members of the SLAC. One of them, a parent with children currently in the AISD system, said, “Public education thrives on exposure, not restriction. Public education exists to prepare students for the real world, not to protect them from it. That means giving them access to a wide range of books and ideas, even those that might feel uncomfortable or complex…Education should teach students how to think, not what to think. Curiosity, not censorship, is what strengthens young minds.” That parent went on to clarify, “…No one is arguing that kids should hear what we have heard tonight. But there’s already a process that exists to bring those concerns before you.”
Explicit or educational?; Concerned citizens read from books now under AISD advisory board review
"At the October 6th Abilene ISD School Board Meeting. Concerned parents, former educators, and citizens were visibly uncomfortable as they and others from their group read aloud excerpts from books they described as vulgar. The group was demanding that the books be removed from the shelves. KTAB/KRBC spoke with the district administration, which said 27 books, including those read at the meeting, were immediately removed from circulation for review by the School Library Advisory Committee (SLAC). That happened only after the books were formally submitted through the proper channels."
https://www.yahoo.com/news/videos/exp...
PennsylvaniaIt will never happen but go for it!
PA Sen. looks to prohibit public libraries from banning books
https://www.wtaj.com/news/regional-ne...
A Senator is looking to require Pennsylvania’s State Librarian and local libraries to adopt the American Library Association’s Bill of Rights in the face of “unprecedented censorship.”
In her newest piece of legislation, Sen. Amanda Cappelletti argued that as libraries and librarians nationwide face unprecedented censorship of books and resources, states need to take action to defend intellectual freedom.
Controversy after NC State Libraries bars Palestinian-American author, invoking UNC System neutrality policyhttps://technicianonline.com/150348/n...
Author Hannah Moushabeck was initially barred from reading her award-winning children’s book at a campus event due to the UNC System’s Equality Policy mandating institutional neutrality. However, Moushabeck later read it to an audience despite the policy’s prohibitions, prompting discussions on how these policies will be interpreted on campus.
Moushabeck, a Palestinian American author and publisher, was invited by NC State Libraries to participate in events, including an Oct. 18 “Storytime with Hannah Moushabeck and Habibti Bookshop” where she planned to read her picture book “Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine.” However, she said she was informed on Oct. 7 by event organizers that university administration prohibited her from reading the book, citing the UNC System’s Equality Policy that requires university departments to remain neutral on political and social issues when representing the university.
Moushabeck said the book was banned because it allegedly did not present “two sides” of the story — a reason that Moushabeck finds misguided since the book is a memoir picture book recounting her family’s lived experience.
“They said that my book violated that policy, which I obviously had a million more questions that I didn’t really get answers for,” Moushabeck said. “I wasn’t told what specific parts of my book violated the policy.”
..
Despite initially being blocked, Moushabeck eventually read from her book on campus, with the help of Habibti Bookshop, a mobile bookstore that uplifts historically marginalized authors. In an Instagram reel, Moushabeck said she was supported by campus attendees and advocates.
In an email statement to Technician, NC State Libraries Director of Communications Chris Tonelli explained the decision as an adherence to state law and UNC System policies requiring university-sponsored events to avoid appearing as if the university is taking a political stance. The UNC System policy states, “No employing subdivision or employment position within the University shall be organized, be operated, speak on behalf of the University… regarding matters of contemporary political debate or social action.”
“The Libraries made the determination to change the previously scheduled engagement on Saturday to a general celebration of reading and not feature a specific author or authors,” Tonelli wrote.
...
In response to the incident, NC State Student Government introduced the “Moushabeck Freedom to Read Act,” a resolution condemning the restriction of Moushabeck’s reading and affirming freedom of expression and cultural representation on campus. Sponsored by Senator Kaleb Garcia and others, the resolution calls for clear guidelines that protect invited speakers, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, and requests university leadership to clarify how the institutional neutrality policy is applied.
Garcia, a first-year studying communication and political science and the resolution’s corresponding sponsor, said the bill aims to emphasize a commitment to valuing all voices and identities at NC State.
“It is our job to essentially advocate for [students],” Garcia said. “And when we have Palestinian students here at NC State and we need to ensure that they know that we value their voices, we value their stories, we value them here at NC State. Even to go as far as our mission, our vision and our values here at NC State, you know, they go as far to basically say, we value you being here.”
