Children's Books discussion
Banned Books: discussions, lists
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Discussion of censorship, equity, and other concerns.
No ‘inappropriate’ books officially reported to Catoosa County school district, superintendent sayshttps://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2...
PAYWALLED
No there are NO inappropriate books in libraries, only in peoples' imaginations and social media postings which amounts to the same thing.
Delaware becomes the latest state to attempt to pass an anti-book ban bill.https://www.wdel.com/news/new-del-bil...
New Del. bill addresses attempts to ban books at libraries
House Bill 119 is known as the Freedom to Read Act.
Public schools and libraries would be required to adopt policies in developing their collections that prohibit removal of materials based on an author's background, or for partisan, ideological or religious objections. The legislation sets up a clear review procedure for challenging or removing materials.
A dispute could go to a newly-established School Library Review Committee, or a body that would determine requests to remove materials from a public library. The library review committee would be "comprised of the President of the School Chiefs’ Association, the State Librarian, the Secretary of the Department of Education, the President of the Delaware State Education Association, the President of the Association of School Administrators, the President of the Delaware Association of School Librarians, and the President of the Delaware Library Association" according to the bill's supporters.
“Fortunately, for Delaware this is a preventative step. Collection Development Policies are a standard library tool and Delaware public libraries already have them in place,” Delaware State Librarian Dr. Annie Norman said. “Books are a safe space, a safe way to learn about the world. Kids who read succeed.”
Also included in the act are protections for library employees who act in accordance with their library collection development policies.
bad news in Texas. The censors will have their way at last. Freedom to set up White, Christian, Nationalist charter schools for their precious darlings and leave the rest behind. Texas House advances $1B private school voucher bill
https://www.khou.com/article/news/edu...
Federal judge considering whether to stop enforcement of Dept. of Education letter regarding DEI policieshttps://www.wmur.com/article/new-hamp...
New Hampshire-
A federal judge in Concord is considering what happens next in a battle over diversity, equity and inclusion programs in schools.
The U.S. Department of Education is threatening to withhold funding if those schools don't certify that their programs do not treat people differently based on race.
Lawyers representing the educational organizations are saying the notice sent by federal education officials is having a chilling effect in the classrooms. Those representing the U.S. Department of Education said the letter they sent is not intended to regulate free speech.
In February, the U.S. Department of Education sent a letter to educational institutions that receive federal funding "... to clarify and reaffirm the nondiscrimination obligations of schools and other entities that receive federal financial assistance from the United States Department of Education."
Then in March, the agency asked those institutions to certify that any DEI and other programs do not discriminate based on race, or they risk losing federal funding.
The National Education Association of New Hampshire and other groups are now suing the Department of Education with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union, saying the request is vague and unconstitutional.
On Thursday, ACLU lawyers asked a federal judge in Concord to stop enforcement of that letter to stop any punitive actions against educational institutions while the lawsuit plays out, but government lawyers maintained federal money won't simply be pulled from schools, there is a process in place that involves an investigation of DEI practices.
"I think there is a mix of emotions here. The education community is certainly very fearful and chilled in their ability to teach according to best practices, according to the standards they've always followed," Sarah Hinger, deputy director, ACLU Racial Justice Program, said.
The ACLU said the judge will make a decision by next Thursday -- the day educational institutions are supposed to file their certifications.
North Carolina advances bill on book bans in public schoolshttps://apnews.com/article/book-ban-n...
After fiery debate, a North Carolina bill advanced through the state House on Wednesday that gives parents a bigger say in which books are allowed — or banned — from the state’s public and charter schools.
Now, the bill heads to the state Senate. The legislation had a short trip through the House as Republican lawmakers quickly ran it through committees the day before. It’s also an issue the Trump administration has signaled it supports.
...
North Carolina’s bill would charge a public school superintendent with creating a “community library advisory committee” made up of five parents and five school employees. That committee would then make recommendations for which books or films should be approved or denied.
Those recommendations would be published on school websites, where community members could submit their own objections to content slated for approval. The governing body of the district, typically the school board, would then decide on the recommendations at a meeting, according to the bill.
Some GOP legislators spoke in support of the bill and adamantly denied that the legislation facilitated book bans. Instead, they said parents could choose to buy books or check out books from public libraries if they weren’t available at their school.
“This is not a book ban,” Cabarrus County Republican Rep. Brian Echevarria said. “This is putting things out of the reach of children.”
Several Democratic House members vehemently opposed the bill, saying it could lead to censorship within schools. They argued that lawmakers shouldn’t play a role in determining what books can be allowed in school libraries — which was met by applause from attendees in the chamber gallery.
“Let’s stop tasking our superintendents with edicts from Raleigh that drain their time from actually educating our children,” said Democratic Rep. Amos Quick of Guilford County.
Debate was eventually cut off by GOP leadership using a parliamentary procedure.
Schools that do not comply with the legislation could be subject to civil penalties by parents or residents who sue. The State Board of Education would also be responsible for maintaining a public database of library materials that have been rejected.
Mod
So now, Donald Trump actually wants to deport Americans? I guess that Dr. Lisa Anderson is on the radar simply because she is a woman?
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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The state of Maine rocks and my mom just said we need to move there. The government is resisting Trump's transphobic ban on trans girls playing sports, as we begin celebrating the 250th anniversary of America with The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere and remember how we New Englanders took a stand against tyranny. Hang two lights in your window tonight in honor of that struggle!
A new book sanctuary library in PennsylvaniaAnd the Board of Trustees at the Mt. Lebanon Public Library has declared that it is a “book sanctuary.”
https://www.heraldstandard.com/news/l...
Robyn Vittek, the library’s director, said it is the only library in Pennsylvania to make itself a book sanctuary, which means it will, according to the resolution approved by the library board, “pledge to collect and protect endangered books that meet the standards of the library’s collection policy.”
As a book sanctuary, the resolution stated, it will also “carry out its mission in providing a forum to exchange ideas through conversations and programs about intellectual freedom and related topics.”
Declaring the library a book sanctuary is simply a way to underscore that “libraries are for everyone,” Vittek explained, and “simply asserting our essential services will not change.”
The library board approved the resolution at its February meeting. Though it appears to be the first in Pennsylvania to declare itself a book sanctuary, Mt. Lebanon Public Library is joining a nationwide effort that started in September 2022 when the Chicago Public Library and the City of Chicago declared themselves book sanctuaries. Libraries in Seattle, Dayton, Ohio, Hoboken, N.J., and Arlington, Va., have since followed suit. Individuals can also declare their own libraries to be book sanctuaries, with a digital toolkit being made available at booksanctuary.org.
...
Patrons of Mt. Lebanon Public Library still have the right to express misgivings about anything in the library’s collection, but, according to the resolution the library board approved, the library “will not condone removal of any materials from the collection” that meet its collection development policy.
