essay on book banning

What You Need to Know About the Book Bans Sweeping the US

What you need to know about the book bans sweeping the u.s., as school leaders pull more books off library shelves and curriculum lists amid a fraught culture war, we explore the impact, legal landscape and history of book censorship in schools..

• The American Library Association reported a record-breaking number of attempts to ban books in 2022— up 38 percent from the previous year. Most of the books pulled off shelves are “written by or about members of the LGBTQ+ community and people of color."
• U.S. school boards have broad discretion to control the material disseminated in their classrooms and libraries. Legal precedent as to how the First Amendment should be considered remains vague, with the Supreme Court last ruling on the issue in 1982.
• Battles to censor materials over social justice issues pose numerous implications for education while also mirroring other politically-motivated acts of censorship throughout history. 

Here are all of your questions about book bans answered by TC experts. 

Alex Eble, Assistant Professor of Economics and Education; Sonya Douglass, Professor of Education Leadership; Michael Rebell, Professor of Law and Educational Practice; and Ansley Erickson, Associate Professor of History and Education Policy. (Photos; TC Archives) 

How Do Book Bans Impact Students? 

Prior to the rise in bans, white male youth were already more likely to see themselves depicted in children’s books than their peers, despite research demonstrating how more culturally inclusive material can uplift all children, according to a study, forthcoming in the Quarterly Journal of Economics , from TC’s Alex Eble.  

“Books can change outcomes for students themselves when they see people who look like them represented,” explains the Associate Professor of Economics and Education. “What people see affects who they become, what they believe about themselves and also what they believe about others…Not having equitable representation robs people of seeing the full wealth of the future that we all can inhabit.” 

While books have stood in the crossfire of political battles throughout history, today’s most banned books address issues related to race, gender identity and sexuality — major flashpoints in the ongoing American culture war. But beyond limiting the scope of how students see themselves and their peers, what are the risks of limiting information access? 

The student plaintiffs in Island Trees Union Free School District v. Pico (1982) march in protest of the Long Island school district's removal of titles such as Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut. While the district would ultimately return the banned books to its shelves, the Supreme Court's ultimate ruling largely allowed school leaders to maintain discretion over information access. (Photo credit: unknown) 

“[Book bans] diminish the quality of education students have access to and restrict their exposure to important perspectives that form the fabric of a culturally pluralist society like the United States,” explains TC’s Sonya Douglas s, Professor of Education Leadership. “It's a battle over the soul of the country in many ways; it's about what we teach young people about our country, what we determine to be the truth, and what we believe should be included in the curriculum they're receiving. There's a lot at stake there.” 

Material stripped from libraries and curriculum include works written by Black authors that discuss police brutality, the history of slavery in the U.S. and other issues. As such, Black students are among those who may be most affected by bans across the country, but — in Douglass’ view — this is simply one of the more recent disappointments in a long history of Black communities being let down by public education — chronicled in her 2020 book, and further supported by a 2021 study from Douglass’ Black Education Research Center that revealed how Black families lost trust in schools following the pandemic response and murder of George Floyd.

In that historical and cultural context — even as scholars like Douglass work to implement Black studies curriculums — the failure of schools to properly integrate Black experiences into the curriculum remains vast. 

“We want to make sure that children learn the truth, and that we give them the capacity to handle truths that may be uncomfortable and difficult,” says Douglass, citing Germany as an example of a nation that has prioritized curriculum that highlights its own injustices, such as the Holocaust. “This moment again requires us to take stock of the fact that racism and bigotry still are a challenging part of American life. When we better understand that history, when we see the patterns, when we recognize the source of those issues, we can then do something about it.” 

Beginning in 1933, members of Hitler Youth regularly burned books written by prominent Jewish, liberal, and leftist writers. (Photo: World History Archive / Alamy Stock Photo, dated 1938) 

Why Is Banning Books Legal? 

While legal battles over book censorship in schools consistently unfold at local levels, the wave of book bans across the U.S. surfaces a critical question: why hasn’t the United States had more definitive legal closure on this issue? 

In 1982, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a noncommittal ruling that continues to keep school and library books in the political crosshairs more than 40 years later. In Island Trees Union Free School District v. Pico (1982), the Court deemed that “local school boards have broad discretion in the management of school affairs” and that discretion “must be exercised in a manner that comports with the transcendent imperatives of the First Amendment.” 

But what does this mean in practice? In these kinds of cases, the application of the First Amendment hinges on the existence of evidence that books are banned for political reasons and violate freedom of expression. However, without more explicit guidance, school boards often make decisions that prioritize “community values” first and access to information second. 

While today's recent book bans most frequently include topics related to racial justice and gender identity (pictured above), other frequently targeted titles include Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close , The Kite Runner and The Handmaid's Tale . (Cover images courtesy of: Viking Books, Sourcebooks Fire, Balzer + Bray, Oni Press, Random House ‎ and Farrar, Straus and Giroux). 

“America traditionally has prided itself on local control of education — the fact that we have active citizen and parental involvement in school board issues, including curriculum,” explains TC’s Michael Rebell , Professor of Law and Educational Practice. “We have, whether you want to call it a clash or a balancing, of two legal considerations here: the ability of children to freely learn what they need to learn to be able to exercise their constitutional rights, and this traditional right of the school authorities to determine what the curriculum is.” 

So would students benefit from more national and uniform legal guidance on book banning? In this political climate, Rebell attests, the risks very well might outweigh the potential rewards. 

“Your local institutions are —in theory — protecting the values you believe in. And if somebody in Washington were going to say that we couldn't have books that talk about transgender rights and things in New York libraries, we'd go crazy, right?” said Rebell, who leads the Center for Educational Equity . “So I can't imagine that in this polarized environment, people would be in favor of federal law, whatever it said.” 

Why Do Waves of Book Bans Keep Happening?

Historians date censorship back all the way to the earliest appearance of written materials. Ancient Chinese emperor Shih Huang Ti began eliminating historical texts in 259 B.C., and in 35 A.D., Roman emperor Caligula objected to the ideals of Greek freedom depicted in The Odyssey . In numerous waves of censorship since then, book bans have consistently manifested the struggle for political control. 