...
Moushabeck, who co-runs Interlink Publishing, the only Palestinian-owned press in the U.S., mentioned the rarity of Palestinian children’s literature in American publishing, saying before her book was published, there had not been a Palestinian picture book in over 30 years. Speaking about her book, she highlighted the importance of authenticity in storytelling, given widespread misrepresentations of Palestinian experiences.
“I felt like for the first Palestinian-American picture book in 30 years, it was so important that we represented the truth as accurately as possible,” Moushabeck said.
NC State Libraries currently has “Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine” available for checkout as part of its collection.
Kelly Jensen of BookRiot shares how authors speaking about books that discuss book bans have had their author visits cancelled.The Day the Books Disappeared
https://bookriot.com/the-day-the-book...
"... at Country Club Elementary School in San Ramon, California.
Upon arrival at the school, both authors were called into the principal’s office. There was concern over what would be included in their presentation to students, who were already lined up and entering the library. The principal directed the authors not to talk about book bans and not to mention queer-authored or queer-centered stories at all.
The authors were, of course, talking about book bans in an age-appropriate manner for their audience of elementary school students. The themes of The Day The Books Disappeared were inspired by the removal of books by and about marginalized people. Their presentation deck, composed of 45 slides–most spreads from the book itself–included seven addressing book bans. Five were images pulled from PEN America reports to illustrate how many books were banned across the country, as well as a slide featuring a sample of the kinds of books being banned.
Despite the directive from the principal, neither author was going to change the content of their presentation.
At this point, the principal needed to get on the phone with higher administrators to make sure the event could proceed as-is.
...
The authors waited for 40 minutes before finally hearing back from the principal. What she shared next wasn’t good news: the event needed to be canceled immediately. The authors were asked to leave the school without giving their talk to the students, who were taken back to their classrooms."
...
Take the time to write to the San Ramon Valley Unified School District and let them know why their decision to cancel an author event was inappropriate."
Mod
The Day the Books Disappeared
https://bookriot.com..."
The authors should have recorded the interrogation by the principal etc. and then sent this all to the governor. And in my opinion, the principal who cancelled the event and forced the authors to vacate school grounds needs to be very publicly named (as well as anyone else associated with this).
Manybooks wrote: "The authors should have recorded the interrogation by the principal etc. and then sent this all to the governor. And in my opinion, the principal who cancelled the event and forced the authors to vacate school grounds needs to be very publicly named (as well as anyone else associated with this).."The sheer irony of this is that the school attribute of the month is "be accepting" and they have a display of diverse books, many of which have been targeted by the censors! I hope the school media specialist doesn't get fired. News is frustratingly hard to find these days. I have to wait for Kelly Jensen to follow-up sometimes.
Most of these are adult books but Romeo + Juliet inappropriate for grades 9-12? Did she miss the PG-13 rating or the part where more and more children have been killed by gun violence this year? ALL students in grades 9-12 are over 13. Yes I agree the movie isn't very good but my sister, who is not a reader or a literary nerd, made me take her to see it in the theater when it came out. We were expecting an R rating and she could have gone on her own to PG-13 but she thought since I like Shakespeare AND Leo we should go together. I hated it, (hated Moulin Rouge too... hated every R rated movie she made me take her to) she loved it! She bought the soundtrack and listened to it a LOT. She was 15 in 10th grade. This lady is wacko and the residents of this town must not let her (and her husband) play political pawns with their kids. Pennsylvania
Lancaster County (Amish country)
Elizabethtown school board removes books for English classes a week before Lancaster County election
https://lancasteronline.com/news/loca...
A week before voters elect new school board directors across Lancaster County, members of the Elizabethtown Area School District board on Tuesday removed three books, a poem and a movie from the district’s English curriculum because they deemed the material inappropriate for students.
In a unanimous vote, the board removed the following books: “The Hate U Give,” a young adult novel by Angie Thomas about a 16-year-old Black girl who witnesses a white police officer shoot one of her friends; “The Glass Castle,” a memoir from journalist Jeannette Walls recounting her poor, nomadic childhood with an alcoholic father; and “The House on Mango Street,” a novel by Mexican-American author Sandra Cisneros about a 12-year-old Chicana girl growing up in the Hispanic quarter of Chicago.
