Children's Books discussion
Banned Books: discussions, lists
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Discussion of censorship, equity, and other concerns.
Lafayette Parish Public Library (LA) is once again considering banning book displays about "political, social, and ideological" topics.https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/...
Displays that feature books and other materials on human sexuality or that may be considered controversial, including those on political, social and ideological topics, may again be banned from all libraries in the Lafayette Public Library System.
The library's board of control is expected at a meeting Monday to consider such a policy.
The proposed policy states that "displayed items must be in accordance with the overall policy regarding s---ally explicit materials. Since displays are designed by their very nature to highlight items, displayed items shall not contain s---ally explicit material nor material that includes topics relating to human s---ality.
"Furthermore," the proposed policy states, "in consideration of all people of Lafayette Parish, displays shall avoid political, social, or ideological topics and other topics considered to be controversial or potentially controversial."
S---ally explicit materials defined by board policy adopted in 2023 is "textual, visual or audio materials or material accessed via any other medium that depict or describe s----al conduct."
"Earlier this year, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry required all libraries in the state of Louisiana to adopt a new policy that would require a parent or guardian to decide whether their child may check out books that contain sexually explicit material."https://www.katc.com/new-bill-require...
Elizabeth Desormeauxwho has a 15-year-old son in Vermilion Public Schools, told KATC that while she was not aware of this new bill, she believes it’s a step in the right direction. “It’s pretty important to have an input in your child’s education. It’s a good thing, this way parents can be a little more aware of their children reading to make sure it’s appropriate for their own personal home life,” she said.
The bill argues that the fundamental rights of parents include the right to decide the upbringing and education of their children. This also includes romance novels and health books.
“It was very nerve wracking because obviously I want to follow the law but as a librarian, I’m all about access to information. A lot of librarians are getting death threats and it’s unnecessary. It’s really up to the parent to have these discussions with their children,” said Vermilion Parish Library Director Charlotte Bourg.
This comes at a time when Governor Landry has put pressure on public libraries to adhere to this new change and enforce libraries like Vermilion Parish to adopt a new card system that parents must sign off on.
“The important thing for parents to know is that their children will not be able to checkout without them filling this form out. So, if you have a 16-year-old or someone who is in high school and they are coming to get books or materials for a class, they are not going to be able to check those items out unless the parent has come out and filled this form,” Bourg said.
The Burke County Board of Education (NC) has been hearing from citizens (of the local Baptist church) about inappropriate books that need to be removed from the school. The quotes in this one are sure something. “I pray to God that no r---s take place in our county, or even worse, if it does, it falls on those that have made this accessible to these children,” Deal said. One speaker said p----graphy “will take over your mind.” “If you want to destroy the kids’ minds in this country, and it breaks my heart to see this happen, it’ll be like what Hitler did in Germany,” said Bob Fisher. “He took the minds of young children and perverted them by using stuff like this.” https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https://morga...
Winkler’s Grove Baptist Church Pastor Paul Deal. Deal referenced a comment made by Gov. Roy Cooper during a visit at Forest Hill Elementary School where Cooper called complaints about books political myths.
Deal slammed the statement, saying Cooper was either ignorant or incompetent for not recognizing the books’ existence in schools. While Deal spoke, other attendees held up copies of the books they believed were p---graphic and chanted a chorus of “amens.”
He also said he and his supporters aren’t calling for books to be banned, per se.
“We’re simply saying that these tools of wickedness have no place in our school system or with our children, and they’re certainly not educational,” Deal said.
Deal told board members God would not be on their side if they support keeping the “p____graphic” books, putting a lofty weight on the board members’ shoulders.
“I pray to God that no r----s take place in our county, or even worse, if it does, it falls on those that have made this accessible to these children,” Deal said.
One speaker said p----graphy “will take over your mind.”
“If you want to destroy the kids’ minds in this country, and it breaks my heart to see this happen, it’ll be like what Hitler did in Germany,” said Bob Fisher. “He took the minds of young children and perverted them by using stuff like this.”
But at the end of the meeting, board member Leslie Ritchie Taylor shared a list of all the books that have been pulled from school libraries, including multiple books speakers referenced during public comments.
Taylor thanked the speakers for coming to the meeting and for raising their concerns, but told them they need to take the proper channels for future concerns about books.
“I’m not one to just take heresy,” Taylor said to the crowd. “I want facts. I want them investigated, so just to come and say ‘hey, this is the title,’ that’s not of help. Challenge the book if you know a title that I did not mention.”
Among those titles were:
The entire “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series (five books) by Sarah J. Maas
“And They Lived” by Steven Salvatore
“Boy Toy” by Barry Lyga
“Breathless” by Jennifer Niven
“Call Me By Your Name” by Andre Aciman
“Crank” by Ellen Hopkins
“Empire of Storms” by Sarah J. Maas
“Exit Here” by Jason Myers
“Fallout” by Ellen Hopkins
“Felix Ever After” by Kacen Callender
“Glass” by Ellen Hopkins
“I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter” by Erica Sanches
“Identical” by Ellen Hopkins
“Impulse” by Ellen Hopkins
“Life is funny” by E.R. Frank
“Living Dead Girl” by Elizabeth Scott
“Me & Earl & The Dying Girl” by Jesse Andrews
“Monday’s Not Coming” by Tiffany D. Jackson
“Nineteen minutes” by Jodi Picoult
“Nowhere Girls” by Amy Reed
“Oryx and Crake” by Margaret Atwood
“Push” by Sapphire
“Precious” (movie based on “Push” by Sapphire)
“Red Hood” by Elana K. Arnold
“Sold” by Patricia McCormick
“The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison
“The Girl Who Fell From The Sky” by Heidi Darrow
“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky
“The Sun and Her Flowers” by Rupi Kaur
“Tilt” by Ellen Hopkins
“Tricks” by Ellen Hopkins
“Water for Elephants” by Sara Gruen
“People Kill People” by Ellen Hopkins
“Rumble” by Ellen Hopkins
“The You I’ve Never Known” by Ellen Hopkins
Students walked out of Esperanza High School in Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School District (CA) this week in protest of how the board has been changing the district. Among the changes installed by this far-right board are book bans and curriculum challenges, and the forcing out of their principal.https://fullertonobserver.com/2024/03...
Superintendent Alex Cherniss and HR Director Issaic Gates. Cherniss, the district’s third superintendent in three years, has implemented controversial “parental rights” actions.
PUBLIC library folks...Several books in Greenville County Public Libraries (SC) were moved from their appropriate places in the library into new sections. Among them, the book Rick by Alex Gino was put into a parenting and early childhood section.
https://www.wspa.com/news/local-news/...
The Greenville County Library Materials Committee met Monday afternoon to discuss moving a new list of books to different sections of county libraries.
It was suggested that the book, ‘Closer to Nowhere’ stay in the juvenile section. The book, ‘Flamer’ should move to young adult, ‘Rick’ should move to the parenting and early childhood section, and ‘We Are the Ants’ should be moved to the adult section.
The committee discussed how each book addressed topics about drugs, relationships and profanity.
It’s now up to the board to make the final decision on all these moves.
The meeting was the first held by the materials committee since a new policy was approved a few weeks ago, removing any books discussing gender identity to parenting and early childhood sections.
Nine books about LGBTQ+ people are being challenged at Clancy Elementary School in Montana.https://www.boulder-monitor.com/news/...
Arabian Night? That was banned in the 19th c. because it was considered immoral. The original translation even says the translator left out the parts only dirty old men would want to read! It was censored from the get go and STILL banned.
‘Ban on book bans’ introduced in Minnesota Legislaturehttps://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/03...
New legislation would prohibit banning books in public and school libraries based on content or subjective objections.
The bill, which some are calling ‘a ban on book bans,’ has been introduced in both the Minnesota House and the Minnesota Senate.
“I’ve got three daughters, and my goal as a parent is to make sure they’re critical thinkers, make sure that they can take care of themselves, make sure they can think for themselves, make sure they can challenge when they need to challenge,” said Rep. Cedrick Frazier, DFL-New Hope, the author of the House bill.
“That is how we prepare our kids and our youth for the world. So anytime I see a movement that is about shutting off the very thing, the very ideals that can allow for our kids to be those critical thinkers, for our kids to be the next not only state and regional, and national leaders, but world leaders. I have a problem with that.”
Several state officials spoke in support of the bill Thursday at Como Park Senior High School, including Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.
“When we value our students, they see themselves reflected in their education, they in turn value that education,” Flanagan said. “It is a powerful, powerful tool, so the fact that folks are trying to take that away from our students, I just don’t get it. When my kid is excited about a book, it is a win. Right?”
Gov. Tim Walz, who strongly backs the bill, said it is an issue he sees no gray area in.
“Those who have asked for book bans have never been on the right side of history, they have never been viewed as being the folks that were the heroes of freedom, they have never been viewed as the people that were looking out for others,” he said. “Trying to tell someone else’s children that they can’t read The Hobbit, or whatever it might be, you’re in the wrong.”
‘Ban on book bans’ introduced in Minnesota Legislaturehttps://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/03...
New legislation would prohibit banning books in public and school libraries based on content or subjective objections.
The bill, which some are calling ‘a ban on book bans,’ has been introduced in both the Minnesota House and the Minnesota Senate.
“I’ve got three daughters, and my goal as a parent is to make sure they’re critical thinkers, make sure that they can take care of themselves, make sure they can think for themselves, make sure they can challenge when they need to challenge,” said Rep. Cedrick Frazier, DFL-New Hope, the author of the House bill.
“That is how we prepare our kids and our youth for the world. So anytime I see a movement that is about shutting off the very thing, the very ideals that can allow for our kids to be those critical thinkers, for our kids to be the next not only state and regional, and national leaders, but world leaders. I have a problem with that.”
Several state officials spoke in support of the bill Thursday at Como Park Senior High School, including Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.
“When we value our students, they see themselves reflected in their education, they in turn value that education,” Flanagan said. “It is a powerful, powerful tool, so the fact that folks are trying to take that away from our students, I just don’t get it. When my kid is excited about a book, it is a win. Right?”
Gov. Tim Walz, who strongly backs the bill, said it is an issue he sees no gray area in.
“Those who have asked for book bans have never been on the right side of history, they have never been viewed as being the folks that were the heroes of freedom, they have never been viewed as the people that were looking out for others,” he said. “Trying to tell someone else’s children that they can’t read The Hobbit, or whatever it might be, you’re in the wrong.”
‘Unlawful censorship.’ Publishers sound alarm after report books were trashed outside Staten Island schoolhttps://www.silive.com/news/2024/03/p...
From Literary ActivismHow The BookmarkED/OnShelf, Created to Help Schools Ban Books, Fuels Them Instead
The app is funded by Amazon Web Services, HEB Grocery Founder, and more.
https://literaryactivism.substack.com...
The good newsHigh school teacher and students sue over Arkansas’ ban on critical race theory
https://apnews.com/article/critical-r...
The lawsuit by the teacher and students from Little Rock Central High School, site of the historic 1957 racial desegregation crisis, stems from the state’s decision last year that an Advanced Placement course on African American Studies would not count toward state credit.
The lawsuit argues the restrictions, which were among a number of education changes that Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed into law last year, violate free speech protections under the First Amendment and the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Amid book bans, DEI cuts and 'Don't Say Gay' laws, 7 states will mandate LGBTQ-inclusive curriculahttps://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-n...
I've been wondering what was so objectionable about Seahorse: The Shyest Fish in the Sea. I assumed it was because the male seahorse carries the babies. However, it turns out the book was deemed too "sexy" for elementary schools in Williamson County, Tennessee because seahorses link tails. “They twist their tails together and twirl gently around, changing color until they match. ... The two of them dance until sunset and then she puts her eggs into his pouch.”
These same people also want public schools in the county, just outside of Nashville, to ditch a tale about Johnny Appleseed because it’s “dark," and a book hurricanes because “first grade is too young to hear about possible devastating effects of hurricanes.”
https://action.everylibrary.org/seaho...?
good news from Vermont.https://literaryactivism.substack.com...
