tldrdaily.news logo
Tag

Intellectual Freedom

All articles tagged with #intellectual freedom

education2 years ago

Chicago Conference Trains Librarians to Defend Intellectual Freedom and Fight Book Bans

Librarians gathered at the American Library Association's annual meeting in Chicago to receive training on how to fight book bans and legislative censorship. Attendees were encouraged to confidently counter book challenges and ensure the freedom to read. The ALA conference hosts thousands of librarians, library staff, authors, publishers, and educators as several states push to restrict access to books in schools and libraries, overwhelmingly those about race, ethnicity, and LGBTQ+ topics. The association in March released data showing a record 1,269 demands to censor library books in the U.S. in 2022, a 20-year high.

via The Associated Press|
#american-library-association#book-bans#censorship
politics2 years ago

Arkansas Librarians and Booksellers Challenge Book Ban Law in Lawsuit

A group of librarians, booksellers, readers, and authors are suing Arkansas over a new law that threatens jail time for librarians who make banned books available to minors. The law, signed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders in March, implements a new system for challenging library books and threatens up to a year in prison for librarians. The lawsuit challenges the Arkansas law on constitutional grounds, claiming it violates Arkansans’ 1st and 14th amendment rights. Arkansas librarians have expressed concern that the age limits would disproportionately target certain identities.

via The Daily Beast|
#arkansas#book-ban#intellectual-freedom
books-and-literature2 years ago

The Growing Battle Against Books in 2022.

The American Library Association has released its list of the 13 most challenged books of 2022, with Maia Kobabe's "Gender Queer" topping the list for the second year in a row. The list includes books by LGBTQ authors and those dealing with issues of race, sexuality, and gender expression. Book banning attempts and restrictions in schools and public libraries have surged in recent years, setting a record in 2022 with over 1,200 challenges compiled by the ALA. The banning efforts have been described as "devastating" and a "political game" by authors affected by the censorship.

via USA TODAY|
#american-library-association#book-banning#books-and-literature
society2 years ago

The Increasing Battle to Ban Books in American Schools

The American Library Association is set to announce the Most Challenged Books of 2022, with sex and gender being the subject matter overwhelmingly attacked. The number of individual titles banned spiked more than 1,100% between 2020 and 2022, with school districts challenging books in 37 states. Moms for Liberty, a group that claims 275 chapters in 45 states, is driving many of the book challenges in local communities. Cartoonist Art Spiegelman and the Brooklyn Public Library are fighting back against book bans, with the latter issuing digital library cards to teenagers who can't find the material they want to read on the shelves of their school or public library.

via CBS News|
#banned-books#censorship#education
education2 years ago

Book Bans Surge to Unprecedented Levels in 2022

The American Library Association reported a spike in censorship efforts, with 1,269 attempts to ban books and other resources in libraries and schools in 2022, nearly double the previous year. The majority of the challenged books were by or about L.G.B.T.Q. people or people of color. Book bans have become a proxy in a broader culture war over issues like L.G.B.T.Q. rights, gender identity, and racial inequality. The development is worrisome for educators and librarians, who have increasingly come under fire for the books in their collections.

via The New York Times|
#book-bans#censorship#culture-war
education2 years ago

Book Bans Reach All-Time High in 2022, Says Library Association

The American Library Association has reported a record number of attempted book bans and restrictions in 2022, with over 1,200 challenges compiled, nearly double the previous record from 2021. The requests are often for multiple removals, and organized by national groups such as the conservative Moms for Liberty. The vast majority of complaints come from conservatives, directed at works with LGBTIQA+ or racial themes. Bills facilitating the restriction of books have been proposed or passed in several states, and librarians around the country have reported being harassed and threatened with violence or legal action.

via The Associated Press|
#american-library-association#book-bans#censorship