Children's Books discussion
Banned Books: discussions, lists
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Discussion of censorship, equity, and other concerns.
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- yes THAT Arthur, the beloved Aardvark, is facing a ban in Clay County, Florida because a conservative activist named Bruce ..."Sounds like Bruce Friedman has drunk too many bottles of booze and has his head spinning round and round to have such garbage thoughts.
Book Riot on why age restricted library cards are not a solution but a liability and other censorship newshttps://bookriot.com/age-restricted-l...
Good news, After Debate, Yancey County, rural western North Carolina library Will Stay with Regional Library SystemPatrons suspected that the motion to consider withdrawal came because someone complained about a Pride Month book display in the library in Burnsville, the seat of Yancey County. Pulling out of the regional system would not only result in decreased access to funds, it would put county commissioners temporarily in control of the library until the commissioners appointed a new library board.
“The library is a public space,” one woman said during the public comments period. “There are things [the library] can’t say, like displays on political issues. But displays about Pride Month are not political. It’s a national month of recognition for a group of our fellow citizens, like Black History Month, Women’s History Month. It shows that the library is a welcoming place for everyone.”
Disagreement during the public comment section revolved around whether LGBTQ displays are political agendas or statements of welcome.
“A library should be a neutral place without any agendas being promoted,” a local pastor said. “It should not be a platform for any issue that’s controversial. It’s not a political platform, and I think it needs to stay that way.”
Discussions continued the following evening on July 11 in the Yancey County Public Library in Burnsville. After sitting in a sweltering room full of antsy library goers listening to Briggs, commissioners, and county manager Lynn Austin debate policies and procedures, chairman Jeff Whitson finally announced that they would not be pulling out of the regional system.
“We have since found out that [withdrawing] is impossible for us to do,” Whitson said. “And we’re fine with that.”
Libraries are essential public spaces in rural communities where people are more likely to have limited access to high speed internet, an inadequate number of healthcare providers and other kinds of gaps in infrastructure.
“To me, [libraries are] pivotal for our community to open eyes and expand views and to help people, especially in rural communities with limited resources,” said Yancey County native Cathy Henson in an interview with the Daily Yonder.
As a part of a regional library system, the Yancey County Library has access to extra grants and state aid resources that libraries run by local governments do not.
“State aid exists to fund regional library systems,” regional director Amber Westall Briggs said in an interview with the Yonder. “And that is so [state aid] could serve socioeconomic areas that needed more assistance, so they could equalize service to the people across the state.”
Briggs is working hard to secure even more funding for rural libraries, which made the commissioners' consideration of withdrawal from the regional system particularly devastating for her to hear. It would mean being cut off from extra grants and resources Briggs has been working to obtain through state aid.
State aid resources include things like access to the NC Live, a database of articles and resources available only to the largest state and academic libraries, a full-time financial manager, general technology support, an integrated system that allows patrons to borrow books from libraries across the state, a children’s librarian, an outreach librarian, and summer reading programming, among other things.
Without the regional library system, the county would have to pay for these resources on its own, and that would not be financially feasible.
Briggs said it was suspicious that the motion to consider withdrawing from the regional system arose during Pride Month after a complaint about an LGBTQ book display. Briggs sees book displays as an example of how the library advances their mission because it shows patrons what resources might be available that they would otherwise not know about.
In her plea to the county commissioners, Briggs referred to the ALA Library Bill of Rights, which states “books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people the community library serves.”
Book displays that reflect the diversity of interests of the patrons in the community abide by the library’s mission to reflect the community’s needs.
“Socially excluded, marginalized and underrepresented people, not just the majority, should be able to see themselves reflected in the resources, programs, and displays the library offers. We have to reflect the diversity of everyone in our community,” Briggs said. “We do not discriminate.”
These principles also apply to book selections. The library’s collection development policy states that they must provide books that are “imperative for our community,” according to Briggs.
“If we have a collection of books and we haven’t represented a group of people well, we have to order those books,” Briggs said. “That's called ‘balancing the collection’ in library speak. We do have an obligation to do these things to be a good dependable library.”
Briggs said she’d be willing to negotiate with the county commissioners to decide what book displays they’d like to see, but that completely withdrawing from the regional system would be an irrational and irresponsible move.
https://www.bpr.org/bpr-news/2023-07-...
Crazy news of the day:Metropolitan School District of Steuben County (IN) removed several books from middle and high school shelves. We don’t know the full list, and the books are not going away completely.
“We have pulled some things that we consider more adult for certain age groups. There was nothing that rose to the obscene or harmful to minors that was in any of our collections anywhere,” said Relue.
The books that were taken off the shelves haven’t been completely taken away. Now, they can be accessed by students only if they go to each library’s media specialist.
“Any titles that were on the list have been pulled to a section that requires the media specialist to hand that book to the child and they have a conversation and check appropriateness for the child and the age of the material,” Relue said.
Specialists allowing access may be based on the age and maturity of a student or may require parental consent.
When Board member Scott Poor questioned the methods parents could take to challenge a book or supplemental material, Relue provided the process.
The process consists of a maximum of nine steps. Parents would first begin by having a conversation with the school’s librarian. If they are not satisfied, they will then need to contact the building principal to discuss the matter. If they are still not satisfied, they can submit a Request for Removal of Library, Media and/or Other Supplemental Materials form.
Forms are available in any school office. The completed form goes in front of a review committee within 15 working days. The committee will be appointed by the principal and include a media professional, a classroom teacher and a parent. Middle school and high school materials may also have a student representative.
The review committee will then make a written determination. Parents looking to appeal the decision will go to the school board for a final vote.
“Families can individually opt their children out of any resource that’s being used they would find objectionable,” Relue said.
During the collection review process, MSD media specialists matched their databases with lists of flagged books.
The staff assessed certain books such as the Harry Potter series, which appear on the list, but specialists ultimately felt comfortable with its age placement.
Other titles included “Lord of the Flies,” “Brave New World,” “Slaughterhouse Five,” “Looking for Alaska,” and “The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian.”
Changes will be in full effect for the start of the new school year.
https://www.kpcnews.com/heraldrepubli...
Wisconsin middle school features This Book Is Gay in library, stirring online outrageJR Gerritts Middle School, the institution offering the book, instructs 788 students in grades 7 and 8 from the ages of 12 to 14, according to its website. It is a part of the greater Kimberly Area School District, which serves 5,100 students of all ages across nine schools. JR Gerritts is the only middle school in the district, meaning that all Kimberly students pass through the building before moving onto high school.
Reacting to a screenshot of the listing posted on the Twitter account of conservative reactor Libs of TikTok, users decried the school for offering a book some see as p____hic.
“Encouraging hookups is [a red flag],” one commenter said. “Schools allow this?”
“Inappropriate for children and young adults, please move to adult section,” another said.
In March, a high school in Sioux City removed the book from its shelves after being featured on the Libs of TikTok account. That same month, a bomb threat made at a high school in New York mentioned the book by name.
https://fox11online.com/news/local/wi...
Not sure why they consider TikTok a valid source of information
Campbell, Wyoming library board debates role of librarians in weedingThe Campbell County Public Library System's board meeting on July 24 featured about 45 minutes of discussion regarding the board's role and the staff's role in carrying out the collection development policy, without formal conclusions.
"In June, the board approved, in a 3–2 vote, revisions to its collection development policy, culminating a line-by-line review of the document that began in January. They eliminated references to the American Library Association and the addition of a Policy for Protecting Children from Harmful, Sexually Explicit Material in Areas Designated for Minors.
Challenges are involved in carrying out the policy, too.
Director Terri Lesley said she doesn’t know off the top of her head when staff will next conduct a weeding of materials. The library should use the challenge process to guide its decisions regarding moving books.
Chair Sage Bear said that while there are “gray areas,” librarians can independently weed a book based on the harmful to children provisions in the policy. It’s one prong of improving the collection. Librarians make independent decisions regarding book removal under other criteria, like the condition and age of the book. She asked Lesley to hold librarians responsible for knowing the policy and carrying it out.
Lesley said s___l content is too subjective for a librarian to independently determine whether a book should be moved to adult collections. Community members’ perspectives on whether the book should be removed vary. Further, taking that action might also violate the First Amendment.
“You’re asking us to do something that makes us uncomfortable legally,” Lesley said.
She said she wants backup support from the board if she believes she’s in a position in which she could be sued.
Board member Charlie Anderson said that patrons need to be directed to use the challenge policy if they have concerns regarding a book. The board should take the responsibility of deciding whether to remove or move a book based on s___l content.
Charles Butler, whom the board elected the new board chair later in the meeting, said he wanted a copy of the list of books that would be in the roughly 17,000 reviewed in the next round of weeding and the list of books that remain in the library following the weeding.
Collier said that while the special committee on denoting books’ content didn’t meet because it’s been a busy summer, she spoke with some people on the committee who had an idea to mark books while assuaging concerns regarding interlibrary or leased books: placing a sticker with letters or a QR code on a plastic cover on the book. The board will continue the discussion at an upcoming meeting.
The library is asking the community to participate in a marketing survey before Aug. 11. Lesley said the library is using its small marketing budget to ask community members how they view the library, as staff want to provide the best library possible.
https://county17.com/2023/07/25/campb...
Slightly surprising but not entirely given the number of Trump signs I saw when I went up there Christmas shopping in 2021! I went up there again in April and saw no political signs at all, thankfully. This city is a little remote- the northern area is pretty rural and populated by former mill villages. AND this story did NOT make the major newspaper or even the small local paper (yet). I'll hunt for it. _______________________________________
"North Smithfield students speak out against censorship over Gothic literature class
everal students at North Smithfield High School are speaking out after noting that an elective class that drew criticism from parents this year will not be offered next fall.
A class dubbed, “Gothic Literature and Fairy Tales,” is not on the roster for the 2023/2024 school year, according to students speaking before the School Committee on Tuesday, July 18. The class came under scrutiny in March after parents questioned inclusion in the curriculum of The Virgin Suicides a 1993 novel that centers on five sisters who all take their own lives in a single year.
“The class was removed due to complaints about the nature of the content,” noted Sofia Colucci, who will be a sophomore at NSHS in the fall. “The mental health taboo is a huge reason that this book received backlash. Taboos lead to holes in education, which leads to stigma and discrimination, making it harder for people to get help who need it.”
A parent angered by its inclusion in coursework first contacted NRI NOW in March, stating that her daughter had been asked to bring a bra into class as part of an assignment. The parent, who asked to remain anonymous, pointed to graphic descriptions of sexual acts and detailed accounts of the girls’ deaths in the book. She said she later learned that the novel was not part of the school’s approved curriculum.
Supt. Michael St. Jean halted the coursework in reaction to complaints and issued a statement noting that the book, “does not reflect the educational mission of North Smithfield Schools and should never have been included.”