An anti book ban bill Senate Bill 220 (S. 220) was introduced in January, though it lingered in committee for several months. On March 26, it reached the Senate floor and was met with favor, as well as an amendment which would make the bill applicable not only to public libraries but to school libraries as well.
The bill would require that libraries have a policy and procedures in place for reviewing challenged materials. In addition to requiring policies and procedures, S. 220 would change other library practices, all of which aim to create a safe environment for all users.
Schools would not be allowed to remove materials due to the identity of authors or characters in the books being challenged. Books about sexual health could not be removed for being about that, and objections to materials based on "personal morality, political views, or religious views" would not be enough to get a book removed.
Library records for those 12 years and older would not be disclosed to legal parents or guardians, protecting the privacy of younger teens. Currently in Vermont, this protection is granted for those 16 and older.
All library trustees would undergo training about their role and what their duties are in advising/governing the library.
Also included in S. 220 are requirements that would create a full-time position in the state's Agency of Education that works with the Department of Library to assist school librarians, as well as two full-time librarian positions within the Department of Library. Like proposed this year in Illinois, the Vermont bill would make threatening public librarians a criminal offense.
S. 220 will be heard for the third time today, March 27, 2024, on the Senate Floor. From here, it could see either more amendments or passage. From there, it would progress to the Vermont House of Representatives.
Mod
Or that Anne Frank’s diary should be banned because it has an unhappy ending …
They don't even make it to the end of Anne Frank before banning it. They ban it due to sexual content. She was a TEENAGER. People seem to want to think Anne Frank was a little girl and forget all the content about boys, sexuality, what makes the cat a male, and let's not even get into the illustration of classical statues that aren't even nude. If you look closely maybe a glimpse of a bare breast or two - on the statue. My dad hasn't been listening to me or paying attention but today on NPR they discussed the teacher who was fired for showing a picture of Michaelangelo's David to 5th graders at a "classical" (white, Christian nationalist) without permission and the law suit.
Can't find a link to a new story so it may have been a replay or a recap.
Ha! Jenna Bush, whose father's presidency was defined by "family values" (in spite of his college age daughters underage visit to a bar) lets her 11-year-old daughter read YA books because it helps them talk about s-e-x.She says "I would so much rather my kids learn about sex or drinking through books than through YouTube. I would so much rather my kids read something and get to come to their mom's bedside and me be able to help lead the conversation than her having influencers do that for her."
https://www.today.com/video/jenna-say...
Bills targeting book bans raise concerns about the penalties libraries could faceDemocratic state lawmakers are introducing legislation to counter the rise in book bans around the country.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/poli...
Experts are raising concerns, however, as some of the legislation would fine school districts or withhold library funding if their provisions are not followed, such as in Illinois and California. The enforcement measures could especially be a threat to public schools and libraries that are underfunded and understaffed, they say.
“It always is a concern when you put funding on the line for any reason,” said Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom.
“We would not want to see bills that are overly prescriptive that make it difficult for smaller communities or rural communities to receive their funding."
She added, "Our big concern is not creating a system that would make it so onerous to comply with the bill that it makes it difficult for libraries with fewer resources."
Budgetary constraints also can give rise to circumstances that could be misread as violations of state laws, experts say. For example, titles may be removed or go missing from the shelves of schools or public libraries when the books are damaged or lost or there’s no money in the budget to purchase them. Personnel shortages also can prevent libraries from staffing panels that review books or instructional materials for approval or disapproval. Some experts argued that such problems could be unfairly weaponized against schools or public libraries, which have experienced increased criticism and scrutiny as part of the growing movement to ban books.
"[In Illinois] the bill just mandates the policy to taken up by libraries, rather than specifying what specific books should or shouldn't be on the shelves, libraries can’t be targeted for lacking book titles.
And the law is already proving effective... the director of the public library in Metropolis, Illinois, was dismissed last month in part for challenging the library board’s decision to conform to the state’s law and adopt the ALA Bill of Rights, which the board said was necessary to do in order to receive state grants that the library needs.
Some state lawmakers have reconsidered the inclusion of financial penalties for libraries in their bills amid the fears of unintended consequences. In New Jersey, legislators dropped that language from their bill after librarians expressed concerns.
State Sen. Andrew Zwicker, a Democrat who sponsored the bill, said that he grew concerned about the potential impact of such penalties after hearing from several librarians about the criticism and scrutiny they've received amid the increasing challenges to various book titles.
... Washington and Oregon bills would prohibit the exclusion of instructional materials for including information on the role or contributions of individuals and groups protected from discrimination based on race, religion, sexual orientation and other characteristics.
Washington state Rep. Monica Stonier and Oregon state Sen. Lew Frederick, Democrats who introduced their respective bills, explained that their measures would simply enact vetting processes for books that are already being used in school districts across the state, unifying those district protocols while adding anti-discriminatory protections.
Lawmakers in support of the laws in Washington and Oregon say that they plan to see how California’s enforcement provisions play out before considering adding a fine to their bills.
Austin TexasLake Travis ISD emerges as a battleground for school book bans
https://www.kut.org/education/2024-03...
Ultimately, the board voted 4-2 to keep “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”, while it voted 4-2 to remove “The Haters.” The only two trustees to vote to keep both books in the library, Davis and Lauren White, are up for reelection in May.
While challenging a book for the entire student population takes time, if a parent does not want their child to read a certain book, there is an easy solution, according to Amanda Prehn, a Lake Travis ISD curriculum and instruction director.
“I think it helps to clarify that if you are wanting to restrict access to any particular materials for your own child, you’re able to do that immediately,” she said. “There [are] no restrictions or hurdles to jump through, you simply need to talk to your campus librarian.”
a librarian and a parent may agree that a book should be removed from the library or only available to older students. But, if the person raising concerns about a book is not happy with the decision, they can submit a formal request for the resource to be reviewed. The school’s principal will then appoint a committee of five to nine people that can include librarians, teachers, parents and district staff. The district then purchases copies of the book for every member of the committee and schedules time outside of the workday to meet.
“I think it is important that if there is a resource that needs to be reconsidered that we spend the time to do that,” Prehn said. “Some resources are easy — they’re picture books — they take us 10 minutes to look at together and some are more robust resources like 500-page novels that are getting challenged at the high school level, for example.”
If the person challenging a book disagrees with the committee’s decision, they can appeal it through a grievance process twice at the district level. If the challenger appeals a third time it heads to the school board for a vote. That is what happened with “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” and “The Haters.”
Lake Travis ISD is working on updating its book challenge process — which the board will need to vote on — in part to comply with a law the Texas Legislature passed last year. House Bill 900, also known as the Reader Act, prohibits “sexually explicit” books in school libraries.
While a federal appeals court in January struck down a portion of the law that would have required book vendors to rate the materials they sell to schools, the three-judge panel let another part of the law stand that established new statewide school library standards. Texas officials approved those standards in December 2023.
One of the proposed changes to the LTISD book challenge process is expanding the committees that reconsider books and making the selection of volunteers random. The district also wants to make the process more transparent.
On the website, [they] do have the resources challenged, at what level it's located and where it is in the process of being reviewed.
“I think there’s a lot that we could do in terms of sharing who is challenging these books,” she said. “I think we should also know why these books are challenged because the rationale matters. It matters why someone is challenging a book.”
Lindsey pointed to the information that neighboring school district, Eanes ISD, shares online about book challenges, including why the book was challenged and an overview of the committee’s decision on whether to keep the book in the library.
She also said a few of the books people have challenged aren’t in Lake Travis ISD libraries. For example, someone raised concerns about “Yabo” by Bob Wallass and “Lawn Boy” by Jonathan Evison, but neither has ever been included in an LTISD library collection, according to the district.
“So, I do have to question the motives behind this because it doesn’t seem like it’s protecting [kids], it seems like it’s part of a larger political agenda,” Lindsey said.
We the People Lake Travis is a local conservative group that has been pushing for the removal of books it deems inappropriate. Jennifer Fleck, who previously ran as a Republican for a seat in the Texas House, helped start the group in February 2021.
“Our purposes are to register voters, engage voters, inform voters and then get them to vote,” she said.
She added the group spends a lot of time on educational issues, so they regularly attend school board meetings and monitor book challenges.
“We are for age-appropriate books and following the new HB 900 law,” she said.
But Anna Lindsey, a Lake Travis ISD parent, said she wants the district to include more information, especially because removing materials can violate students' First Amendment rights.
Fleck, who is a former LTISD parent, said there is a lot she likes about the district’s current book challenge process such as the fact that a person can ultimately take a challenge to the elected board. But, she said there are some issues with it, too.
“One is that it takes too long. Book challenges are taking nine to 10 months, so I would like a revision where it’s a shorter time period for…the challenger,” she said.
In the case of “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” and “The Haters,” the formal challenges were filed in May 2023. The board’s vote came more than nine months after that.
Fleck said restricting access to certain books is about protecting students’ innocence and letting "children be children.”
For Lindsey though, the effort to restrict all students' access to books harms students and infringes on other parents' rights.
While Lake Travis ISD does not publish the names of people who have challenged books within its school libraries, those individuals can address trustees when their grievance reaches the board. That is what LTISD parent Jodie Dover did last Wednesday. She said her reason for challenging “The Haters” and “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” was straightforward.
“To keep it short and simple, they’re s--ually explicit, obscene and vulgar,” she told KUT.
Dover, who has two children in elementary school, said she read both books and believes their inclusion in the high school library violated HB 900’s ban on “s--ually explicit materials.” She said ensuring all students do not have access to materials she considers inappropriate is important because parents don’t always have a window into what their kids are reading at school.
“A lot of the reading [is] actually done in the library itself where the parent has no idea what the kid is checking out and is unable to intervene and have a valuable conversation,” she said.
Dover said that over the last 14 months, she has challenged about 25 books. Three of Dover’s other book challenges reached the board in November 2023. In response to her challenge, the board voted to remove “I Never” by Laura Hopper from the high school library. The board also decided to move “Speak," by Laurie Halse Anderson, a National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature, from the middle school library to the high school library. Additionally, the board moved the picture book “Bodies are Cool,” by Tyler Feder, which was previously available at the elementary level, to the teacher and staff collection.
At that November meeting, Dover explained why she was seeking the removal of “Bodies are Cool."
“The author specifically states that [she] wrote the book to normalize being fat, queer and trans,” she told trustees. “Additionally, celebrating unhealthy and alternative lifestyles should not be an educational goal for pre-K through second-grade students, let alone introducing sexuality to children this young inside of the school environment. That is left for the home.”
Dover said schools should be safe havens and explicit books should not be on campuses. She also takes issue with the idea that book challenges amount to an effort to ban books.
“This is all about age-appropriate curriculum and instructional resources for our children. It has nothing to do with book burning and book banning — that’s political rhetoric and that’s cultural war language that’s been brought into this community, and it’s really unnecessary,” she said.
As the March 20 meeting drew to a close, Lake Travis ISD School Board Secretary Erin Archer shared concerns about the ongoing fight over school library books. She said fear is driving people on both sides of the issue.
“Fear that we’ve turned into book banners and we’re going to be removing all kinds of stuff from the library without consent and transparency and fear that our dedicated staff are groomers and other things that I’d rather not reiterate because I don’t believe them,” she said.
Archer said the issue has taken on disproportionate importance and is distracting from more important issues like student outcomes.
The fight over which books belong in school libraries is likely far from over. According to LTISD, the latest books facing formal challenges are “Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yaros and “Ghost Boys” by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Both are New York Times bestsellers.
TULSA ORGANIZATION CREATES LIBRARY TO HIGHLIGHT SOME BOOKS BANNED IN SCHOOLSThe founder of a local organization said she recently visited a museum in Berlin, and 'The Diary of Anne Frank' sparked her interest to create the Banned Book Library.
https://www.newson6.com/story/66053cc...
