"Controversial Books: The Battle Against Bans and Censorship"

Communities in New Jersey are engaging in debates over free speech, appropriate content for children, and parental control as calls to ban or restrict access to certain books in schools and public libraries increase. Hoboken, Westfield, and Maplewood have designated their libraries as "book sanctuaries" ahead of Banned Books Week. Several school districts in the state have also faced complaints about access to certain books, with one high school librarian suing parents for defamation.