Fear That Unusual Directive on Tenure by Interim President of New College of Florida May Further Erode the College’s Integrity
Given the precarious state of free expression at New College, and given that the professors in question have apparently fulfilled the requirements for tenure and had their cases approved… More
As Twitter Dismantles Safeguards, Onus Shifts to Users to Prevent the Spread of Disinformation
"With Twitter having dismantled safeguards against the spread of disinformation and impersonation, a heavy onus now shifts to users to bring a discerning eye to the platform, taking everything… More
PEN America Index of School Book Bans – Fall 2022
PEN America's fall 2022 Index of Banned Books found 1,477 instances of individual books banned, affecting 874 unique titles. This searchable banned book list includes each documented book ban… More
New Report: 28% Rise in School Book Bans Over First Half of 2022-23 School Year
“The heavy-handed tactics of state legislators are mandating book bans, plain and simple,” said Suzanne Nossel, Chief Executive Officer of PEN America. “Some politicians like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis… More
Expanded ‘Don’t Say Gay” Law in Florida is a “Flagrant Escalation” of Censorship in Schools, Says PEN America
Jonathan Friedman, director of Free Expression and Education Programs, released the following statement: "With this decision, the DeSantis administration and the Board of Education are continuing a frontal attack… More
PEN America Urges Tennessee Gov. Lee to Reject Legislation that Would Subject Publishers and Book Distributors to Criminal Penalties for ‘Obscene Materials’ Sent to Public Schools
Jonathan Friedman, director of PEN America’s Free Expression and Education program, issued the following comments on the bill: "Regardless of what the supporters of this law say, it serves little… More
PEN America Condemns Montana Bill Banning TIkTok as a Risk to Free Expression Online
“Banning TikTok deprives all Montanans of a platform they use to access news, share creative endeavors, and grow their businesses, and creates a significant risk of continued government incursion… More
Suppressing Words and History Harms the Rising Generation
"Over the past 18 months, PEN America has recorded the removal of hundreds of books that touch on race and racism and books that include characters of color from… More
118 Former Higher Education Presidents Launch Initiative to Combat Educational Censorship
“College campuses are the essential training grounds where the next generation is equipped with the tools to inhabit, strengthen and sustain our democracy,” said Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN… More
Scheduled Vote to Close Library Sends an Alarming Message that Government Can Choose What People Read
Kasey Meehan, program director, Freedom to Read project at PEN America, issued the following statement: “The proposal to close the Llano library system is not only an end-run to avoid… More