This week, St. Jean noted that while the book will not be returned to the coursework, the class itself is offered on an every other year cycle, and will return next year.
Colucci noted that The Virgin Suicides is commonly considered, “a modern classic,” and said it was taken out of context by those who deemed it inappropriate. The novel, she noted, is rated appropriate for ages 13 plus, or at worst, 17 plus on the more conservative ratings – and the class was only offered to junior and seniors.
“Not talking about these bad, real things does not make them go away but will only make it harder for people to get help when they need it,” Colucci said.
Thayer Glucksman, another incoming sophomore, echoed the sentiments.
“Censorship and censoring books from curriculum prevents students from learning the whole picture,” Glucksman said. “Parents can of course restrict what we are exposed to at home, but it’s not fair to us as learners and students if they are able to restrict what we’re exposed to at school, an environment where we’re supposed to be able to learn safely.”
“High school is a place, after all, for growth, both as a person and a learner, and a student,” Glucksman said.
[Students are concerned about the slippery slope and fear it will lead to a ban in coursework such as Native American and African American history and books like To Kill a Mockingbird.]
The students also defended the educators who taught the class last year, Hannah Cevoli and Jessica Camara, noting that the pair also ran the school’s book club.
“They are very passionate,” Colucci said.
Asked in March if the teachers faced discipline over the book controversy, St. Jean said he could not discuss personnel matters. Students in one of Cevoli’s classes, however, told NRI NOW that the teacher went on leave shortly after the incident, and did not return for the remainder of the school year.
St. Jean said this week that both teachers are still employed by the North Smithfield School Department."
https://nrinow.news/2023/07/21/north-...
The decision over a lawsuit in Arkansas over new “inappropriate books” legislation impacting libraries will come this week."U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks has been asked to issue a preliminary injunction, pending a decision on the merits of the plaintiffs' claims. Attorneys for a coalition of plaintiffs suing to overturn two provisions of Act 372 asked Brooks to block enforcement of contested elements of the law.
If the two provisions are allowed to take effect, the plaintiffs' First Amendment rights could be affected in a variety of ways, the brief says. Those include librarians and booksellers facing prosecution for failing to censor constitutionally protected speech; libraries and bookstores struggling to comply with the vague mandates of the law; and bookstore and library patrons being faced with rapid erosion of their access to constitutionally protected material, without procedural protections allowing them to advocate for retention of challenged materials.
The law is scheduled to take effect Tuesday.
The group of 17 plaintiffs includes the public libraries of Fayetteville and Eureka Springs, as well as the Little Rock-based Central Arkansas Library System.
The lawsuit is challenging two of Act 372's six sections, including a new Class A misdemeanor offense for furnishing a harmful item to a minor. Library personnel and others could face criminal prosecution and up to a year in jail if they "knowingly" lend an item deemed harmful to minors based on existing obscenity law.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs have dubbed that the "availability provision."
"This will necessarily force libraries and bookstores to confine to a secure 'adults only' area -- and so to segregate from their general patrons and customers -- any item that might be deemed harmful to the youngest minor, even if there is no constitutional basis for limiting its availability to older minors or adults," according to the complaint.
John Adams, an attorney for the plaintiffs, told Brooks librarians and booksellers will have to figure out a way to either keep minors off their premises or keep some material out of sight of minors. He said the law is overbroad, short on specifics and borders on prior restraint.
Brooks repeatedly quizzed lawyers for the state and the Crawford County Library system, both defendants, on whether having different assessments for different ages will pass constitutional muster. Brooks questioned whether what is deemed harmful to a 5-year-old will control what is deemed inappropriate for a 17-year-old and whether that's a fatal flaw in the law.
The second challenged section establishes procedures for people to challenge the appropriateness of library material made available to the public.
Successful challenges could result in the material being "relocated within the library's collection to an area that is not accessible" to minors, according to the law.
Should library officials refuse to move an item, their decision could be appealed to the local city council in the case of a municipal library, or quorum court in the case of a county library.
Brooks questioned who will make those assessments and what criteria will be used. He also asked whether assessments will be different for removal of a book as opposed to selecting material to go on the library shelves. He also questioned whether those opposed to pulling a book off the shelves would have a chance to have their voices heard during an appeal process and what would be required in terms of public notice.
The law puts librarians at risk of going to jail for a year based on a one-sided process of complaint and review, Adams said."
https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2...
More news from Arkansas"The Saline County Quorum Court members heard the second reading of an ordinance putting the oversight of the library system under the county judge during Monday night's meeting at the courthouse in Benton.
The ordinance, titled “An ordinance amending Ordinance No. 1978-1, to revise the obligations, duties and powers of the administrative county library board for Saline County,” will give authority to manage the library to the county judge, including the hiring of employees, taking that task away from the county library board.
The ordinance, which had its first reading in June, will come before the justices of the peace again in August for a third and final reading, at which time the JPs will vote whether or not to adopt the ordinance.
Saline County resident and retired educator Carol Perry opened the public comment period by saying that children need to learn to read to be successful in life. “I have spent a lot of time at the library, and I have seen people of all ages using the library,” she said. “But the one thing I haven't seen is a child under the age of 16 there without a parent.”
Perry said none of the machinations behind the ordinance were concerned with children accessing books. “None of this is about kids, it's all about politics,” she said. “The political culture of the country is so toxic, I hate to see it happen in Saline County.”
Saline County resident Tom Hanson commended Keck's effort.
“JP Keck is the only one who has shown critical thinking skills of the whole bunch of you,” he said to the court members.
Hanson noted that for 45 years the library board ordinance has not been a problem. “Go ahead and divide the county,” he said. “You will have this on your consciences for the rest of your lives.”
Octogenarian Betty Van Bibber, wearing a straw hat with a paper band reading “Stop P___y in Children's Library” quoted Bible verses and said, “When someone asks me what p___ is, I have the answer. P___is sin.”
Resident Zach Agnew said the controversy over some of the library's books has brought the debated library materials into the spotlight.
“My concern is that your recent actions may not be having the desired outcome,” Agnew said. “I question the actual impact it is having. The efforts to limit access draws more attention to the books than if it had be left alone.”
Resident Rena Allmond told the board there is a new Republican Party in Saline County and warned the JPs that as Republicans, they needed to listen to the Party and do what the Party instructed.
“We elected you all, and we put people in there who know what they're doing and will do what needs to be done,” she said. “Like it or not, you work for us, and it's important that you attend the Republican Party meetings.”
Resident Scott Gray said he appreciated the JPs who attended the July meeting of the Saline County Republican Party and mentioned a resolution the party passed calling for the removal of Library Director Patty Hector.
The resolution also calls for the replacement of the three most senior members of the library board with “community members who better reflect the conservative nature, ethics, and morals of the county as a whole.”
Resident Robin Robinson said Hector should be fired for refusing to move the books the Saline County Republican Women have claimed are obscene.
“She should be fired, period,” she said, before offering her [hateful] opinions on LGTBQ issues."
https://www.bentoncourier.com/news/jp...
Good-ish news from ColoradoAcademy District 20 apparently has returned several books to its shelves after a district patron objected to their removal and then asked that the Bible, too, be removed, citing numerous lewd passages.
"Consistent with administrative policy IJL and procedure IJL R, the District must hold religious texts, such as the Bible, to the same standards it holds all other library books, subject to review and reconsideration before removal. After careful consideration, the District assures that the removal of library materials will be based on established policies and procedures. Therefore, any books recently removed without following the District’s procedure shall be reinstated and subject to reconsideration upon formal request. (Emphasis added.)
...If Advocates for D20 Kids want those books removed, they will need to submit a formal reconsideration request for each of them, Rogers says. That process is fairly lengthy, because it includes appeal opportunities to the superintendent and the board.
https://www.csindy.com/news/d20-backs...
Mankato Area Public Schools (MN) have now heard their first curriculum complaints in a long time, and it’s over the use of March: Book One by John Lewis used in an English class lesson about racism. The outcome was good news: "The Mankato Area Public Schools Board Wednesday upheld a re-evaluation committee’s decision to keep curriculum that was challenged by a community member."
"During a meeting Wednesday night, school board members heard Mankato West High School parent Elizabeth Hanke’s appeal of the committee’s decision to keep curriculum related to racism that was presented in an English 10 class.
Hanke’s challenge centered around a graphic that provided examples of overt white supremacy and covert white supremacy, which was shown to students before reading the book “March” by civil rights activist John Lewis.
Wednesday evening Hanke argued that students were denied the chance to hear different perspectives of the material.
“There wasn’t discussion built in the slideshow to show my perspective or perspective of the students in the class,” she said.
Hanke also argued students she spoke to didn’t feel comfortable sharing their views in class."
[What views? White supremacy is good?]
In a letter from an attorney from In a letter from an attorney from the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism (FAIR) organization — of which Hanke is a volunteer for — submitted to Principal Sherri Blasing as part of the process, the attorney listed examples of white supremacy within the graphic they wanted to challenge.
Those included the “Make America Great Again” slogan and concepts such as white silence.
https://www.mankatofreepress.com/news...
Boundary County Library (ID) is now creating a nonsense “new adult” category of books for the library. (Book Riot)
Great news for little Tango
And Tango Makes Three is once again available in Lake County, Florida elementary schools.
https://www.wesh.com/article/book-res...#
Crazy news from Mass.Massachusetts has seen an unprecedented spike in book challenges across public schools and libraries, overwhelming library organizations and inciting conversations state-wide about free speech and expression for youth.
“There is a level of intense activity we have not seen before,” said Jennifer Varney, president of the Massachusetts School Library Association, or MSLA. “And in Massachusetts, that’s really rare.”
This past school year, there have been a total of 23 official book challenges across the state. Varney did not specify which districts experienced the challenges, but said she is not aware of any formal ones filed in Boston.
15 titles have been targeted.
Titles with three challenges:
“Flamer” by Mike Curato
“This Book is Gay” by Juno Dawson
“All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George M. Johnson
Titles with two challenges:
“Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out” by Susan Kuklin
“Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe
Titles with one challenge:
“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie
“The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison
“Felix Ever After” by Kacen Callendar
“The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas
“Lawn Boy” by Jonathan Evison
“Let’s Talk About It” by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan
“Not My Idea: A Book about Whiteness” by Anastasia Higginbottom
“Out of Darkness” by Ashley Hope Perez
“The Poet X” by Elizabeth Acevedo
“Push” by Sapphire
....
Recently, there have also been instances where librarians have been harassed or bullied by parents in order to have books removed.
The Scope spoke with a public-school library teacher in the Greater Boston area, who was part of an ad hoc committee last year to address a challenge against both “Gender Queer” and “This Book is Gay.”