The library is selling T-shirts, stickers and pins to promote its “book sanctuary” designation.
The response from the Mt. Lebanon community to the library being declared a book sanctuary has been “100% positive,” Vittek said.
“What we’re really doing is saying we believe in the First Amendment and a patron’s right to choose the information that is important to them,” she added.
Additional information about the library’s book sanctuary resolution can be found at https://mtlebanonlibrary.org/706/Book....
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Ha, great, and perhaps Maine should consider joining with New Brunswick (just kidding, but ...)
Mod
These American citizens are CHRISTIAN and were visiting Canadian family members for Palm Sunday, but I guess according to Donald Trump and his Gestapo like border guards anyone who is of Lebanese background and has a Lebanese or Arabic sounding name must be detained (or worse) as a potential terrorist etc. (even though there were Christians in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Ethiopia etc. when in Europe, the ancient Germans, Celts and yes that also means the ancestors of Donald Trump, J.D. Vance et al and in fact probably most if not all Americans and Canadians with English, Scottish, Irish, German, French etc. surnames were still worshipping Odin, Freya, Lug and engaging in magic, in human sacrifice and praying to the sun, the moon etc.). But I am glad that the victims of Donald Trump (and of those who voted for him) are telling their stories and that CNN is also not afraid to tell and to print their stories (and yes, even though the victims are justifiably afraid of repercussions and retaliation).
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I do not trust Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives (because the federal party is totally tainted with Fascist, populist garbage and Social Conservatism/Stalinism) and think that Poilievre is a mini-Trump, but at least even if he were to become Canadian PM, Poilievre will thankfully not have the same monarchial and dictatorial powers that Donald Trump, that the POTUS has (but I do consider PP a threat to free speech and academic freedom and hope that the majority of Canadians are going to be intelligent enough not to vote for him).
Red, Wine and Blue is tracking the reality of Project 2025 -which only 4% of voters support- to hold the government accountable. Scroll down for education :https://redwine.blue/project2025/?utm...
so, What Can you do about it?
Use these additional resources to learn how Project 2025 will impact the public schools in your community:
The National Education Association’s Federal Funding Guide shows you how much federal funding goes to your local public schools.
The Education Law Center’s Universal Voucher Price Tag Tool helps you estimate how much private school voucher programs will cost your state in public funds.
The Education Law Center’s Trump 2.0 Federal Revenue Tool shows you how much your state could lose in federal funding if all of Trump’s plans are fully implemented.
The women of Red Wine & Blue are working hard to protect public education where we know we can have the most impact — in our local communities! Learn more about our Freedom to Parent movement and sign up for updates. And if you’re ready to push back on these policies in your community, our Parent Playbook can get you started.
Overhaul Public Education to align with extremist viewpoints
Donald Trump issued an executive order to remove funding from any schools that have Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs (which prepare kids to navigate a diverse and changing world), allow trans students to exist in class, and/or teach honest lessons about race and history. The order will also bring back Trump’s 1776 Commission to dictate what schools should be allowed to teach nationwide.
The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights announced that it was ending all guidance related to fighting book bans, dismissing all the book ban complaints under current investigation, and removing the person who investigated unlawful book removals.
Florida ... books about Deepwater Horizon (which happened in the Gulf of Mexico) in school libraries.
When those books become worn or lost, it’s unclear if librarians will be able to order new copies thanks to HB 549, signed into law last week, requiring new purchases to reference “Gulf of America.”
https://bsky.app/profile/flfreedomrea...
The Florida Freedom to Read Project notes "While FSU students and faculty were being terrorized by an armed man incapable of seeing the humanity in others, the FL House advanced a bill that will ban books that help us empathize with others."https://www.wmnf.org/florida-bill-cou...
A bill that would make it easier to remove books from schools is making its way through the Florida Capitol.
The bill passed through the Education and Employment committee Thursday morning by a 13-4 vote.
The bill aims to define what is “harmful to minors” and revises the current review process for instructional materials.
Critics say the bill could weaken the Miller Test, which says educational, literary and artistic value of a book must be considered when determining potential removal.
The test was developed in 1973 and has long been the United States Supreme Court’s test for determining obscenity.
Jason Reynolds is a New York Times Best-Selling author who spoke at a press conference hosted by the Florida Freedom to Read Project in opposition of the bill.
“This is a conversation about whether or not children get to know what should not be a secret kept from them,” Reynolds said.
...
non-compliant districts could get their funding revoked.
This week, Florida censorship attempts :Florida Freedom to Read Project
@flfreedomread.bsky.social
125 - Pasco’s PUBLIC libraries
63 - Clay
6 each in Santa Rosa & Brevard
1 - Escambia
https://www.fftrp.org/florida_censors...
Escambia, Florida - againFlorida Freedom to Read Project
@flfreedomread.bsky.social
· 12d
Escambia has a list of more than 200 objections (mostly from one woman, not parent) and around 1,000 other titles pulled, pending internal review.
These are ballots from a recent committee review. Rep Bankson argues this book stayed due to a loophole in the law.
sprocument for Farah
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Florida Freedom to Read Project@flfreedomread.bsky.social
· 12d
The special interests behind HB 1539 want you to believe that the bill will further empower parents because districts won’t remove the books we feel are inappropriate.
That data doesn’t back that narrative.
Less than 5% of Florida’s students have parental restrictions on their library access.
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:salu...
We're on the verge of scary stuff here in the USA. Supreme Court weighs parents' bid to opt kids out of lessons with LGBTQ books
https://www.npr.org/2025/04/22/nx-s1-...
The argument to opt-out are so completely ridiculous. I've read all five books and there's nothing confusing or against your religion in any of them. They're just books about kids being kids. WHO THE HECK CARES if a girl wants to give a Valentine to a girl in her class? The message is the girl SEES her, plays with her and never teases. Great message, right? Penelope is happy and comfortable and has a lot of love and support. The transition is social not medical. Pride Puppy doesn't even have a story and the broo-ha-ha over the seek and find pages is manufactured. Uncle Bobby's wedding is a sweet story about a girl who fears losing her special relationship with her favorite uncle when he marries. He introduces her to her new uncle who is very nice, the uncles get married, everyone is happy and dances at the end! Prince and Knight may have a clunky rhyming scheme but it's a lot less problematic than some of the traditional fairy tales! Intersection Allies is more for adults than kids but it teaches kids how to make the world a kinder place. Is that so awful? How is that irreparably harming your child?
None of these books deal with "heavy" topics or contain se-ual content BUT the will the Supreme Court read the books and tell these people STFU? PROBABLY not ...
Technically Sonya Sotomayor is Latina and these books are against her religion too but does she fuss? No. Elena Kagan is Jewish! Is she fussing? Supreme Court’s conservatives are poised to strike down elementary school policy denying opt-outs for LGBTQ+ books
https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/22/politi...
