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Censorship

House Hearing on Book Bans Set for This Week: Tune In Here

Kelly Jensen

Editor

Kelly is a former librarian and a long-time blogger at STACKED. She's the editor/author of (DON'T) CALL ME CRAZY: 33 VOICES START THE CONVERSATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH and the editor/author of HERE WE ARE: FEMINISM FOR THE REAL WORLD. Her next book, BODY TALK, will publish in Fall 2020. Follow her on Instagram @heykellyjensen.

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Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, is bringing book bans to the House of Representatives floor. Thursday, April 7, at 10 am Eastern, “Free Speech Under Attack: Book Bans and Academic Censorship” will be presented live and available for livestream.

This is the first federal-level coverage of today’s book ban culture and it involves a host of special guest witnesses. Among them are Civil Rights activist and author Ruby Bridges, three high school students from Pennsylvania and Washington, as well as a librarian, a teacher, and a parent from Virginia and Pennsylvania. More witnesses are expected in the days leading up to the meeting.

The deluge of book challenges, state-level legislation aimed at school and library curriculum, and educational gag orders have hit a fever pitch in the 2021-2022 school year. Groups like Moms For Liberty, No Left Turn, and others have pushed false narratives about books, including the idea these are used as indoctrination, and these groups, with their massive followings, have given rise to combative school and library board meetings.

Thursday’s meeting is a positive and vital part of ensuring the First Amendment rights of students and educators. Take a few minutes this week to write your Representatives in support of this meeting and in support of First Amendment rights, then tune in to the livestream below at 10 eastern.

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