Also removed were Sylvia Plath’s poem “Daddy,” about her complicated relationship with her father, and the 1996 film “Romeo + Juliet” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.
In approving the curriculum for grades nine through 12, the board decided to remove the educational materials after board members Tina Wilson and Danielle Lindemuth said they are not appropriate for students. The board then directed the administration to find replacements that are not s--ually explicit and violent.
...
Lindemuth recalled that she had a problem with two of the books about five years ago, when her daughter was in ninth grade. In “The Hate U Give,” themes of racism and police brutality were presented in an offensive way, Lindemuth said, while “The House on Mango Street” includes s--ual assault, and “the main character wants to become beautiful and cruel to control men,” she said.
Wilson said “The Glass Castle” includes sexual assault, alcoholism, domestic abuse, profanity, violence and s--ual content.
Lindemuth objected to the 1996 movie version of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” because it contains gang violence, drugs and gun violence. She also described it as a “terrible version; it is not even cinematically enjoyable to watch.”
Educational planning Chair Kelly Carter said the three books are rated either “young adult mature” or “advanced mature” according to the district’s book rating system, noting parents can opt out their children from reading the books.
The young adult mature and advanced mature categories can include vulgarities or obscenities, s--ually descriptive content, underage drug and alcohol use, graphic depictions of violence, and abuse and self-harm.
Carter said the “Hate U Give” movie was helpful in starting a conversation with her children, but she recognizes mature books may not be appropriate for some students and that students who are opted out may feel left out.
Danielle Lindemuth and her husband, school board President Stephen Lindemuth, are running to retain their seats in Tuesday’s municipal election alongside Republicans Liza Bazarian and Melody Yoder. They face Democrats Kristy Moore, Sarah Zeiders, Bruce Kleindienst and Steve Stouffer.
...
On Wednesday, Democrat Zeiders posted on Facebook: “As a parent, I understand not every book is right for every household. That’s exactly why choice matters. Parents should be trusted to decide what fits their own family — not have that decision made for them by the board.”
In a Facebook post Wednesday night, the Elizabethtown Area Republican Committee noted that the three books removed from the curriculum would still be available in the library for students to check out.
“This is not censorship!” the post insists. “This is curriculum responsibility, age-appropriateness, and transparency for families.”
The school board revised the district’s library materials policy in 2023 to include a detailed book rating system after Wilson, then a private resident, failed in her attempt to remove Jesse Andrews’ novel “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” from the high school/middle school library because of sexually --plicit content.
Wilson said removing these books from the curriculum could be a first step in revisiting the library materials policy to remove mature books with s--ual and profane content.
In March, the board discussed revising Policy 109 to allow for the removal of books with s--ually explicit content but has not yet followed up. The 2023 revision, which also includes an opt-out process, took months and generated public pushback. The change also prompted a review and categorization of the more than 46,000 books in the district’s libraries, which has continued into this school year.
Good for the students in South Carolina!Librarians, students sue SC superintendent over book banning regulation
https://carolinanewsandreporter.cic.s...
South Carolina public school students and librarians recently sued state Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver over a book-banning policy.
The department in June 2024 consolidated the decision over which books could be banned, taking away that power from local school boards. Since then, 22 books have been banned statewide, the largest number of state-mandated book bans in any state, according to PEN America.
The American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina filed the suit Oct. 7 on behalf of a group of public school librarians and students.
Jamie Gregory, a member and past president of the S.C. Association of School Librarians (SCASL), said the book regulation conflicts with the state obscenity law.
“They do not require themselves to read the entire book that has been challenged,” she said. “They do not consider literary and scientific merit, and those protections are in state obscenity law.”
Gregory said the new regulation is vague and inconsistent. She said George Orwell’s “1984” has a scene that violates the regulation, however, the board decided not to ban it.
Goodish news from Tennessee. They should have gotten the message by now and something tells me they won't stop until they DO get the ban passed. This is a PUBLIC Library folks! PUBLIC!Sumner County fails to pass transgender book ban after fourth attempt
https://www.tennessean.com/story/news...