In this case, the titles were ultimately kept on the school shelves, and there was also an outpour of community support for the books during a school committee meeting. But at the meeting, the teacher said the most heartbreaking moment was seeing how the hatred toward these books affected the students:
“I was sitting right behind some of my students when the people got up and spoke about how awful these books are,” the source said. “And I looked back, and they were like flinching because it’s almost like someone was leveling that criticism to them as a human being.”
Others, however, find these books unsuitable for their children and desire more control over what information their children can access at a young age, especially surrounding topics like race, gender or sex. Bess, for instance, wants to be able to discuss those themes with her children herself, rather than having a book teach it to them first.
“We are a two-mom household. I’m a lesbian; my wife is a lesbian. We are conservative, and we’re in a committed relationship. I’m a Black woman — I’ve always been Black,” she said. “However, there’s conversations that I need to have with my children. My children are biracial, so I don’t want someone else’s biased opinion to affect how my children view the world.”
Bess also understands that not every child may be able to have conversations like this with their parents, and that it’s not her place if other parents want their children to be able to read whatever they like. She personally desires a Genre Queermore nuanced solution, like having books with more mature content behind a library counter that requires a permission slip signed by parents to access it.
“When you go to some schools, it’s K-8. How should a kindergarten have access to the same book learning about sexual development?” Bess said. “And they’re in kindergarten. That just doesn’t make sense to me.” [She complained about [book:Genre Queer|61076565] ]
“This is a vocal minority of individuals. This is not a mass wave,” Pelayo-Lozada said. “It’s just that because it’s an organized effort, because they are very loud, it feels like more people support this agenda.”
Boston as a city has generally embraced the inclusion of these books. The Boston Public Library even participates in “Banned Books Week,” an annual event hosted by the Banned Books Coalition, where libraries highlight stories that are typically challenged and draw more attention to this issue.
Librarians understand that parents may have concerns, but feel that their individual issues with these books should not influence how accessible these titles are to other youth.
“I think a lot of people think that if a book is in a library, they have to love it,” Varney said. “You don’t have to love it. You don’t have to love every book in the library, but you can’t take it away from other people who might want it.”
https://thescopeboston.org/8878/news-...
In Polk County high schools (FL), there is currently a challenge being processed over Assassination Classroom, Vol. 01Complaint About ‘Assassination Classroom’ Manga Books in PCPS Schools Could Test New Law
A Lakeland woman has filed an objection to a Japanese illustrated book series found in three Polk County high schools, including Tenoroc High in Lakeland, saying the books contain “abject violence” and are “inappropriate.”
A recent addition to a state statute could take her objection to Tallahassee and the Florida Department of Education in coming weeks.
Yvonne Stagg, ag 71 did not respond to a phone call or email, asking if she has a child or grandchild in a Polk County school, if she has read the books and if she is affiliated with any groups like Moms for Liberty or County Citizens Defending Freedom, which is now called Citizens Defending Freedom.
In addition to Tenoroc, the “Assassination Classroom” books are found in the libraries of Mulberry Senior High and Gause Academy in Bartow, according to PCPS spokesman Kyle Kennedy.
Kennedy said the school committees met to review each “Assassination Classroom” book, and all voted to retain the books.
"“An appeal has since been filed, and in accordance with our process per state law, a committee will be formed and a district review will be conducted once the school year resumes,” Kennedy wrote in an email to LkldNow in late June."
Lakeland Public Library student intern Emma Matzen, 21, said all of its copies of Volume 1 were lost. She said she was baffled when told that someone had complained about the book.
“Why? It’s funny,” Matzen said, noting that she had seen the movie, too, in middle school. “I don’t really understand why people are complaining about it, to be honest. I watched the anime and read some of them, too. Their teacher is an alien that’s going to destroy the world and the teacher is an octopus. That’s just goofy.”
https://www.lkldnow.com/complaint-abo...
The Perks of Being a Wallflower can stay -with restrictions in Sumner County, TNThe debate over whether or not books that contain detailed descriptions of sex should remain in high school libraries took center stage again at this month’s Sumner County Board of Education meeting.
The book caught the attention of District 11 School Board member Andy Lacy in January when the Wilson County School Board voted to keep the book in its libraries and move it to a mature reading list.
Following that decision, State Rep. Susan Lynn wrote to the Wilson County School Board informing them that because the book contained “explicit” content, it was in violation of state law by making the book available to minors.
A day after Lynn’s letter became public, Lacy emailed Sumner County School Board Chairman Tim Brewer and then-Director of Schools Del Phillips asking that the book be removed immediately from Sumner County school libraries.
Lacy asserted the book violated both state law (TCA 39-17-911) and school board policy 4.40012 for obscene materials. Both state that it is against the law and board policy to loan to a minor any book… “that contains explicit and detailed verbal descriptions or narrative accounts of (view spoiler), and that is harmful to minors.”
Per the school board policy for reviewing challenged books, a school review committee was established at each of the high schools the book is available at: Merrol Hyde Magnet School and Gallatin, Hendersonville, Station Camp, White House and Westmoreland High Schools. All of the school committees except Westmoreland voted to keep the book on its shelves.
The Gallatin committee said that it used the Miller Test, developed from a 1973 Supreme Court ruling, to determine whether or not the book was obscene.
“The novel is neither legally ‘obscene’ nor legally ‘harmful to minors’ based on the criteria used above,” the committee wrote in its recommendation. “This, in and of itself, is not a definitive defense for keeping a book in a high school library; however, when we consider the Age-Appropriate Materials Act criteria set forth by the state, the members of our committee feel that the student community of Gallatin High School is made up of the maturity level for which this book is appropriate.”
Hendersonville’s review was less detailed and did not include a report.
“The committee unanimously does not find the book obscene and recommends it remains on the shelves at HHS,” that committee wrote.
“This book is ultimately about mental health,” wrote the Station Camp High committee in its recommendation. “It is meant to create a dialogue as all the topics (rape, molestation, drug use, anxiety, depression) effect teens daily. They need to know they are not alone. When you read this book you walk in his shoes.”
Westmoreland High’s committee voted 3 to 2 to remove the book with one member abstaining.
“This was an extremely difficult task for which our committee was unable to reach consensus,” the committee wrote. “The ‘guidance’ provided did not provide guidance. Additionally, it did not mirror Sumner County School Board policy, nor Tennessee Code Annontated.”
During the July 18 school board meeting, Lacy asked school board attorney Todd Presnell and Director of Schools Scott Langford about what guidance the committees were given.
“Why did we not use board policy and Tennessee law to determine whether this book was obscene or not?” Lacy asked.
Presnell said he was asked to prepare a document summarizing the definition of obscenity and sent that to the committees.
“Since you referenced obscenity, we asked Mr. Presnell to provide guidance on obscenity so the review committees looked at obscenity and age-appropriateness,” said Langford.
Lacy asked if the board needed to revise its obscenity policy rather than just mirror the state statute.
Presnell agreed.
District 5 school board member Steven King said he finds it hard to believe that there shouldn’t be any restrictions on school library books.
“I think we need to have those discussions as a board,” he said.
King added he thought the Miller Test was intended to determine obscenity for adults and not for minors.
“We evaluated a book based on criteria for adults,” he said.
Langford disagreed.
“Their number one priority was to make sure nothing was done that was harmful to minors,” said Langford.
https://mainstreetmediatn.com/article...
Sadly in Brookfield and Newtown, CT parents are still trying to ban booksIn Brookfield, parents have already challenged another book at the high school that will be reviewed by the Board of Education in the fall. Meanwhile, Newtown parents next academic year will be able to prevent their children from checking out books that concern them.
For Brookfield resident Linda Davies, who spoke out this year against the e-book " This Book Is Gay by Juno Dawson, the issue at hand is about much more than the challenged book. She said it's about how local educators should maintain and uphold certain values, protecting children from adult-only topics.
Brookfield's school board voted 5-to-2 this month to keep "This Book is Gay,"
Brookfield resident Jeremy Farrell, who sits on the other side of the debate, said he’s working with other activists in the area to hold rallies in support of challenged books, many of which he says are about LGBTQ+ and related topics.
He's part of Justice Southbury, a social justice initiative organized by local volunteers who hold rallies on topics like these, he said.
He added Justice Southbury, along with Newtown Allies For Change “was central to the successful push in Newtown to keep the two graphic books in the library. There’s a few of us activists involved there, and that is a place we can talk about issues and potentially organize from."
Next, Brookfield schools must consider calls to ban the autobiographical graphic novel and memoir Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic The book has received multiple awards, including the Stonewall Book Award, and its musical adaptation won a Tony Award for Best Musical.
"The librarian and principal at the high school received a challenge right at the end of May," said school board Chairman Bob Belden, who voted in support of "This Book is Gay."
Belden continued: "The next step is a special review committee of high school professional staff. But since the staff is away for the summer, it is a bit challenging."
The book has received multiple awards, including the Stonewall Book Award, and its musical adaptation won a Tony Award for Best Musical.
"The librarian and principal at the high school received a challenge right at the end of May," said school board Chairman Bob Belden, who voted in support of "This Book is Gay."
Belden continued: "The next step is a special review committee of high school professional staff. But since the staff is away for the summer, it is a bit challenging."
In deciding on challenged books, some educators say they hope to strike a balance..
Deborra Zukowski, chairman of the Newtown school board, said in a letter to Hearst Connecticut Media that Newtown’s school policy governing book challenges limited the committee’s recommendation to keeping the books or completely removing them from the shelves.
But Zukowski noted that Assistant Superintendent Anne Uberti had suggested there was a “potential for solutions that might fall somewhere in the middle.”
Christopher Melillo, Newtown’s superintendent of schools, said the education board directed administration to work out a plan that would allow parents who have concerns to opt their children out of books that they feel are not appropriate.
“They would need to send the title to their media specialists where they would have a database so if a child goes to check out, it would let the media specialists know,” he said. “We’re still working out the kinks to it, the details around it, but it’s something that my team is working on right now.”
Brookfield schools has an addendum to its library regulation that “recognizes parental rights to limit their child’s library selections.”
John Barile, Brookfield's superintendent, said at a recent meeting that the board is speaking with the schools' librarians about how to better ensure parents “are aware of what their children are taking out in maybe a more real-time manner.”
https://www.newstimes.com/news/articl...
More news Book Riot didn't catch in time.Some library books banned for those under 18 in Montgomery County, Texas
Soon, bookshelves at all seven Montgomery County libraries will look a little different after county commissioners voted unanimously to prevent people under 18 from checking out books considered explicit or questionable.
At a July 11 meeting, they also voted to group children’s book into like-minded themes and add more conservative books to its collections.
However, some have questions.
“That’s my concern on who is determining what is questionable and what is explicit,” Teresa Kenney said.
Kenney is the owner of Village Books. She says it could mean a slippery slope for access to diverse reads.
