Book Censorship News, July 21, 2023

Here’s a Google information seek for “Gender Queer Book,” time restricted to the final month.

Whenever I come throughout a search that reveals the same story pop up a number of occasions and a few of these sources could possibly be credible — just like the KATV one* — I’ll then look into the key phrases from that story extra carefully to see what’s occurring. Let’s pop in a few of these and see what the true story is:

Interesting outcomes checklist, huh? Wall Street Journal, a conservative outlet, is the primary hit and, regardless of being right-leaning, it doesn’t play into the identical rhetoric as the next outcomes do. We get Fox News, National Review, after which down the web page, some extra “reputable” shops:

Book Censorship News: July 21, 2023

• A librarian in Michigan who was labeled a groomer by right-wing social media shares what that have has been like.
• Samuels Library (a public library in Virginia being harassed by a small group of loud bigots) has made some selections on books within the assortment. First, they created a nonsense part known as “new adult,” which isn’t new grownup books however new grownup books (clear as mud, and no, you don’t must outline “new adult” for me). This is the place one of many three books that they’ve mentioned to date is transferring. Two will stay in the identical place. They’re additionally creating library playing cards that may be prohibit entry for minors.
• Iredell-Statesville Schools (NC) have eliminated over 250 books from the district after complaints. This district is an utter mess: it’s the similar district the place a former instructor had damaged into the college library to take images of books and the place it appeared they got here to a promising resolution to the e book disaster actors enjoying sufferer at board conferences. Guess that was quick lived. TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY BOOKS!
• Washoe County Schools (NV) at the moment are being pestered to take away Lawn Boy, with bonus disaster actor claiming that the e book is being learn aloud to college students.
• Six queer-themed YA books have gone lacking at Tri-Valley Community Library (AK). This is a teeny article however it will get throughout all the pieces you’d must know.
• Here’s a break for just a little excellent news: Jay-Z helps finance the anti-book ban motion.
• When did Common Sense Media turn into the nice guys? (Disclosure: that is my work at my private substack!).
• “Mayor Kerry Peterson, who ran the library meeting, said ‘there has never been discussion’ of banning the graphic memoir Gender Queer. Instead, she said, library director Catherine Wolverton has determined that the young adult book will be moved to the adult section of the library. A ‘separate profile’ will be set up for young adult cardholders where they can only check out young adult and youth collections, which ‘parents have the option to opt into,’ Wolverton said.” This is at Cedar Grove Public Library in New Jersey, the place Gender Queer might be censored and younger adults could have borrowing privileges restricted. Guess the children can’t simply haul ass and get the e book there…guess the lies from the right-wingers about “the kids can just get it at the public library” are additionally unfaithful.
• Autauga-Prattville Public Library (AL) not solely has a bunch attempting to ban books within the library however they’re creating a whole system of language and recruitment to get folks to hitch their censoring efforts.
• Williamsburg-James City County Schools (VA) have created a brand new coverage round e book challenges. Read this one — they explicitly state that oldsters can complain via the suitable channels however “no library resources should be restricted or removed from the library as a result of the concern or complaint.” More. Of. This. (Note: I believe the piece about 3 faculty librarians needing to approve a purchase order is ridiculous, however not less than it’s within the palms of skilled professionals).
• I completely detest the “if they ban all of these books, then the Bible needs to be banned too” mentality. You don’t resolve e book bans by banning books. Period. I don’t care how subversive or humorous or satirical you suppose you’re being. (Leon County, Florida).
• The similar Bible ban nonsense is occurring in Palm Beach, Florida, too. It won’t be banned, although.
• Remember how Temecula Schools (CA) have been pulling a social research textbook that talked about Harvey Milk? The state governor is shopping for it for them.
• Ta-Nehisi Coates confirmed as much as the Lexington-Richland District 5 School Board assembly, the place one in every of his books has been the middle of a debate over banning.
• This Book Is Gay will stay on cabinets in Brookfield, Connecticut, colleges.
• Here’s how sluggish and costly the assessment course of in St. Tammany Parish Library (LA) goes and why the brand new invoice handed within the state goes to make this course of even worse.
• Three books — Gender Queer, Flamer, and Wait What? — might be pulled from Fort Worth Independent School District (TX) cabinets. This story may be paywalled.
• 39 books are being challenged and reviewed within the Carroll County School District (MD). This can be behind a paywall as a result of the media is complicit.
• When you appoint e book banners to a library board, it shouldn’t be stunning that folk fear there may be e book bans taking place of their public libraries (VA).
• Marathon County Public Library (WI) won’t be eradicating Let’s Talk About It, and they won’t be making a scores system for his or her assortment.
• Paywalled right here, too: it was ONE mum or dad who complained in Horry County Schools (SC) and bought 12 books pulled from cabinets.
• To deal with a brand new regulation in Arkansas over what youngsters can and can’t learn from the general public library, Springdale is making it so everybody beneath 13 wants a guardian *with them* as they use the library, whereas these 13-14 can use the library so long as a guardian *is within the constructing*, and people 15 and older can — gasp — be free from parental supervision. Talk about nanny stating (and please observe: I do know the library is doing this in response to a shitty regulation, however that is additionally horrible). In my time as a librarian, so many youngsters got here to the library solo as a result of it was the one protected place to be with out dad and mom or guardians round. Some…simply didn’t have adults of their lives. For the entire “we care about the kids,” we all know what youngsters which means.