“Looking at two men getting married – is that the religious objection?” Sotomayor pressed the attorney for the parents who challenged the books. “The most they’re doing is holding hands.”
But others on the court seemed to be open to finding a way to side with the religious parents without finding “coercion” took place.
Several of the key conservative justices in the middle of the court asked questions suggesting they are concerned about the approach taken by the Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland. After all, some of them noted, state law already requires its schools to opt students out of sex education if requested.
“As far as simply looking at something, looking at the image of Muhammad is a serious matter for someone who follows that religion, right?” Chief Justice John Roberts asked in a question geared at disputing the argument that looking at material can’t burden religion.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh at one point appeared to be scolding the schools’ position, noting that the state of Maryland was founded on “religious tolerance, a haven for Catholics escaping persecution in England.”
“I guess I’m surprised,” Kavanaugh told the lawyer representing the schools, “this is the hill we’re going to die on in terms of not respecting religious liberty, given that history.
...
Born Ready,” tells the story of Penelope, a character who likes skateboarding and wearing baggy jeans. When Penelope tells his mother that he is a boy, he is accepted. When Penelope’s brother questions his gender identity, their mother hugs both children and whispers, “Not everything needs to make sense. This is about love.”
...
ome of the justices appeared to be taken aback by the content. At one point, the attorney for the schools was explaining one of the books – which has since been removed from the curriculum – when Justice Neil Gorsuch jumped in. Gorsuch and several of his colleagues indicated they had read the books.
“That’s the one where they are supposed to look for the leather and things – and bondage, things like that,” Gorsuch said.
“It’s not bondage,” the schools’ attorney, Alan Schoenfeld, interjected.
“Sex worker, right?” Gorsuch said.
“No,” Schoenfeld said.
“Drag queen?” Gorsuch continued, after being reminded of the part of the book at issue by his neighbor on the bench, Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
“The leather that they’re pointing to is a woman in a leather jacket,” Schoenfeld said, who acknowledged the students had the option of looking for that at the end of the book. “And one of the words is ‘drag queen.’”
Kavanaugh, who often sits at the ideological center of the court, repeatedly came back to an argument that it wouldn’t be a huge problem for the district to simply allow parents to opt their children out.
“I’m not understanding why it’s not feasible,” he said.
But that argument has drawn sharp criticism from the schools and its allies. The schools said that an earlier effort to allow opt-outs was disruptive. And, they say, it would allow parents who object to any number of classroom discussions to opt out of a wide range of curriculum they find offense. What if, they argued, a student made a presentation in class about their same-sex parents: How could the teacher or principal be aware and handle notification of any possible presentation a parent might find objectionable?
“Once we say something like what you’re asking for us to say, it’ll be like opt-outs for everyone,” said liberal Justice Elena Kagan.
The school district told the court that the books are used like any other in the curriculum: Placed on shelves for students to find and available for teachers to incorporate into reading groups or read-alouds at their discretion. But the parents who object to the books said they are in active use. One challenge with the case is that it reached the Supreme Court before the record was fully developed in lower courts.
The Richmond-based 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the schools 2-1 last year, ruling that the record on how the books were being used was too scant at the early stage of litigation to determine whether the material burdened the religious rights of the parents.
The 6-3 conservative Supreme Court has sided with religious interests in every case it has considered in recent years – allowing a high school football coach to pray on the 50-yard line, permitting taxpayer money to be spent on religious schools and backing a Catholic foster care agency that refused to work with same-sex couples as potential parents.
The parents challenging the policy were represented by the religious legal organization Becket, which has brought several successful cases to the high court in recent years and has more pending.
In that sense, the Montgomery County schools were at a disadvantage before they even entered the courtroom on Tuesday. Kavanaugh seemed to flick at that point shortly before the arguments were over.
45 days to save PBSfrom Move On Political Action Committee
Next week, Donald Trump plans to formally ask Congress to rescind $1.1 billion in already-committed funding from PBS and public broadcasting.1
And Republicans plan to use a fast-track procedure where these retroactive cuts can be approved with a simple majority vote in the Senate.2
Since Republicans have narrow majorities in both the House and Senate—and the presidency—this is the most serious threat that public media has faced in decades, which is why we must take urgent action.
MoveOn members are pressuring on-the-fence Republicans, flooding Congress with calls, protesting, and saying, "Hands off public media. No cuts!"
...
Earlier this month, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene called for "the complete and total defunding and dismantling of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting"—the agency that provides federal support to more than 1,500 public stations across the country.3
Trump’s new fast-track defunding threat increases the danger and moves up the timeline. If his plan to undo $1.1 billion in already-committed funds succeeds in Congress, then PBS, public broadcasting, and local public stations across the country will face an immediate funding catastrophe. And many smaller stations—especially those in rural areas—won’t survive at all.4
We need to raise a ruckus and demand that Republicans join Democrats to save public media, before it’s too late. ...
We’ve defeated past attempts to defund public broadcasting before—attempts under Ronald Reagan, Newt Gingrich, and George W. Bush all failed.5
Even when Republicans controlled both chambers of Congress and a Republican president was in the White House, public broadcasting survived—because public support was so overwhelming. And polls show that Americans still overwhelmingly oppose cuts.6
But this is a once-in-a-generation threat, and if we don’t make our voices heard, we really could lose.7 We’ve never faced a president so determined to punish his perceived enemies or a Congress so deferential.8
MoveOn is seeking donations to:
Flood Congress with calls and petitions demanding they reject Trump’s plan to rescind $1.1 billion in public media funding.
Expose Trump’s plan in the media as a dangerous power grab to silence independent journalism, so impacted communities know what’s at stake.
Mobilize millions of MoveOn members and other Americans to pressure key senators and representatives to vote NO on Trump’s plan to defund public broadcasting.
Trump and the MAGA crew are hoping to jam these cuts through quickly, under the radar, with as little public attention as possible. We can’t let them succeed.
Public broadcasting belongs to all of us. It’s one of the last truly independent, commercial-free sources of news, education, and culture we have, reaching 99% of U.S. households for free.9
Trump and his cronies are trying to silence voices of truth and replace them with propaganda as part of a larger playbook to replace democracy with authoritarianism.10
Twitter/X has been taken over by Elon Musk, and its algorithm has been adjusted to promote Musk’s right-wing propaganda—while hate speech on the platform has surged by more than 50%.11
The Washington Post’s opinion pages were taken over by billionaire owner Jeff Bezos—its editorial pages have since been decimated.12
The Baltimore Sun was bought by David Smith, a Trump supporter known for parroting right-wing disinformation, causing a staff exodus and a massive decline in readership.13
And the list goes on.
We can’t let them win. But we have just a narrow window to stop this $1.1 billion cut and save one of the last truly independent sources of journalism out there.
