Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill limiting the number of book challenges residents without kids can lodge against public school books, citing abuse of the system. Under the new rules, non-parent residents can only make one challenge per month. Florida accounts for the majority of book bans in U.S. public schools, with many of the removed books addressing LGBTQ+ identities, characters of color, race, and sexual experiences, according to a PEN America report.
Librarians across the US are facing increased challenges and potential legal penalties for distributing books deemed inappropriate, with some states enacting laws subjecting them to fines and even imprisonment. The trend has led to self-censorship and anxiety among educators and librarians, with conflicts often revolving around materials featuring racial and LGBTQ+ themes. Some lawmakers are seeking nationwide penalties and restrictions, while librarians and publishers have challenged the legality of these laws in court. The situation has led to the removal of numerous titles from school libraries and created a chilling effect on the distribution of certain books.
The American Library Association released a list of the 10 most challenged books of 2023, with seven of them featuring LGBTQ themes, sparking debates over what reading materials are appropriate for kids and teenagers. The moves to restrict or withdraw books have been driven by conservative activist groups and Republican elected officials, leading to a 65% spike in book challenges over the previous year. The association emphasized the importance of protecting the freedom to choose what to read and highlighted the harmful impact of pressure groups targeting books about LGBTQIA+ people and people of color.
The American Library Association's report reveals a 65% increase in book challenges in 2023, with nearly half of the challenged books dealing with LGBTQ themes or race. The challenges are increasingly driven by organized groups, particularly in Florida and Texas, and the fate of the challenged books remains uncertain. While some books are removed, many survive the challenges, indicating support from school and library boards. However, the escalating battle over books is evident in the growing number of states passing laws to restrict books and the subsequent legal challenges.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is seeking to limit the ability of the public to challenge books in schools, acknowledging that efforts to remove titles from schools have gone too far in some instances. He wants to target what type of content is appropriate in school books and is working with the Legislature to streamline the book challenge process, including potentially imposing fines for frivolous objections and limiting the number of challenges individuals can make. This comes amid ongoing controversies and confusion surrounding book removals in Florida, with DeSantis denying book bans in the state and shifting blame to local school boards and individuals.
Nancy Pack, the executive director of the Alabama Public Library Service, has recommended disaffiliating from the American Library Association (ALA) and allowing libraries to move books without being labeled as censorship. Pack expressed concerns about a proposed list of potentially inappropriate books, citing issues with cost, specificity, and the need for guidance. She also fears that the state may change library rules to make it a "sin" to have anything objectionable, impacting all libraries. The process of changing library rules is described as long and arduous. The next APLS board meeting will discuss book challenges and the pros and cons of the ALA.
Moms for Liberty, a conservative parents-rights group, is leading efforts to remove books from school libraries in Carroll County, Maryland. The group opposes books with sexual content and has flooded the school system with requests to review 56 library books. In response, the superintendent has temporarily taken the books off the shelves. School librarians are now required to follow a time-consuming checklist to assess a book's content before adding it to the library. The Maryland Association of School Librarians has supported librarians facing book challenges in other counties but Carroll County is the only one to change its book selection procedure. Critics argue that the new checklist is unrealistic and will result in fewer books being available to students. The book challenges have drawn attention from various organizations and sparked a debate over censorship and the representation of diverse perspectives in school libraries.
Georgia's new law, which allows parents of current students to challenge books in school libraries, has seen limited use since its implementation in January. The law was intended to ease book challenges, particularly those related to themes of sexuality, gender, race, and religion. However, only a few conservative activists have taken advantage of the law, with most large school districts in Georgia reporting no demands to remove books. Some schools have proactively removed books before any challenges were made. Critics argue that the law is too restrictive and that book challenges should be open to anyone, not just parents. Despite federal concerns about discrimination and a settlement with the U.S. Department of Education, the fight over book bans and restrictions in Georgia is expected to continue.
Davis School District in Utah, which recently banned the Bible in elementary and middle schools, has received a request to review the Book of Mormon for containing violence. This is the latest in a series of book challenges in the state, which began after a law was passed allowing parents to request removal of books containing "pornographic or indecent material." The district will form a committee to review the Book of Mormon to determine if it violates the law. The district has not received complaints about other religious texts, such as the Quran.
The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights has concluded that a Georgia school district’s removal of books with Black and LGBTQ characters may have violated students’ civil rights by creating a “hostile environment”. The district has agreed to offer “supportive measures” to affected students and to administer a school climate survey. The ruling could affect how administrators in other districts and states manage book-removal requests, as the country faces a historic rise in attempts to pull books from school libraries and classrooms, particularly those dealing with race, racism, and LGBTQ characters and themes.