A Tulsa organization teaching Black history outside of public schools is starting a new effort to educate the public.
Founder of Black History Saturdays, Kristi Williams, is opening a Banned Book Library to highlight banned books in schools across the state.
Williams said she recently visited a museum in Berlin and The Diary of Anne Frank sparked her interest to create the library.
The museum is sending her copies of banned books and more people have started donating to the program designed for individuals, from Pre-K students to adults.
The library will be open to those who participate in Black History Saturdays and people in the community.
To Kill a Mockingbird, Gender Queer, and books on the Tulsa Race Massacre are just a few of the titles being featured. Williams said she’s working to ensure this effort makes a difference.
Wyoming. This is totally unethical and against what the librarian signed up for. That's not the director's job. Be Amazing: A History of Pride is a PICTURE BOOK about being yourself. This so-called library director is allowing his personal judgement to dictate which books go where. There's no "alternative" to "joining" the LGBTQ+ community. One is or isn't LGBTQ+. One can CHOOSE to be an activist or not. So what does he mean by alternative? Hide in the closet forever and be under mental stress and unhealthy and unhappy? Die?Library director applies 'community standards' to challenged books
https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/loca...
More than two dozen books have been moved to a new adult section in the Campbell County Public Library as the library director applies community standards to each of the books to decide whether they’ll remain in the section or go back to their original shelves in the teen or children’s areas.
Library Director John Jackson moved books that were challenged in the past three years to the new adult section, which also has been referred to as the "human development" section.
He tried to find a way to determine what the local community standards are in general without specifically focusing on obscenity. He found that there are “very few ways” to do this outside of looking at the community’s elected officials.
The Campbell County Commissioners lean to the conservative side of things, both fiscally and socially.
“As popularly elected officials, one can then conclude that the elected officials are representative of the overarching belief system of Campbell County,” he wrote in his reviews of two of the challenged books.
...
The library’s collection development policy states that the library “takes seriously its obligation to not include s-x acts or s--ually explicit or graphic materials within the children and young adult sections that would be harmful to minors or impede their development.”
Jackson said he approaches each book as if he’s just checked it out from the library.
“I don’t read any reviews of the book at all, I’m going to look at the book with completely open eyes and no preconceived notion of what the book is about,” he said Wednesday afternoon. “I don’t even look at the past complaints of the book.”
He’ll read through the book, take notes based on what he knows is in the policy, and once completed, he’ll then read reviews and complaints from the challenge.
Then, based on the policy and applying community standards, Jackson will decide whether a book remains in the new adult section or goes back to its original shelf.
“A lot of them will go back, some will stay, it just depends on the review I do based on the policy that you have passed,” Jackson told the library board Monday.
He will read all of the books and decide whether they remain in the new adult section or go back to their original shelves.
So far, Jackson has read nine books, and he’s decided three of them will remain in the new adult section: “This Book is Gay,” by Juno Dawson, “Identical” by Ellen Hopkins and “Be Amazing: A History of Pride” by Desmond Napoles.
“This Book is Gay,” which was the first book to be challenged, was in the teen nonfiction section. “Identical” is a novel that was in the teen fiction section, and “Be Amazing” was in the children’s section.
The following six books will go back to their original shelves:
“The Babysitters Coven” by Kate Williams (teen section)
“Music From Another World,” by Robin Talley (teen section)
“A Quick Easy Guide to Queer and Trans Identities,” by Mandy G. and Jules Zuckerberg (teen section)
“Mary Wears What She Wants,” by Keith Negley (children’s section)
“Meena,” by Sine van Mol (children’s section)
“Trans Mission: My Quest for a Beard,” by Alex Bertie (teen section)
Jackson said he hopes to read through and issue a final decision on all of the books by June.
There are three challenged books that were not put in the new adult section. One, "Lawn Boy" by Jonathan Evison, was already in the adult section when it was challenged.
The other two, “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe and “A Quick Easy Guide to Sex & Disability” by A. Andrews, were moved by then-director Terri Lesley from the teen section to the adult graphic novel section.
“This Book is Gay” is about the LGBTQ experience and was criticized by residents for (view spoiler)
“There are visual images of naked bodies, but none reach the threshold of being considered p-----graphic, although opponents of the book might make that argument,” Jackson wrote of the book. “As a result, one might argue that they violate the local standards of Wyoming in general and those of Gillette in particular.”
Jackson wrote that the book doesn’t offer an opposing viewpoint to “the author’s assumption that all people consider sex with both men and women” and it doesn’t offer “an alternative to joining the LGBTQ+ community.”
He wrote that the book can be used for educational purposes by teens but only when they’re guided by parents or guardians.
“Mary Wears What She Wants” is a children’s book about Dr. Mary Walker, who volunteered with the Union Army during the Civil War. Walker was arrested multiple times for wearing pants.
A challenge of the book claimed that it encourages the breakdown of the family, transgenderism, cross-dressing and rebellion.
“There has been made mention that the inference in this title's story is that cross dressing is acceptable and supported. I saw no indication that this was the message of this story,” Jackson wrote.
The book “doesn’t strain the bounds of local conservative values,” and that it promotes the idea that it’s “OK to be courageous and to be yourself,” he added.
“If anything, it illustrates the independence that most Wyoming residents feel and employ daily,” he wrote. “‘Mary Wears What She Wants’ is meant to be read aloud by parents to their children to encourage reading, the love of history, and to dream of bigger things.”
From Literary ActivismHow Public Libraries Are Targeted Right Now—It’s Not “Just” Books: Book Censorship News, March 29, 2024
The methods of destabilizing and dismantling public libraries may not look like how you think they would. Here's how it's happening right now
https://literaryactivism.substack.com...
Metropolis, Illinois. "The library director, who has been in the position for two years, connected to a far-right church in the community. She’d been removing books from the collection for years, and the new law in Illinois, which required inclusion of the Library Bill of Rights in policy to access state funding, Guess what led to a series of nonsense meetings, op-eds and local radio programming, and rumors about how drag queen storytimes would take over the public library? Turns out that the director was purposefully lying to the community she was supposed to be serving. "
"A proposal in Montgomery County, Texas, this week from the county commissioners court is the next step in a long line of movements by the county into the public library system that began sometime last summer. The latest proposal entirely removes librarians from the process when it comes to materials challenges. In other words, no actual professionals would sit on materials review panels; their expertise wouldn’t be needed. This is the county complicit in not only devaluing the professionals but also eager to do so in the name of “protecting the kids.”"
"Currently, in Carroll County, Maryland, the public library is being attacked by a county commissioner, Kenneth Kiler, who isn't bothering to learn how libraries work at all but certainly has opinions about them. Kiler is in the bag with local Moms For Liberty, who are eager to dismantle the library, and he's also spouted nonsense about the library director being affiliated with the Maryland Library Association, which he believes is anti-Carroll County. Kiler is big mad about the possible Freedom to Read Act being legislated because it means books he and his friends don't like can't just be pulled from public library shelves."
Some public libraries are being privatized in order to allow the censors more control."Privatizing public libraries involves ending a structure where the institution is funded by taxpayer allocation, but instead, a company is paid a set amount of money per year to run it instead. The public library becomes a private business, and in the end, the library loses its local flavor, its uniqueness, and it divorces itself from being an institution of, for, and by its community. Privatizing libraries does precisely the opposite of what book banners demand: it removes local control."
"Turning to privatization is appealing for cities that are fighting an institution that won’t just give in to their demands.
There are several other ways public libraries are being destabilized and dismantled right now, too. They play alongside the above. Among them are ending affiliation with professional organizations like the American Library Association. This can happen at the library level, the county level, or even the state level, depending on policy and legislation. In Louisiana this week, for example, a State Representative just suggested making it a punishable crime for public funds to be used for American Library Association affiliation — that would deeply harm not only public librarians who get professional development and growth from the organization but it would harm the libraries themselves, making them more readily susceptible to influence by political groups. They’d be more susceptible to privatization as well since there is no one to which the library can turn to get the support they might need when their city says it’s time for them to be sold off."
"Legal loopholes have been a boon for public library critics, too. An entire library in rural Washington, Dayton Memorial, nearly shut down when some rural residents were angry about LGBTQ+ books in its collection. When they didn’t get their way, and the books were not just removed from shelves, they attempted to get on the ballot a measure that would close the library altogether. Fortunately for Dayton Memorial, the library won a lawsuit to keep the vote from happening and the state sewed up the legal loophole this legislative session to ensure this could not happen again."
https://literaryactivism.substack.com...
A West Texas school board — Midland Independent School District — received death threats from a person angry about certain books in campus libraries, which they called “p___ and other degenerate filth.” https://www.lonestarlive.com/news/202...
At a March 19 school board meeting, religious leaders, a former parent and a former teacher voiced concerns about some titles in MISD schools. They included “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl,” by Jesse Andrews; “Shout,” by Laurie Anderson; “Identical,” by Ellen Hopkins; and “Push,” by Sapphire. They complained about the books having profanity, s-x scenes, discussion of guns, suicide and drug use.
The MISD released a statement after the meeting, saying it collected the “books of concern” to review them using board policy. District officials said “Push” was not found at any campuses, although the Midland Reporter-Telegram reported the online library catalog indicated otherwise.
The sender listed the names and addresses of each board member before saying, (view spoiler)
The sender then told the board members the email is a warning for the future.
“Early today, an email containing threats against members of the Midland ISD School Board as well as an MISD administrator was sent,” the district told the Midland-Reporter Telegram. “Police were notified, and law enforcement agencies are now investigating.”
Some pastors and members of the Salvation Army in Alpena, Michigan, believe they should be able to decide what is in their public library.https://www.thealpenanews.com/news/lo...
Pastors, others circulate petition for ‘age-appropriate’ standards at Alpena County Library
The petition claims that continued financial support of the library from the petition signers is contingent upon the library’s establishment of community-approved standards, as well as accountability from the library that officials there will maintain those standards.
Maj. Prezza Morrison, of the Salvation Army of Alpena, a signer of the petition, argues that the establishment of those standards would be beneficial, regardless of one’s ultimate position on what is or isn’t appropriate, because the standards would allow for open community input on what they want “age-appropriate” to mean.
“We just feel that it would be good if the library had some guidelines on what they consider age-appropriate material and how the community can have an input on that,” Morrison said. “It kind of helps both sides. Hopefully, it’ll bring us unity and we can sit together and discuss what we consider is appropriate.”
Joe Collins, the pastor at Shoreline Church on River Street in Alpena, said the idea for the petition came from several discussions with his wife, other local pastors, and other concerned members of the community regarding the books that their kids bring home from and are exposed to at the library.
“We just started checking into it and realizing that any child walking up would see those books and then be exposed to things that, if somebody gave those books to our kids on the street, they would be called groomers and people who are preparing kids for s--ual exploits,” Collins said.
One book at the library that Collins called inappropriate is “Making A Baby: An Inclusive Guide to How Every Family Begins,” by Rachel Greener, found in the Juvenile Easy Nonfiction section of the library.
Morrison, of the Alpena Salvation Army, made clear that the intention of the Alpena petition is not to see any books banned but simply to allow parental input on the kinds of literature to which their children are exposed.
“We don’t want these books to be banned,” Morrison said. “Ultimately, we want the guidelines to come into place and then we can always decide, OK, this is not appropriate for 5-year-olds, where else should we put this in the library?”
Fresno County, California, opened up applications for residents to become part of the book review committee that will determine the standards by which public library materials must meet (or else they'll be removed). https://fresnoland.org/2024/03/27/lib...
Fresno County residents have one more month to apply for a new, controversial committee charged with reviewing library books to ensure they “meet community standards.”
Books that don’t meet those standards–which the new committee will adopt–won’t be removed from Fresno County Public Libraries, county officials have said. Instead, the books will be available for children to check out with explicit permission from a parent or guardian.