Let’s show Republicans in Congress that the American people stand with our public media and will fight like hell to save it from partisan destruction.
Thanks for all you do.
–Alexis, Eric, Oscar, Allison, and the rest of the team
Sources:
1. "White House to send Congress a formal request to nix $9.3B for PBS, NPR, State Department," Politico, April 14, 2025
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04...
2. Ibid.
3. "Marjorie Taylor Greene attacks NPR and PBS as ‘communist,’ calls for funding to ‘end,’" CNN, March 26, 2025
https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/26/media/...
4. "Trump plans order to cut funding for NPR and PBS," NPR, April 15, 2025
https://www.npr.org/2025/04/15/nx-s1-...
5. "Public Broadcasters’ Secret Weapon to Fight Cuts: Viewers Like You," Time, March 31, 2017
https://time.com/4721249/public-broad...
6. "Americans more likely to support than oppose continuing federal funding for NPR and PBS," Pew Research Center, March 26, 2025
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-rea...
7. "PBS and NPR are in a once-in-a-generation funding fight. They might well lose," CNN, April 16, 2025
https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/16/media/...
8. "Republicans take a back seat as Trump steamrolls Congress with flurry of unilateral moves," NBC News, February 3, 2025
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/cong...
9. "Trump plans order to cut funding for NPR and PBS," NPR, April 15, 2025
https://www.npr.org/2025/04/15/nx-s1-...
10. "Trump’s playbook is Viktor Orbán’s," Post on Substack by Robert Reich, April 15, 2025
https://robertreich.substack.com/p/tr...
11. "Bezos' changes at 'Washington Post' lead to mass subscription cancellations — again," NPR, February 28, 2025
https://www.npr.org/2025/02/28/nx-s1-...
12. "Under Elon, X Has Become a Cesspool of Hate," Splinter, February 27, 2025
https://www.splinter.com/under-elon-x...
13. "One year after Sinclair’s David Smith bought Baltimore Sun, union looks back," BaltimoreBrew, April 21, 2025
https://www.baltimorebrew.com/2025/01...
Mod
I am so so so sick and tired of Donald Trump, J.D. Vance and many if not in fact most Republicans catering to and kissing Vladimir Putin's backside (I guess the Republican Party is politically Stalinist and thus of course collectivist and as such also Communist).
COMMENTARYToo late to opt-out: Supreme Court ultimately can't save the religious right's futile book bans
Even if SCOTUS allows LGBTQ books to get pushed out of classrooms, the right is still losing the larger culture war
By Amanda Marcotte
Senior Writer
https://www.salon.com/2025/04/23/too-...
QNPoohBear wrote: "COMMENTARYToo late to opt-out: Supreme Court ultimately can't save the religious right's futile book bans
Even if SCOTUS allows LGBTQ books to get pushed out of classrooms, the right is still losi..."
Great article!
Federal officials are demanding states abandon inclusion — or lose critical public school funding. That’s over 10% of all K–12 funding at risk.This is more than politics. It’s our kids’ future. States have until April 24 to respond.
Take a minute to email your reps and education leaders today: bit.ly/defend-our-students
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I am seriously beginning to both hate and fear not just Donald Trump but all of America. I know I am being unfair, but ...
Frankly, America is THE ENEMY.
Manybooks wrote: "America is THE ENEMY.No, Trump (and his handlers) is the enemy! Remember how you don't like Germans being labeled Nazis just because they're German? Everyone I know loves and supports Canada, no one wants tariffs except billionaires.
When I post news stories here I like to keep them focused on books and education that affect children. We have two weeks to save PBS before the government cuts funding. Imagine no more Sesame Street, Molly of Denali, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Arthur. I can't imagine growing up without Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers, 3,2,1 Contact, Reading Rainbow and some people I know just loved Bob Ross!
Mod
No, Trump (and his handlers) is the enemy! Remember how you don't like Germans being labeled Nazis just because they're German? Everyone I know loves and su..."
I agree, but I do think that if you voted for Trump, at best you are part of the problem (no matter why you voted for him).
I remember my grandfather's cousin trying to justify to me why she voted for Hitler in 1933 by blaming the Communists and it just did not work for me.
Florida and Texas are both lost causes. They can't be made to see reason and keep lying that they're about banning books - and bodies. I'm betting this library gets a whole new board, new collections policy OR defunded in the next election.Texas
PUBLIC Library mind you! PUBLIC!
https://www.amarillo.com/story/news/2...
Library book appeal draws hours of emotional testimony at council
During the Amarillo City Council's regular meeting, members discussed the challenge of three books in the public library system.
The debate focuses on the appropriateness of the books' content for certain age groups, specifically "The Bluest Eye," "The Every Body Book," and "Gender Queer."
While some residents called for the books' removal, others defended their inclusion, emphasizing the importance of diverse perspectives and access to information.
Mayor Cole Stanley clarified that the discussion was about library policy, not banning books, and directed city staff to review existing guidelines.
...
The debate stems from a formal reconsideration request submitted by mayoral candidate Misty Collier, targeting three titles: “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison, “The Every Body Book” by Rachel Simon, and “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe.
After review, the Amarillo Library Advisory Board voted to retain the first two in their current sections and to reclassify “Gender Queer” from the young adult section to adult, prompting Collier to appeal the decision to the council.
Amarillo Public Library Director Amanda Barrera opened up the discussion item at the council meeting with a thorough explanation of the city’s reconsideration process — a multilayered review meant to balance public concerns with professional standards.
“When a citizen submits a request for reconsideration, I convene a committee of library staff to read, listen to, or watch the work in its entirety,” Barrera said. “They provide written reports, and I then conduct my own independent review before rendering a decision.”
If the initiator disagrees, the matter proceeds to the Library Advisory Board, whose members also review the material and vote publicly. Barrera said the board has three options: retain the item in its current collection, relocate it to a different age category, or remove it from the library entirely.
“In my 24 years, I’ve never seen the process escalate to this level,” she said.
Barrera added that Collier also requested a separate room for books restricted to adults only — an idea she said would require a capital improvement project likely costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“That is not something within my scope of authority to provide,” she said.
Collier, who brought the appeal forward, said she supports the reclassification of “Gender Queer” but believes “The Every Body Book” contains s--ually explicit content inappropriate for children as young as 5.
“I hope the council reconsiders keeping it in the youth section,” she said. “There are 850 titles that the Texas Legislature flagged for review. I believe they all belong in the adult section.” [!!!!!!!!?]
She also said she believes some titles may violate Texas penal codes but acknowledged that the council was following policy properly.
“If there are books in question, citizens can request reviews,” Collier said. “And if they disagree with the library’s policy, they can escalate it — that’s exactly what I did.”
...
The majority of speakers urged the council to uphold the Library Advisory Board’s decision, saying the books in question provide life-saving insight and support for youth exploring complex personal topics.