“We have to think about [the current bans] as part of a longer pattern of fights over what is in curriculum and what is kept out of it,” explains TC’s Ansley Erickson , Associate Professor of History and Education Policy, who regularly prepares local teachers on how to integrate Harlem history into social studies curriculum. 

“The United States’ history, since its inception, is full of uses of curriculum to shape politics, the economy and the culture,” says Erickson. “This is a really dramatic moment, but the curriculum has always been political, and people in power have always been using it to emphasize their power. And historically marginalized groups have always challenged that power.” 

One example: when Latinx students were forbidden from speaking Spanish in their Southwest schools throughout the 20th century, they worked to maintain their traditions and culture at home. 

“These bans really matter, but one of the ways we can imagine a response is by looking back at how people created spaces for what wasn’t given room for in the classroom,” Erickson says. 

What Could Happen Next?

American schools stand at a critical inflection point, and amid this heated debate, Rebell sees civil discourse at school board meetings as a paramount starting point for any sort of resolution. “This mounting crisis can serve as a motivator to bring people together to try to deal with our differences in respectful ways and to see how much common ground can be found on the importance of exposing all of our students to a broad range of ideas and experiences,” says Rebell. “Carve-outs can also be found for allowing parents who feel really strongly that certain content is inconsistent with their religious or other values to exempt their children from certain content without limiting the options for other children.”

But students, families and educators also have the opportunity to speak out, explains Douglass, who expressed concern for how her own daughter is affected by book bans. 

“I’d like to see a groundswell movement to reclaim the nation's commitment to education — to recognize that we're experiencing growing pains and changes in terms of what we stand for; and whether or not we want to live up to the democratic ideal of freedom of speech; different ideas in the marketplace, and a commitment to civics education and political participation,” says Douglass. 

As publishers and librarians file lawsuits to push back, students are also mobilizing to protest bans — from Texas to western New York and elsewhere. But as more local battles unfold, bigger issues remain unsolved. 

“We need to have a conversation as a nation about healing; about being able to confront the past; about receiving an apology and beginning that process of reconciliation,” says Douglass. “Until we tackle that head on, we'll continue to have these types of battles.” 

— Morgan Gilbard

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the speaker to whom they are attributed. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the faculty, administration, staff or Trustees either of Teachers College or of Columbia University.

Tags: Views on the News Education Policy K-12 Education Social Justice

Programs: Economics and Education Education Leadership History and Education

Departments: Education Policy & Social Analysis

Published Wednesday, Sep 6, 2023

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Banned and Challenged: Restricting access to books in the U.S.

Perspective, author susan kuklin: these teens wanted to let other kids know 'they are not alone'.

Susan Kuklin

Author Susan Kuklin wrote Beyond Magenta, which is on the American Library Association's lists of most banned books. Kaz Fantone/NPR hide caption

Author Susan Kuklin wrote Beyond Magenta, which is on the American Library Association's lists of most banned books.

This essay by Susan Kuklin is part of a series of interviews with — and essays by — authors who are finding their books being challenged and banned in the U.S.

In 2014, when my book Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out was published, little had been written or said publicly about transgender and nonbinary teens.

Beyond Magenta centers around six young adults, members of the trans/nonbinary community, who describe their struggles and their triumphs, their feelings and experiences when dealing with their personal identities. They speak of themselves and their community simply, introspectively — and with gravity, warmth and humor.

Author Interviews

Banned books: author susan kuklin on telling stories that inform understanding.

Book News & Features

Efforts to ban books jumped an 'unprecedented' four-fold in 2021, ala report says.

I was surprised when the book appeared on the American Library Association (ALA) list of challenged books in 2015: I had been interviewing and photographing young adults for years, covering contemporary topics such as teen pregnancy, suicide, AIDS, prejudice, human rights, teens on death row, and immigration but — as far as I know — none of those books had been banned from library bookshelves or classrooms. My reasoning, evidently naïve, was that because these accounts were written from the point of view of people directly experiencing said issues (based on my extensive interviews with them), readers would respect the participants' right to self-expression and that they would appreciate the informative value of their candor.

All six participants in Beyond Magenta chose to speak to me for three primary reasons: They wanted to define themselves publicly in their own terms; they wanted to educate others; and they wanted to let other young people in similar situations know that they are not alone. My own reasoning for covering them was all of the above — along with the belief that once a person gets to meet and learn about someone from a group they might not otherwise know, they will be more open to them.

Ashley Hope Pérez: 'Young people have a right' to stories that help them learn

Who are these young people? Jessie, a trans man, is so comfortable in his skin he makes everyone else share the joy of his transition. Christina, a trans woman, attended a parochial boys' high school in the Bronx. Mariah was born into a disadvantaged, violent family and grew up in institutions. Cameron, who lives with a supportive family, deftly explains that "gender is more fluid and more complex than society assumes." Nat describes themself as intersex, both male and female, neither male nor female. And lastly there's Luke, who writes poetry to tell his story.

When the book first came out it received many positive, starred reviews , including including in publications for librarians and educators like Publishers Weekly and Kirkus . Young people and quite a few parents wrote thanking me for publishing it. And some things happened that I had not experienced with my previous books: During school and library visits, one or two teens would often hang back from their next class to talk privately. The discussion was always the same: I need to read your book, but my parents won't let me . It was heartbreaking. Six people sent emails that they were on the verge of suicide. One high school student in a rural, conservative town wrote that they were so lonely and desperate they had been planning their death for that very day. But passing a bookstore on the way home, they saw the person on the cover of Beyond Magenta who looked exactly like them. Flipping through the pages of the book, they found a first name in it that was their name too. It was a sign — they were not alone. I still get goosebumps thinking of that teen and hope they live a long, happy life. Those six emails alone are worth what followed next.

It was a Saturday night a few years ago and I was lying on the couch reading on my iPad. Suddenly, a vulgar tweet about me popped up. It complained about a paragraph in Beyond Magenta , one that I didn't even remember. Then another tweet. And another. And another. Suddenly there were hundreds of them. "I think I have a virus on the iPad," I told my husband. "Turn it off now," he said, and I did. The following Monday morning my editor called to tell me that our book had gone viral — that it was being challenged.