The Community Parent and Guardian Review Committee will “maintain a list of books and materials that have been deemed not to meet community standards and are thereby subject to parental or guardian consent provisions,” according to the committee’s bylaws, which the Board of Supervisors formally adopted March 19.
The bylaws state that the list of not-quite-banned books will be posted at each of the library’s 34 branches across Fresno County.
The ACLU of Northern California opposed the committee in a Nov. 6 letter to the Board of Supervisors outlining numerous potential issues, including that the review committee would disproportionately affect books on reproductive health, gender identity and sexual orientation.
Fresno County Supervisor Steve Brandau has pushed back hard against such criticism of the library book review committee. In an interview with Fresnoland last year, Brandau insisted the resolution creating the committee does not target the LGBTQ+ community.
“I went to great lengths to make sure that I personally wasn’t targeting them,” Brandau told Fresnoland.
Despite those concerns and others voiced in a large letter-writing campaign opposing the committee, the county supervisors narrowly approved the committee on a 3-2 vote. Supervisor Steve Brandau, who led the effort to establish the review board, was supported by Buddy Mendes and Nathan Magsig, while Supervisors Brian Pacheco and Sal Quintero opposed the committee’s formation.
In noting their opposition, Pacheco called the committee a slippery slope while Quintero noted the county library already had a complaint policy for community members who find potentially offensive material.
Each supervisor will appoint two people to the committee and the county’s chief administrative officer will appoint the 11th committee member.
Iron River Public Library (WI) need a reminder librarians do not = babysittersIron River Library continues policy changes
Iron River Public Library board members are continuing efforts to change library policies amid calls to remove “inappropriate” materials from the facility.
https://www.apg-wi.com/ashland_daily_...
The board last month began reviewing how the library operates as some members ponder whether it is the staff’s responsibility to supervise children who are on the property.
Board member John Castro said library staff should, according to board records.
“It’s the librarian’s and staff’s duty to ensure that children are kept away from inappropriate materials. The library has to take responsibility for children when parents aren’t available because they stand in place of parents where there are inappropriate materials,” he said.
Fellow member Barbara Resheske agreed, saying, “We have to protect marginalized children who don’t have responsible parents or guardians in this community.”
Board member Jeffrey Holte insisted just the opposite is true. Staff members can’t make decisions for kids, he said.
“Children should be allowed to have their own intellectual freedom,” he said.
Castro asked if an 8-year-old child could check out an R-rated movie, to which Library Director Jacqueline Pooler responded the child legally could.
After more discussion, the policy was changed so that library staff, “may supervise and guide children in the use of the library, along with parents or guardians.”
The board also debated whether a library can flag a child’s library card to restrict what he or she checks out.
Pooler said Sherry Anderson, the director of Northern Waters Library Service that oversees many local libraries including Iron River’s, feels it’s not recommended to restrict access for kids.
After more discussion, the policy was changed so that library staff, “may supervise and guide children in the use of the library, along with parents or guardians.”
In disagreement, Castro said taking away a parent’s rights is unconstitutional.
Limiting a children’s access to all material is censorship, member David Saarinen said. However, a child is defined as a dependent under the age of 18, Resheske said in response.
The NWLS speaks for Wisconsin and the rights of children, Holte said.
“There’s no grey area here. Parents have a right to restrict what their children access,” Castro said before the board voted to accommodate individual parent requests to restrict specific titles or materials to one’s child.
Concerns about what material is in the library began last year when a group calling itself Concerned Citizens of Iron River sent a mass letter to the community calling on residents to stand up and take action against books that “encourage exploration of changing your gender to small children,” including kids as young as toddlers. The letter listed several titles — including “I love My Colorful Nails,” and “The Hips On the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish,” that the group wants banned.
The books are “extremely graphic in nature,” in written format or in artwork, the letter claimed. Another title, the graphic novel “Let’s talk About it,” by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan, has drawn more criticism from the group.
The board has never approved past library events because there has been no program policy, board President Cassie Fleming said. A new committee will implement a new policy.
Castro said he was not informed about a previous event put on by PLFAG — a local LGBTQ+ support group, that occurred earlier this month.
“We need to be warned ahead of time of controversial events well in advance,” he said.
A bomb threat, suspicious packages, and other dangers led to the cancellation of a drag story hour in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.A state police bomb squad later cleared the library, but police said “additional reported threats” were still being investigated.
https://whyy.org/articles/drag-story-...
A scheduled “Drag Queen Story Hour” at a Pennsylvania library that had drawn opposition was canceled Saturday after a suspicious package was found in the building and two blocks were evacuated after threats were reported, authorities said.
Police evacuated the Lancaster Public Library after the package was found. A state police bomb squad later cleared the library, but police said “additional reported threats” were still being investigated. Residents of the block and another block nearby were told to evacuate, an order lifted several hours later.
A city spokesperson later told LancasterOnline that a dog had alerted on the package and that the contents were later found to be “benign” but “subsequently, we received additional written threats via email.”
Lancaster Pride, a nonprofit that celebrates the town’s LGBTQ+ community, posted a notice on social media that the “Drag Story Hour with Miss Amie” had been canceled, saying “the safety and well-being of our community are of utmost importance to us.”
The planned story hour drew impassioned opposition from some residents during a marathon county commissioners meeting Wednesday, the second meeting in a row marked by resident protests after Republican commissioners denounced the event as inappropriate, LancasterOnline reported.
Commissioner Josh Parsons wrote that libraries “should be places for kids to safely read and learn, not politicized social laboratories for woke ideology.” Commissioner Ray D’Agostino said he thought there was a link between children being more “confused, anxious and stressed” than ever and people ”trying to push adult themed issues at such an early age.” Scores of people attended a prayer vigil in the plaza adjacent to the library Friday night opposing the event.
Both Parsons and D’Agostino issued statements Saturday afternoon condemning the reported threats and calling for the prosecution of those responsible regardless of their motives, LancasterOnline reported.
Lissa Holland, the library’s executive director, told LancasterOnline that she was “really sad, very disappointed and angry” about the cancellation.
“The library should be a place of safety. … And as I’ve told people numerous times this week, like every book in the library is not for every person, every program is maybe not for every person. But we don’t censor,” she said.
The listing for the “Drag Queen Story Hour” on the library’s events page called on attendees to “Join Miss Amie Vanité as she spreads awareness and acceptance by celebrating diversity, inclusiveness, kindness and love through LGBTQ+ literature for young readers.”
The Lancaster LGBTQ+ Coalition noted “backlash” in a Facebook post earlier this month and decried what it called “hateful comments about the LGBTQ+ community” from public officials.
“We want to be clear that drag story hours for children are NOT the same as adult drag performances,” the group said. The performer, the group said, “is a professional who has done other story hours for children. She dresses up in fun, whimsical costumes, sings age-appropriate songs, and reads age-appropriate books.”
Christopher Paolini, who was to read in drag as Miss Amie Vanité, said he had just arrived and was getting ready “when the alarms went off.” He called the turn of events “insane,” LancasterOnline reported.
“It just hurts my heart that it came to this,” he said. “I’m not going to stop what I’m doing. This program is too important for too many people.”
The Lancaster threat led to the Quarryville Public Library canceling an upcoming book event. This event was meant to be a fundraiser to help keep the library viable.https://www.losangelesblade.com/2024/...
An April book reading in southern Lancaster County, Pennsylvania featuring author Kevin Naff, the editor of the Washington Blade, and Nick Benton, owner and editor of the Falls Church News-Press, was canceled this week following bomb threats targeting the Lancaster Public Library this past weekend.
Naff was scheduled to read from his book, “How We Won the War for LGBTQ Equality — And How Our Enemies Could Take It All Away,” at a Lancaster-area library event moderated by Benton on April 18. A library official declined to comment on the cancellation.
The event was planned as a fundraiser for the Quarryville Library after Fulton Township revoked its funding because the library carries LGBTQ-themed books.
“I think everyone is a little bit surprised. We are in a conservative area so everyone has their own beliefs but as the public library we are here to serve everyone,” interim director of the library Sarah Bower told WHTM News in November after the funding was canceled.
Johnny Weir, the Olympic figure skater and commentator, is from Quarryville and later donated $1,000 to the library. Weir was supporting Naff’s April 18 event and promoting it on social media.
Good news I guess from NevadaWashoe County Commission names former school librarian to library board
Tami Ruf one of 87 who applied to be on board
https://www.rgj.com/story/news/govern...
After reviewing 87 applicants for one vacancy on the Library Board of Trustees, the Washoe County Commission this week chose Tami Ruf to fill the vacancy from April 1 through June 30, 2025.
In a Facebook post about her application, Ruf said the library was “under attack” for trying to promote inclusivity. She is openly against book banning and restricting book access.
“I will be a supportive board member who works with the library to maintain and expand its inclusive mission for ALL members of our diverse community,” Ruf said in her Facebook post.
Ruf was a social studies teacher at Sparks Middle and Reed High schools for 20 years. She was also a librarian at North Valleys High School for six years and earned her library media specialist credential in 2010.
Ruf was one of three finalists from among 87 candidates. She secured the position after receiving votes from Chair Alexis Hill, Vice Chair Jeanne Herman and Commissioner Clara Andriola. Commissioners Mariluz Garcia and Mike Clark voted for finalist Marie Rodriguez.
The discussion of inclusivity was a central topic for many people during the public comment period. Many urged the board to pick the “right” candidate for the position.
Joni Hammond said she feels Washoe County libraries have a “complete bias” against conservatives.
“Please appoint a conservative to the library board and try to level the field,” Hammond said.
Janet Butcher told the board they are not equitable in their appointments to the library board.
“It is not the place for social engineering. It is continual misinformation and lies," she said. "No one is trying to keep anyone out of the library.”
“People are asking to have sexual books with pictures," Butcher said. "They want their kids to be exposed to that? Buy the d--n books, expose your kids. But it doesn’t need to be at eye level for children.”
Another challenge to the Bible Bible remains in Hanover County school libraries despite challenge
https://richmond.com/news/local/educa...
Pickens County Library Board (SC) will not move the book Drama from its appropriate spot in the juvenile collection.Fourteen people spoke at the meeting and gave their opinions on the book before the board voted.
Following a discussion, the board voted 4-3 to leave the book in the juvenile section.
https://www.foxcarolina.com/2024/03/2...
Enka High School (NC) removed Tricks from shelves in the library. While 10 books at Enka High School’s media center have been challenged, just one has been removed, “Tricks,” by Ellen Hopkins. The book addresses teen sex and sex trafficking, among other issues.
https://avlwatchdog.org/answer-man-ba...
https://mountainx.com/news/bcs-board-...
In the Jan. 5 MTAC memo, the board had a request for review of four allegedly objectionable books that remained in the Enka High School media center. They were: “Tricks,” “Perfect,” “Sold,” and “Water for Elephants.” The committee ensured that at least five readers were designated for each book.
The committee recommended that “Perfect,” “Sold” and “Water for Elephants” should remain in the Enka High library, but that “Tricks” should be removed. Regarding “Tricks,” the committee stated:
“While the committee appreciates that sex trafficking is a relevant and timely issue, it felt that the book was not well-balanced in its portrayal of the topic. The committee’s opinion is that the book normalizes, if not glorifies, unhealthy sexual behavior among teens. The overall tone of the book was extremely dark and disturbing, without a balanced emotional perspective. The book also includes an excessive amount of explicit content, leading us to question its appropriateness for high school readers, especially without guidance.”
In a Feb. 8 memo, the committee recap stated four parents challenged 10 books at Enka High on Nov. 6, 2023.
“Per policy guidelines, all 10 books were reviewed by the school’s MTAC team,” the memo states. “Of the 10 books challenged, none were removed from the school’s media center; the decision was made to retain them in the collection. Results of the review were then shared with the four parents who made the objections.”