“These aren’t just books — they’re lifelines,” said Lindsay London, a nurse and parent. "'The Every Body Book' helped my kids understand consent, boundaries and respect in an inclusive, accurate way."
John Hintz, a gay Amarillo resident, said reading “Gender Queer” deepened his understanding of nonbinary identity. “Yes, some parts are personal and explicit — but that’s the point,” he said. “Representation matters.”
Amarillo High School junior Brodyn Poage warned that limiting access to diverse ideas could hinder young people’s ability to relate to others.
“When kids grow up with one perspective, they grow fearful of others,” Poage said. “Fear turns into hate.”
Sam Burnett, president of the Amarillo Area Transgender Advocacy Group, said book challenges have real consequences.
“Every time one of these hearings happens, our phones ring all night from kids in crisis,” Burnett said. “These books don’t endanger children. They give them language, hope, and community.”
A smaller group of residents supported Collier’s appeal, arguing that the issue is not censorship but child protection.
“We’re not saying ban the books — just move them,” said Kelly Gross, a grandmother. “Kids don’t need to be reading about graphic s---al content without parental involvement.”
Others compared library access to age restrictions placed on movies, alcohol, and tobacco.
Still, critics of the appeal said the current library structure already places responsibility with families. “Libraries do not force these books on children,” one speaker noted. “Parents guide what their children read.”
Following the April 22 meeting, Mayor Cole Stanley clarified the council’s role in the process and emphasized that no books had been banned — nor was that the intent of the discussion.
“We were here today not to discuss an individual book or books that we wanted to remove from a library shelf,” Stanley said. “What we were here today as council doing was to discuss policy — do we have clear guidelines that instruct not only our library director and staff, but also the Library Board?”
Stanley said the conversation highlighted shortcomings in the city’s current library policy framework.
“I think what you saw council say today is we’re lacking in good, clear, updated policies,” he said. “We had a brief discussion about future laws being considered at the state level, and we think those probably will impact us here locally.”
He reiterated that council members are not tasked with making decisions about individual books.
“It’s not our job to go out there and make individualized decisions,” Stanley said. “It is our job to set good policy, resource the staff, and give them time to bring it back.”
Stanley also pushed back on claims that the process amounted to censorship.
“We gave clarification today that we already regulate library content. The librarian does that,” he said. “So if there’s any censorship, she’s the one that’s censoring things as they come into the library.”
He added that the original intent of the appeal had been mischaracterized.
“The purpose [of the citizen appeal] was never to remove those books from the library,” Stanley said. “Their purpose was to identify harmful content for young ages and be able to advise parents. Somewhere along the way, it turned around to being about banning books. That was never it. There was never a book banned — not from the petitioners, not from the council.”
While no formal action was taken Tuesday, Stanley directed city staff to review and clarify existing library guidelines and proposed expanding the Library Advisory Board from five to nine members for broader community representation.
Councilmember Les Simpson emphasized the importance of parental involvement in children’s reading decisions but cautioned against making changes that might hinder access for others.
City officials noted that any changes will come after the Texas legislative session concludes in May, allowing the city to align its policies with any new laws.
19 Organizations Urge Florida House of Representatives to Reject HB 1539 - National Coalition Against Censorshiphttps://ncac.org/news/19-organization...
19 organizations, including the National Coalition Against Censorship, sent a letter to the Florida House of Representatives urging them to vote no on H.B. 1539. The bill, if enacted, would require school districts to remove any instructional or library material challenged as “harmful to minors” within just five days, regardless of whether the material has been properly reviewed. The bill’s new definition of what constitutes “harmful to minors” deviates from the constitutional standard that has been used in Florida for over 30 years. By explicitly prohibiting consideration of a work’s literary, artistic, political, or scientific value when s--ual content is present, it increases the likelihood of arbitrary and unjustified book removals.
Unfortunately they didn't listen. I'll check Florida Freedom to Read Project's Blue Sky account tomorrow after work.Florida House passes bill overhauling school book removal process. What now?
https://www.wusf.org/politics-issues/...
Republicans say the bill would keep age-inappropriate books off school shelves. Opponents warn it would dramatically boost book removals in Florida — again.
The Florida House passed a bill on Thursday that opponents warn will dramatically increase book removals — including classic literature.
The legislation says if a book is challenged in schools for allegedly being harmful to minors, officials can't consider its “potential literary, artistic, political, or scientific value” when deciding whether to keep it on shelves.
Republicans say this will protect children from age-inappropriate books that remain on school shelves despite recent laws making it easier to challenge material.
"The problem is this loophole where we are not applying the right standards to what is appropriate for minors," said Rep. Doug Bankson, R-Apopka, the bill sponsor.
The state has more removals in public school libraries than any other state, according to recent reports.
The bill defines “harmful to minors” as nudity and se--al content that “predominantly appeals to prurient, shameful, or morbid interest” and “is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community as a whole with respect to what is suitable material or conduct for minors.”
Democrats on Thursday criticized the measure, HB 1539. They filed multiple failed amendments that would have limited the number of book objections that can be filed and provided more transparency on book removals.
The bill's future is uncertain. If the Senate and Gov. Ron DeSantis also approve the measure, Democrats said there would be constitutional issues and warned that K-12 students could lose access to classics and a slew of other novels.
"Florida students deserve access to both classic and contemporary works that are intellectually rigorous and culturally significant," said Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis, D-Ocoee. "A high-quality education is incomplete without the opportunity to engage with challenging, thought-provoking material."
Bankson pushed back on Democrats' dissent.
"Parents have a fundamental right to direct the education and upbringing of their children, including protecting them from exposure to inappropriate, obscene materials in schools," he said.
But a number of book access advocacy groups share the concerns.
The groups, including the Florida Freedom to Read Project and PEN America, sent a letter to legislative leadership earlier this week.
"In short, this bill does not empower parents — it overrides them," they wrote. "It does not protect children — it limits their access to valuable learning opportunities. And it does not respect constitutional boundaries — it undermines the very freedoms our schools are meant to teach and uphold."
The Rhode Island Senate Education Committee was supposed to consider the Right to Read Act but that meeting has been postponed due to the death of the senate president. From the little bit of news coming through my wonky Google feed, one of the candidates for Senate President is also president of the local National Education Association and one of the sponsors of the anti-book ban bill. In Massachusetts, Bill S.2328
"An Act regarding free expression
sponsored By Mr. Cyr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2328) of Julian Cyr, Jacob R. Oliveira, Mark D. Sylvia, Christopher Richard Flanagan and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to free expression in school and public libraries. Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development."
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S...
has been Referred to Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development
H3594 is the House version and has also been referred to the joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H...
Connecticut's anti-book ban bill Senate Bill 1271
March 25, 2025
Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office (LCO)
Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate
Senate Calendar Number 154
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillsta...