In her first appearance during a special-called meeting Oct. 30, former college swimmer Riley Gaines and the Sumner County Library Board could not move forward with a controversial ban on transgender books for all county-run libraries.
It's something the former board had tried ― and failed ― to pass three times before.
After a brief discussion to defer a vote for fear of litigation, the board moved forward with the vote that ended in a 4-4 tie. But, library board chair Erika Grammer said the policy change could come back for another vote during a future board meeting.
If passed, the board would add a new section to its collection and management policy titled transgender and gender confusing materials. In it, the board clarifies that no materials would be in Sumner County Libraries, "subjecting, introducing, condoning or encouraging a minor to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with his or her biological sex at birth."
The ban was set to be implemented for children and adults.
The policy would ban any inter-library requests for books containing the "promotion of transgender or gender confusion in minors" and requires that any books challenged for containing s--ually explicit or transgender topics must be pulled from shelves within 24 hours, before any content review is done.
Had the policy passed, Sumner County would have become the second county in Tennessee to attempt to ban books in public libraries based on a book's content. Rutherford County passed a similar policy in June before quickly rescinding it due to significant national pushback.
About 100 people packed the meeting room on Belvedere Drive in Gallatin before the meeting began with parking at full capacity. Some were forced to park on the grass.
The meeting opened with a prayer asking for people to stay peaceful.
Before the proceedings began, about 24 people who signed up to speak were allowed to make public comments. More than half the speakers supported the transgender book ban. At one point, a contentious debate broke out with two residents discussing the need to pool money to fight lawsuits challenging the ban.
Roars of aggressive applause broke out several times as residents announced support for the ban.
During his time at the podium, Gallatin resident Don Scruggs said he identifies as a Christian and told the board he didn't need them to supply him with Bibles.
"I don't think these kids need you to supply books to teach them on how to be that way (transgender)," Scruggs said, finishing his point.
Ashley Hayes spoke against the ban.
"Books should not be banned from libraries, because doing so violates core principles of the United States constitution," she said.
Hayes said libraries serve as public forums for exploration. She said the book ban is a form of censorship.
"Right now, it's transgender books, but what is it going to be next," she said, noting that parents who don't want their children to have access to transgender books don't need to take them to the library and check those books out.
In addition to the book bans, the policy would have included several notable changes.
It would have given the board the ability to remove or order the removal of any materials from the collection.
And it said the library director would not pay dues to any organizations, like the American Library Association or its affiliates. The ALA establishes guidelines and advocates for access and diversity.
Materials containing anything s--ual in nature, while permitted for educational purposes, were to be housed in a separate section with a separate catalog process and held behind an area to be monitored by an employee, the board said, adding the material can only be researched by adults.
Mod
Nothing to do with censorship, but is this not a wonderful story and a great idea, prescribing music for patients (and for free)!!!
Mod
Supporting ICE is like supporting the Gestapo, the STASI, the SS, the KGB (and so on and so on).
Mod
These are true Americans and as such also true heroes, something that Donald Trump definitely is not and never will be.
Manybooks wrote: "https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/us-citi...Supporting ICE is like supporting the Gestapo, the STASI, the SS, the KGB (and so on and so on)."
My neighborhood has a watch group to keep tabs on ICE and run them out of the neighborhood. The police are not supposed to help them. Their job is just to keep the city safe.
This week's book ban news from Kelly Jensen and BookRiot. She begins with a round-up of bans of Banned Books Week.https://bookriot.com/banning-banned-b...
"In 2025, we saw more bans on Banned Books Week than in any recorded memory. Thanks to the library workers who participated in an anonymous survey distributed throughout October, we have some insight into what was — and what was not — permitted as a means of raising awareness of book censorship."
Mod
Supporting ICE is like supporting the Gestapo, the STASI, the SS, the KGB (and so on and so on)."
My n..."
Excellent, but this is something that needs to happen everywhere in the USA!!
OMG this book sounds like it would have been perfect for my nephew and other boys I know when they were younger. This would-be banner knows nothing about kids obviously and didn't even bother to look at the book in question. Bugs people. Bugs. These people are also not familiar with how a library orders books. Volumes 1 and 2 are obviously popular so they went ahead and ordered Vol. 3 to have it when it comes out. If the board can't understand the way things work, they should ask questions and if they won't ask questions and want to ban a book based on the title, then they don't deserve to be on the school board or anywhere near a school, in my opinion.
