National Coalition Against Censorship has published a shareable guide to First Amendment rights for student protesters. The resource explains what parts of the students’ rights of assembly and speech are protected under the First Amendment, and what actions can be…
Category: Education
The Fallout from Florida’s School Censorship Law
Last year, Florida signed into law HB 989, legislation that allows any county resident to lodge a challenge against textbooks or supplemental materials that they claim fail to present “a noninflammatory, objective, and balanced viewpoint on issues.” The fallout from that…
Wyoming School Board Bans A Bad Boy Can be Good for a Girl
The Cody School Board voted 5-1 to ban Tanya Stone’s A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a Girl from district libraries. In banning the book, the board trustees ignored a review committee recommendation to keep the book. The board also voted to…
YALSA Announces Great Graphic Novels for 2018
The Young Adult Library Services Association’s latest annual list of Great Graphic Novels is out! Books are nominated for inclusion on the list by members of YALSA, a division of the American Library Association, and then voted on by a…
Beaverton Deputy Superintendent Bans Book from District Middle Schools
Andrew Smith’s young adult novel has been banned from middle schools in the Beaverton, Oregon, school district. A parent and student filed a complaint over the book, saying it was inappropriate because of vulgar language. A review committee made up…
In Their Own Words – Presidential Edition
“If this nation is to be wise as well as strong, if we are to achieve our destiny, then we need more new ideas for more wise men reading more good books in more public libraries. These libraries should be…
Wisconsin School District Stands By Mockingbird
A committee formed to review the challenge on To Kill a Mockingbird in Monona Grove school district, voted 4-1 to recommend retaining the classic. The book was challenged by a concerned parent who felt the work was not so…
South Dakota Backs Off Anti-Trans Education Bill
South Dakota Senator Phil Jensen (R) changed his mind about making history with the first bill to ban discussion of gender identity and gender expression in K-7 classrooms throughout the state. Jensen originally proposed SB 160 because he felt gender was…
Comic Book Fans & Librarians Needed! For Science!
Ensuring the freedom to read starts with ensuring the best access to books possible. With that in mind, graduate students at University of Washington iSchool have put together a quick survey to improve how we find comic books in libraries. Our library…
South Dakota Bill Would Ban Transgender Discussion with Students
South Dakota lawmakers are considering a bill that would prohibit gender identity from being discussed in elementary and middle school classrooms. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Phil Jensen (R) thinks that gender issues are not age appropriate, and wants children to…