" To require public and school libraries to develop a (1) collection development and maintenance policy, (2) library program and display policy, and (3) library material review and reconsideration policy."
Substitute Senate Bill No. 1271 establishes comprehensive policies for the development, maintenance, and review of library materials in both school and public libraries. It mandates that local and regional boards of education and public library governing bodies adopt specific policies that ensure library materials are accessible and evaluated without discrimination based on factors such as race, gender identity, and sexual orientation. The bill introduces a formal process for individuals with a vested interest, such as parents, guardians, or eligible students, to challenge library materials, requiring that these materials remain available during the review process. It also stipulates that decisions regarding challenged materials must be made within sixty school days and allows for appeals to the local board of education or library's governing body.
Additionally, the bill prohibits the removal or censorship of library materials solely based on personal offense and provides immunity from liability for library staff acting in good faith under these policies. It requires that library policies be reviewed and updated every five years and clarifies definitions related to library materials and stakeholders involved in the reconsideration process. Notably, the bill modifies existing laws to ensure that public libraries must adopt these new policies to qualify for state grants, thereby promoting a fair and transparent process for addressing challenges to library materials while protecting the rights of both patrons and library staff.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon and George Mason University have published a new study about the impact of book bans on the consumption of banned books. https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/fu...
Using book circulation data from a “large library content and services supplies to major public and academic libraries in the United States” about the top 25 most-banned titles, found that:
Book bans increase the circulation of banned books by 12% compared to a control group.
The effect spills over to states without bans and is only slightly lower (11.2% increase).
The increase in readership centers on books related to race, gender, and LGTBQ+ issues.
Book bans expose new readers to inclusive content; on average, children read banned books 19% more than the control titles after a book banning event.
Circulation of banned books increases in red states that have book bans and in blue states regardless of book ban status.
(However, book bans are not good for authors. They lose tons of income from sales and author visits to schools).
The study also looked at political messaging and donations and found that Republican politicians in red states saw an estimated 30% increase in donations under $500 after book ban events. Book Riot’s Kelly Jensen has said, “books are an easy, on-the-ground, tangible target” for far-right groups to use as as a wedge in their pursuit of suppressing representations of and information about race and LGBTQ+ issues. Does it matter to conservative politicians that kids are actually reading more banned books? No. Not if their "war chests" are full and their voters are turning out.
https://view.e.bookriot.com/?qs=44080...
When Did “Parental Rights” Become Public Censorship?What today’s book bans reveal about power, politics, and who gets to shape public education.
https://mrsfrazzled.substack.com/p/wh...
GASP! The minority of would-be censors in Rhode Island posted a call to testify AGAINST an opt-in program for s-e-x ed"Provides that any school teaching s--ual education to students shall provide the s--ual education curriculum to every parent or guardian of a student, and the parent or legal guardian shall consent to the teaching of such s--ual education curriculum."
https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbna...
The Committee recommended measure be held for further study.
I don't think the schools ASKED parents in my day! I know they didn't because the school showed 6th graders a PG-13 movie "Look Who's Talking" as part of that s-e-x ed curriculum! (The parents in my neighborhood wouldn't have opted out but in other districts in my city they might have).
RI Senate Education committee consideration hearing for Freedom to Read will be postponed to next Wednesday (4/30) at 4pm. It SHOULD be online https://capitoltvri.cablecast.tv/
Authors Against Book Bans Rhode Island
@aabbri.bsky.social
PBS in-depth story on RI Freedom to Read Act. A little fact checking on Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz’s statements: the Act gives standing for right of private action to folks *who have been harmed in specifically defined ways* by unlawful government censorship. youtu.be/g0k_hCbKuYo
The Act does not give librarians the right to sue school committees for no reason, for book challenges brought to the committee, or for books removed lawfully. The Freedom to Read Act is a safe harbor for existing First Amendment free speech rights.
Authors Against Book Bans Rhode Island
@aabbri.bsky.social
· 4d
“Children need to know that there are other people like them in the world, that they aren’t alone, that their hopes and fears are shared by others. And they need the freedom to read about different people with different views."
https://mombian.com/2025/04/17/u-s-su...
Scary stuff today.Trump’s New Executive Order: Discipline for a Whiter, Harsher School System
The April 23 Executive Order revives racialized punishment, attacks trauma-informed practices, and puts the DOJ and RFK Jr. in classrooms.
https://mrsfrazzled.substack.com/p/tr...
“Within 60 days… coordinate with Governors and State Attorneys General…”
This is how a federal ideology becomes state-enforced compliance. By looping in governors and AGs, this EO ensures red states have the political cover and coordination they need to:
Pass their own anti-CRT or anti-equity discipline laws
Investigate local schools and educators
Pressure down district superintendents and school boards
The involvement of state attorneys general (some of whom are already using their offices to target inclusive books, DEIA programs, and Section 504) is especially concerning.
“Within 90 days… the Secretary of Defense shall issue a revised school discipline code…”
(ii) Assessment of nonprofit orgs promoting “discriminatory equity ideology”
This is a political hit-list in the making.
Remember: “discriminatory equity ideology” = DEI.
DEI = “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” and often + A (accessibility.)
This is a setup to find and defund any group that helps schools do things like:
Teach about racism or bias
Train teachers to work with kids who’ve experienced trauma
Support LGBTQIA+ students
Offer restorative justice programs
Provide social-emotional learning (SEL)
Help Black, brown, disabled, immigrant, and low-income students feel safe and supported in school
These small nonprofits or community-led programs could lose their funding or be banned from working with schools for doing work that helps kids who are most at risk.
Even if they don’t lose their funding, this EO sets the stage to scare districts out of working with these critical groups.
Fact Sheet: Mahmoud v. Taylor, the U.S. Supreme Court Case About Banning LGBTQ-inclusive Bookshttps://glaad.org/fact-sheet-mahmoud-...
Some news the BookRiot editors didn't find.Rochester, N.Y, Penfield school decides to keep controversial books on library shelf
https://www.rochesterfirst.com/penfie...
Controversial? Aliens and Other Visitors? That's a new one.
They also decided The Rainbow Parade is not obscene and aligns with early childhood learning standards.
This is upsetting and embarrassing as the only state in the region trying to BAN books/people when the rest of us are actively trying to fight it at the risk of losing federal funding. I flipped through the book in question. It states right out that the s-e-x ed we were all taught in schools is homophobic. This book dispels myths and lies about LGBTQ+ people and is geared towards young adults so yes high school +. Plus, check out what your kids are looking at on their phones! Wouldn't you rather give them a resource they need to be safe and healthy rather than misinformation from some idiot on TikTok? High schoolers know about Tinder anyway so they should also know Grindr exists.New Hampshire lawmakers debate a book ban that could punish teachers, librarians
https://www.wbur.org/news/2025/04/25/...