Butt or Face? Volume 3: Super Gross Butts
https://www.fayettecountyrecord.com/n...
Texas
Animal Camouflage Book “Butt or Face” Sparks School Board Debate
The La Grange School Board was once again talking about books.
A concern was raised by board member Calvin Mersiovsky as to the name of one of the books – “Butt or Face? Vol. 3, Super Gross Butts” by Kari Lavelle.
The board member asked, “Why do we need a book in elementary that is about super gross butts?”
Elementary Librarian Amy McCord said, “I didn’t have advance notice, so I wasn’t able to prepare anything to bring to you, but it’s a book in a series. If I remember correctly, the author puts together books of images and pictures, and then the students have to guess and pick if it’s a face or a butt. It’s pictures in nature of caterpillars or sea slugs or things like that.
“It has a little description in there too, an explanation. So the student on one page gets to guess what they think it is. And then on the next page, it gives some information about that particular animal, whether it was a camouflaging technique or whether it was just an image of that animal in particular. The nature books that deal with the gross aspects of nature are popular in the library.
“The elementary students love checking them out and seeing the different things that animals do that may not be the cute and wonderful adorable side of nature but maybe the other side of nature as well so to answer the question that you’re asking is that it’s a way to appeal to students who might be interested in looking at nature, learning more about nature, but in kind of a silly ridiculous gross kind of way.”
The board was presented the list of books being requested for the month of October at Monday night’s meeting. According to board policy, the board has 30 days to request a removal of a book from that list. Any book that has been requested to be removed by two school board members in concert will be placed on hold until the next school board meeting at which time the objections to the book will be discussed.
Thirty days from October 20 will be November 19 which is after the November board meeting, so any discussion about that book will need to take place at the December meeting which will be on December 15.
After the presentation of the October list (which is considered List 4), the board was to consider approval of the new library material content that was presented at the August meeting (List 2).
Since no objections had been made by 30 days after the presentation, the list should have been approved.
Superintendent Andy McHazlett stated during the meeting, “Well the way our policy works, if there’s a question and something wants to be pulled off of here, we make a motion and vote on it or second vote on it and then pull it off."
Board member Dr. Karen Roberts said, “I move that the La Grange Board of Trustees approve the purchase of the 25-26 list number 2 new library materials presented August 2025.” No one seconded that motion.
McHazlett stated, “The other recommendation I have is to make the motion to purchase as presented with the removal of that book.”
After much discussion, board member Mary Gunn made a revised motion, “I move I make a motion to approve the list but take out the fourth book that’s listed on the list and not order it. To approve the list without Butt or Face? Volume 3, Super Gross Butts.
Board member Kurt Harbers asked, “I have another question. So, we’re saying volume three. So we have volume two Butt or Face?
McCord answered, “We have the first and the second volume. Yes.”
Harbers continued, “Does volume one, lead into volume two, volume two into three, is there going to be four, five, six, seven, eight?”
McCord stated, “Basically books one and two are kind of stand-alone books just on the same theme and the same topic.
“The first book has students look at a picture and then guess if it’s the face of an animal or the butt. Then they turn the page and they give the answer along with some additional factual information about that. And so the second book is essentially more photographs of different animals or insects in the same format.”
McHazlett stated, “We’re not talking about things that violate the Child Act. It’s the butt or the face of an insect, an animal. I just want to make sure everyone understands what the book is actually about and what it has in it. You can see the front of a caterpillar or the back.
“If we want to go through with seconding this motion to not buy it and then look at volume one and volume two and we can share it with the board, we can do that and then add it to the I mean, just trying to figure out how to maneuver through this because I don’t want to jeopardize the other books.”
Gunn asked, “So volume 3 can always be put back on the list?”
Mersiovsky said, “You know, if I had that book in front of me and somebody asked would you approve this book, I may very well read it and say, ‘Yes, I would.’ But when all we have to do is go by this list. I mean, somebody did a poor job of naming these things. We order them when they’re not even out yet.
“Of course I’m gonna do the cautious thing,” he added. “I was a little surprised when I saw it on the list tonight and now I see it’s volume three. If I were a teacher, there’d be no way I would want to buy that book unless somebody came and showed it to me.”