It felt otherworldly. Creepy. Wrong. Then, with elections approaching, some cynical and cruel politicians jumped on the anti-trans bandwagon to stir up voters. They vilified trans children, their parents, the LGBTQ+ community and their literature.

I became more than a little worried. Although the identities of the participants were well-hidden and protected, I worried about their reactions. They had worked so hard to find and express their true selves, surely they didn't need this. As the author, it was disappointing that my intention of bringing together contributors and readers was reinterpreted — misinterpreted — by paragraphs taken out of context, mostly by people who, it became apparent, had not even read the book. I worried that future publishers might stop publishing so-called controversial books and that writers would be less ready to write them. (That didn't happen.) I was also concerned that librarians and teachers could suffer, even lose their jobs, for doing what they trained to do — teach.

My publisher continues to guide and support me though this odyssey of animosity and suppression. They still publish my books. It helps that friends and colleagues have my back, as does PEN America and its Children's Young Adult Book Committee. The American Library Association, The National Committee Against Censorship , and American Civil Liberties Union stand by writers whose books have been challenged. And many parents and students face hostile school board meetings to protect their right to choose what books they have access to at school. I'm so proud of everyone associated with Beyond Magenta, especially the brave, young people interviewed.

If you are a young person thinking about harming yourself, you can contact a counselor at the Trevor Project at any time via private call text, or chat: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/

Susan Kuklin is a photographer and author of nonfiction books, many for children and young adults. Find her at her website here .

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Banned Books

• History of Book Banning
• Banned and Challenged Books
• The Role of ChatGPT in Book Banning and Censorship
• Get Involved! Further Resources to Fight Book Bans

Book Banning in the United States and Beyond

Book banning is nothing new. In fact, it has been around for centuries. What is considered the first book ban in the United States took place in 1637 in what is now known as Quincy, Massachusetts. Thomas Morton published his New English Canaan  which was subsequently banned by the Puritan government as it was considered a harsh and heretical critique of Puritan customs and power structures.

Further Reading

• Bannings and Burnings in History Some of the most controversial books in history are now regarded as classics. The Bible and works by Shakespeare are among those that have been banned over the past two thousand years. Here is a selective timeline of book bannings, burnings, and other censorship activities.
• Books that Shaped America a Library of Congress exhibit that highlights the importance of books in Americans' lives.
• The History (and Present) of Banning Books in America On the Ongoing Fight Against the Censorship of Ideas
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No, Book Bans Are Never ‘Reasonable’

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To the Editor:

The recent opinion essay “ Don’t Worry About ‘Book Bans’ ” (Sept. 15, 2023) is part of the larger coordinated attack that ultra conservative think tanks are waging on public education and against a democratic society and government.

Book bans have never been reasonable, regardless of whether a book is returned to the library shelf after being reviewed. The use of semantics to diminish the harm that bans inflict will not distract from the real issue: Book bans are a rising form of censorship being used to silence the voices and experiences of communities that have experienced oppression already based on race, class, and gender.

Paired with ongoing efforts to restrict and censor curriculum, book bans are a common fear tactic and ploy used to sow division for political gain. These efforts to limit our intellectual freedom distract us from what should be our nation’s educational goals: to provide students with a quality public school education that is inclusive, equitable, and wholly representative; to prepare students for a career of their choice; and to foster an informed and engaged citizenry.

Currently, 30 percent of the more than 1,100 books banned in U.S. public schools are authored by writers of color and 26 percent by LGBTQ+ authors. More than 100 bills to further censor books have been introduced at the state - level nationwide.

Our stories and histories deserve to be told without censorship. We are stronger as a society because of our incredible diversity, and so are our schools. A shared, honest understanding of the past bridges the divides that political players are trying to widen. Arguments that attempt to placate the American public to simply accept book bans are a thinly veiled attempt to take away the inclusive and comprehensive education our students deserve. We can see through the political scheming and we are fighting back.

Kwesi Rollins Senior Vice President of Leadership & Engagement Institute for Educational Leadership Washington, D.C.

Jasmine Bolton Policy Director Partnership for the Future of Learning Baltimore, Md.

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A version of this article appeared in the October 11, 2023 edition of Education Week as No, Book Bans Are Never ‘Reasonable’

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Book Bans Rising Rapidly in the U.S., Free Speech Groups Find

A new report from PEN America, the free speech organization, details a new rise of censorship efforts across the United States.

By Alexandra Alter

Book bans are rising at a rapid pace in school districts around the United States, driven by new laws and regulations that limit what kinds of books children can access, according to a new report from PEN America , a free speech organization.

From July to December 2022, PEN found 1,477 cases of books being removed, up from 1,149 during the previous six months. Since the organization began tracking bans in July 2021, it has counted more than 4,000 instances of book removals using news reports, public records requests and publicly available data.

The numbers don’t reflect the full scope of the efforts, since new mandates in some states requiring schools to vet all their reading material for potentially offensive content have led to mass removals of books, which PEN was unable to track, the report says.

The statistic also fails to capture the rapid evolution of book restrictions into what many free speech organizations consider a worrisome new phase: Book bans are increasingly driven by organized efforts led by elected officials or activists groups whose actions can affect a whole district or state.

Of the nearly 1,500 book removals that PEN tracked in the last six months of 2022, the majority — nearly 75 percent — were driven by organized efforts or because of new legislation.

Seven states, including Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Utah, passed laws last year that impose limits on material in libraries, according to analysis done by EveryLibrary, a political action committee for libraries. This year, the group is tracking 113 bills across the country that it says would negatively impact libraries or curtail people’s freedom to read.

“This is much bigger than you can really count,” said Jonathan Friedman, the director of free expression and education at PEN America. “People need to understand that it’s not a single book being removed in a single school district, it’s a set of ideas that are under threat just about everywhere.”

PEN’s analysis follows similar findings by the American Library Association , which recently released a report showing that efforts to ban books nearly doubled in 2022 over the previous year, and reached the highest number of complaints since the association began studying censorship efforts more than 20 years ago. The association found that book challenges are now increasingly being filed against multiple titles at once. In the past, libraries and schools typically received complaints about a single work.