“If you can’t go the library and pull out a book that someone else your age is reading because somebody else has defined it by their own rating system to be questionable, that’s who it hurts,” she said. “It hurts the kids and families who cannot afford to buy the books themselves.”
KPRC 2 reached out to county commissioners for more context on what’s considered explicit and questionable but didn’t hear back.
https://www.click2houston.com/news/lo...
What in the h-e-double hockey sticks? Is this even true?
"Houston Independent School District will be eliminating librarian positions at 28 schools this upcoming year and utilizing some of the libraries as ‘Team Centers” where kids with behavioral issues will be sent, the district announced. This comes as part of the new superintendent Mike Miles reform program, New Education System (NES). Currently, there are a total of 85 schools that have joined Miles’ program, and of those, 28 campuses will lose their librarians. The district said they will have the opportunity to transition to other roles within the district.
The remaining 57 NES schools’ librarians will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, according to the district."
https://www.click2houston.com/news/lo...
This sounds incredibly stupid and will create more problems! Kids with behavior issues will be alienated and kids without behavior issues won't be able to develop empathy! Did the school psychologists sign off on this? Must tell my sister and see what she thinks!
A Q&A with William Allen, who helped write Florida's history standards. I know it's a controversial opinion but I CAN see the benefit to teaching students about enslaved people building skills but their examples are all backwards! I also think it's important to teach the good moments but they ALSO need to teach the bad and the question here is... will teachers be willing to explain how slavery was dehumanizing and demoralizing on purpose? How the labor of Africans was exploited? How women were treated? https://www.npr.org/2023/07/27/119042...
Interview with the Wisconsin teacher fired in free speech scandal over Miley Cyrus rainbow song: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...
And another teacher was fired for her activities outside work. This teacher, in Texas, was fired from a Christian school for attending a family friendly drag show at a local restaurant!
____
Kristi Maris said in a Facebook post that she was fired from First Baptist Academy in Baytown, Texas, after attending a "sing along show" at the venue.
Hamburger Mary's is a popular drag venue and restaurant with 14 franchise locations across the country, according to its website.
"They told me because I went to this show and posted a picture I wasn't walking in a Godly manner, so that being said please remove yourself from my page if this offends you, if you think this is UnGodly, makes me a p---hile, or causes you to feel uncomfortable," Maris wrote in her Facebook post on Monday.
The school's senior pastor told ABC13 that school policy said: "I will act in a godly and moral fashion at work, on Facebook, and in my community." First Baptist Christian Academy did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.
Maris said news of her termination "spread like wildfire" through the school and its connected church before she was informed that she was fired.
Hamburger Mary's Houston location announced it was planning to host a benefit on August 3 for Maris and another teacher who also said she was fired for attending the drag show.
"Kristi and Nanci are the teachers, not only children, but the whole world deserves!" they posted on FB.
"Unfortunately, they are no longer employed due to attending our show, but that won't stop us from showing our love and passion for the art form of drag!"
Maris told ABC 13 that the school treated her and the other teacher "like criminals."
https://www.businessinsider.com/texas...
Children's book editor, Alex DiFrancesco, a Trans person, claims "The culture wars engulfs me on all sides."They state: "Editors like me are accused of ‘brainwashing’ children. But I simply strive to bring books into the world that let trans children know they aren’t alone."
This is a beautiful and heartbreaking essay
https://www.theguardian.com/commentis...
Mod
And I would also if in Texas simply sign out books for those not allowed to do do that.
Better news from ArkansasArkansas is temporarily blocked from enforcing a law that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing “harmful” materials to minors, a federal judge ruled Saturday.
U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks issued a preliminary injunction against the law, which also would have created a new process to challenge library materials and request that they be relocated to areas not accessible by kids.
The judge also rejected a motion by the defendants, which include prosecuting attorneys for the state, seeking to dismiss the case.
https://apnews.com/article/libraries-...
Mostly good news today but already teachers in Florida are quitting because they can't teach with so many restrictions. Personally I'd stay and challenge it but I don't have a family to support.In Texas, the Campbell County Library board fired the library director for doing her job and not "weeding" books the censors disagree with.
"Lesley in her own interview with Cowboy State Daily said the policy calls for weeding of “obscene” books.
She said it put her in danger of violating the First Amendment by weeding out books that may not be obscene by the legal definition.
“There are no books in our collection that violate the policy. And I think the board sees that differently than I do,” Lesley said. “There’s nothing in our collection that was obscene.”
The legal definition of obscenity is tenuous. It’s based upon the current “community standards” and makes exceptions for materials with artistic, scientific or literary value.
It would be hard for her to make that call on her own, Lesley said, adding that it would be better for community members to challenge books with which they take issue.
Lesley said she can gauge what the community finds obscene by the book challenges, but that in the case of the new curation policy, no books were specifically named for weeding.
As For This Meeting
The Wyoming Democratic Party dispatched an alert Friday on Twitter urging people to resist the move to fire Lesley at that day’s 3 p.m. board meeting, saying the meeting would happen “WITHOUT PUBLIC COMMENT.”
The board allowed public comment initially, until no-applause and other protocols prompted the board to discontinue it, said Lesley. She emphasized that she was grateful for the massive support of the community.
About 80% of the attendees in the packed location were there to support her, Lesley estimated.
Bear said personnel matters don’t require public comment and can happen in executive session, but Lesley wanted to present publicly and the board allowed it.
Charlie Anderson was the lone nay vote opposing Lesley’s termination. Bear, Charles Butler, Chelsie Collier and Darcy Lyon all voted to let the director go.
Wyoming’s Democratic Party leadership characterized the new curation policy as arbitrary, saying it would force the library director to remove any books deemed “inappropriate” by the board and would censor materials acquired in the future.
The library board, the party’s tweet said, consists of the Campbell County Commission’s “right-wing” appointees.
Almost Three Decades
Lesley had been working in the Campbell County Library system for 27 years, 11 of them as director.
She said she was humbled by the support she received Friday.
Both Lesley and Bear said the director’s termination has been looming for a while.
There was an earlier meeting Thursday where the board asked Lesley to turn in her resignation and she declined, said Bear.
Bear said she and other board members tried for months to work with Lesley, but recently found that they could not do so any longer.
Lesley said she had been expecting to be fired.
“I have kind of expected something like this based on the political beliefs of the people who have been appointed to the board,” said Lesley. “It wasn’t a surprise.”
Gender Queer: A Memoir moved to adult section
How Do You Make a Baby? moved to parenting section
Sex Is a Funny Word: A Book about Bodies, Feelings, and YOU stays in the kids' section
Graphic images in the article.
https://cowboystatedaily.com/2023/07/...
Shocking but not surprising news from IowaUrbandale schools made a list of nearly 400 books forbidden from classrooms because of a new Iowa law
een told to remove the titles in order to comply with a new state law passed this year, SF 496, which both prohibits lessons related to gender identity and sexual orientation from kindergarten through sixth grade and also requires schools to remove all books that include sexual content.
The list shared with Urbandale teachers includes titles singled out by Moms for Liberty and other conservative groups that advocated for the law — books such as the graphic-style memoir Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe and Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison.
Literary classics show up the list, such as Joseph Heller’s Catch 22, George Orwell’s 1984 and The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. So do acclaimed works by writers of color including Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, Alice Walker and Maya Angelou.
A number of children’s picture books are listed for removal because they include LGBTQ characters.
Urbandale school board member Daniel Gutmann said he is upset the list wasn’t given to board members to review beforehand, and by the lack of guidance at the state level.
With no further explanation from the Iowa Department of Education, Gutmann said schools are unsure of the law’s boundaries.
The list was acquired through a public information request by the Johnston nonprofit, Annie’s Foundation, which advocates against book bans.
According to a district spokesperson, the list was made in order to give direction to teachers at a year-round elementary school that started classes this week.
“As we have not received guidance yet from the Iowa Department of Education regarding implementation of SF496, we looked at other states that have passed similar laws in order to create the list of books,” said Urbandale schools communications coordinator Dena Claire. “UCSD will continue to comply with the law and timeline as written.”
https://www.iowapublicradio.org/educa...
Good news includes Black history books given away in DeLand, Florida Juneteenth celebrationThe books were pulled from libraries and schools and teachers who quit.
https://www.wesh.com/article/black-hi...
The Education Commissioner is willing to attend a town hall and listen, at least.
Three Black community leaders, State Senator Dr. Rosalind Osgood, State Senator Shevrin Jones, and Miami-Dade School Board member Dr. Steve Gallon, are hosting a town hall on the issue on Aug. 10 in Miami Gardens.
https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/e...
And in Montana, some good news for drag queen story hours (for right now anyway)
Federal judge temporarily blocks Montana’s ban on ‘drag story hours’ in libraries
Judge Brian Morris said at least some of the speech regulated by the law has First Amendment protections and warned that the measure “likely will disproportionately harm not only drag performers, but any person who falls outside traditional gender and identity norms.”
The judge argued that Montana Pride has been around for three decades, Morris said, “Nothing in the record currently before the Court indicates that speech and expression associated with Montana Pride has harmed minors or any other community members.”
https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/28/politi...
Sort of goodish news from MichiganJudge rejects recall petition against Caro library board member
The recall petition for the recall of Jordyn Nordstrom, Caro Area Library Board Member, has been rejected by Judge Amy Gierhart because the language was not sufficiently clear.
The petitioner wanted “It’s Perfectly Normal,” “Sex Is a Funny Word,” and “Let’s Talk About It” moved to the adult section.
The petition was filed with the Tuscola County Board of Election Commissioners on or about June 5, citing the reason “failing to relocate two books from the Juvenile Collection and one book from the Young Adult Collection to the Adult Collection of the Caro Area District Library.”
The petition was approved by a vote of 2-1, so Nordstrom filed an appeal.
“The recall language in this case is muddy and infactual. It was written in hopes of pulling one over on the community to make them believe Mrs. Crutchfield and I are ineffectual officials that do not care about their people,” Nordstrom said.
Nordstrom’s appeal was approved by Gierhart on Friday, July 28 due to the language of the petition being unclear.
The judge rejected the petition because: it fails to refer to any specific books and is not clear about what specific conduct Nordstrom did or did not do in regard to the book.
“Does the person seeking the recall charge [Nordstrom] of failing to relocate books? Or does the recall petition allege that [Nordstrom] failed to handle books appropriately, or mismanaged the organization and access to books in a manner that is detrimental to the community?” Gierhart asked.
She also said the petition was so indefinite that it was impossible to determine whether the alleged conduct occurred during Nordstrom’s current term of office, as required by the statute MCL 167.952(1)(c).
Lastly, Gierhart said the petition raises questions in regard to the First Amendment.
https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/31/judge...
