“Brooklyn Public Library is adding our voice to those fighting for the rights of teens nationwide to read what they like, discover themselves, and form their own opinions. Inspired by the American Library Association’s Freedom to Read Statement, BPL’s Books Unbanned initiative is a response to an increasingly coordinated and effective effort to remove books tackling… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Censorship
Students want new books. Thanks to restrictions, librarians can’t buy them.
Washington Post: Schools are struggling to keep their shelves stocked as oversight by parents and school boards intensifies – “States and districts nationwide have begun to constrain what librarians can order. At least 10 states have passed laws giving parents more power over which books appear in libraries or limiting students’ access to books, a… Continue Reading
Opposing Attempts to Criminalize Librarianship through State Obscenity Laws
EveryLibrary Institute: “In 2023-2024, we anticipate that many legislators whose bills failed the last session will reintroduce language in this session and anti-access activists will be inspired to sponsor their own regressive initiatives. The EverLibrary Institute is releasing a new Policy Brief “Opposing Attempts to Criminalize Libraries and Education Through State Obscenity Laws” to help… Continue Reading
Are book bans discrimination?
Washington Post – Biden administration to test new legal theory: “The federal government has opened an investigation into a Texas school district over its alleged removal of books featuring LGBTQ characters — marking the first test of a new legal argument that failing to represent students in school books can constitute discrimination. The Education Department’s… Continue Reading
The Right to Teach
UC Davis Law Review, Vol. 6, page 817- 886. December 2022. The Right to Teach – Joshua E. Weishart. Professor of Law, West Virginia University College of Law: “America’s public school teachers are in dire straits; the law offers little solace. The rights teachers have as public employee-citizens do not protect them as educators. A… Continue Reading
Unbanning Books: LJ’s 2023 Librarians of the Year
Library Journal: “Brooklyn Public Library’s Nick Higgins, Amy Mikel, Karen Keys, Jackson Gomes, and Leigh Hurwitz have been named LJ’s 2023 Librarians of the Year for their work on Books Unbanned, providing free ebook access to teens and young adults nationwide to help defy rising book challenges across the country. In 2022 Brooklyn Public Library’s Books Unbanned Team began… Continue Reading
Courts Find That Twitter Can Restrict More Than Just Your Character Count
ABA: “The 21st century court system has seen a surge of internet-related cases as websites and social media platforms continue to connect more individuals around the globe. While only 5 percent of adults in the United States reported using social media in 2005, the number has now skyrocketed to more than 70 percent. Today, people… Continue Reading
Journalists and others should leave Twitter
Dan Gillmor, Techdirt – Here’s how they can get started: “Elon Musk has demonstrated contempt for free speech in general, and journalism in particular, with his behavior at Twitter. He is demonstrating why anyone it is foolhardy for anyone to rely on centralized platforms to create and distribute vital information.” Continue Reading
America’s culture warriors are going after librarians
.coda: “…It’s a tale playing out in cities and states across the country, as a book-banning fever courses through the country’s body politic. Nationally, attempts to remove books from school and public libraries are shattering previous records. The effort is being driven by a loose collection of local and national conservative parents’ groups and politicians… Continue Reading
Face Recognition Tech Gets Girl Scout Mom Booted From Rockettes Show — Due to Where She Works
NBC 4 New York: “A recent incident at Radio City Music Hall involving the mother of a Girl Scout is shedding light on the growing controversy of facial recognition, as critics claim it is being used to target perceived enemies — in this case, by one of the most famous companies in the country. Kelly… Continue Reading
Elon Musk, Fox News, and Free Speech Absolutism
Teri Kanefield – “Free Speech Absolutism” – Elon Musk abolished Twitter’s moderation policies and allowed “America’s most prominent Nazi,” Andrew Anglin back onto Twitter along with Donald Trump. He declared himself a “free speech absolutist” and said all voices should be heard. Then, on Thursday, he went on a binge and suspended the Twitter accounts of a number… Continue Reading
Conservative Activist Poured Millions Into Groups Seeking to Influence Supreme Court on Elections and Discrimination
ProPublica – “Newly obtained records show how Leonard Leo, an architect of the right-wing takeover of the courts, has been funding groups pushing to change elections and anti-discrimination laws. Flush with money after receiving the largest-known political advocacy donation in U.S. history, conservative activist Leonard Leo and his associates are spending millions of dollars to… Continue Reading