“We’ve had two record-breaking years, and those of us who are fighting book bans really have our work cut out for us,” said Christopher Finan, the executive director of the National Coalition Against Censorship. “At this point, we’re fighting an uphill battle.”

Free speech advocates are troubled by not just the sharp rise in book bans, but also the new ways in which books are being targeted. Until fairly recently, most book removals occurred when a parent raised concerns about a title with a teacher or librarian. Complaints were typically resolved quietly, after a school board or committee evaluated the material and determined whether it was appropriate for students.

That began to change during the pandemic, with the rise of groups like Moms for Liberty and Utah Parents United, which formed to oppose Covid-19 restrictions, began to focus on the content of school curriculums and libraries . Members of these groups started showing up at school board meetings to demand that certain books be removed and circulating online lists of titles they found objectionable.

The rise of these networks meant that specific books — often titles that center on L.G.B.T.Q. themes or that address racial inequality — were being targeted all over the country. The debate around what constitutes appropriate reading material for students also became increasingly politicized and vitriolic. Librarians and teachers have been accused of promoting pedophilia, and some have lost their jobs or quit under pressure after refusing to remove books.

PEN and other free speech groups say that the new laws have had a chilling effect.

In Florida, where the State Legislature passed a law requiring that a certified media specialist evaluate all the books on school classroom and library shelves, some districts advised schools to limit access to all the titles until they could vetted, resulting in empty library shelves in some schools. Similarly, after Tennessee passed the “Age Appropriate Materials Act,” which required schools to catalog all the books in their classrooms and libraries to ensure there was no inappropriate content, some teachers chose to remove or cover up their entire classroom libraries rather than risk violating the law.

This week, Tennessee lawmakers went further and passed a bill that would subject book publishers and distributors to criminal prosecution and hefty fines for providing public schools with material that is deemed to be obscene. In a statement, PEN called on Gov. Bill Lee to reject the bill, arguing that it serves no purpose other than to intimidate publishers into self-censorship.

PEN’s analysis tracked bans in 21 states, affecting 66 school districts, but found that book removals were concentrated in a handful of states. Texas had the highest number, with 438 removals, followed by Florida, with 357, then Missouri, where 315 books were banned, and Utah and South Carolina, which each saw more than 100 titles removed.

Many of the same titles are being targeted around the country. Among the most banned books last year were “ Gender Queer ” by Maia Kobabe, “Flamer” by Mike Curato, “Tricks” by Ellen Hopkins, a graphic novel edition of “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood and “Milk and Honey,” a poetry collection by Rupi Kaur.

“I do fear we’re losing sight of just how unusual this is,” Friedman said. “Book bans are becoming normalized in many places.”

Alexandra Alter writes about publishing and the literary world. Before joining The Times in 2014, she covered books and culture for The Wall Street Journal. Prior to that, she reported on religion, and the occasional hurricane, for The Miami Herald. More about Alexandra Alter

How to Fight Book Bans in 2024: Book Censorship News, April 26, 2024

Kelly Jensen

Kelly is a former librarian and a long-time blogger at STACKED. She's the editor/author of (DON'T) CALL ME CRAZY: 33 VOICES START THE CONVERSATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH and the editor/author of HERE WE ARE: FEMINISM FOR THE REAL WORLD. Her next book, BODY TALK, will publish in Fall 2020. Follow her on Instagram @heykellyjensen .

View All posts by Kelly Jensen

No, you won’t find “read the books” here. That’s a nice thing to do. It doesn’t end book bans unless you’re on the review committee deciding the fate of that book . You won’t find “create a banned book library” or “buy books for the kids” on this list. Again, fine and good things to do, but 1. they’re engaging in capitalism and not anti-censorship work, 2. they only help some kids who likely already have the means to be helped, and 3. too often, those focus back too much on the good people behind them and not the reality of who is hurt with book bans.

If you read this very basic list of what to do and feel frustrated, that’s worth sitting with. This is not a short-term project. Again, the first “how to” guide here was published in fall 2021. It’s now spring 2024. Change only happens when you take action to make change and change is extremely slow. Realistically, the folks behind book bans and the groups and actions being taken to rip away access to books, libraries, and public education, more broadly, have been a work in progress from the far-right and religious extremists for decades now.

Really. That’s all.

Eighteen percent of my county’s electorate bothered in the spring elections. That means fewer than 1 out of 5 people in my county decided who was in charge of several important local offices. We were fortunate not to have school boards on the ballot, but this sort of voter turnout is pathetic, especially being in a state where access to voting is about as broad as possible (we might be beat only by states that mail ballots to all residents). Recognize that this means if only 1 in every 5 people make the decisions for an entire community, it is incredibly easy for bad actors to get power they don’t deserve.

Most people don’t vote in non-presidential elections. The people who do vote are likely not paying significant attention to down-ballot candidates, like those running for school or library boards.

I recently listened to a podcast episode where the guest said something that resonated: not only should you vote, but send an email to a handful of your friends who are local to you and tell them who you are voting for. You don’t even need to tell them why but you can.

Imagine: you go vote, then you send an email to 10 people the day before or day of and say “here’s who I picked for the boards.” Guess what? You’ve done a LOT of work for your friends who may not be aware of how important those elections are nor where to begin researching them. But those people trust you .

Show Up To Board Meetings

It doesn’t matter if you go in person or send an email to the board. It doesn’t matter if there are “problems” in your school or library district. Show up. Write a letter once a month or once every other month praising the work being done by educators and librarians in your institutions. This doesn’t need to be genius. You can say you loved the Pride display or that you appreciate that the librarian at school always recommends good books for your students. That the educator’s classroom library has helped bring diverse literature into the hands of your students. This takes under 10 minutes.

Make it a habit to read school and library board minutes and agendas. Put it on your calendar to do. It takes 10 minutes. When you see something that is even remotely concerning, show up.

If talking publicly is scary, write a letter.

If you’re without a clue on where to begin writing a letter or composing a speech to give in person, how about a template? This template is an easy to use tool and gives you no excuse not to be paying attention or engaging with the democratic process in your own community.

