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Florida High School Activist Jack Petocz, Organizer of Protests Against Book Bans and “Don’t Say Gay” Bill, Honored with 2022 PEN/Benenson Courage Award

Press ReleaseMay 24, 2022

Asia Kate Dillon said: “I hear from young people that seeing my character on Billions has helped them understand their own gender identity – and that this allowed them… More

PEN America CEO to U.S. House Panel: Book Bans and Educational Gag Orders are ‘an Orchestrated Effort to Polarize, Intimidate, and Restrict Flow of Ideas’

Press ReleaseMay 19, 2022

Nossel, a former diplomat and veteran human rights advocate, warned that these disturbing trends at home tarnish America’s global image and undermine the effort to counter rising authoritarianism. “As… More

South Dakota School District May Physically Destroy its Banned Books, a Move PEN America Says Reflects “Uncompromising Extremism”

Press ReleaseMay 6, 2022

Books, words, and works of literature are being seen as so objectionable that they must be obliterated. PEN America calls on the Rapid City Area School Board to resist… More

Statement: Florida Rejection of Math Textbooks Raises Question Over Whether Politics Guided Decision

Press ReleaseApril 18, 2022

"The Florida Department of Education's rejection of 41 percent of math textbooks submitted to the state--including 71 percent of textbooks for grades K-5-- on the grounds that they include… More

Suspending Access to Library App Epic! Disregards Students First Amendment Rights, Says PEN America

Press ReleaseApril 8, 2022

Suspending access to 40,000 books without adherence to appropriate process, and with utter disregard for the First Amendment rights of the tens of thousands of students impacted, is a… More

Report: 1,586 School Book Bans and Restrictions in 86 School Districts Across 26 States

Press ReleaseApril 7, 2022

Book bans have targeted 1,145 unique book titles by 874 different authors, 198 illustrators, and 9 translators, impacting the literary, scholarly, and creative work of 1,081 people altogether. Texas… More

Stacks-of-hardcovers

Florida Bill Would Let Parents and Citizens Challenge Any Book Used in Schools

Press ReleaseMarch 11, 2022

"HB 1467 has been touted as a measure to increase school transparency," said Jonathan Friedman, director of PEN America's Free Expression and Education program, "but the real aim is… More

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  • What's New
PEN America Speaks: How We Defended and Celebrated Free Expression This Week
Scholar-Author Imani Perry on Listening Deeply, Turning 50, Writing About Historical Atrocities and Being a Mother
PEN America Calls on Cooper Union to Reopen an Exhibit on the Legacy of Vkhutemas, a Design School Shuttered by Joseph Stalin
Suspension of Virtual Library App by CA’s Orange Unified School District Is An Overreaction and Sets a Worrisome Precedent

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jackiegardina Jackie Gardina @jackiegardina ·
10h

@SuzanneNossel, CEO of @PENamerica, discusses book bans, educational gag orders, the First Amendment, and our democracy on the latest episode of @SideBarLTN.

You can listen to it on @LegalTalkNet or wherever you listen to podcasts.

https://legaltalknetwork.com/podcasts/sidebar/

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Retweet on Twitter PEN America Retweeted
jeanho Jean Chen Ho @jeanho ·
4h

Very excited to celebrate the release of @patricia_engel’s new story collection THE FARAWAY WORLD this Thursday✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ https://twitter.com/penamerica/status/1622002418035597314

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penamerica PEN America @penamerica ·
5h

Feb 9, 6:30PM at @DIESELBrentwood in #LosAngeles:

Join celebrated authors @patricia_engel and @jeanho for PEN Out Loud—an outdoor evening of readings and conversation exploring their latest works of fiction.

Details: https://pen.org/event/pen-out-loud-patricia-engel-jean-chen-ho/ #losangeles #authors #events

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