Anthony Wessels (who was running the meeting in the absence of the president and vice president,) asked “Do we move Butt or Face? Vol. 3 to List 4 that was under discussion previously tonight? It’s currently on List 2, which we are attempting to approve for purchase. Can we move it to List 4, so we have the time to review Volumes 1 and 2 or possibly Volume 3 itself and make a discussion.”
Gunn made that motion and Harbers seconded to approve the list (number 2) minus “Butt or Face? Vol. 3, Super Gross Butts.”
Dirty tricks in ArkansasNorth Little Rock schools remove books from digital platform in district-wide move
https://katv.com/news/local/north-lit...
The letter, prepared by NLRSD Superintendent Dr. Gregory J. Pilewski, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent of School Performance Network A Dr. Thomas Rogers, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent of School Performance Network B Jacob Smith, Assistant Superintendent of Network Support Services Dr. LeAnn Stoll, and English Language Arts, Literacy & Reading Coordinator Carmen Langston, also provided instructions on how to remove the books from the Epic Reading teacher dashboard.
"Staff members are required to hide the following books, which contain LGBTQIA+ content, from their Epic Reading accounts. This action will prevent students from accessing these titles. Please complete this process as soon as possible."
MinnesotaHope they have an ACLU lawyer on speed dial.
North Woods librarian fired for book choices
https://timberjay.com/stories/north-w...?
A recently hired North Woods library assistant is out of a job after students, parents, and staff complained about s--ually-explicit books that were discussed and displayed in the school library recently.
Genevieve “Quinn” Krebsbach was hired to a 31.5-hour-per-week library assistant position on Sept. 2, according to school board minutes, but Superintendent Reggie Engebritson confirmed on Tuesday that Krebsbach is no longer at North Woods.
“The person no longer works for us due to the person not being a good fit for the position,” Engebritson said. “That’s all I’m able to say at this time.”
On or about Oct. 9, North Woods Principal Kelly Engman used the school’s Infinite Campus communication app to send this note to parents:
“Reports were made this week of inappropriate displays, books, and discussions about banned books in our school library. Mr. (John) Jirik (assistant principal) and I have investigated all of these reports and have taken action to ensure that our library is a safe place for students, and the content that is available in our school library is appropriate for our students in grades PreK-12.”
Engebritson declined to answer questions about the situation posed by the Timberjay, saying she could not comment because an investigation was ongoing. But through interviews and review of social media, the Timberjay has been able to determine what kind of materials and activities led to Krebsbach’s dismissal.
A whiteboard in the elementary section of the school library had a depiction of a bookshelf with the titles of ten “banned” books, along with the question “How many have you read?”
The list parallels the American Library Association’s “Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2024,”all of which have been challenged or banned for s---ally explicit content. Various books in the list have been challenged for descriptions of incest, sexual assault, s--ual acts, drug use, profanity, and LGBTQ content.
According to multiple interviews, Krebsbach allegedly used the whiteboard as the basis for a short lesson on banned books that she conducted with various classes visiting the library, allegedly including a second- and fourth-grade class.
At least two of the titles, “Gender Queer” and “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” have been top targets for banning campaigns. Both focus on the LGBTQ experiences of the authors, and those were individually displayed on bookstands on a counter in the senior high section of the North Woods library....
Both the whiteboard-based banned book discussions and the displayed books raised alarms for parents and students.
Josh Gaskell, of Orr, is the parent of two children who attend North Woods, and a former employee at the school. He said he learned about the lessons and books from friends who still work there who sent him pictures of the whiteboard and the books.
“They sent me a picture of the [Gender Queer] book cover and then sent me a picture of the inside of the book, where it’s showing basically a b*** job,” Gaskell said. “One-hundred percent and honestly, my first thought was ‘This is p---graphy being taught.’”
Jared Bangs is a parent of four North Woods students and, as a Volunteers in Education tutor and assistant football coach, is at the school regularly. He discovered the white board when someone suggested he go into the library to take a look at it.