Note: the above template is not my creation but the creation of a local-level activist in Wisconsin who provides it open source—it does not get more simple than this.

Bring your friends with you to these meetings and/or coordinate a monthly time when you all get together for coffee or a beer and catch up with the local politics and send your emails to the boards.

If you have the time and capacity, consider running for these board positions . You cannot run only on the platform of being pro-literacy and anti-book ban. Those are crucial. But libraries and schools are more than either of those things. Think of the role as helping to run a non-profit that has as one of its purposes ensuring access to information equitable to all.

Get In Your Elected Officials’ Ears

You need to pay attention not only to local level politics but what’s happening at the state and federal level. Get on the mailing lists of all your representatives and make it a habit to contact them about issues related to libraries and schools. When you schedule in those 10 minutes to read board minutes, add another 10 minutes to search your state legislative session bills and see where/how you should be responding.

It’s very likely you have Facebook groups or other social media pages that present this information easily for you. For example, in Illinois, we have the Witness Slip Project , which will present the bills that need witness slips filed (this is public comment via a form) and the manner in which they should be filed, either as a proponent or opponent.

Every Library has done a tremendous job tracking library bills across the country, both those of concern and those that are positive . You see something relevant to your state or something happening at the national level, get your phone calling or email hands working.

Not sure what to say? You can use the same exact template from the school board/library board here. These don’t need to be long phone calls or long emails. Get your name and voice on the record.

Then send an email to your friends and colleagues and urge them to do the same.

Stay On Top of the News

You’ll likely only see the big censorship stories or the ones that’ll draw some heavy clicks to news outlets. Pay attention to those, of course, but also keep your eye on local news, both that published in the paper and that circulating on social media. Be conscious of mis-, dis-, and mal- information from any of those stories, but know even misleading or deceptive information should be cause for you to dig a little bit deeper. There’s enough of a nugget of truth to make it bubble up. What is that truth?

Then, follow or subscribe to places where news about book banning is compiled. Yes, Literary Activism is one. But there are dozens of others. We might cover a lot of the same things, but often, some stuff gets reported to one outlet and not another, and/or searches conducted by one outlet are different from those at another. You can look for local-level groups doing the work, as they’ll offer focus and insight into the local censorship culture in a way that bigger roundups like this one never could (for example, Florida Freedom to Read and Texas Freedom to Read are excellent for news in both of those states and in no way could anyone covering things on the national level offer as much depth as they could!).

There is not and should not be any expectation to read it all all of the time. Give yourself a break—that’s not possible, as it’s not even possible for those of us who compile this information. But keeping it handy makes for great searching to learn or dispel myths or add context to stories you might see on social media or in your non-online life. It’s also helpful for understanding patterns in the book banning agenda so you can stay aware of these patterns being applied in your own community.

Share stories that concern you with your friends and social media outlets. Something I’ve said again and again to folks is that sharing it with me doesn’t help online. I probably know and/or have written about it (i.e., if I share a story on Twitter, replying to me with outrage is not going to be as effective as retweeting it with your outrage so your friends see it). You will make a difference by sharing it with your following, be it 1 person or 24,000 people or 500,000 people. You never know who will be seeing or hearing it or acknowledging it for the first time.

Pick One Thing

You’ve done the most crucial stuff above. If you’ve got anything in the reserves to do more, pick one thing. This could be getting involved in a local anti-censorship group or creating an anti-censorship organization locally . It could be writing letters to your local paper about the importance of your library and/or school library. It could be lobbying on behalf of librarians and the need for a credentialed school librarian in every educational institution. It could be coordinating or attending a banned books club on your own or in conjunction with a local literary establishment, like a bookstore or library or poetry group.

Too often, we think we need to do it all. The truth is doing the first three things on the list requires an hour or less of time per month (the fourth thing takes as much time and energy as you’d like to commit). They’re the most pressing, crucial, and effective for change.

Everything else is important and valuable, but don’t feel you need to do it all. You don’t and you cannot. Pick what fills you up and encourages you to not only do the first items on this list but also help you catalyze others to do the same.