The nine books that remained in the media center (“Tricks” had been removed) were:
“More Happy Than Not”
“Beyond Magenta”
“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”
“Thirteen Reasons Why”
“The Hate U Give”
“The Kite Runner” (graphic novel)
“Shine”
“Go Ask Alice”
“Looking for Alaska”
The committee followed the same process, with at least five readers assigned each text.
The books up for consideration at the March 7 meeting were: 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher, Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer, Go Ask Alice by Anonymous, Looking for Alaska by John Green, More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera, Shine by Lauren Myracle, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.
Board member Rob Elliot commended staff and members of the school and district MTACs for their careful consideration of parents’ objections.
“[It takes] hundreds of people volunteering their time in our community to respectfully handle these requests, respectfully listen to all sides, respectfully listen to the educators and experts in the room and come to reasonable conclusions,” he said. “That’s not easy. And it doesn’t all just fall on us. You know, it’s a big committee and community decision.”
Later in the meeting, the board heard a policy change allowing the board to remove a book from all schools if it removes it from one, as recommended by board member Amanda Simpkins at the February board meeting. That policy still has to go through a second reading before being passed.
So far, while BCS has banned one book districtwide — Tricks by Ellen Hopkins — three were removed from circulation at Enka High School in December. Those are Doing It! Let’s Talk About Sex by Hannah Witton, Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult and Wicked: Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire.
Those three are still available at other high school libraries in the district, and several parents argued they should be removed districtwide at the March 7 meeting.
Would-be censors
” Kim Poteat
Few North Dakota libraries report relocating books from children's sections as result of lawAlmost none of the 75 libraries that responded to a survey by the State Library relocated books after the Legislature passed a bill barring "explicit s--ual content" from children's sections.
https://www.grandforksherald.com/news...
Eleven months after legislators passed a controversial bill barring “explicit s--ual material” from public libraries’ children’s sections, only five North Dakota libraries report having moved books as a result of the law.
That’s according to a Tuesday presentation by State Librarian Marie Soucie to the Legislature’s Juvenile Justice Committee.
Of the 75 public libraries that responded to a State Library survey to determine whether libraries had complied with the new law, which required libraries to have public policies on selecting and relocating library materials, only five – Lisbon Public Library, Rolla Public Library, Turtle Lake Public Library, Washburn Public Library and McLean-Mercer Regional Library in Riverdale – reported relocating books as a result.
All of the libraries reported having collection development and relocation policies on file.
“Libraries were already mostly in compliance with the law,” Soucie told the Grand Forks Herald. “They just made sure they were in compliance.”
Last year, Republican legislators introduced bills in the state House and Senate targeting s--ual content in public library materials and requiring libraries to review and remove such material from their collections. The Senate bill notably threatened criminal prosecution to librarians who failed to comply.
A watered-down version of House Bill 1205, which limited itself to barring “explicit s--ual material” from children’s sections and required libraries to submit compliance reports to the Legislature, was signed into law by Gov. Doug Burgum in April.
Soucie said the State Library took over monitoring compliance after conversations with Legislative Management.
The State Library had already conducted a survey of 60 public libraries last year that found all but two already had collection development and relocation policies.
No libraries reported removing books outright, Soucie said, though two did create new young adult sections in response to the bill.
“Most public libraries already had their sections split up,” said Tammy Kruger, president of the North Dakota Library Association. “So most things that are adult-oriented are going to end up in the adult section.”
It's unclear how many libraries have been subject to relocation requests or have complied with those requests.
For instance, Grand Forks Public Library relocated two books at residents’ request following the passage of the law, but did not report relocating books as a result of the law.
While the law does not appear to have had a significant impact on library collections, the original terms of the legislation and the rhetoric surrounding both bills was widely read as an attack on librarians. Kruger described the experience as akin to a witch hunt.
She said that’s incentivized librarians to communicate proactively with their communities about how libraries cultivate their collections and their role serving the public.
“They’re being a lot more proactive about ‘this is what we offer, this is what we stand for,’” Kruger said. “There are a lot of librarians who were just sideswiped by this in the last session and I cannot blame them at all.”
Reached via email by the Herald, American Civil Liberties Union of North Dakota advocacy manager Cody Schuler wrote lawmakers' muted response to Soucie's presentation, which lasted 10 minutes and was followed by no questions from lawmakers, showed the law was unnecessary.
"It is interesting that after so much alarmist rhetoric about the importance of passing HB 1205, members of the Juvenile Justice Committee had no questions or discussion about the new law’s effectiveness following the state librarian’s report," Schuler wrote. "The new required report to lawmakers proves the point that this legislation was not necessary and it appears to have simply created needless bureaucracy for libraries, which are often understaffed and underfunded."
Good newsNone of the eight books discussed in New Prairie Schools (IN) were banned last week.
https://hometownnewsnow.com/local-new...
[M]any people at the meeting spoke up in favor of the books and what they consider a matter of free speech. Among them was Jamie Talboom. “Banning books like this does not protect your children from the atrocities of this world,” she told the school board. “Books like these let children know they are not alone in their journey, and it gives them empathy for other people.”
Several others vouched for the artistic merit of the books in question and urged that such books can be beneficial to students who are grappling with difficult topics in their personal lives.
A few community members spoke out against the books. Austin Kosinski questioned the propriety of offering what he considers p----graphic content to middle schoolers. He also read a passage from one of the books with anti-Semitic overtones. Another parent said she previously worked for the school district but resigned and pulled her kids from school when she discovered what they were being exposed to.
The school board voted unanimously to keep the books in the middle school library.
School Superintendent Dr. Paul White explained the legal reasoning behind it: “When you look at the library material, you have to consider it as a whole, meaning you have to look at the literary value, in total, of the book.” It’s p---graphy, he said, if a book’s sole theme is s---ual. But other themes, if present, must be taken into account.
Heather Oake, who brought the challenge, read excerpts from the books at a special meeting and questions why books with such risqué passages were chosen to begin with. “The whole point is just to make people aware that this is going on,” she said after the meeting. “Why do they have to be there? So just letting parents know that you know, you might want to start looking at what books your kids are actually checking out.”
She says she has not found the same controversial titles elsewhere. “It’s not going on in every school,” she said. “I’ve looked for these same books in La Porte’s middle school, at Kesling, and they’re not there.”
Dr. White says the issue has prompted the school to take a closer look at what kinds of books are on the shelves. According to him, a newly hired media specialist has been coordinating a full review of the library collection. White said some books have already been moved from the middle school to the high school due to age-appropriateness.
The book debate at New Prairie is not over. Oake said she initially challenged about 30 books. For practical reasons, the school district has decided to review them in chunks, so that a committee can read and discuss them thoroughly before making a recommendation.
Three books in the Greenville County library system (SC) will be relocated from the YA and juvenile section into the adult sectionhttps://www.wspa.com/news/greenville-...
The Greenville County library board voted to move three of the four books discussed in a meeting on Monday to different sections of the county libraries. Each book being moved has LGBTQ+ themes. The book “Closer to Nowhere” was voted to stay in the juvenile section of county libraries.
The book “Rick” by Alex Gino was moved from the juvenile section to the parenting and early childhood section of libraries, where children 17 and under need a parent’s permission to check out books.
The vote was not unanimous. Three board members wanted to see the book move to the young adult section.
“I thought the age target was 12 and up, there was no character under 12 in there, I believe the main character is 12 in the book so its kinda right at that border line of 12 and up but its a middle school book and not an elementary school book so I feel it’s more for young adult audience,” said Brian Aufmuth, a board member.
The book “Flamer” has been in the young adult section. It was moved to the adult section in a unanimous decision.
The book “We are the Ants” has also been in the young adult section and was also unanimously moved to the adult section. Those who attended the meeting spoke out on the library board’s decision.
“I’m telling you kids don’t learn if there’s a sick adult trying to pervert them, even if they sound like they are kind and nice librarians such a nice individual when they violate a child’s life they come against god,” said one resident.
“We teach our children in this nation the pledge of allegiance with the words liberty and justice for all. All children need to be represented in our youth section of our public library. All people including LGBTQ+ and especially our LGBTQ+ youth need and deserve to be represented in our library with books with art,” said a resident.
The library board said on Friday they received 14 new book requests from the community to review.
Texas is allowing Florida M4L to control what their kids readMany of the speakers were from area churches who had been advised of the book excerpts through a social media campaign instigated in recent weeks by Position 7 Trustee David Hamilton, who serves as the board secretary. All of the excerpts come from the website of BookLooks, a Florida-based group that provides capsule summaries of books as well as excerpts that it finds objectionable."
https://www.fortbendstar.com/schoolne...
While many of the speakers spoke in heated terms, the meeting, which included a significant contingent of Fort Bend ISD police officers, remained civil. The board members and Superintendent Marc Smith, who are prohibited by state law from addressing citizens during the public comments portion of meetings, sat silently throughout the session. It lasted more than an hour, although some speakers spoke on different topics.
The first speaker, Pastor Carlos Jones of Missouri City-based Inspiration Church, began by asking supporters of removing the books in question to stand. More than two dozen people stood.
Jones read from "All Boys Aren't Blue," a 2020 book by George M. Johnson, described on its publisher's website as a set of essays in which Johnson describes growing up as gay Black man. Like all of the books that were brought up, it is marketed toward young adults.
Jones cited HB 900, passed by the Texas Legislature last year, which among other aspects requires public school districts to perform comprehensive reviews of all of the books on their shelves for their appropriateness for young readers for potential removal.
"We are not a book-banning group," he said. "We want to make sure our kids have access to education and not sway them to do things that we as parents don't allow in our own home."
One speaker said that he was demanding that the district "immediately" remove the books that were cited.
"I'm interested in protecting the children of Fort Bend County and their protection will be, in part, assured by the removal of this material from Fort Bend County schools and libraries," the man said. "The Fort Bend school district should not be in the business of sexualizing children."
He read extensive excerpts from "Push," a 1996 book by the author Sapphire, which tells the story of 16-year-old Black girl who lives in an abusive home environment, including serial acts of incest by her father. It was the basis for the 2009 film "Precious," which won two Academy Awards. Sapphire, the author, has said in interviews she was the victim of incest by her own father.
There was no action item on Monday's board agenda that dealt with removing any library materials. Hamilton has said that he is working to bring the district's library materials policy before the board for future action.
An update on the change in policy that might make book banning easier in Upper Adams Schools (PA).https://gettysburgconnection.org/book...
A policy proposal at Upper Adams School District seeks to restrict materials containing s--ual content, profanity, and content that “disparage[s] religious beliefs,” including classroom books purchased by teachers.
Concerns were raised at the March 19 school board meeting after teachers reportedly received an email from the administration asking teachers to submit a list of books in their classrooms for the board to approve.
Board member Marya Djalal described the March 11 email as “misleading” and said the board never made such a request. As a certified teacher herself, Djalal said to do so would be “insulting and demeaning” to the district’s teachers.
“Moreover, this controversy has served to drive an unnecessary wedge between the teachers and the school board,” Djalal said at Tuesday’s meeting, standing as she read from prepared remarks. “The board seeks clarity and consistency of the district policy on books because clear policies protect teachers, clear policies protect students and clear policies protect the rights of parents as the primary educators of their children.”
Superintendent Wesley Doll said in the meeting the book request is a separate matter from the proposed changes to Policy 109.1, Selection of Materials For Libraries/Media Centers. Doll in an email wrote that the district is continually updating the curriculum and at times needs to ask teachers about the materials they are using.
At the March 7 policy committee meeting, school board member Loren Lustig shared that he “and others” rewrote Policy 109.1 with changes they “feel need to be implemented,” according to the meeting minutes.
The proposal has since been tabled, board President Jim Lady said March 19, but he expects there will be more discussion in the future.
Proposed changes
The proposal rewrote much of the policy’s section on criteria for selection of materials in libraries/media centers. The proposal states library materials that “disparage religious beliefs” will be avoided and that the district will avoid library materials with s--ual content or profanity.
