Censorship At Its Most Outrageous
There’s certainly no shortage of censorship updates each week, and it’s next to impossible to keep up with everything, especially when board decisions get postponed and books quietly disappear from library shelves. One day’s headlines blur into the next. But then there are some situations that are so outrageous that you can’t help but sit up and say “What the actual eff?” Here are some of those examples.
Montgomery County (TX) Reclassifies Native American History as “Fiction”
The Montgomery County Citizens Review Committee ordered a juvenile nonfiction book that documents American history from the perspective of the Wampanoag tribe be reclassified as “fiction.” Another issue with the committee? Policy requires that every committee member be a resident of Montgomery County, but this is not actually verified in practice. [Editor’s note: thanks to pressure, the library is re-reclassifying the book as nonfiction].
Two Cy-Fair ISD (TX) Trustees’ Inner Circles Were Responsible for 52 of 58 Book Challenges
Cy-Fair ISD received 58 book challenges during the 2022/2023 school year. Fifty-two of those were submitted by a new board member, his wife, his campaign treasurer, and the wife of another board member. That’s almost 90% of the book challenges received that year. And it’s another clear example of what happens when bad actors infiltrate a public governing board.
Susquehanna Valley (PA) School Districts Are Using the Same Religious Rights Law Firm to Draft Policies
The Independence Law Center (ILC) has helped multiple schools draft controversial policies, and the discussions surrounding these policies and partnerships are shrouded in intentional secrecy. This article also talks about the right-wing groups that fund the ILC’s parent organization, the Pennsylvania Family Institute, and (surprise!) a lot of them are affiliated with anti-LGBTQ+ hate groups, or are hate groups themselves.
York County Public Library (SC) Will Not Purchase Any New Materials for Readers Under 18
This is a direct result of state governments (and untrained politicians) creating poorly defined restrictions on what schools and libraries can have on their shelves. And in an effort to avoid legal problems, schools and libraries have opted to just not purchase new materials. And this is entirely the point. [Editor’s note: as of the special board meeting late last week, it’s been “clarified” that “only” books with “sexual content” will be prohibited from purchase—what that means isn’t defined]
Cullman County Public Library (AL) Reclassifies Its Entire Young Adult Collection as Regular Fiction.
You read that right—there is no longer a Young Adult collection at this library. The director says that this decision was made as a precaution based on unclear guidance from the Alabama Public Library Service and other consultation.
North Shelby Library (AL) Creates a New Youth Section For Books About Sexual Orientation and Gender
If this wasn’t a bad enough idea on its own, the new section will require parental supervision to access the collection. Holy crap, this is a terrible policy.
Conway School Board (AR) Appoints Husband of Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ Chief Legal Counsel as Newest Trustee
“The Conway School Board now has an almost direct line to make sure everything it does pleases Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders.” Kennedy has shown approval for the school’s anti-trans restroom policy, as well as its decision to remove two books from school libraries. He even went so far as to suggest another four or five titles that could be removed.
Bid Specifications For Bibles in Oklahoma Public Schools Point to a Specific Version Endorsed By Trump
Oklahoma schools need 55,000 Bibles, and according to the list of bid specifications, “must also include text of the Pledge of Allegiance, the U.S. Constitution and other historical documents not normally included in the Bible.” Which version of the Bible fits these parameters? Why, the one compiled by musician Lee Greenwood and endorsed by Donald Trump for the whopping cost of $60 per Bible.
Arizona Teacher Investigated By Police Over High School Book Assignment
“A Williams Field High School [AZ] teacher is being investigated by Gilbert Police due to a complaint lodged by a parent about a book assignment.” You know what this is? It’s fascism, folks. Law enforcement should not be getting involved with this nonsense.