• A worthwhile piece about new legal guidelines in Iowa and their affect on libraries all through the state.
• This piece is concerning the college students at Central York (PA) who have been lively and engaged voices within the motion to finish to e book bans of their faculty.
• “Several members of the Telford Borough Council were blindsided at the July 10 meeting when appointed councilman Robert Jacobus attempted to pass a motion that would provide the council with oversight of the Indian Valley Library [PA]. The motion was soundly defeated in a 5-2 vote.” You can guess why, I’m certain.
• Oconee County, Georgia now has Moms for Liberty going for its public library. None of the books they’re mad about ought to shock anybody. This library is included within the roundup of Pride Month disruptions, whereby of us appeared to make a few of the LGBTQ+ books disappear and town council thought they’d some sort of oversight into the library. Keep an eye fixed on this one.
• Elizabethtown Independent Schools Board of Education (KY) is now getting “visitors” to their board assembly crying inappropriate e book disaster. The Kite Runner and Amy Reed’s Beautiful are two books of ire.
• York County, South Carolina simply voted to maneuver from 10 board members to 7. You know this can be a e book banner’s dream.
• “The Lewis County Board of Commissioners, Scott Brummer, Lindsey Pollock, and Sean Swope, penned a letter last week to their appointed trustees on the five-county Timberland Regional Library [WA] board with the intent of developing policy around printed materials and age-appropriate books for children.” Please learn this once more: the CITY board advised the LIBRARY board they should create a e book scores system for supplies within the assortment. This, y’all, is censorship, each large C and little c. Fascism continues onward.
• Appomattox Public Library (VA) has board that’s doing no matter they really feel or suppose, somewhat than what is true or authorized.
• “On July 13, U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert took to the House floor to promote an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would ban the purchase of ‘pornographic books’ for military schools. It quickly raised questions about the definition of pornography, recalling Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart’s famous phrase: ‘I know it when I see it.’” Shocker. Puppets gonna puppet. What’s regarding is that that is being taken with any seriousness on the nationwide degree and that may inevitably give extra gas for native degree bigots.
• Moore County Board of Education (NC) seems like a enjoyable place to be, with disaster actor board member complaining a few TON of books and people books now being referred to a assessment committee for his or her destiny.
• “Fast forward to this week’s board meeting, when the consent item to renew City Year, a program that provides tutors and mentors for students, was up for discussion. From an Instagram post dated June 15, during Pride Month, City Year posted LGBTQ inclusive books. This resulted in Ashley questioning if City Year is pushing an agenda and if TPS should continue their relationship. ‘I want parents and citizens to know that these are the type of recommended book lists that they have,’ she said.” This is a board member for the Tulsa Public Schools (OK) mad about a corporation that the college has a partnership with…posting a Pride e book checklist throughout Pride.
• West Bend School’s assessment committee unanimously (WI) endorsed holding The 57 Bus as a selection studying choices in one in every of their courses. That it was ever challenged proves why the e book is required.
• Keene Memorial Library — a public library in Nebraska, which has been quiet for a couple of weeks — goes to implement new age-category library playing cards. Per the story, teenagers might be unable to borrow grownup books…so I suppose which means no entry to classics? Glad {that a} 17-year-old received’t have the ability to borrow The Great Gatsby. Good factor a 13-year-old can’t borrow a nonfiction e book for his or her analysis paper. Need me to go on?
• *Businesses* in Winkler, Manitoba suppose the library ought to lose cash for having books they’ve been brainwashed into considering are porn. Here’s a thought: why would any particular person beneath 18 or any grownup who cares concerning the library wish to patronize these bigot companies?
• Most Utahans don’t agree with faculty boards eradicating books from the colleges. Also, Davis Schools — keep in mind them from banning then unbannnig the Bible — simply pulled three extra books from cabinets, together with The Lovely Bones, Lawn Boy, and Deogratias: A Tale of Rwanda.
• It appears like I Am Billie Jean King will stay on Leon County School (FL) library cabinets.
• An replace from Crawford County Public Library (AR) as they navigate new state legal guidelines and two lawsuits regarding censorship.
• “Most speakers who supported the petition said they did not want the library to close but wanted the offending books moved from the children’s section or the library. One person suggested some of the offending books could be kept off the shelves and shipped to patrons who wished to check them out. ‘Books should be moved out of reach of children and monitored,’ said one audience member.” This shouldn’t be the way you run a library, which is why random of us with none background in librarianship usually are not those operating a library. Anyway, this small Washington library continues to be liable to closure due to some bigots.
• My cash is that Bruce is behind the problem to the e book Arthur’s Birthday in Clay County, Florida, colleges. The problem means no youngsters can take a look at the e book till some undetermined time. Bruce is the one who elected to problem my books as a result of I wrote about what he was doing there.