Exceptions would need approval from the superintendent and principal, and such exceptions “shall be infrequent, not common.” Additionally, the proposal would require that the school board be informed of exceptions granted.
Materials concerning ideologies, including political ones, would be “factual and purposefully selected to avoid bias,” under the proposed changes. District media centers would be responsible for providing materials that “cover both sides” of issues that are a matter of “public debate,” the proposal states.
Under the proposal, students’ library records would not be kept confidential from their parents/guardians. The proposal states, “The library records of a minor student (under the age of 18), shall not, however, be kept confidential from that student’s parents/guardians, except in cases where doing so is required by law.”
When it comes to reviewing complaints about materials, the proposal would have fewer teachers involved in the process.
Under the proposal, the committee reviewing complaints would be comprised of the principal and librarian(s). The proposal states the committee would include one language arts teacher and one teacher “from the curriculum area or grade level in which the material is being used” if the contested material was to be used for a class.
One proposed change would remove the word, “censorship” from the policy.
Under the section that states the purpose of the policy, the current policy reads, “In support of these objectives, the Upper Adams School District Board of Education has approved the following policy statement which includes … procedures for meeting the challenge of censorship of material in the school media centers.” The proposal would replace this with, “procedures for addressing concerns brought forward by students and/or their parents/guardians.”
The proposal would extend the scope of the entire policy to cover not only library and media center materials, but all print and digital media “for the use of or easily accessible to students.” This would include classroom books purchased by teachers, the proposal states.
Two concerned parents, one of them a district teacher, spoke out against the proposed policy changes on Tuesday.
“I don’t want you to decide what my child can or cannot read,” Rachel Elliott said. “As a parent, I want to see the continued success of our schools. We can’t do that without the hard work and trust of our teachers and librarians.”
Elliott questioned the transparency of the board, noting that policy committee meetings take place at 9 a.m. when most people are at work. She asked that policy committee meetings be recorded and posted to the district’s YouTube channel like other board meetings.
Parent and teacher Kelly Pelc said highly-qualified teachers and librarians make decisions every day about the material their students can “handle,” based on their expertise. She suggested the number of parent complaints does not warrant such “drastic” policy changes.
Wow a new low for PennsylvaniaSouth Middleton School Board members remove social justice web address from counseling plan
"South Middleton School Board last week voted to remove the web address of a social justice website from a strategic planning document that outlines how district counseling services intend to address student needs. Board members voted 7-2 to remove 'teachingtolerance.org' as a resource from curriculum action plans for the first and second grades under a broader document known as the K-12 School Guidance 339 Plan."
https://cumberlink.com/news/local/edu...
Brad Group and Shannon Snyder voted against the motion to amend the plan to remove the address. A follow-up motion to approve the amended plan passed unanimously.
The address was included as a resource for counseling services curriculum tied to the topic of “Differences.” Other topics covered in first grade include expected behaviors/problem solving, self-talk/mindfulness and friendship/kindness. Topics in second grade include perseverance/growth, teamwork/sportsmanship and tattling versus reporting.
‘A red flag’
Board member Eric Berry made the motion to remove the address, saying the website redirects the web browser to the website learningforjustice.org.
“I believe this organization is ideologically activist in nature,” Berry said before reading the following quote from someone who endorses use of the website: “Learning for Justice provides me with the means to promote social justice, challenge bias and engage students in discussions about diversity that would perhaps not happen otherwise.”
“Considering [that] they do have an activist bent, that raises a red flag on anything they would be recommending,” Berry said. “I don’t think that we should be going to an organization like that. I don’t think we should be going to them to look for resources and curriculum.
“You can look at lesson plans there,” he said. “You can even order posters. I’m sure no one would object to a poster of Martin Luther King [Jr.]. They also have posters for Black Lives Matter and Jazz Jennings as well.”
Berry also referenced the book “All Families Are Different,” which is listed as a resource for “Differences” under the first-grade action plan. “I wouldn’t say offhand that the book is objectionable,” he said. “I don’t know.”
He asked district administrators to clarify how the book is used to address the topic. Director of Student Services Alex Smith said both the book and the web address were carried over as resources from a 339 Plan approved in 2019.
“There are times when school counselors need to work with students if they don’t feel like they belong,” Smith said. “The goal is not to separate.”
Instead, counselors try to have each student recognize their differences in the context that the common bond students share is the school district, the teachers and staff and the support system that’s in place to help all district students, Smith said. The listed resources form the underpinnings for individual and small group counseling sessions involving students who feel they don’t belong, he said.
Berry said his problem is not with the book, but the website.
“It would be nice if there was a way to say don’t look to this place for curriculum items,” Berry said. “I’m sure they have some stuff that’s perfectly fine, but we don’t want stuff coming in from them that we don’t want. I’d like to know how exactly we could proceed, because I’m not going to vote no on everything here [in the 339 Plan] because of this one thing. Is there a way that something could be removed or reviewed?”
Board member Rodney Wagner suggested the board amend the 339 Plan to remove the website. Berry followed through with the motion.
Prior to the vote, Snyder commented on the website. A nationally certified counselor, Snyder has 20 years of experience as a mental health therapist, victim advocate and group facilitator.
“I personally use this website in my work,” Snyder said. “There are parts of it I wouldn’t use, but there are other resources that are very applicable to certain situations. I trust our guidance counselors’ judgment in making those appropriate choices.”
The administration has worked hard to put into place protocols on how resources are used to meet student needs, she said. “There comes a point where we have to give a little bit of leeway to let our teachers, our staff, our administration, our guidance counselors do their job to support students. We’re monitoring it. That’s the best that we can do.”
Though he voted against the motion to amend the plan, Group did not comment during the meeting on the rationale for his vote. Currently the board president, Group retired from the district after 35 years as a second-grade teacher.
Prior to the vote, Wagner asked whether the 339 Plan could be modified if administrators could identify an alternative website.
“Absolutely,” Superintendent Kevin J. O’Donnell Jr. said. “This isn’t set in stone. We could come back and make modifications and adjustments. We can continue to work with the curriculum committee to have conversations around what we’re using.”
O’Donnell said he accepts, understands and owns the fact that his administration could have undertaken a detailed vetting of the website prior to including it on the 339 Plan. It’s tough to say how every resource is going to be used while providing services to individual students with individual needs, he said.
Resident Carol Yanity thanked Snyder and Group for their opposition to the motion to remove the website.
“By voting no, you were showing the counselors and the administrators who created the plan the belief in them, in their jobs,” Yanity said. “They are educators. They have gone to school. They know what the requirements are.”
Yanity said the Learning for Justice website includes curriculum materials and resources sorted by topic with links from the homepage. “Educators can choose from eight categories: Race & Ethnicity, Religion, Ability, Class, Immigration, Gender & Sexual Identity, Bullying & Bias and Rights & Activism,” Yanity said.
Frederick, VirginiaFrederick County Public Schools (VA) school board president has a 100-page list of books he calls "nothing short of grooming" he's eager to get pulled from the district.
https://www.winchesterstar.com/winche...
Frederick County’s School Board Chairman Edward “Scott” Sturdivant said at last week’s board meeting that he is still taking aim at certain books in the division’s libraries, which was one of his campaign promises.
“[L]et me assure you now. I will get those s----lly explicit adult content books removed from our libraries if it’s the last thing that I ever do, and you can bank on that,” he said.
In an interview Monday, Sturdivant elaborated on which books he wants to remove. He said his list is based on a copy of one shared by former Back Creek Supervisor Shawn Graber at a Board of Supervisors meeting in July.
“There are over 100 pages here of books that are in our libraries and in our public schools that are nothing less than grooming,” Graber said at the time.
Sturdivant said he’s reviewing Graber’s list to see if the books are in Frederick County Public Schools’ libraries and whether he wants them removed.
“I would say there’s books on that list that I don’t personally agree with. But I’m not taking them out because I personally object to it,” Sturdivant said. “I’m getting rid of books that are s---ally explicit and labeled as adult content.”
There are four main books that Sturdivant wants removed from school libraries: “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas, “Crank” by Ellen Hopkins, “Lucky” by Alice Sebold and “On the bright side, I’m now the girlfriend of a sex god: further confessions of Georgia Nicolson” by Louise Rennison. [very much NOT explicit or whatever... very MUCH British. Learn to read and enjoy the humor and silliness of being a teen girl. ]
“Crank” is available in all three high school libraries in the county, according to an online catalog search, and “Lucky” is available at Millbrook High School.
FCPS’s online library system notes that both books contain s--ually explicit content, which is defined in the Code of Virginia as (view spoiler)
“A Court of Thorns and Roses” did not render results using FCPS’s catalog search tool. Sturdivant said he was told at Millbrook that the book was available at one point but was stolen. According to
The list Sturdivant received from Graber has these three books rated NC-17, a rating typically applied to films deemed unsuitable for children under age 17. The NC-17 rating did not come from FCPS.
The fourth book is available at the middle school level in FCPS. Graber’s list does not have this title marked as NC-17, however Sturdivant expressed that he finds it inappropriate for students in that age group to have access to a book that refers to someone as a “sex god.”
FCPS’s current policy provides a parental opt out option for materials deemed sexually explicit. Through an online form, parents can either block access to all books and instructional materials that fall under this category or select the specific materials they wish to restrict.
On Monday, Sturdivant said he thinks there should be an amendment to the division’s policy that gives the School Board authority to “say we want those books out of there.” He also said that division Superintendent George Hummer has since told him that staff is “working on the process of getting those books removed.”
FCPS spokesperson Tara Helkowski said Monday that the division did not have any comment at the time.
“I’m not out to ban books, as I have been labeled a book banner,” Sturdivant said. “... I am out to make sure that s---ually explicit adult content is not being given to our school children in public libraries. So that is all I’m asking for, which is to remove those certain books that have that NC-17 rating and get them out of our schools.”
Mat-Su Alaska doesn't quitThe Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly (AK) wants to create a "citizen's committee" to review book challenges in public libraries.
Speaking of Mat-Su, the school district there is now banning Call Me By Your Name and Verity.
https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/202...
The new ordinance, OR 24-039, was introduced at the March 19 regular Assembly meeting and comes after frustrations came to a head at a Jan. 18 Borough Library Board public meeting. A recording of the meeting shows emotions began to run high after Assembly member Dee McKee took to the podium in support of reviewing the titles after the Library Board called the meeting to a close.
McKee, as well as assembly members Dmitiri Fonov and Ron Bernier, are sponsoring the controversial piece of legislation. If passed as written, the committee members would be appointed by Mayor Edna DeVries who said more residents have been testifying in support of the measure lately.
“I think there is a lot of concern out there,” DeVries said. “So I think it’s something that needs to be addressed.”
The Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District (MSBSD) has already begun a similar process, after appointing a Library Citizen’s Advisory Committee to review a 56-item list of challenged books at the district level. So far, MSBSD board members have voted in favor of all recommendations brought forth by the committee, resulting in three books now banned from school library shelves — those titles are “It Ends With Us” and “Verity” by Colleen Hoover, as well as “Water For Elephants” by Sara Gruen.
Several other titles have been remanded to the district’s administration to rule whether or not they will remain on school shelves.
The controversial removal of the 56 books from Mat-Su schools resulted in a lawsuit against the district filed by the ACLU of Alaska, citing it violates First and Fourteenth Constitutional Amendment rights.
The ordinance would only affect the five borough-run libraries, which include those in Big Lake, Willow, Trapper Creek, Talkeetna, and Sutton. In response to requests for comments from those libraries directors, Borough Manager Mike Brown said in an emailed response that all media requests must go through the Borough’s communications team and that the librarians would not be allowed to speak on the ordinance.
Unaffected by the ordinance are the Palmer and Wasilla public libraries, which are under the jurisdiction of those cities.
Palmer, however, has already been in discussions over taking action on the issue and recently asked its city attorney Sarah Heath for legal guidance. During her presentation to the Palmer City Council, Heath spoke on the complex legal issues that surround government interference of reading materials.
