The Lampeter-Strasburg, Pennsylvania, school board made the right decision this past Tuesday when they formally announced that they would not adopt a parental notification/approval policy regarding the inclusion of certain, potentially “controversial,” books in their classrooms. Instead, if needed, teachers…
Happy Freedom to Read Week, Canada!
This week our neighbors to the north are celebrating Freedom to Read Week! Much like Banned Books Week in the U.S., this is “an annual event that encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom, which…
EXCLUSIVE: CBLDF Talks to Persepolis Sleuth Jarrett Dapier!
Following the recent revelation of new details regarding the Chicago Public Schools’ 2013 classroom ban of Persepolis, CBLDF got in touch with Library & Information Science graduate student Jarrett Dapier, who used the Freedom of Information…
Tanzania Bans Newspaper Over “Disrespectful” Cartoon
In Memoriam: Free Speech Lawyer Herald Price Fahringer
Free speech lost a prime defender recently with the death of Herald Price Fahringer, the lawyer who over a more than 50-year career represented clients such as Larry Flynt and Screw magazine’s Al Goldstein. While abstaining from most vice himself,…
Ecuadorian Cartoonist Faces Charges for “Socioeconomic Discrimination”
Adding This One Summer to Your Library or Classroom Collection
The recent announcement of the Caldecott Medal winner and honorees has many people rushing to pick up the books for their library and classroom collections. Graphic novel This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki broke…
Charles Brownstein Talks Comics Censorship on Boston’s WERS Radio
CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein recently lent his expertise to an episode of the radio show You Are Here on Boston’s WERS 88.9 FM. Take a listen below as host Phillip Jones speaks to Brownstein and others…
Using Graphic Novels in Education: This One Summer
Welcome to Using Graphic Novels in Education, an ongoing feature from CBLDF that is designed to allay confusion around the content of graphic novels and to help parents and teachers raise readers. In this column, we examine graphic novels, including…
Strong Showing For Comics In Children’s Choice Book Awards!
Every Child a Reader (ECAR) and the Children’s Book Council (CBC) have announced the finalists in the eighth annual Children’s Choice Book Awards (CCBA), the only national book awards program where the winning titles are selected by…
CBLDF Joins Cato Institute Brief Urging US Supreme Court to Protect First Amendment Right to Offend
This week, CBLDF advocated for the First Amendment right to offensive speech by joining an amicus brief filed in the United States Supreme Court by the Cato Institute and that includes amici P.J. O’Rourke, Nat Hentoff, and Nadine…
Grad Student Uncovers Truth About Persepolis Ban in Chicago Public Schools
A graduate student’s research is throwing new light on Chicago Public Schools officials’ 2013 effort to remove Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis from libraries and classrooms throughout the district. Emails released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request and first…
Indian Cartoonist Talks About the Increase in Self-Censorship
CBLDF Podcast Episode 10: Susan Alston
In this episode, CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein talks to former CBLDF Executive Director Susan Alston about the early days of the Fund! We discuss: Mike Diana, Paul Mavrides, social media, the Supreme…
Two Killed in Copenhagen Attacks on Free Speech Panel and Synagogue
A gunman opened fire on a Copenhagen cafe that was hosting a discussion on art, free speech, and blasphemy on Saturday, killing one attendee and injuring three police officers. The apparent target of the attack, Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks, was…