“Basically, the whole whiteboard was a promotion of banned books,” Bangs said. “I thought that was something odd to be promoting in an elementary library, and it was on the elementary side. A lot of the titles had to do with gender queer and sexuality, things that are just not appropriate to an elementary library, regardless of one’s position on those topics.”
Bangs sent emails to one of his daughter’s teachers and to Engebritson wanting to talk about the situation.
“I actually didn’t get a response from Reggie, but I think at that point she had probably fielded enough email – I highly doubt I was the first parent to send a concerned email. By then I’m sure the wheels were turning and she didn’t feel the need to respond to each individual parent.”
Bangs felt that the whiteboard was promoting the books by the “How many have you read?” comment.
“I think that specific question was implying ‘Hey, you should go check these out,’” Bangs said. “That’s deeply irresponsible as a librarian. A number of those books are rated teen and above, and they were being promoted to second and fourth graders. It’s absolutely inexcusable.”
While Bangs focused on the whiteboard and discussions, he said he wasn’t aware of the books that were on display in another part of the library. But high school students, including senior Lauren Burnett, were.
“I was sitting with one of my friends just talking, and I looked up and there was a book displayed on the top of one of the book racks,” Burnett said. “We picked it (“All Boys Aren’t Blue”) up and we started reading the names of the chapters, and we knew this wasn’t an appropriate book to have in the school library. We read through some of the chapters and it was just very, very inappropriate stuff. And then there’s a comic book displayed right next to it that had graphic pictures and everything that were very, very inappropriate.”
Word got around the school and to parents quickly, Burnett said.
“Like, half the high school found out about it,” Burnett said, “and all these high schoolers were taking pictures of the books and saying this is not OK to have. And then eventually it got spread to (assistant principal Jirik) and then he and I had a conversation about it with my dad there.”
Bangs said he believed that another student also voiced their concerns to Jirik.
“I think those courageous high school students should be commended,” he said. “They said these do not belong in our library, which is a shared library with elementary students.”
Burnett said that Jirik talked with Krebsbach and removed the questionable items from the library immediately. Burnett, Gaskell, and Bangs were all happy with the actions taken.
...
Bangs directed his praise to what actually happened at the school.
“I’m not saying the district, okay, but those I know who acted swiftly are the upperclassmen students who seemed concerned for the greater good and concerned for the younger children, and for the one administrator that I know acted promptly, which is Mr. Jirik.”
Bangs was less pleased about communication from the school or the district office after the initial alert.
“They sent an original email saying there were inappropriate materials, and it’s been taken care of. Unless I missed an email or something, I haven’t seen any follow up since then.”
All three people the Timberjay interviewed emphasized that their concern wasn’t specifically with the books with LGBTQ content but rather lies with providing graphic descriptions and images of s--ual acts, regardless of the type of relationship, in a school library serving all ages of students.
“I couldn’t care less what you are in your personal life,” Gaskell said. “But these are children. It’s inappropriate.”
Acknowledging the role of a public school to provide resources for all students and families, Bangs suggested that if books that are “highly controversial and highly sexualized” are provided, it would be best to make them available through a school nurse or guidance counselor and not have them in the general library collection. He also recommended adequate parental notification.
And while Bangs welcomes the review of the district’s procedures regarding acquisition and use of appropriate materials, he said the district need to go a step farther.
“I think the hiring of a librarian is an important decision, because that person has at their fingertips the largest breadth of material accessible to students outside of the internet,” he said. “I don’t know how those decisions are made, but the breakdown occurred at the level of the hire. Vetting materials is one thing, but vetting the person in charge of materials is actually the greater issue.”
Wisconsin PUBLIC Library
What happened to just schools and it's not a ban because it's still available at the public library?
Kelly Jensen reports MassResistance is trying to get several books banned from Hales Corners Public Library.
https://www.jsonline.com/story/commun...
LGBTQ-themed books spark protests in Hales Corners over if they belong in library
PAYWALLED
From Psychology TodayHow Book Bans Control Information and Why They Backfire
Librarians have become first responders in our children’s right to know.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/bl...
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)
More...
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)
More...
https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/...
“I was told it violated the administration’s executive order restricting so-called “radical” Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs across federal institutions. Someone complained when they saw my story time being promoted. Museum higher-ups appealed to military attorneys, who ruled that the program about a pioneering cyclist was out of bounds.”