Flathead (fka ImagineIF) County Library in Montana doesn't quit trying to remove books either.The Flathead County Library Board (MT, formerly ImagineIF Libraries) may make a decision this week on whether or not to eliminate their young adult collections altogether.
https://dailyinterlake.com/news/2024/...
The young adult collection is housed in the teen areas of Flathead County Libraries. Board Chair David Ingram expressed concerns about teens finding age-inappropriate content in books designated for young adults [back in February's board meeting]. Ingram proposed, and later withdrew, a motion at the February meeting that would have moved to classify all books in the library as either “for adults or for minors.” He said he was concerned that the intended age range for the section was too large and that parents might have a hard time ensuring that their teenagers wouldn’t pick up an inappropriate book.
With the proposal paused, Library Director Teri Dugan drafted five options for handling the young adult section for trustees to consider at the board’s Thursday meeting. The suggestions are included in her director’s report.
Dugan also plans to share the findings of a recent audit conducted by Teen Services Librarian Starr White and other employees. Out of the 318 young adult titles in the system, only three had one or more sources placing the item in the general adult section, according to library documents. The audit compared the intended age range from publisher Baker & Taylor, NoveList, Syndetics Unbound and nonprofit Common Sense Media, which provide ratings for media and technology.
The first of Dugan’s five options is to maintain the status quo. She said the library purchases for the ages of 12 to 18 and the section reflects that — as shown in the audit. Dugan said she supports this option, adding that the staff could audit the young adult section annually.
The second option calls for leaving the collection where it is housed, but adding grade labels for books. This would provide more information to patrons and could be done with a label to the outside spine or a stamp to the inside cover. Labels would designate books into two categories: grades 6-9 and grades 9-12.
The third option is to label the collection with the grades stickers or stamps and then divide the collection, housing the books according to their age audience designation. The overlap of grade nine would require librarian review and expertise as to which section to place certain titles.
The last two options involve community input. One would involve a community survey study, with a comparison to one done recently in Beaufort County, South Carolina. Dugan warned in her director’s report that this strategy could bring “national media attention to the community, which could result in negative media coverage, staff overturn, as well as attracting activism to our area.”
The second option involving the community at large called for the creation of a panel of parents from various groups and backgrounds. This would include moderated sessions with input about what these parents would like to see in the young adult collection. Dugan said the panel could consist of working parents, grandparents, homeschooling parents and parents from various organizations. Those sessions would be used to gather information and set policy for ordering the young adult collection.
Dugan’s report noted that the library has just begun to curate the young adult collection within the last nine months. Prior to 2023, they did not have a dedicated teen librarian to order and curate books. She asks that the librarians be allowed to continue this work.
“Perhaps this topic could be revisited down the road to allow for more time for me to adjust to my new position, open a new Bigfork library, implement our newly changed name and help advocate for a new location for our main Kalispell library,” Dugan wrote in her report to trustees.
In addition to Dugan’s proposals, White is also expected to provide comments to the board.
At February’s meeting, many trustees seemed on board with discussing changes to the young adult collection. Vice Chair Carmen Cuthbertson described the designation as a sales tool by the publishing industry, despite it being created by librarians in the mid-20th century. She said she felt like young adult books vary in subject matter too much for parents to know for sure that their children are reading age appropriate materials.
Ingram said in February that he wants to provide a guide post for parents to participate in what their child is exposed to and when.
“My goal is to provide our selecting librarians with a clear definition of what a given collection should contain and also provide guidance to parents regarding the general contents of specific areas of the library,” Ingram further explained his position in an email to the Daily Inter Lake.
More from MontanaLaurel Public Schools (MT) will not return three books to school shelves. Banned permanently are The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School, A Million Quiet Revolutions, and Assassination Classroom, Book 4.
https://www.laureloutlook.com/news/af...
After more than an hour of public comments Monday night about three books purchased by Laurel Public Schools, school trustees voted to keep them off school library shelves.
A seven-member committee’s recommendation to keep the three books on shelves was challenged, so the matter came before the board. The books are among those that have been discussed and reviewed since last December. The books are: “The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School,” “A Million Quiet Revolutions,” and “Assassination Classroom, Book 4.”
Laurel High School librarian Lori Hodges said books that depict relationships between heterosexual couples are plentiful, but those that depict stories about relationships in the LGBTQ community are not that available to students.
Other speakers complained that there was too much profanity and graphic sex scenes in “A Million Quiet Revolutions.” Their issue with “The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School” was that the book disparaged the Catholic faith.
“This really does target the Catholic faith,” Lee Deming said. “The whole book is an attack on our faith.”
Issues with “Assassination Classroom” were about its violence.
“It is an extremely violent book that encourages students to kill their teacher,” said trustee Jennifer Jones.
Jones appealed the committee decision to keep that book in the LHS library. Trustee Rene Roth challenged the committee decision to keep “Lesbiana’s Guide” and “Million Quiet Revolutions” on the shelves.
In the Greeley, Colorado, school district, 150 people began begging to get a book banned in December 2022. The review committee, consisting of NINETEEN PEOPLE, didn't begin the process until November 2023 and the decision was reached this week. adult book
https://www.greeleytribune.com/2024/0...
Meetings for “The God of Small Things” review started in November. To participate on the committee, the district required people to be objective and in the middle to consider all options, Tuttle said.
The committee consists of 19 members, including a pastor, employees from North Range dealing with youth trauma, six parents, two recent graduates from the past four years, four teachers, a certified librarian, four district administrators and two facilitators.
After several meetings, the committee landed on the recommendation for the book to continue to remain openly available in high school libraries without any restrictions. Superintendent Deidre Pilch backed the recommendation after her review.
In the three-page decision, guided by 12 criteria, the committee said the book allows readers to challenge world views such as generational poverty and trauma, according to Tuttle.
As part of the process, people with initial objections can appeal the decision. Stacey Casteel, who previously ran for school board in November, was the only one out of 165 people to do so.
Casteel’s appeal from Feb. 27 disagreed with the finding to allow the book to stay in the school. However, she said on Monday that her request doesn’t mean pulling the book from the shelves.
Instead of the district allowing parents to opt their child out of a book, which is currently the case for the school district, Casteel said the librarian should call the parent to tell them their child wants to check out a book on the “banned book list.”
Casteel thinks parents don’t know the current restriction opportunity is available to them or they aren’t aware of the challenged books’ content, which is why communication between the librarian and the parent would be beneficial. But board members argued this approach would create an extra burden on the librarian and that the banned book list could potentially become too long, complicating the process.
Although District 6 received public backlash for having certain books in its schools, which resulted in hundreds of people in the community challenging books, only two parents have requested to restrict access to books since implementing parental choice, according to Tuttle. A majority of the 211 people who filed nearly 4,500 paper complaints on 11 books in December 2022 also indicated they had not read the books nor had students in District 6 schools, according to a previous Tribune article.
Casteel and other initial challengers had major issues with the book’s content, particularly the s----al nature of the book. At Monday’s meeting, Casteel indicated the s---al acts that took place in the book can stunt educational growth. However, Natalie Mash, vice president of the school board, said the act is portrayed as abuse and nothing positive comes out of it.
Mash cited the book committee’s take on assault from the book, stating the topic could help students openly discuss trauma’s impact. She then cited that 1 in 4 women will be assaulted in their lifetime, and District 6 has 22,00 students.
“This is the experience of some of our students,” she said.
During public participation, Brian Sullivan, the husband of board member Taylor Sullivan, also called for the elimination of “The God of Small Things” but didn’t make an appeal. He then inquired which board members voted to keep this book in schools.
Only one board member, Taylor Sullivan, expressed a desire to remove the book from the high school, going against the recommendation from the committee. She believed the book encouraged and promoted infidelity, s---ual assault, spousal abuse and incest.
Sullivan argued the book is a “depressing read” that doesn’t make children feel safe or protected, going against the district’s values.
A few board members went on to address Casteel’s appeal, which stated the committee’s recommendation lacked reason and literacy value. Board member Doran Azari, who participated in his first book review after being elected to the board in November, cited at least five reasons directly from the committee’s documents.
The board members, minus Sullivan, further sided with upholding the book committee’s and superintendent’s recommendation based on the approach to book challenges.
Board member Kyle Bentley added that District 6 has a “good process” for reviewing book complaints through the committee and the parental choice component. In fact, Bentley said, other school districts across the state are following District 6’s model for book challenges.
The book committee’s next reviews will be “Me, Earl and the Dying Girl” by Jesse Andrews and “Real Live Boyfriends” by E. Lockhart, according to the District 6 website.
AlabamaGov. Ivey’s proposed Alabama library code changes facing public opposition
https://www.al.com/news/2024/03/gov-i...
According to the Alabama Public Library Service, Alabamians had submitted 416 public comments as of Monday, and 399 are opposed to adopting the administrative code changes Ivey proposed after fears of “inappropriate content” for children sparked a wave of book challenges statewide. The public comment period ends April 29.
The code changes include relocating “s----ally explicit or other material deemed inappropriate for children or youth,” and moving the books to the adult section doesn’t equate to a “denial of service on the basis of age.”
“I think that we’re all trying to be responsive to the concerns that have been made,” board chair Ronald Snider told AL.com on Monday. He said it’s premature to determine what will be approved. Still, he thought the “governor’s proposal was a reasonable effort to move forward.”
“This agency does a lot of good, and it has never been controversial until this year,” Snider said. “And we’re hoping to not continue to be controversial.”
One of the newest state library board members, Amy Dozier Minton, told AL.com that some public commenters wanted stronger or more specific changes to the code.
“So I thought that was an interesting part of the conversation,” Minton said.
Minton, who challenged 30 LGBTQ books at Gadsden library in 2023, wants to amend the current code to disallow libraries from purchasing or acquiring any material for minors “which contain obscenity, s--ual conduct, intercourse, s---ual orientation, gender identity/ideology, or gender discordance. [all LGBTQIA+ books] Age-appropriate materials concerning biology, human anatomy, or religion are exempt from this rule.”
Minton said she does not consider this a book ban because books are still available in bookstores.
“We can’t carry all one million books that are published every year,” Minton said. “We’re just saying to not have these in our public libraries with taxpayer dollars.” She added, “selective censorship happens every day” when librarians decide which books to shelve and which to weed out.
The anti-censorship group PEN America considers a book ban as any time a book is “removed from availability to students, or where access to a book is restricted or diminished.”
On March 21, the board decided to wait until after the public hearing to discuss these amendments by voting to create a subcommittee to look at them further.
“My view was we need to let the current process play out,” Snider said. “It could be confusing to the public to put out any additional amendments until that period had concluded and we had the public hearing.” The amendments also include mandating library cards for minors and no public funding to the American Library Association.
Board member and Alabama Republican Party chair John Wahl told AL.com Tuesday that Minton “brings up some good points.”
“She brings up things that I think the board should look at,” Wahl said. “But we need to make sure that we stay within the bounds of the authority of APLS as well as we get it right and give both board members and the public time to see them before we take any action.”
The board also discussed Attorney General Steve Marshall’s opinion that the APLS can withhold funding for libraries that don’t follow the administrative code. Minton said she’s concerned funding may be withheld or pro-rated since the legislative term ends on May 20, less than a month after the public hearing. Snider said there shouldn’t be a problem but will address it if it arises.
Minton said APLS executive director Nancy Pack is working on a new “Alabama public library bill of rights” given APLS’ disaffiliation from the American Library Association, which has its own bill of rights. Wahl said the bill would have some of the language in ALA’s bill of rights, including “standing up for teaching, for encouraging reading and good materials for patrons.”
“Going back to some of those fundamental rights (such as) freedom of free speech, freedom of association, and highlighting some of the things that are so important to a free society,” Wahl said.
While APLS’ disaffiliation doesn’t automatically affect the membership of libraries and individual librarians, the American Library Association secured $293,000 in grants to 36 libraries between 2019-2023. Wahl said the board wants to make sure that the Alabama Public Library Service “steps into the gap” created by the disaffiliation and that missing resources are provided.