Apparently this is true and a really horrible plan on so many levels! "Houston Independent School District will be eliminating librarian positions at 28 schools this upcoming year and utilizing some of the libraries as ‘Team Centers” where kids with behavioral issues will be sent, the district announced. This comes as part of the new superintendent Mike Miles reform program, New Education System (NES). Currently, there are a total of 85 schools that have joined Miles’ program, and of those, 28 campuses will lose their librarians. The district said they will have the opportunity to transition to other roles within the district.
The remaining 57 NES schools’ librarians will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, according to the district."
https://www.click2houston.com/news/lo...
It's facing pushback from the community
" Mayor Sylvester Turner made it very clear Monday that he is not happy with Houston ISD's plan to turn campus libraries into "team centers" or "discipline centers."
"I don't want HISD schools to look like prisons," Turner said.
Standing with the mayor were some city council members, state leaders, and local pastors, all denouncing the state-appointed HISD Superintendent Mike Miles' plan.
The district's plan is to repurpose libraries at 28 of the New Education System (NES) schools. Miles says the team and discipline centers will not have librarians.
Students who misbehave will be sent to the old library spaces to watch virtual lessons or get homework done. Books can be checked out on an honor system.
"HISD is creating a school district of the 'haves' and the 'have-nots'. With some areas in the district equipped with libraries full of books and technology, while others will resemble stark institutions with no place to go to their school library, to study to check out a book, get the assistance of a librarian and expand their own imagination," Turner said.
...
City leaders also cited research they say validates that having a certified librarian will make student achievement higher.
Ahead of the mayor's news conference on Monday, Miles released the following statement:
"I'm aware of Mayor Turner's planned press event. I cannot and will not govern the state's largest school district by press conference or press release. The time for politics is over, and we will not be distracted by intentional misinformation. I will work with anyone who is serious about improving the learning and life outcomes of HISD students."
Miles also invited the mayor and other state and local leaders to come to see some of the schools and learn more about the NES model. Mayor Turner has invited Miles to city hall to talk more about his plans for HISD.
https://abc13.com/houston-isd-takeove...
https://abc13.com/houston-isd-takeove...
As school libraries face more scrutiny, public libraries are feeling the pressure as wellLibrary director at Palm Harbor Library in Pinellas County Florida retiring this month due to the pressure he faced to remove Pride Month display and all the ridiculousness going on.
Coppola said no books have been banned at Palm Harbor Library, as of yet.
But if he removed every book that someone had a problem with during his career, he said there would be nothing left on the shelves.
"Think that through. Think of what you would not have — the instruction, the support, the encouragement, the accessibility," Coppola said. "Oh, my God, that would be awful!"
To the south of Palm Harbor, in Manatee County, the public library system is getting an overhaul.
An advisory board is drafting "Parents Choice" library cards that will limit what children 12 and under and teens ages 13 to 17 can check out.
County Commissioner Amanda Ballard recently joined the board. She said the goal is to try and empower parents by giving them more choice in their kid's public library selections.
Librarians will be deciding what category and age groups books will go into, according to Tammy Parrott, the Library Services Manager for Manatee County. She's been there for four years, and worked in libraries for 17 years.
"A public library has a different relationship with a family than a school," Parrott said. "In a public library, we are for, obviously, everyone to use. And it is for the parents to decide, and the families to decide what that means to them."
I've heard a lot of people who would like to see certain materials removed completely," she said. "Which for a public library, I don't think is really a feasible solution.
"I've also seen other people who have completely balked at any type of restriction."
As far as potentially controversial topics like sex, gender identity, and race, Ballard said they’re not looking at banning books. But children will need their parent’s permission for any material that falls outside their age limit.
"Those types of materials, if their life experiences are fiction, it's really hard to categorize items, books, materials, by one characteristic," Parrott said."
https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/politic...
This one makes me REALLY sad. My sister's town is not included on this list but they'll be next. Her ex's school district is mentioned. He WAS the type to look at naughty books for giggles if he had access to them. Now kids have phones and the internet."Outspoken activists are using an old playbook to challenge Massachusetts libraries
The surge in attempts to restrict access to library materials has alarmed free speech advocates, led to new legislation at the State House, and brought renewed attention to a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling about censorship in schools.
The towns of Dighton, Ludlow and Sturbridge have all been on the receiving end. Most of those attempts were to censor materials or library programming about race and sexuality — the same topics that vocal conservative groups have for years sought to limit.
Discussions bubbled up in Dighton after the public library promoted Seeing Gender: An Illustrated Guide to Identity and Expression a book about gender identity and expression. Community members met with library officials and also lined up at a board of trustees meeting to argue that "sexual" and "politically inflammatory" books should be separated from where children may see them.
In Ludlow, a controversial proposal to alter the types of books and media allowed in school libraries, and to shift decision-making away from librarians and to the school committee, generated significant debate before the town's school committee ultimately voted against it last month.
During a school committee meeting in May, Ludlow parent Bella Soares spoke in favor of the proposed policy change and pushed back against criticism that removing books would discriminate against students who identify as LGBTQ+.
“Get this all through your heads," Soares said. "You guys are the ones that are making it [about] LGBTQ. It has nothing to do with that. It has to do with pornographic books in our school — drugs, rape, obscenity books. That's what we're trying to eliminate here.”
And in Sturbridge, frustration over a public library-hosted event with a drag queen prompted critics to ask the Town Meeting to defund the library.
James Lonergan, director of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, said it’s a difficult time for library staff. He’s had library directors call him in tears from harassment.
“They're trying to do good work. They're public servants. And frankly, they're being called names, or their ethics are being questioned,” Lonergan said.
ll the arguments about free speech and parental control being used today hearken back to a decades-old U.S. Supreme Court case.
In that 1982 decision, Board of Education, Island Trees Union Free School District v. Pico, the high court held that the First Amendment limits the power of school libraries to remove books because of their content. It was the first time — and still the only time — the Supreme Court heard a case about censorship in school libraries.
For Steven Pico, the lead plaintiff in the case, today’s efforts to ban books are eerily similar to those he experienced over 40 years ago.
"They call the case the 'Pico' case, which is very interesting, which is why I take it very personally," Pico told GBH News.
The case originated in 1977, when he was a 17-year-old high school student in Levittown, New York. A parent's group had complained about 11 books in the school district's libraries, including Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five” and Langston Hughes’s “Best Short Stories by Negro Writers.” The school board then removed the contested books from library shelves, calling them “anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-Semitic and just plain filthy.”
Pico joined with four other students to challenge the school board’s decision. He said it was his patriotic duty.
“This is a democracy, and we have majoritarian rights,” Pico said, reflecting on his decision decades ago. “And we've come to a point in our country where people think and feel that they can make decisions for everybody else, like removing a book.”
Andrea Fiorillo, co-chair of the Massachusetts Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom Social Responsibility Committee, said most people are against censorship, but they need to make their voices heard as much as those pushing for it.
On June 30, state Sen. Julian Cyr filed an act regarding free expression that bolsters existing state laws. Cyr said the legislation would prevent book removal, media and materials due to personal or political views in both public and school libraries, and protect librarians from retaliation. The Massachusetts House has also advanced a similar bill, An Act Ensuring Freedom to Read in the Commonwealth.
"We must continue to champion our values of equity and belonging, that we cannot allow small-minded bans or politically opportunistic censorship to interfere with the right to read,” Cyr said.
The ACLU of Massachusetts has also sent a letter to the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents and the Massachusetts Association of School Committees highlighting their legal obligations when it comes to books challenges. Bourquin said she doesn’t believe most schools are caving to book challenges, but instead follow a thoughtful review process that usually results in retaining the materials in question.
And on the national level, Pico continues to push for freedom of speech and expression.
https://www.wgbh.org/news/local-news/...
HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Parents and community members passionately spoke out at the Hempfield Area School board meeting Monday night. Several people voiced concern about a revised book policy that’s been a hot-button discussion at the district for more than a year.“Make no mistake, the agenda of the conservative members of the Hempfield school board indeed want to ban books,” one speaker said.
Monday’s meeting was the last chance for parents to speak out before a final vote on the proposed new policy in a couple of weeks.
The proposed policy would set guidelines to keep books with sexually explicit content off Hempfield’s school library shelves. Materials would not be allowed if they have visual depictions of sexual acts.
The policy also specifies a review process for any books challenged by parents in order to get them taken off the shelves.
The school board argues they are making sure children have access to books, adding this is not about censoring free speech but about protecting people’s rights.
“If we have to remove a book for sexual content, which we don’t want to do, but if it does not meet the standards for our students, then we will replace it with some other topic or author,” said district solicitor Krisha DiMascio.
“I would like for the school board to leave the regulations as they are,” said parent Cecelia Kessler. “They’ve been working for decades.”
Parent Ryan Sittler would like to see other tweaks made.
“I’m hoping they can make some adjustments to the suggested policy they have right now to make it, for lack of a better term, better, more equitable,” Sittler said.
School board members have been revising the book policy over the last year. They claim it has been thoughtfully done and is not about getting rid of a particular topic or author. They’re expected to vote on the proposed regulations on Aug. 14.
https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/paren...
Another library director fired, this one in Wyoming. "The Campbell County Public Library Board fires their library director over sex education & LGBTQ books
The Campbell County Public Library Board voted 4-1 at a special meeting on July 28 to dismiss Library Director Terri Lesley. Despite not giving an official reason for her dismissal, it comes after board chair Charles Butler and board member Sage Bear asked for Lesley’s resignation a day earlier due to Lesley’s refusals to remove or relocate books on sex education and LGBTQ issues aimed at children and teens.
“When I refused to move books, without going through the challenge process as outlined in the library board's updated collection development policy, the board basically tried to use the weeding process as a way to circumvent this process,” Lesley said. “[It] wouldn't be a challenge process at all and essentially would pass under the radar of the general public as opposed to going through the challenge process, which would require the board members and the person to acknowledge that they had read the book, and for the board to make the ultimate decision to move that book.”
Lesley also expressed concern that relocating books aimed at children and teens to the adult section or removing them from the library entirely would amount to censorship and open herself, the library, the board, and the county to the possibility of lawsuits.
“The board flatly refused to tell me which books they think should be moved even when I’ve questioned them, they have put the burden completely on me and not on them,” she said. “They are the ultimate authority on all that goes on at the library.”
Hundreds of residents gathered for a special meeting at the library on July 28, many of whom were supportive of Lesley, though a few dozen spoke in support of the board’s actions to dismiss her. The meeting began in executive session, followed by a statement from Lesley. Over 30 people signed up to give public comment, though Butler ended it after one commenter used profanity, deemed a violation of public comment rules.
“When you start outlawing books because of your personal, religious and moral beliefs in this country, you’re going against the Constitution, you’re going against what we were founded for,” said meeting attendee Nick Jessen per the Gillette News-Record. “You’re personally an affront to myself and most of the people I know. This is a sh-t show and I’m embarrassed for this board.”