On a recent afternoon, Betsy Harrington used her laptop to scroll through pages of a book available in her teenage kids' online school library. It's a copy of "This Book Is Gay," and she did not like what she saw. ... Harrington said she has no problem with the title, but feels much of the book is inappropriate for minors, including a section that provides a link to a dating app.
...
At issue is a bill approved by the Republican majority in New Hampshire's House that that would make it easier for parents to challenge books they deem offensive and have them restricted or removed from public school classrooms and libraries. The bill would allow parents to their take complaints to the state Department of Education, and expands state obscenity laws.
John Chrastka, the founder of EveryLibrary, a national group that opposes book bans, called the bill bad public policy and bad education policy. He said the measure would have a chilling effect on teaching, and could, for example, criminalize an art teacher's decision to show images of Michelangelo's sculpture of David. All it would take is a parent who disapproves of kids seeing nudity.
"You could have an uncomfortable parent say, 'I don't like it; it shows genitalia, which is something that offends me, and therefore it should be removed from the school,' " Chrastka said, adding that the teacher involved could face criminal charges.
Proponents of the New Hampshire legislation say that example is far-fetched and would not happen.
At the heart of this debate is what constitutes obscene or offensive material — a matter of subjective judgment. And the rhetoric around book bans is often politically charged; after all, material some would consider controversial is at the fingertips of youth on their phones.
At a recent legislative hearing in the state Senate, Republican Rep. Ron Cordelli, the lead sponsor of the House bill, condemned s---ally explicit passages from the popular book, "The Perks of being a Wallflower," by Stephen Chbosky.
"If people think that this crap is culture, then we're in bad trouble in New Hampshire," Cordelli said during the hearing. "These explicit s--ual materials have no place in our schools."
State Sen. Debra Altschiller, a Democrat, challenged Cordelli, accusing him of cherry-picking s--ually explicit passages from the book. She said "The Perks of being a Wallflower" tackles important issues, like sexual assault and mental health.
She asked Cordelli if he had read the whole book. Cordelli said he had not and that he had "no interest" in doing so.
Katie DeAngelis of Nottingham, New Hampshire, did read the book, and said it helped her.
"What it did do is make me feel a lot less alone," she said.
DeAngelis, a young mother of two, said as a child, she was the victim of sexual assault, and books like "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" helped her deal with her trauma. In her view, supporters of the bill want to cut kids off from any talk about s-x or sexuality, which she believes is a big mistake.
"It's difficult to hear because it feels very similar to the way that I grew up, and I know what ended up happening," she said.
DeAngelis said that if she had been exposed to these kinds of books when she was young, she might have been better prepared, and might have been able to avoid the situation that led to her assault.
New Hampshire’s local school boards already have the authority to respond to parental concerns about reading materials and to decide what books to teach or make available in libraries
...
But Harrington, the concerned parent from Dearing, says the bill is not a book ban; it's an effort to protect children.
"We're just getting rid of literally triple-X stuff," she said. "We are not going after the common book."
Asked if she thought teachers would face prosecution under the law, Harrington was unsure, but said, "There should be a consequence ... if you put a really s--ual book in front of a kid who shouldn't have that book."
...
Both the New Hampshire House and Senate have approved versions of the law, but the House bill goes furthest, giving parents more power to challenge books, while hitting schools with tougher penalties. If lawmakers can sort out the differences in their legislation, it will be up to Gov. Kelly Ayotte to decide whether the bill becomes law.
Less than two weeks to save PBS/NPR. My family already supports the local affiliate. We watch it all the time for educational shows and my mom sometimes watches the news. If you know a lawmaker eager to defund PBS, send them this story!From books to big impacts: Building lifelong learners with PBS KIDS at the library
https://pbswisconsin.org/article/from...
If you aren't reading all the news stories the way I am, I highly recommend the documentary "Banned Together" (Amazon Prime, Apple TV+) about three teens in South Carolina fighting book bans in their school district. In 2021 Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization (DAYLO) was founded at Beaufort High School by then-sixteen-year-old student Holland Perryman. They originally formed as a book club where students could read diverse books of their choosing and soon became Beaufort High School’s largest student-led organization, contributing to on- and off-campus events. When book bans hit their school, the students came together to fight back. They read the books, discussed the issues, wrote speeches, practiced, timed their speeches and spoke at school board meetings where hysterical wannabe censors kept blathering on about teaching "the 10 Commandments not Equity" and pr0n in schools. The documentary profiles the teachers and the chilling effect book censorship has on them. It covers everything from the Panther Anti-racist Union at Central York, PA high school to the M4Ls taking over school boards to the Florida Freedom to Read Project; authors Jodi Picolt and Juno Dawson; Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin; the ALA and back to the students in Beaufort as they speak up about issues they face and how books help them. Some of the students have graduated but continue to read and learn and work to change the world. They're very inspiring!
I don't even know what to say to these people. They continue to amaze me with their lack of intelligence. Science is more real than the fairy tales they tell themselves to justify their need to control everyone. I can see why the rural school districts would want to keep kids ignorant to prevent brain drain but this is the Houston area Texas has some good colleges for which these students are unprepared. I BELIEVE the Founding Fathers were deists but not specifically "Christians" (they were well aware of the Muslims and Jews in this country) and Benjamin Franklin was a scientist! https://www.click2houston.com/news/lo...
Cy-Fair ISD’s school board removed chapters in books on climate change, vaccines, and diversity despite state approval
Nearly a year after Cy-Fair Independent School District removed chapters from state-approved textbooks, controversy continues to swirl.
Parents, educators, and elected officials remain sharply divided as the school board prepares to approve next year’s curriculum.
Cy-Fair ISD, the third-largest school district in Texas with nearly 120,000 students, made headlines last year for an unprecedented curriculum decision. The school board voted to remove 13 chapters from state-approved textbooks.
The excluded chapters cover topics that include global warming, diversity, and vaccines -- subjects some consider fundamental to a modern education.
The directive has resulted in a unique challenge for teachers: how to teach required state standards without using the state-approved materials that originally covered those standards.
And the community response is not unified behind the change.
A Cy-Fair student who hopes to become a doctor expressed concern in an open letter that the textbook censorship was depriving her of a well-rounded education.
Others, however, support the revisions.
Some parents say it protects children from what they see as misinformation.
“Science can’t prove any of this,” Julie Rix, a grandparent of Cy-Fair students, said while referring to global warming. “It’s opinions and theories. I don’t believe it at all.”
Rix also opposes teaching evolution.
“It doesn’t line up with the Word of God. We are a Christian nation. Our Constitution was by Christians mostly.” Rix said.
The deleted chapters address controversial scientific and social issues.
A sampling of the modified topics includes:
Renewable vs. nonrenewable resources
Climate change science
Depopulation
Vaccines and public health
Social diversity and inclusion
Teachers confirmed to 2 Investigates that they are prohibited from teaching these topics directly from the original textbook chapters.