TexasMontgomery County adopts review policy of library books | The Texas Tribune
PUBLIC library
https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/...
The county north of Houston adopted the guidelines amid a growing number of book bans in school districts and a new state law that supporters claim protects children from inappropriate material.
Montgomery County officials adopted a new policy on Tuesday empowering a citizen committee to review, and potentially remove, library materials at the request of the public.
County Judge Mark Keough the policy’s author, said the process will prevent children from accessing inappropriate books, while critics argued the new guidelines strip librarians from the reconsideration process and will target books featuring LGBTQ+ characters.
“Nowhere are we talking about banning any books,” Commissioner Robert Walker said on Tuesday during a commissioners court meeting. “The whole goal of this mission … was to put these books in a place where the adults would have to get them for their kids, not where the kids can walk up and pick up books right in front of them.”
The policy establishes a new process for reconsideration of library materials in which a community member can request a review of a book. If that material is in a non-adult section, it is immediately moved to the 18-and-older shelves until the Citizens Review Committee reconsiders the content. The committee — made up of individuals selected by the court’s five members, who Keough said “will reflect the values of this community” — can choose to move the book into a different section, leave the book where it is or remove it from circulation through a unanimous vote.
Keough, a former state representative, characterized the new guidelines as a rewrite of the existing policy that addresses residents’ desire to reconsider where books are placed in the library. He said librarians are responsible for appropriately sorting materials into one of the four sections of the county’s library system: adult, parenting, young-adult and children.
Keough said “again and again” that books are not being sorted appropriately. Of the four members present, three voted to implement the policy.
The sole dissenter in Tuesday’s vote, Commissioner Charlie Riley, raised concerns about who can request a review of library materials and the lack of input from the county’s attorney.
In a Tuesday statement, Keough told The Texas Tribune that the County Attorney had the same amount of time as the public and commissioners to review the policy. He said no objections were raised “in the more than 4 days after the proposed policy was publicly posted for consideration,” Keough wrote.
“If there needs to be some tweaks, we can always come back and take a look at this and represent it,” Keough said once the policy was adopted.
Teresa Kenney, a Montgomery County resident and owner of Village Books in The Woodlands, was concerned about the ability of citizens on the committee to remove books from the shelves. She said it was dangerous to take librarians out of the decision-making process because committee members may not have the same level of education as trained professionals when it comes to choosing what should be on shelves.
“A librarian is trained to look at it from other people's eyes,” Kenney told the Tribune. “They're trained to be empathetic in what they choose and curate for their library regardless of their own personal beliefs.”
Based on the content of books banned elsewhere, Kenney said it’s likely that materials discussing race, the LGBTQ+ community and “anything that makes someone feel uncomfortable” would be targeted for review by the new policy.
A petition circulated by the anti-censorship group Texas Freedom to Read Project asking Montgomery County officials to reject the proposal earned over 1,200 signatures.
“Librarians are experts in balancing the unique needs, values and First Amendment rights of their communities and should always have a voice, and a vote, when books are challenged,” Texas Freedom to Read Project said in a Tuesday statement.
AAUW speaker warns of rise in book censorship, ‘similar to a pandemic’https://www.losaltosonline.com/commun...
The American Association of University Women Silicon Valley Branch (AAUW Silicon Valley) hosted a virtual discussion titled “School Book Banning: A Primer for Readers of All Ages” with Jennifer Lynn Wolf, senior lecturer at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education and former high school English teacher.
According to PEN America, book banning is defined as “Any action taken against a book based on its content and as a result of parent or community challenges, administrative decisions, or in response to direct or threatened action by lawmakers or other governmental officials, that leads to a previously accessible book being either completely removed from availability to students, or where access to a book is restricted or diminished.”
Wolf focused on the particulars of book banning in schools. She said that the current surge in book banning is similar to a pandemic in the number of attempts (531 from Jan. 1 to Aug. 31, 2023, for example) involving 3,923 titles.
This surge is not new – attempts to ban books go back to the early part of the 20th century. Wolf cited a case study of books being burned by the Nazis at the urging of the German Student Union in 1933. In the 21st century, the controversy on books began with the banning by the McMinn County School Board in Tennessee of the children’s graphic novel “Maus” that described the terrors of the Nazi regime.
The audience was encouraged to learn that in 2023, California passed AB 1078, which prohibits book bans.
According to Wolf, the current schoolbook banning movement is being driven by Moms for Liberty and has great impact on both children and families.
Wolf offered this advice on how to protect the right to read: Read and gift banned books, use your public library, learn who’s on your local school board and hold candidates’ forums, and watch, listen to or read documentaries, podcasts or books on book banning.
In a question-and-answer session after her talk, one attendee said that San Jose’s AAUW has already gone to board meetings of four school districts and learned that the true reason for book banning is to discredit public schools and to promote private parochial schools.
Wolf concluded with the comment that currently there are more questions than answers about book banning, particularly with regard to who (parents, school boards, teachers, legislators, the courts, for example) should decide what children should learn and read.
Alabama as usual but paywalledParents complain about ‘sexually explicit’ books in Huntsville library system
https://www.al.com/news/huntsville/20...
lying censor of the day in Alabama
Carissa Callan
However the good news is
Huntsville-Madison Library updates policies to “uphold intellectual freedom”
As challenges have popped up at libraries across the state, the Huntsville system has become the focus of controversy multiple times.
https://www.alreporter.com/2024/03/28...
The new policies approved by the board seem to reference some of those recent controversies and create policies that apply to those situations.
For example, the updated “room use” policy explicitly states that “facilities are available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting this use.” The room use policy is also updated to add: “View into the rooms may not be obstructed at any time.”
The board also voted to create a new “unattended minor” policy, requiring parents to accompany children up to 10 years in age. Many other libraries have a similar policy, including the Prattville library.
Changes to the “staff programming” and “collection development” policies specifically emphasize intellectual freedom and diversity.
“The library upholds the principles of intellectual freedom and supports the rights of individuals to read, speak, view, and exchange points of view,” the new programming policy states. “In order to provides access to diverse perspectives, the library presents a variety of programs. Topics and speakers are not excluded from library programs because of possible controversy.”
The collection development policy states that “HMCPL supports the right of each family to decide which items are appropriate for use by their children” and that “while individuals may choose for themselves or their children, they may not choose for others.”
The new policies also clarify how books are placed within the library.
“Materials are initially placed in the collection based on publisher recommendation and regional library practice,” the policy states. “HMCPL staff may adjust placement of materials based on suitability of subject and style for the intended audience.”
And finally, a new policy on displays emphasizes variety and diversity.
“[HMCPL] will offer displays and exhibits that appeal to a range of ages, interests, and information needs of the Huntsville-Madison County community,” the policy states. “Displays and exhibit materials will be based on the suitability of the subject and style for the intended audience. Library-initiated displays and exhibits should not exclude any topics, books, media, and other resources solely because they may be considered controversial.”
The policy changes come as the Alabama Public Library Service considers changes to what policies are required for libraries to receive state aid. Changes proposed by Gov. Kay Ivey are currently about 60 days in to a 90-day comment period, and have so far been wildly unpopular.
Only 17 public comments submitted have supported the changes, while 399 letters have opposed them. The Alabama Library Association proposed its own amendment that would emphasize that librarians cannot act en loco parentis, or in the place of parents, when it comes to restricting access to materials.
Clean Up Alabama also opposes the changes, requesting policies more akin to a sweeping prohibition in Prattville, and freshly appointed APLS board member Amy Minton has proposed an amendment that would do just that.
That amendment is currently in subcommittee on the request of APLS board member and ALGOP chair John Wahl, who questioned whether the APLS has authority to implement such an amendment.
Claire Dixon of the Madison County chapter of Moms for Liberty argued the board’s new policies flout Gov. Kay Ivey’s proposed changes.
Dixon said the policy changes sound as if they could have been written directly by Read Freely Alabama.
Speaker Scott Jones said the majority of people in Huntsville are being “held hostage” by the LGBTQ community.
Jones pointed to the oft-challenged 1974 sex education book “It’s Perfectly Normal” as an inappropriate book for children, in part because it has a section that discusses (view spoiler)
Marissa Allison, organizer of the Madison County chapter of Read Freely, brought up the recent attacks by conservative media and several members of Congress against a transgender employee at Space Camp.
“I’m bringing this to you all today because some of the same actors that have given their voices to and inflamed the transphobic frenzy that we are seeing in our community have also been the same voices we have heard in library board meetings across our state and here locally,” Allison said. “I fear that our librarians could become the next victims of doxxing, so I’m going to ask the board to consider adding a policy to the rules of conduct to address this.”
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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https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/edu...
https://hickoryrecord.com/news/local/...
Members of the Catawba County Schools Board of Education were so divided on the topic at Monday night’s book hearing that two motions failed. The book remains in the school system because the board could not agree on a decision, so the result was no action.
chair Annette Richards made a motion to restrict the book so students could only check out the book with parental permission. No one seconded the motion and it failed.
Board member and book challenger Michelle Teague made a motion to remove the book from media centers. Board member Don Sigmon seconded. The motioned failed in a 3-4 vote. Teague, Sigmon and board member Tim Settlemyre were in favor of the motion. Chairman Jeff Taylor, Richards, and board members Leslie Barnette and Ronn Abernathy were not in favor.
Teague spoke about why the Picoult book should be removed from the school system. She read her justifications from her notes. Teague said the book is not appropriate for teenagers because of sexual references, profanity, violence, bullying and suicide. She said these themes can be intense for young readers and cause anxiety or distress.
Teague said she feels the book could glorify violence and suggest to teenagers that violence is an acceptable solution to problems. She said she is concerned that exposing students to graphic depictions of violence, such as the school shooting in the book, may desensitize students to violence or inspire them to commit the act themselves.
Teague said the book, “contains the F-bomb 47 times.”
“I feel like there could be alternate choices, other books could be made available that address similar things, but in a more age-appropriate manner, encouraging teenagers to explore literature that aligns better with their emotional maturity might be a wiser choice.”
Barnette asked Teague which character she found most offensive in the book. Teague said Matt, (view spoiler)[a character who sexually assaulted another character. (hide spoiler)]
“So, the (view spoiler)[date rape was more offensive than the child who murdered nine children and injured 19 others?” Barnette asked. (hide spoiler)]
Teague said no. She said she finds the whole book offensive.
“Was there a reason you didn’t cite any of the scenes of the school shooting and only chose language, sexually explicit-charged language, in your presentation?” Barnette asked.
“No, I just said that they had 47 things in there for the f-bomb. I mean, as far as the shooting, it’s violence. It doesn’t matter, either way it’s violence,” Teague responded.
Teague said she has heard many parents express concern about their children reading the book.
Barnette asked why Teague did not include copies of parents’ opposition in her evidence. Barnette said she would like to see the opposition.
“You heard the audience give their opposition to this book,” Teague said. “That should conclude it.”
Chairman Taylor reminded the board that when asked on a survey, more than 80% of parents answered that they want to choose what their child can and cannot read. Taylor said the majority of parents also answered that books are not among their top concerns.
Barnette said that, in Teague’s appeal letter, Teague wrote some high school students are not mature enough to read the book. “Am I to take from that statement that there are some students that are mature enough to read it?” Barnette asked.
Teague said Barnette would know the answer to that because she was a teacher and principal for many years. “My thing is, there are different maturity levels of students,” Teague said.
“Exactly,” Barnette said.
Barnette asked who decides on a student’s maturity level. Teague said teachers and parents.
“So, it would be a parent’s choice in that case?” Barnette asked.
“It’s always about parents,” Teague said. “No doubt about it. Parents are always in charge of their children. They should be.”
“May I ask why you get to choose for other parents?” Barnette asked.
“I am the voice for the parents that do not want this trash in our schools,” Teague asserted. “That’s why I was elected to this position as a board member.