“We went through a year of book challenges, and then I've been going through another year with a completely different board of directors, and so I had kind of thought there was a possibility at that time when these appointments were made [that I would be dismissed],” Lesley said. “We made it through a whole year. So I started to feel a little more comfortable that I might not get fired after all, [but it’s] not a complete surprise.”
This wasn’t the first time the board and some members of the community called for Lesley’s dismissal. Since the summer of 2021, library board meetings have often become a venue for those who seek to remove or relocate materials over objections they have about the appropriateness of these books for children and teens while others advocate for the freedom to read regardless if some find them objectionable.
https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/po...
Gender Queer: A Memoir
This Book Is Gay
Heather Has Two Mommies
Michigan libraries are fighting back against growing calls to ban books by recruiting patrons to spot and spread the word about culture war battles in their communities.On Tuesday, the Michigan Library Association launched a six-month campaign to encourage residents to join Mi Right to Read, a website that offers updates on book battles in libraries and recommends action, such as posting on social media, writing letters to local media and attending school and library board meetings.
“We need help from parents and all community members when they see these types of efforts to limit or censor content at our public libraries,” said Juliane Morian, coalition member and Rochester Hills Public Library director, in a statement announcing the program Tuesday.
The website offers links to media coverage of book battles, including disputes in nine Michigan public and school libraries since June 1.
https://www.bridgemi.com/quality-life...
BOTETOURT COUNTY, Va. – The Botetourt County Board of Supervisors is leaving it up to parents to determine what kids can read from the county libraries.The Botetourt County Libraries’ current policy, which was endorsed by the Board of Supervisors, is that children under the age of 13 must be supervised by a parent or responsible adult over the age of 18.
https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/...
Sounds logical and reasonable to me EXCEPT that some kids don't have parental supervision and come to the library because they need a safe space to go. Kids attend programs that enrich their minds and teach them things. They can socialize with other kids free from parental involvement and read books they want to and need to be reading. With the current mistrust of librarians, I suppose it won't be long before this is amended to parent or guardian or family member.
Well ONE school district in NC is getting sensible about the ridiculous amount of book banning.North Carolina’s largest school system will now limit how often parents can file book challenges to get materials removed from school libraries and classrooms. The Wake County school board gave final approval Tuesday to a policy that says book challenge decisions will be binding for two years. Once a decision is made at a specific school, parents there will need to wait two years before they can file another formal challenge against that book. Wake says parents who object to a particular book can still get an alternative reading assignment for their child.
Supporters of the new time limit say it will keep schools from being inundated with challenges. Critics say it was unfair to put challenge restrictions on parents. “This policy balances the interests of parents in controlling their own child’s education and the First Amendment rights of students and the parents in the rest of the school system,” Renee Sekel, a Wake parent, told the school board on Tuesday. The policy was approved in a 7-2 vote. It was opposed by the two new conservative school board members, Cheryl Caulfield and Wing Ng.
There’s also been extensive debate about whether students should be allowed to serve on book challenge review committees. The updated policy says that the superintendent can appoint up to two high school students to serve on the district review committee to hear challenges involving high school materials. Those students would need parental consent to serve. An earlier version of the updated policy would have required high school students to serve on the district committee. But the language was changed to make it optional to include students.
Read more at: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/loc...
Another school district in NCNEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Dozens of people coming out for the New Hanover County School Board meeting on Tuesday night to voice their concerns on book banning and book selection.
During its regular meeting, the school board held two separate call-to-the-audience sessions. The first was for general comments and the second was for comments regarding book banning and book selection. However, the topic of banning books dominated both sessions.
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You
Among the speakers was 10th grader Hazel Eyles. She says banning books is not helpful for her education.
“I believe that I should be able to read what I want and learn about the world around me and by banning books we’re kind of taking away different parts of our community…this is where we live and this is what’s happening. To shut it out and say it’s not happening kind of defeats the purpose and no change would really happen in general if we just ignored problems,” Eyles said.
Aubrey Tuell also spoke, sharing her concerns about the curriculum surrounding the book.
“Seeing this completely one-sided, anti-American literature and no dissenting viewpoints was very alarming,” Tuell said. “The best way to get an education is by evaluating different viewpoints and finding the positives and negatives in each one. It alarmed me to see there was only one viewpoint being pushed in this AP class.
https://www.wwaytv3.com/dozens-speak-...
https://www.wect.com/2023/08/02/resid...
Author Jodi Picoult speaks against Urbandale school's banned books listhttps://www.facebook.com/jodipicoult/...
Picoult's books on the list include "My Sister's Keeper" a popular YA novel, as well as "Nineteen Minutes," about the events following a school shooting.
What they're saying: The lack of guidance from the state forced the district to create its own book list that had a "broad interpretation" to avoid disciplinary action, according to a statement issued by Urbandale schools Monday.
What's next: Penalties for teachers and administrators who don't remove prohibited books start Jan. 1, 2024.
https://www.facebook.com/jodipicoult/...
Good news from Jacksonville, Florida! I looked on the map and saw several diverse LFLs and some with banned books! ___
"When their school district in Florida took books off the shelves, this community built their own little libraries.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/08/0...
Mod
A lot of news today, most of it is actually good. People ARE fighting and not allowing the vocal minority to win. The ACLU is helping and judges are NOT allowing bans on drag. A reminder that Kirk Cameron's Brave Books and Moms for Liberty are planning to take over the library on Saturday August 5th. Librarians are stuck between a rock and a hard place. If libraries are for EVERYBODY they can't deny the banners or they'll be called out as hypocritical, anti-Christian, plus the usual name calling. If they allow the event to be scheduled, they get push back from the community! Here's what some libraries are doing:
Allowing Brave Books to book the meeting room. They are not allowed to come into the library and "invite" the public to their event, nor are they allowed to distribute pamphlets or flyers outside of the meeting room.
Booking the meeting room for a library program. The library I walk to is holding a children's story time with local authors.
Laura Strauss
Bee-Cause We Care: About Our Honey Bees
https://m.facebook.com/p/Laura-straus...
Jonathan Bean
Oge Mora
Thank You, Omu!
Saturday
I'm excited about her. I'm going to try to attend the event.
Jacob Kramer
https://bookroo.com/creatives/jacob-k...
Noodlephant
More Bats
My First Bible Storybook/Mi Primer Libro de Historias Biblicas (Spanish Edition)
What you can do to help fight book bans:
Go to the library on Saturday.
Protest by quietly checking out banned books and read them in the library where you are visible.
I hope to walk up there wearing my "Read banned books" t-shirt and my "teach truth" button and keep working away at my banned books list.
I sort of wish I still lived on the other side of the river so I could get to the two libraries where Brave Books IS holding events but it would take all day just to get there on the bus.
Madison Wisconsin Public Library has cancelled a planned Saturday event by conservative organization Moms for Liberty due to lack of space. They say the Moms never applied for an event permit ahead of time.
"People had also planned a counter protest outside the library, according to social media posts, but that was not cited in the cancellation.
Organizers originally projected 20 attendees, the library said, but library staff said they learned Tuesday that organizers were expecting more than 300 people. The library called that “a number that far exceeds any meeting room capacity within the Huntsville-Madison County Library System.”
The library said it “explored options” to make the event possible consulting Madison City Police, the Madison City Fire Marshall and city officials. The police and fire departments recommended an alternate location, the library said.
“The Moms for Liberty group failed to apply for an event permit in advance,” the City of Madison said, “and it was determined that city resources cannot support an event of this size on such short notice. Alternative accommodations have been recommended to the organization to ensure a safe and well attended event.”
https://www.al.com/news/2023/08/madis...
Moms, of course, whining about violation of their First Amendment rights.
Now for the day's news More good news from Florida. Dear Arthur can stay on the shelves. No souls will be corrupted by Arthur's Birthday!
https://www.thedailybeast.com/florida...
The ACLU of Iowa seeks help in identifying books banned from school libraries.
As Iowa school districts prepare for the 2023-24 school year, some have already begun removing certain books from classrooms and school libraries to comply with the new state law in spite of no official guidance yet.
Gundula, they answered your question about bringing a banned book to school.
"Urbandale believes that student access to high quality books is vital to personal and academic success, and we must also comply with the law … If a student brings a title from home to read that would violate elements of SF496 this is allowable so long as it is not shown to other student.
No other Iowa school districts have published lists of books they are planning to remove from libraries and classrooms for the upcoming school year. In a message to journalists, the ACLU of Iowa encouraged reporters to reach out to local school districts on the issue and offered assistance filing formal requests for information.
The Urbandale school district put out a statement on social media responding to the publishing of the list, saying the list was necessary as the new school year began July 27 for the district’s year-round elementary school.
The Iowa State Board of Education plans to discuss the new restrictions during its Thursday meeting as a part of a “legislative update,” alongside the other education measures passed during the 2023 legislative session.
Heather Doe, Communications Director with the Iowa Department of Education said in an email that “each school district is required to create their own policies and procedures for book selection and reconsideration that comply with Iowa law.”
While implementation of the new law began July 1, enforcement does not kick off until 2024. Beginning January 1, school districts and staff would be subject to penalties if found violating the new content restrictions on school materials.
If a Department of Education investigation found that a district or employee violated the law, they would first issue a written warning, and any subsequent violations would lead to a Board of Educational Examiners ethics investigation and potential disciplinary action."
https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/...
Jefferson Parish (La.) School Board discusses WDSU Investigation behind closed doors at meetingThe incident in question features harmful content! Read the spoiler if you want to know. It was a racially motivated incident directed at a student!
(view spoiler)
WDSU asked to speak to Dr. James Gray, superintendent for JP schools, after Wednesday’s public school board meeting. He left through a back door. A spokesperson said he wasn't taking questions because of pending litigation.
"I want something so dark, dim and cruel to be brought to the light and I feel that has not happened until now until now,” Stephanie Miller said.
Miller said the image was shown in her son's virtual class back in 2021 at Patrick F Taylor in Avondale.
“When we learned of this incident at Patrick Taylor Academy in 2021, Jefferson Parish Schools began an investigation due to its serious and sensitive nature. Jefferson Parish Schools strictly prohibits bullying and harassment in any form and values diversity, equity and inclusion. The district worked closely with the family, app vendor, and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office to conduct a thorough investigation. Due to limited data retained by the app, the district was unable to identify the responsible party. Immediately after the incident, JP Schools disabled the learning app district-wide to prevent any further incidents. Additionally, the district conducted a culture and climate survey at the school with all students, parents and employees to take additional steps in ensuring a safe and positive learning environment for all students.”
https://www.wdsu.com/article/jefferso...
A Florida Baptist leader wants to talk history standards with Gov. DeSantis"Hundreds of faith leaders of the Florida General Baptist Convention decried the state’s new African American History standards at a conference in Orlando on Wednesday.