“There’s a really great graphic that National Geographic made about CO2 emissions and sea surface temperatures, and that’s in the chapter we’re not allowed to use,” a high school science teacher said.
Superintendent Dr. Douglas Killian initially recommended that Cy-Fair ISD adopt the state-approved textbooks in full.
The school board voted 6-1 against that recommendation.
“I gave a professional recommendation for the chapters and the whole book,” Killian said.
When asked if he supported the direction the board ultimately took, Killian responded, “Well, why would I have recommended to have all the books approved [if I agreed]?”
He later acknowledged staff frustration regarding the replacement lesson plans.
“Sounds like we need to have a committee to relook at all this stuff, doesn’t it?” Dr. Killian said.
Instead of the original chapters, teachers are using supplemental materials, some sourced from “web articles.”
In high school biology, for example, the new lesson plans about vaccines specifically instruct teachers to avoid value-laden language such as “good” or “bad.”
“It’s all reading passages and using lab aids that don’t align whatsoever,” one teacher expressed.
In Texas, local school boards have the legal authority to remove or modify textbook content, as long as they continue to teach the underlying state-mandated lessons.
“The local school board makes the final decision, regardless of what the State Board puts on its approved list,” State Board of Education member Staci Childs told 2 Investigates.
Progressive board member Dr. Audrey Young disagrees.
“If we’re preparing students for college and careers, they’re going to be left out of a lot of conversations,” Childs said.
Leading Civil Rights Groups Unite to Defend Black History, Books, Art and Culturehttps://yubanet.com/usa/leading-civil...
I wonder how many books are LEFT in the Cobb County Georgia schools and when they'll realize what "ban" means? This time it is an adult book but library books are voluntary. No one is forcing your kid to pick it up off the shelf and read it. They have probably seen just as much violence on their phones. Real life violence on their phones too. If a parent wants to restrict their kid's access that's their business to take up with the librarian. https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/cobb...
The Cobb County School District has removed another book from the shelves of its libraries.
Last week, the district announced that it would be removing “American Psycho” by Bret Easton Ellis.
...
Superintendent Chris Ragsdale addressed the idea that the school district is “banning” books by saying they are simply trying to provide age-appropriate reading material for children.
“Not only is protecting children from s---ally explicit content the best and only appropriate decision, but I also believe it protects decisions that should be made at home by parents,” he said. “Our process is not a reflection on the author, the subject, or the literary merit of the book. It is analogous to not giving children unrestricted access to rated-R movies while they are at school.”
Corporation for Public Broadcasting sues Trump after he tries to fire board members(CPB has funded Reading Rainbow, Sesame Street, etc.
https://www.npr.org/2025/04/29/nx-s1-...
In a statement, CPB says, "The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is not a government entity, and its board members are not government officers. Because CPB is not a federal agency subject to the President's authority, but rather a private corporation, we have filed a lawsuit to block these firings."
In its lawsuit, CPB's legal team cites the statute authorizing it, which specifically states that no officers or employees of the U.S. government can serve on the board – and no board member can be considered a federal employee. "
...
The chapter on media in The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 blueprint for a second Trump term - disavowed by the president on the campaign trail and closely followed by his aides once back in office - calls for NPR, PBS and public media stations to be "shorn" of their noncommercial status.
Mod
There is ABSOLUTELY no excuse for this, the family needs and deserves an apology from Donald Trump himself (and major financial compensation forked over immediately). And frankly, everyone involved in this fiasco should be publicly identified, shamed and also fired with extreme and total prejudice (and no, just following orders does not cut it and should not cut it).
Children's Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Out of the Blue (other topics)The Princess in Black and the Prince in Pink (other topics)
My Rainbow (other topics)
Butt or Face? Volume 3: Super Gross Butts (other topics)
The Day the Books Disappeared (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Jodi Picoult (other topics)Sarah J. Maas (other topics)
Ellen Hopkins (other topics)
Jodi Picoult (other topics)
Scott Stuart (other topics)
More...
https://www.aol.com/white-house-propo...
The Trump administration is asking Congress to eliminate funding for Head Start, a move that would cut early education for more than half a million of the nation’s neediest children and child care for their families.
The proposal is tucked in a 64-page internal draft budget document obtained by The Associated Press that seeks deep cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees Head Start. It is still in a highly preliminary phase as the White House prepares to send Congress its budget request for the 2026 fiscal year.
...
“The budget does not fund Head Start,” according to the draft. It says eliminating the program is consistent with the Trump administration’s “goals of returning control of education to the states and increasing parental control.”
“The federal government should not be in the business of mandating curriculum, locations, and performance standards for any form of education,” the document says.
...
The Head Start program had already been hit this year by layoffs and funding lags, along with a glitch this winter that briefly locked preschool providers out of their federal accounts. The private and public schools that run Head Start classrooms are deeply reliant on federal money, and this year's funding problems have caused some preschools to close temporarily.
Those closures cut off child care for hundreds of thousands of low-income families, for whom a day without work is often a day without pay.
The National Head Start Association said it was “deeply alarmed” by the administration’s proposal to stop funding the six-decade-old program.
“It reflects a divestment in our future,” said Yasmina Vinci, executive director of the NHSA, in a statement Thursday. “Eliminating funding for Head Start would be catastrophic. It would be a direct attack on our nation’s most at-risk children, their well-being, and their families.”
Head Start is more than just a preschool program, Vinci said. It provides meals and health screenings and helps level the playing field for children who might otherwise fall behind before starting kindergarten. Many Head Start children are in foster care or are homeless.
A lag in funding to Head Start since January has caused some Head Start preschool classrooms to close. The federal government has distributed $1.6 billion for Head Start from Jan. 1 through Tuesday, compared with $2.55 billion issued during the same period last year, according to the office of Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., which has been analyzing a federal database. Murray said the Trump administration had “slow-walked” funding appropriated by Congress.
“This administration believes we cannot afford to help families get preschool or help kids get basic health services, but we can afford trillions of dollars more in tax breaks for billionaires,” Murray said earlier this week. “It’s offensive and just plain wrong, and let me be clear: Democrats won’t let a proposal like this go anywhere in Congress.”
“But that doesn’t mean Head Start and so many other programs aren’t under grave threat — because Trump has proven he’ll ignore our laws and do whatever he can to break these programs on his own,” Murray said.
Head Start operates in all 50 states. Parents who otherwise would not be able to afford child care rely on it when they work or go to school. Supporters say that underscores the importance of Head Start to the economy and at-risk children alike.
While Head Start has enjoyed bipartisan support since its creation under President Lyndon B. Johnson's War on Poverty, some Republicans have emphasized its shortcomings and criticized efforts to increase funding. And Project 2025, the policy blueprint created by the conservative Heritage Foundation, called for eliminating Head Start altogether.