Book Censorship News for April 26, 2024

• Four more books have been banned in Cobb County Schools (GA). The books are Lucky, It Ends With Us, 13 Reasons Why, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower .
• Mike Hixenbaugh is one of the most reliable and consistent journalists out there covering extremism in schools and beyond. His recent piece about the ongoing controversy at Metropolis Public Library (IL) is a must-read .
• Utah’s new book banning law will have grave consequences… if the state can figure out how to even implement it .
• Fade and Empire of Storms might be pulled from Alachua County Schools (FL). The “might” here is perhaps the more interesting story: it’s some college student who might not even be a resident in the district who brought about the challenges.
• The Freedom Writers Diary and Crown of Midnight are banned now in Horry County Schools (SC) .
• Washoe County Library (NV) will not be banning books that “conservative activists” want pulled because they’re homophobic.
• “California lawmakers recently voted down a bill requiring school boards to ban books with “harmful material” from libraries and classrooms, legislation that would have given parents the ability to sue those that did not comply.” Remember that it’s not just “red” states with such terrible bills.
• CNN covers the canceling of Maulik Pancholy’s book event at Cumberland Valley School District in Pennsylvania. This story is especially important for how it shows the mechanisms of banning and censorship work—this did not come from the administration but entirely from the school board. You need to vote .
• “ Idaho House Bill 710 , also known as the Library Bill was signed into law by Idaho Governor Brad Little. The law states that any parents or child, whether they’re a resident of Idaho or not, can complain about a book they deem to be inappropriate for their child’s age group. Some of the examples of inappropriate content are pornographic content and homosexual references. After receiving the complaint the library has 30 days to relocate that book to an adults-only area, if not they will have a monetary penalty.” For all of the claims of needing local control, if ANYONE can complain about a book in an Idaho library and get it moved or the library gets fined… that’s not what local control is , first of all. This bill is explicitly aimed at destroying public institutions of democracy.
• An “inappropriate book” was distributed to low-income kids via a partnership between Amarillo Independent School District (TX) and StoryBridge, ending their relationship following a parental complaint. No poor kids will get books now because one of the books had same-sex parents .
• Carroll County, Maryland, commissioners want to withhold funding to local public libraries because they support the Freedom to Read legislation in the state. You can’t make it up .
• “The school district’s plan to offer an optional class for some first graders at Schavey Road Elementary School on the use of pronouns by individuals drew backlash, enough that by Friday the district had reversed course and canceled the plan.” This was going to happen because of a classroom story time with the book They, She, He, Me: Free to Be ! in the Michigan school. OPTIONAL .
• The expensive nightmare of book banning for librarians in Alabama.
• A group of right-wing Catholics showed up to the Mercer County public library in Celina (OH) this past weekend to pray the rosary over… books they are offended by in the collection .
• Rockingham County School Board (VA) approved a new book review policy amid their reviews of dozens of books. It has two different policies depending on whether the complaint is over the book being sexually explicit or not .
• Anoka-Hennepin School District (MN) is the largest in the state and is dealing with a board candidate who refuses to vote on a budget because he is a puppet of the 1776 Project PAC and believes, among other things, social studies classes are only telling a biased history. It’s your blue states, too.
• So far, 26 books have been banned this year in Rutherford County Schools (TN).
• Eight months after being pulled from shelves “for review,” the Fort Worth Independent School District (TX) is returning some of the books back to shelves. How many is unknown, though 100 were initially pulled and not all will be returned. If you’re paywalled like I am, here’s an unpaywalled version of the story .
• The Lafayette Parish Public Library (LA) board president is proud of the bigoted and racist and censorious new policy on book displays .
• Dragon Ball Z, Volumes 1, 2, and 3 have been challenged in the Eau Claire School District (WI). Complaints are over the “nudity” and “sexualized content.” Note: that series is 21 years old now.
• A look at the teens and adults on the ground in Texas pushing to repeal the READER Act.
• Seaside Public Library (OR) is dealing with a city council that has members eager to ban books in the library, sparked by being mad about promoting Banned Books Week. One proposal was letting parents opt their kids out of entire sections of the library .
• “On Tuesday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed legislation to prevent public school teachers in the 6th through the 8th grades from teaching LGBTQ+ ideology in Alabama schools.” This is America in 2024. The legislation came because in health classes , gender identity is a topic of discussion . But the bill is so broad and vague that it’s likely educators who have a book with LGBTQ+ characters in their classroom will be targeted by the folks with too much time on their hands.

Also In This Story Stream

• Are Librarians Criminals? These Bills Would Make Them So: Book Censorship News, May 3, 2024
• Google Is Destroying Your Access to News: Book Censorship News, April 19, 2024
• What Young People Can Do About Book Bans: Book Censorship News, April 12, 2024
• Sexual Assault Awareness Month & Book Banning: Book Censorship News, April 5, 2024
• How Public Libraries Are Targeted Right Now—It’s Not “Just” Books: Book Censorship News, March 29, 2024
• The 2024 Lambda Literary Awards Shortlists Are Here
• You’re Wrong About These Common Myths About Book Ban: Book Censorship News, March 22, 2024
• State Anti-Book Ban Legislation Updates: Book Censorship News, March 15, 2024
• They’re Dismantling Higher Education, Too: Book Censorship News, March 8, 2024

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Censorship by the Numbers

ALA compiles data on book challenges from reports filed with its Office for Intellectual Freedom by library professionals in the field and from news stories published throughout the United States. Because many book challenges are not reported to the ALA or covered by the press, the 2023 data compiled by ALA represents only a snapshot of book censorship throughout the year. A challenge to a book may be resolved in favor of retaining the book in the collection, or it can result in a book being restricted or withdrawn from the library.

ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom documented 1,247 demands to censor library books and resources in 2023 . The number of titles targeted for censorship surged 65% in 2023 compared to 2022, reaching the highest levels ever documented by OIF in more than 20 years of tracking: 4,240 unique book titles were targeted for removal from schools and libraries. This tops the previous high from 2022, when 2,571 unique titles were targeted for censorship. Titles representing the voices and lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals made up 47% of those targeted in censorship attempts.

Groups and individuals demanding the censorship of multiple titles, often dozens or hundreds at a time, drove this surge in 2023. Attempts to censor more than 100 titles occurred in 17 states: Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Get digital assets for Censoship by the Numbers in our Free Downloads , and find additional social media assets on the Book Ban Data page.

Books and Beyond

Books are not the sole target of attacks orchestrated by conservative parent groups and right-wing media. Both school and public librarians are increasingly in the crosshairs of conservative groups during book challenges and subject to defamatory name-calling, online harassment, social media attacks, and doxxing, as well as direct threats to their safety, their employment, and their very liberty.

Who Initiates Challenges?

Prior to 2020, the vast majority of challenges to library books and resources were brought by a single parent who sought to remove or restrict access to a book their child was reading. Recent censorship data are evidence of a growing, well-organized, conservative political movement, the goals of which include removing books about race, history, gender identity, sexuality, and reproductive health from America's public and school libraries that do not meet their approval. Using social media and other channels, these groups distribute book lists to their local chapters and individual adherents, who then utilize the lists to initiate a mass challenge that can empty the shelves of a library.

Where Do Challenges Take Place?

Pressure groups in 2023 focused on public libraries in addition to targeting school libraries. The number of titles targeted for censorship at public libraries increased by 92% over the previous year; school libraries saw an 11% increase.

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'Bad faith arguments' by politicians, school authorities are assaults on civility | Opinion

Recently I attended a talk by N.K. Jemison, a renowned science fiction author. Her work reflects some of her experiences as a Black woman in our society. She was asked about current controversies surrounding public and school libraries. For example, almost 300 books have been banned by school districts in Missouri under the state’s “sexually explicit material” law. These include works by Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, a copy of Reader’s Digest, The Children’s Bible and books about the Holocaust. In 2022, The Oklahoman published a list of books banned in Oklahoma .

Some of Jemison’s books have ended up on banned book lists. She said she takes this as a compliment, and raised the issue of “bad faith arguments.” I do not know if my understanding matches that of Jemison’s, but to me, bad faith arguments are made to promote or defend a position that masks a deeper agenda.