The pastors formed their own task force for teaching African American history in the state.
Newly elected President of the Florida General Baptist Convention Dr. Carl Johnson wants to meet with Gov. Ron DeSantis to talk about the standards.
Critics take issue with a middle school standard that would teach kids that slavery was beneficial.
Johnson said as a veteran, and a fellow Christian, he wants to see if they can reason together and find a compromise when it comes to the language of the standards."
"“This language has disturbed us. And if this governor cares about people, he should not want this disturbance to linger in our culture. Of course, I'm looking forward to that meeting," said Johnson. "Like he called our vice president out to come meet with her in our state. Well, you got somebody in your state, who's the new elected state president for this convention, who has been called for a time like this.”
Johnson is referencing the Book of Esther when he says "called for a time like this." Mordecai tells Esther that she has been called "for such a time as this." It's up to her to reason with King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) in order to save her people from certain destruction.
Johnson and the leaders referenced the stories of Moses and Esther throughout the press conference, who both set their people free from tyrants.
Gov. Ron DeSantis says he supports the standards and says they are, "rooted in whatever is factual."
https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/educati...
Tracie D. Hall Is Leading Her Fellow ‘Warrior’ Librarians In The Fight Of The CenturyForbes Magazine story on Tracie D. Hall, the executive director of the American Library Association.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/erinspen...
Quotes from Ms. Hall:
"Providing access to learning and information for all, that's our mission at the ALA, and today, those words have become fighting words," says Hall, putting an extra emphasis on the “for all” piece. "In response, we, as librarians, have moved to the frontlines of a battle that we didn't ask for."
Hall is the first for a Black woman to lead since the organization’s founding in 1876. She's been under siege since the first day of her tenure.
Hall refers to her fellow librarians as “warriors.”
She is bolstering the organization’s in-house legal resources and legal defense fund, pushing for policy change alongside political leaders and, earlier this year, launched a comprehensive Unite Against Book Bans initiative aimed at equipping everyday people to fight back against censorship in their own communities.
Hall says: "It has all tested our capacity building, but ultimately, really tested our conviction in the belief that access to information is central to civic engagement and democratic participation.
This is the moment in which we have to assert the belief that freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to read—there's a reason they're part of our First Amendment rights. You don't get to personal protections [and] you don't get to a democracy unless you have the right to read.”
“If you know a librarian, and if you've really gone to your library, you understand that there's a relentless desire to see all voices included,” she says. “That is just part of the profession.”
Hall is working to close the digital divide and expand broadband access while simultaneously ensuring the ALA’s members are promoting diversity, equity and inclusion at libraries across the country.
“I feel like history at some point is going to judge us,” Hall says. “And I think that if we keep going in the way that we are, I think we as librarians will be on the right side of history. That goal keeps me going.”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/erinspen...
Of course this issue isn't going away so there is bad news.In Urbandale, Iowa, Board member Daniel Gutmann didn’t learn about the Urbandale School District’s list of books to be removed from K-12 buildings until he heard about it from a reporter. Gutmann has been a member of the school board since he won a special election last year. He was also surprised by some of the titles and authors on the list.
“There are so many books on that list by so many well-known and respected authors that have nothing to do with the intended bias written into the law,” he said, calling the list an overreach.
The notice says the list of books was sourced from other states with similar laws, but it didn’t name the states.
Jason Menke, another member of the Urbandale school board, said he was concerned about the lack of transparency regarding the list.
He also said Urbandale is just the first school making these decisions, because of the way the school’s calendar is laid out. But this same conversation will happen soon in every other district across the state.
“The [Iowa] Department of Education needs to step up and provide guidance,” he said. “This is not leadership. This is not governing. This is intimidation and fear.”
Gutmann and Menke both took issue with the fact that most of the books on the list target classes—LGBTQ people and people of color—that are protected under Iowa law.
“The list is just absurdly exhaustive,” Gutmann said, pointing out that books like “50 Shades of Grey” by E.L. James—which is on the list—wouldn’t be in any school library.
But another book on the list is a picture book called “Families, Families, Families” by Suzanne Lane.
“Where, in passing among 50 other different family structures, it’s mentioned that a child has two moms or two dads. That’s not sex,” Gutmann, who used to teach elementary in Des Moines Public Schools said. “If talking about different kinds of families is talking about sex, then do we need to remove all the books that have a mom and a dad?”
He said one of his colleagues has a book in her room about an animal character learning how to bake and, in passing, mentions having two moms, one spelled with a “U” and one with an “O.”
“Simply for that reason, the book is no longer legal in Urbandale and Urbandale schools,” Gutmann said.
So is a biography of US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, who is gay and married to a man.
“It’s hateful. It’s mean-spirited. And that’s not what I want my town to represent,” Gutmann, who is also gay, said. “There’s nothing inappropriate about families like mine.”
Many of the books on the list are also classics, which Gutmann and Menke said are included in Urbandale’s AP courses.
“You’re basically taking away entire curriculum with this list or lists like it,” Menke said.
Gutmann said he isn’t confident Urbandale can claim to be educating their students to a high standard and said parents should think hard about that.
For children who can’t buy books or have a hard time getting to the public library, this policy removes their only real resource for books reflecting who they are or the world around them.
“There are going to be kids who live in environments where their family is probably not supportive and they’re not going to have access to those materials,” Menke said. “And those are the kids that I am the most concerned about.”
Gutmann encouraged people to get in touch with their school board members, even if they aren’t talking about removing books yet. If people want to have their voices heard, he said, they need to start now.
https://iowastartingline.com/2023/08/...
UPDATE GOOD NEWS!
Urbandale Pauses Removal Of LGBTQ Books From Schools
The Urbandale School District released updated guidance on Thursday about books that are to be removed from school buildings and paused on removing those that mention LGBTQ content.
After reviewing the list with 382 titles and instead narrowed it down to 65.
“We have determined that there is ambiguity regarding the extent to which books that contain topics related to gender identity and sexual orientation need to be removed from libraries. As such, we will pause removing books that reference gender identity and sexual orientation until we receive guidance from the Iowa Department of Education,” said the email from the school district to parents of the district.
As a result, the only books the district will focus on removing at this time are those that depict s-e-x acts.
The list still contains classics like “The Handmaid’s Tale” and multiple books by Toni Morrison, John Green, and Sarah J. Maas.
School board members who criticized the initial list praised the move.
“It’s absolutely a move in the right direction,” said Jason Menke, who serves on the Urbandale School Board. “I’m still distraught that districts are in a position where they’re still having to remove books. Sixty-five still seems like a very high number.”
He said this confusion was just a sign of what a tricky position the Iowa Legislature put schools in when it passed SF 496, which prohibits schools from having any books that depict s-e-x acts—no matter the overall purpose of the book—and prohibits instruction about sexual orientations or gender identity for students up to sixth grade.
“In the absence of leadership and clear direction, more districts are going to find themselves in this situation,” he said. “And it’s regrettable because our schools and our teachers have more important things to do than going through the card catalog.”
“The key for me is that this is a victory in regards to moving our district in the right direction. I’m not saying we’re totally there yet, but we this is better than it was yesterday or last week. We’re moving in the right direction,” said Dan Gutmann, who also serves on the Urbandale School Board.
https://iowastartingline.com/2023/08/...
Of course Texas won't let it go but EXPANDS book banning in Katy ISD!https://www.houstonchronicle.com/neig...
Katy ISD trustees now have the ability to ban reading materials and prevent incoming materials without a review committee following Monday's board of trustees meeting.
The board may circumvent the formal review process for removing educational materials after unanimously approving amendments to the district's reading material policies.
Any book, textbook or educational resource in either libraries, classrooms or book clubs may be removed from shelves if two board members agree to pull the book. The board can then vote to ban the book entirely.
Additionally, the titles of any incoming new books must be submitted to the board in writing 30 days before they're ordered, and the board has the authority to bar the book from entering schools.
It also now specifies “sexually explicit material” as inappropriate, in addition to the former policy’s language defining inappropriate material as “harmful” or “obscene.”
“How can we trust you to make the right decision when it comes to removing books?” Katy ISD parent Angie Waller asked. “Please, for once do the right thing and leave the decision to a review committee.”
Other community members encouraged the new policy.
“I urge this new board to act swiftly to purge inappropriate books from our school libraries,” said Hongzheng Jin, who spoke during public comments. “Most importantly, those who introduce such books into our school libraries … should be fired.”
Board member Dawn Champagne questioned whether the motion was necessary, noting that the recently approved House Bill 900 places the onus of reviewing books on book vendors.
With the new book review policy, she noted, the district will have to pay staff to review the books and possibly take them away from instructional time.
“I'm trying to safeguard our expenditures, and if the vendor pays for the expense of reviewing the books, I don't understand why our district employees will have to be paid excess money or do extra work,” Champagne said. “It does take away from … providing educational experiences for our children.”
The new policy states the district’s objective is “to choose material that meets high standards … that is appropriate to students over material that may provide similar content but with elements that are inappropriate or unnecessary for minors in school,” and that “the ultimate authority for reviewing and removing library materials lies with the Board.”
Anne Russey, a mother of Katy ISD students, implored the board to allow educators and librarians to determine whether a book is appropriate for children.
“You have overhauled an entire library of instructional resource policy without any regard for the master's level experts you employ,” she said. “(Librarians) are responsible for protecting their students’ intellectual freedoms … Their life's work is to expand the minds and experiences of students through varied literacy.”
Former Katy ISD librarian Lynette Alidon criticized the board for their endeavors to ban more reading materials from schools.
“It's important to remember that the role of good board members is not to impose censorship based on individual opinions,” she said. “You should not become antagonists like those in ‘Fahrenheit 451,’ or engage in actions reminiscent of the historical instances of Nazi Germany. Instead, our focus should be fostering an environment of intellectual freedom and encouraging open mindedness among students.”
Elsewhere in Florida, proving no one knows how to read or think correctly... libraries will allow Brave Books to go through the proper channels and host an event in the meeting room! That's the legal way to go about it for any group that wants to hold an event in the library!________________________
Florida Senator Marco Rubio and Republican colleagues sent a letter to Institute of Museum and Library Services Director Crosby Kemper demanding an investigation into the American Library Association’s potential use of taxpayer dollars to silence Brave Books, a potential violation of the First Amendment, while also promoting “Drag Queen Story Hours” at public libraries.
in June 2023, the ALA provided guidance on how to prevent story hours held by Brave Books, a Christian children’s book publisher, from happening at libraries.
https://westorlandonews.com/rubio-dem...
In Montgomery County, Maryland, parents are still wanking about the no opt-out policy for diverse books being read in the classroom. Now the principals express "concern" over the "inappropriate" books read to kids. (None of which are actually inappropriate according to experts).https://www.washingtonpost.com/educat...
