Following on the heels of the “Fight Book Bans” Act is one other legislative proposal in Congress: the “Books Save Lives” Act.
Introduced late final week by Massachusetts Congressional Representative Ayanna Pressley, the 4 half invoice is likely one of the first to straight handle e book bans on the nationwide degree. Where “Fight Book Bans” would open up cash for college districts to combat e book challenges, Books Save Lives goes even additional to make sure that college students have entry not solely to materials however to skilled librarians of their college libraries. It would additionally classify e book bans as a violation of Federal Civil Rights–this ties proper into the arguments being made in a wealth of lawsuits throughout the nation that search to finish discriminatory insurance policies and legal guidelines that infringe on First and Fourteenth Amendment Rights.
The invoice requires the next:
- Ensure main and secondary faculties have a library with a skilled librarian
- Require public libraries and faculty libraries to keep up a various assortment of books
- Classify discriminatory e book bans as violations of federal civil rights legal guidelines
- Direct the Government Accountability Office to report on the impact of e book bans on underrepresented communities.
“Rather than honor the brilliance and diversity of our authors, illustrators, and librarians, Republicans are focused on further marginalizing people who already face systemic discrimination in our society – including people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, religious minorities, and people with disabilities – through discriminatory book bans,” mentioned Rep. Pressley when she introduced the invoice to the ground.
After introducing the invoice to Congress, Pressley met with a number of authors, educators, and anti-discrimination and anti-censorship advocates to the Library of Congress. The occasion, a roundtable dialogue, introduced the problems of e book banning and their influence on scholar studying and growth to the forefront.
“The Books Save Lives Act pushes back on this dangerous trend and reaffirms the need for representative literature by ensuring libraries nationwide maintain a diverse collection of books and classifying book bans as violations of federal civil rights laws,” defined Pressley. “Every reader deserves to see themselves reflected in our literature – and our bill would help make that a reality for all. I am grateful to our partners in crafting this legislation, and I urge Congress to pass my bill without delay.”
Since 2022, federal panels have addressed e book bans, together with a Committee on Education and the Workforce’s Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Hearing in October of this 12 months that included panelists representing a majority of pro-book banning members; a September 2023 U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary listening to that included a efficiency by Senator John Kennedygiving a dramatic studying of Gender Queer; and a Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties assembly in spring 2022 chaired by Jamie Raskin.
“Books Save Lives” and the “Fight Book Bans” Acts present promise not just for slowing down the continued charges of challenges and bans, however for addressing the systemic points permitting such censorship to thrive in our present local weather.
“As a student, the library was my second home. I discovered stories that opened up my world and my understanding of myself on the library shelves. I support the Books Save Lives Act because I want future young people to see themselves and their world reflected fully and accurately in their libraries,” mentioned Maia Kobabe, creator of Gender Queer.
The Books Save Lives invoice has help from teams equivalent to We Need Diverse Books, PFLAG, Florida Freedom to Read, and Colors of Change. The laws is co-sponsored by Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Summer Lee (PA-12), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Alma Adams (NC-12), Barbara Lee (CA-12), Stacey Plaskett (VI), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Shontel Brown (OH-11), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Danny Ok. Davis (IL-07), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Marc Veasey (TX-33), Steven Horsford (NV-04), and Lucy McBath (GA-07).
“[T]his bill will ensure that the expert curation of our libraries is inclusive of all the communities they serve. All Americans deserve the opportunity to see their lives reflected on the shelf and know that they are welcome here,” mentioned Stephanie Ferrell of the Florida Freedom to Read Project.
If your consultant is on amongst these coauthors of the invoice, now’s the time to write down in help of the Books Save Lives Act. The identical is true in case your consultant is not among the many coauthors. Spend 10 minutes this week and be in contact together with your congress particular person in help of the invoice, then spend 10 minutes preemptively reaching out to your Senators, too, encouraging their future help of the invoice. Your electronic mail or cellphone name may be so simple as stating your title and that you just need to help/encourage your consultant to be in full help of the invoice. At the identical time, you possibly can specific your help/encourage your consultant to additionally help the Fight Book Bans Act.
You can learn the total textual content of the Books Save Lives invoice right here. Find your Congress particular person and their contact info right here.
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