Banning books in school libraries is ostensibly done in order to protect children, but the real issue is power or control. Banning books about trans or gay people is an attempt to suppress information that could help young people be better informed about sexuality. It is part of a landscape of attempted sexual oppression. Interference with teachers’ ability to select curricular materials is another example of bad faith arguments at work.

More from Nancy Snow: In anti-LGBTQ+ climate, we should not be surprised that children die by their own hands

The “critical race theory” controversy is a case in point. Critical race theory, which I have taught in years past, has nothing to do with the history that teachers seek to share with their students. That history is ignominious ― it chronicles the deep harms and injustices that Black and Indigenous peoples suffered at the hands of white people. Suppressing that history is an attempt to erase the sins of the past and undermine present-day claims of people of color.

Bad faith arguments in all of their forms are assaults on civility, and indeed, on a democratic society. When these arguments are made by politicians and school authorities, they suppress freedom of speech and limit education. They are nothing short of blatant power grabs. Censorship is not about protecting anyone. It is about controlling information and people. According to the 2022 article in Education Week that I cited earlier, one district in Missouri ― Wentzville, just west of St. Louis ― was responsible for 220 of the 297 books that Missouri banned. School personnel who violate Senate Bill 775, the law banning the books, could face up to a year in jail or a fine of up to $2,000 .

Bad faith arguments and the political ploys that motivate them should be called out and resisted. Educating future citizens about all aspects of human life is vital for the healthy functioning of democracy. John Stuart Mill, a philosopher writing in England during the 1800s, referred to the “marketplace of ideas.” In a democracy, the marketplace of ideas allows for free and vigorous discussion of all ideas, without arbitrary restriction from the government. Mill believed that false or harmful ideas will be culled through this process.

One thing is certain. History has taught us that, despite authoritarian power plays, truth cannot be suppressed.

Nancy E. Snow is a professor of philosophy at the University of Kansas. She formerly was a philosophy professor at the University of Oklahoma and director of the Institute for the Study of Human Flourishing.

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Minnesota and other Democratic-led states lead pushback on censorship. They’re banning the book ban

Last fall, Shae Ross and fellow students in Bloomington, Minnesota successfully persuaded their district not to ban certain books dealing with sexuality, gender and race. Now, legislators are pursuing a prohibition on similar bans in schools across the state. (AP video: Mark Vancleave)

Bloomington Jefferson senior Shae Ross, center, joined Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, left, at an event promoting proposed legislation to prevent books bans based on ideology at Como Park High School in St. Paul, Minn., on March 21, 2024. (Chris Williams/Education Minnesota via AP)

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Bloomington Jefferson senior Shae Ross, fourth from left, joins Governor Tim Walz, right, and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, second from left, at an event promoting proposed legislation to prevent books bans based on ideology at Como Park High School in St. Paul, Minnesota on March 21, 2024. (Chris Williams/Education Minnesota via AP)

Shae Ross, a senior at Jefferson High School, pose for a photo April, 19, 2024, in Bloomington, Minn. Ross and other students successfully campaigned their district not to ban certain books dealing with sexuality, gender and race after some parents objected to their presence in classrooms and libraries. (AP Photo/Mark Vancleave)

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A movement to ban book bans is gaining steam in Minnesota and several other states, in contrast to the trend playing out in more conservative states where book challenges have soared to their highest levels in decades.

The move to quash book bans is welcome to people like Shae Ross, a queer and out Minnesota high school senior who has fought on the local level against bans on books dealing with sexuality, gender and race. Ross, 18, said she is encouraged to see her governor and leaders of other states are taking the fight statewide.

“For a lot of teenagers, LGBT teenagers and teenagers who maybe just don’t feel like they have a ton of friends, or a ton of popularity in middle or high school ... literature becomes sort of an escape.” Ross said. “Especially when I was like sixth, seventh grade, I’d say reading books, especially books with gay characters ... was a way that I could feel seen and represented.”

Minnesota is one of several Democratic-leaning states where lawmakers are now pursuing bans on book bans. The Washington and Maryland legislatures have already passed them this year, while Illinois did so last year. It was a major flashpoint of Oregon’s short session, where legislation passed the Senate but died without a House vote.

According to the American Library Association, over 4,200 works in school and public libraries were targeted in 2023, a jump from the old record of nearly 2,600 books in 2022. Many challenged books — 47% in 2023 — had LGBTQ+ and racial themes.

Restrictions in some states have increased so much that librarians and administrators fear crippling lawsuits, hefty fines and even imprisonment if they provide books that others regard as inappropriate. Already this year, lawmakers in more than 15 states have introduced bills to impose harsh penalties on libraries or librarians.

Conservative parents and activists argue that the books are too sexually explicit or otherwise controversial, and are inappropriate, especially for younger readers. National groups such as Moms for Liberty say parents are entitled to more control over books available to their children.

But pushback is emerging. According to EveryLibrary, a political action committee for libraries, several states are considering varying degrees of prohibitions on book bans. A sampling includes California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont, though some in conservative states appear unlikely to pass. One has also died in New Mexico this year.

One such bill is awaiting Democratic Gov. Wes Moore’s signature in Maryland. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill last month that sets a high bar for removing challenged materials, especially those dealing with race, sexual orientation and gender identity. A version pending in New Jersey would protect librarians from civil or criminal liability.

Some proposals are labeled “Freedom to Read” acts.

“That’s what’s so critical here. The voluntary nature of reading,” said Martha Hickson, a librarian at North Hunterdon High School in New Jersey. “Students can choose to read, not read, or totally ignore everything in this library. No one is asking them to read a damn thing.”

Hickson recalled how parents first suggested her book collections contained pedophilia and pornography during a school board meeting in 2021. She watched the livestream in horror as they objected that the novel “Lawn Boy” and illustrated memoir “Gender Queer” were available to students and suggested she could be criminally liable.

“Tears welled up, shaking” Hickson said. ”But once my body got done with that, my normal attitude, the fight side kicked in, and I picked up my cellphone while the meeting was still going on and started reaching out.”

Book bans have been a sore point for Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a former high school teacher. The Minnesota Senate passed his proposal this month. It would prohibit book bans in public and school libraries based on content or ideological objections and require that the key decisions about what books will or won’t be offered be made by library professionals.