_____
“It has been communicated that MCPS is not teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity as stand alone concepts in elementary school,” some of the principals wrote in a document sent in November. “However, several of the books and supporting documents seemingly contradict this message.”
The document surfaced last month as a part of an open records request by the Council on American-Islamic Relations that was shared with The Post. Staff from CAIR’s Maryland office have been part of a group of demonstrators calling on Maryland’s largest school district to instate an “opt-out” provision for the books.
“This memo that elementary school principals sent to the school district leaders back in the fall I think is critical from a legal perspective and also a policy perspective, because what they are laying out are all the things that parents have been saying,” said Edward Ahmed Mitchell, CAIR’s national deputy director.
The letter was sent by the elementary cabinet chair of the Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals — a union representing about 800 school administrators — to school officials including the district’s chief academic officer and associate superintendent of curriculum and instructional programs.
Chief among the principals’ concerns was that the books included in the supplemental curriculum were not “appropriate for the intended age group, or in one case, not appropriate at all for young students.” Montgomery schools rolled out the books around October. They are intended as optional texts that teachers can read in the classroom, alongside other texts offered through the school system’s curriculum provider.
My Rainbow
uses the terms transgender and cisgender, but does not explain the terminology, the principals said in the letter. They added that “family life isn’t taught until fifth grade” but the book would introduce those terms to students at a younger grade level.
Love, Violet
the principals wrote that it is “problematic to portray elementary school age children falling in love with other children, regardless of sexual preferences.” The letter details similar concerns with five of the books.
Chris Cram, a spokesperson for the school district, said the document contained “gathered observations of a few system principals and shouldn’t be considered comprehensive.”
“There were many official messages and opportunities we call Principal Office Hours where principals could ask direct questions to support school leaders to fully understand the rollout, the expected use, and implementation,” Cram said in an email.
Montgomery County school officials have said that the books involved are age and developmentally appropriate. It has prohibited students from being pulled out of the classroom when the books are read, citing in part that Maryland law only allows students to “opt-out” for a specific unit in the state’s health education framework around family life and human sexuality, and the books are a part of an English Language Arts curriculum. A spokesperson from the Maryland State Department of Education has similarly given that analysis of the state law.
A group of families filed a lawsuit against the school system in May that could test the argument in court. They allege the school system is violating their religious freedoms guaranteed under the First Amendment by not allowing an exemption because the material covered overlaps with areas of their faith.
In the letter, the elementary school principals also highlighted their concerns with a script the school system provided educators to navigate questions and comments that may arise from students. One of the examples includes a student saying, “Being ___ (gay, lesbian queer, etc) is wrong and not allowed in my religion.” In the script, school staff are offered the suggestive response of, “I understand that is what you believe, but not everyone believes that. We don’t have to understand a person’s identity to treat then (sic) with respect and kindness.” The principals’ concern was that the response was “dismissive of religious beliefs.”
Eva Goldfarb, a professor of public health at Montclair State University and researcher on sex education, reviewed the principals’ document and read four of the books — Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope, Love Violet, and My Rainbow, Pride Puppy!all of which she found to be developmentally appropriate.
“It is about understanding people who students may not know or who may be different from them,” she said, noting that inclusion and acceptance were “exactly the point” of all the books she read.
The principals also wrote they were worried that teachers had not been trained on the use of the books and the conversations it could spark in the classroom, and that there needed to be “a more robust, inclusive, public-facing process that includes deliberate attempts to include administrators, teachers, and parents as stakeholders.”
Cram, the district spokesman, highlighted how some of the concerns were addressed. Starting in the summer and through the fall, training was provided to reading specialists, counselors and media specialists, he said. There was also a “train the trainer” series in which some staff at schools were trained on how to use the books and then took that training back to their schools to teach other staffers, Cram said. Principals also participated in some trainings on implementing the books.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/educat...
Today's censorship news from Book Riot:Book bans may bring the return of child-free libraries
https://literaryactivism.substack.com...
School Library Journal spoke with four plaintiffs, including authors and librarians, involved in lawsuits fighting censorship.
https://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/...
Some parents in Coronado Public Library (CA), though less than half, objected to the book The Rainbow Parade by Emily Neilson being read at a storytime during Pride month.
Some in the community felt that some of the imagery in the book was not appropriate for toddlers and preschoolers to view. Some wanted the book removed from the children's section.
Many felt that while parents have a right to decide for themselves and their family what they feel is appropriate or not at certain ages, but that it would be problematic for any one or select group of parents to decide what is appropriate or not appropriate for all children.
The Public Library will be posting the themes for Story Time a month in advance on their website, and the selected books will now be displayed at least 10 to 15 minutes ahead of the program should parents wish to take a look at it ahead of the reading, allowing staff to also carefully review selections.
For “Librarian’s Choice” days listed during the month, website visitors will be able to follow a link to the calendar where those book selections will be listed for that day as well. For non “Librarian’s Choice” days, Friend explained that selections are generally not made until a little before Story Time so as not to set aside a book weeks or days ahead of time that families may want to check out. Selections are made from what is available on the shelf that day, but will be consistent with the themes listed on their website the month in advance and will now be on display just ahead of programming for parent perusal.
http://www.coronadonewsca.com/news/co...
The Temecula Valley Unified School District (CA) is being sued over Resolution 21 that bans teaching "critical race theory," which the suit asserts violates California's censorship and anti-discrimination statutes. The suit was filed on behalf of several teachers, parents, and students.https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/lo...
The Boundary County Library (ID) is creating a "new adult" section, separate from their "young adult" section, after books like Me and Earl and the Dying Girl were challenged as inappropriate for teens.
The Boundary County Library will be creating a new adult section for books aimed at readers 18 to 25 and that explore more adult themes than young adult books.
The section will be located upstairs where the adult section is located.
On July 20, at the reconsideration hearing for the book “Me, Earl and the Dying Girl,” Boundary County Library board trustees agreed to pull the book from its collection until it could find a home in the forthcoming new adult section. In addition they agreed to audit the young adult collection to see if other books should be moved to the new adult collection, but first, a rubric with criteria on what qualifies as a “new adult” book has to be created by staff. Librarians were tasked with looking into a rating system for books and possibly adding BookLooks.org as part of their protocol for book selection.
New adult fiction category focuses on protagonists in the 18-29 age bracket. The term was first coined in 2009 by the St. Martin’s Press after they held a special call for fiction similar to young adult fiction that can be published and marketed as adult, a Publisher Weekly article said. New adult fiction tends to focus on issues such as leaving home, developing sexuality, and negotiating education and career choices, and is typically written by new adults for new adults.
The current young adult section at the library is rated 14 and up, as noted by a sign that sits between the decorative letters Y and A sitting on one of the shelfs. However, younger readers may still access those books.
Local blogger and activist Adrienne Norris filed for material reconsideration of Me and Earl and the Dying Girlon April 23.
In the reconsideration form Norris wrote “Me, Earl and the Dying Girl” violates the Miller test.
At the July 20 meeting, during her presentation time, Norris referred to a summary of contents for the novel provided by BookLooks.org. In a shock-and-awe technique Norris read through the list of all the inappropriate sections of the novel, reading sexually explicit content without providing context of when these sections take place in the source material.
Vice chair Aaron Bohachek attempted to make Norris stop reading the content.
Norris replied that if she was going to be cut off due to the inappropriate nature of the content then why doesn’t the board just vote “no” right away.
At that point a woman yelled out of order, “Let that woman read that book, it’s on you, on you,” before leaving the room and screaming in the parking lot.
During the reconsideration hearing, Lynda Fioravanti, a local Realtor, said the passages cited by Norris were “completely offensive” to her being. She said if the library board didn’t remove the book then in her eyes they would be “grooming children and contributing to child trafficking,” she said.
A 15-year-old, spoke out against the book and read the content warning that is on the front page of the novel advising that if you’re not 18 years old, you should put the book down.
“It hurts my heart to have [this book] in our Bonner Ferry library,” she said.
Beth Ashworth spoke in favor of the book. She admitted that the language was crude, but that the underlying storyline of a teenager trying to make his terminally ill friend laugh, hit home, of her experience of her own husband’s battle with cancer as her son was a teenager.
Vice Chair Aaron Bohachek said that he was torn in his decision, because he’d read the author’s defense of the book, which is the underlying story of the main character witnessing his friend suffering from cancer. However, he said he was concerned for his own daughter who is an advanced reader and finding material for her to read, adding that even at home he’s had talks about what is appropriate for her to read.
“I’m happy that today we are defining our community standards,” he said, suggesting “heavy material” be moved upstairs, especially materials that discuss race and religion, adding that kids need context to read these materials.
Trustee Lee Colson said he read the book in its entirety and had a clear idea of his decision until he heard public comments made by the youth who passionately spoke against such material. He said the youth is the target customer for the young adult section and the books should be ones that youths want to read.
Colson said he believes the statements in the book are realistic for those characters and a demographic of kids, but he also had a young daughter who was an advanced reader who could have come across those books, although she self-monitored her reading selection.
He agreed with Bohacek about a new location for the book, but added that the library can’t raise the patrons’ kids and there is the balance of individual freedom.
When asked why the book was added to the collection, BCL Director Lynn Silva said it is an award-winning novel. She noted that a synopsis of the subject matter did not dive into the derogatory language used throughout.
Librarians were tasked with finding a space to put the new adult section upstairs — if possible, within sight of the check-out desk. Board members reminded patrons that if a child is on the family library card they have permission to check out books without parental permission or presence and staff would be required to allow the child to check out the material.
Parents can remove their child from the library card and it is library policy that all children must be accompanied by an adult.
Many of those present were concerned with the YA section being downstairs and having comfortable seating, alluding that this would encourage younger readers to view more mature content when parents are not present.
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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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Residents speak out against creating book-rating system at Timberland Regional Library
About a dozen people spoke out Wednesday against a potential book-rating system in the Timberland Regional Library system, raising concerns that such a system could lead to book banning and censorship. The residents spoke to the library system’s board of trustees, but the library district — which serves a five-county area including Thurston, Lewis, Mason and Grays Harbor counties — also received 142 emails between July 19-26 from residents concerned about the same idea, said Executive Director Cheryl Heywood.
Executive Director Heywood made clear that the library district does not endorse such a system. She said the district has multiple policies, operational procedures and collection guidelines to “ensure the freedom to read for all our patrons without prejudicial labeling,” adding that materials already are placed in age-appropriate areas of the library for early readers, kids, teens and adults. “Timberland Regional Library promotes and defends the principle of intellectual freedom based on the First Amendment of the Constitution,” she said. “And as your library administration, we do not condone the prejudicial labeling of the collection. We believe that the ability to freely chose what to read is a cornerstone of democracy and a free society.”
Read more at: https://www.theolympian.com/news/loca...