Important coverage from Madison on censorship in South Carolina -- 🆘on new state regulation moving forward that will lead to mass book banning ACLU of South Carolina Freedom to Read SC

In Medfield, MA, one mom continues to try to ban a biography of tennis superstar Billie Jean King by Brad Meltzer.

B/c the book mentions that she's gay.

And, despite being told she could just restrict the book for her own child. Shameful. #FreeTheBooks
advocate.com/news/billie-je…

“Texas is no stranger to book bans or censoring other educational content areas or materials. The idea that we’re redacting chapters from state-approved textbooks is almost unheard of. It’s so outlandish.” PEN America Kasey Meehan

'A study of 5.6mn courses at nearly 4,000 higher education institutions shows just 0.08% mention critical race theory, structural racism, systemic racism or diversity, equity and inclusion.' ft.com/content/0f423c…

Tyler Perry presents PEN America Courage Award to Georgia election workers “Lady” Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss mother and daughter victims of 2020 election conspiracy theories who won lawsuit against Rudy Giuliani. Shaye Moss says “their hate is no match for our courage”

Don’t let Australia import US style book bans. Here’s the story of Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe and why it’s being challenged in the Australian courts
#bookbans ABC Radio National abc.net.au/listen/program…

Last week, I and many PEN America staff (incl. Kasey Meehan and Katie Blankenship) spoke with UN Special Rapporteur for Education Farida Shaheed, who writes today, 'I am particularly concerned about the recent trend of introducing educational gag orders.' bit.ly/3ycJRB3

Here's our piece from Sunday about libraries...youtube.com/watch?v=42xZB8…

As school districts across Texas prepare to update their school library policies (EFB local) to be in compliance w/ TX HB 900, we’ve written up a letter with helpful & important recommendations to consider while crafting their policies. ⬇️
txftrp.org/hb900_tslac_le…

Not just school libraries: public libraries are also facing attacks over LGBTQ+ literature and books about sexual health. Read more: pen.org/book-banners-t…

Here's just the clip of the John Oliver episode about the idiotic nature of our city council's book banning effort--and he was unable to even get to the non-librarian review board that has final approval!

States where Republicans imposed total abortion bans:
AL, AR, ID, IN, KY, LA, MS, MO, ND, OK, SD, TN, TX, WV

In every one of these states, adults can legally marry minors.

Leaving statutory rape legal, while outlawing a young girl's right to bodily autonomy was a choice.

Ask yourself why reporters would need to be arrested for reporting on what's happening at UCLA? What dont they want the public to know? Asking as a UCLA alum class of 1996

The #bookbans and far-right extremism at Central York SD in 2020-2023 is not history anymore…it is as Ali Velshi says: our current reality. Patricia A. Jackson🇺🇸🇺🇦 and I will continue to speak out against this collusion, corruption and conspiracy. #nobookbans Michelle Henry

The CBC and @herhymeswithme want to thank librarians & library lovers across the country during #NationalLibraryWeek & #RightToReadDay !

The CBC stands with you today and every day, & this original poem is a call to band together & #UniteAgainstBookBans .

tiktok.com/t/ZPRTs8AW7/

This is unprecedented. Brown University strikes a deal with its students to end their peaceful protest & encampment, in exchange for a formal divestment vote from Israeli interests. And no student will be punished for protesting. This is democracy at work.
thehill.com/homenews/educa…

I feel like I'm losing my mind a little: people understand that 'occupying buildings on campus' is, like, one of the most common forms of studen protest for decades and not some devious new ploy devised by professional anarchist plotters, right?

A short #bannedbooks thread: Lunch with Dr. Christopher Harris yesterday, head of GVBOCESLibraryServices. I mentioned that school visit bookings for LGBTQ+ authors (& BIPOC) are WAY down--sometimes to ZERO-- in the current climate. AuthorsAgainstBookBans

Watching everything that’s happening as a Gen Z-Millennial cusp (born in ‘96), I see what’s happening to youth on college campuses as, on top of everything else, the logical end point of decades of neglect of and vitriol towards children and young adults. 🧵🪡