The state House is considering an approach with more teeth, including penalties and allowing private citizens to sue to enforce it.

“I’m working with stakeholders, with the Department of Education, librarians, school districts and their representatives,” said Democratic Rep. Cedrick Frazier, of New Hope. “We’re working to tighten up the language, to make sure we can come to a consensus, and just kind of make sure that everybody’s on the same page.”

Ross, a student at Jefferson High School in Bloomington, was alarmed when she heard last year that conservative groups were organizing in her community to ban books based on their content. So she and her friends got organized themselves, and they helped persuade their school board to make it much harder to remove books and other materials from their libraries and classrooms.

Because of her activism, Ross was invited when Walz went to Como Park Senior High School in St. Paul last month to view a display of books banned elsewhere. The governor called book bans “the antithesis of everything we believe” and denounced what he depicted as a growing effort to bully school boards.

At a House hearing last month, speakers said books by LGBTQ+ and authors of color are among those most frequently banned. Karlton Laster, director of policy and organizing for OutFront Minnesota, who identifies as Black and queer, said reading their works helped him “communicate my hard feelings and truths to my family and friends,” and helped him come out to his family.

Kendra Redmond, a Bloomington mother with three children in public schools, testified about efforts to push back against a petition drive by conservatives to pull about 28 titles from the city’s school libraries.

Pushback from Ross, Redmond and others succeeded. The Bloomington School Board last month made it much harder to seek removals. Parents can still restrict access by their own children to material they deem objectionable.

Many challenges in the district came from the Bloomington Parents Alliance. One of its leaders, Alan Redding, recalled how his son’s 9th grade class was discussing a book a few years ago when graphic passages about date rape were read aloud in class. He said his son and other kids were unprepared for something so explicit.

“They were clearly bothered by this and disgusted,” Redding said. ”My son absolutely shut down for the semester.”

Minnesota Republican lawmakers have argued that instead of worrying about book bans, they should be focusing instead on performance in a state where just under half of public school students can read at grade level.

“Every book is banned for a child that doesn’t know how to read,” said GOP Rep. Patricia Mueller, a teacher from Austin.

Catalini reported from Trenton, New Jersey. Associated Press reporters Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon, and Brian Witte in Annapolis, Maryland, contributed to this story.

'Freedom to Learn' protests have a clear message: 'We will be woke'

WASHINGTON, DC ‒ National civil rights leaders and other activists, including college students, rallied outside the U.S. Supreme Court Friday to push back against efforts to ban some books and restrict lessons about Black history and other social issues.

The effort is part of the “Freedom to Learn” campaign, a national movement to combat those restrictions and what activists call misinformation about Black history and critical race theory. Organizers tout the rally as a day of action.

“It was designed to expand our freedom to learn to make sure that we are pushing back against the work that is trying to ban our books, trying to ban the teaching of our history,’’ said Karsonya Wise Whitehead, special projects manager for the African American Policy Forum, a think tank focused on social and racial justice issues. “It was designed to make sure that if they are teaching history ‒ history includes everybody's story.”

Dozens of protesters, including students from Morgan State University, marched from the Library of Congress to the front of the U.S. Supreme Court chanting, “We won’t go back!” They carried signs that read, “Our history. Pass it on” and “History repeats when we forget.”

Thalya Baptiste, a junior at Morgan State University, said it was important for her and other students to honor the work of their ancestors who fought for civil rights. Those rights, she said, are still under attack. “We’re here…We’re fired up,” said Baptiste, who spoke at the rally. “We will continue to advocate for our freedom to learn.”

Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League, told the crowd the campaign is going to be a multi-year effort. “We will not sleep…and hell yes, we will be woke!” he said.

The effort comes as more states and jurisdictions, including school boards, adopt measures that restrict some teachings of Black history and ban more books, many focused on race and sexual identity.

Dozens of states, including Texas and Oklahoma, have adopted or proposed measures that limit how Black history is taught or that restrict the use of some books. Proponents argue some books are offensive and that key parts of Black history are already taught in schools.

Supporters of so-called ‘’anti-woke’’ laws said such measures protect against teaching divisive issues and blaming current generations for past injustices such as slavery. Republicans have particularly attacked critical race theory, calling it “woke indoctrination.”

Digging deeper: Is new AP African American Studies course too woke? We attended class to find out.

Critical race theory is an academic framework that argues the legacy of slavery shapes systemic racism in existence today.

Jonathan Butcher, a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, said school boards and policymakers should be able to determine what should be taught in schools.

“I'm not arguing that we omit important topics,” Butcher said in an earlier interview. "I think it should be done in age-appropriate ways.”

By last fall, legislation to limit the teaching of "divisive" concepts or critical race theory in public schools and/or higher education institutions had been introduced in at least 21 states, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Reading further: Black history 'Underground Railroad' forms across US after increase of book bans

The African American Policy Forum will host a Critical Race Theory summer school in New York to provide a week of training on issues, including advocacy, education and political engagement.

Friday's rally will “serve as a gateway into Freedom Summer 2024 leading into the critical election season,’’ said Wise Whitehead, also a professor of communications and African American Studies at Loyola University in Maryland. Sixty years ago, during the initial Freedom Summer, hundreds of mostly college students joined local activists in Mississippi to register Black citizens to vote.

Other groups and organizations, including Black museums, have also launched efforts to counter book bans and history lesson restrictions. Some Black churches in Florida provided toolkits to help faith leaders teach Black history.

The American Library Association also launched its Unite Against Book Bans campaign. There were 1,247 attempts last year to censor library materials and services, according to the association.

Later Friday afternoon, local partners of the African American Policy Forum will host a banned book giveaway at a community center in the Bronx, New York. Organizers are also calling on faith leaders to participate in “Freedom Sundays’’ where they will urge churchgoers to register to vote and cast their ballots.

“There’s no time more important than where are right now,’’ Wise Whitehead said. “If we don't put the pressure on right now, not waiting until November, put the pressure on now to make sure that people are as well informed as possible about what is at stake at this moment ‒ which we believe is the future of democracy. That is what we're fighting for.”