The PEN Pod: A Reflection on Free Speech in 2021 with Suzanne Nossel
“Perhaps never before in our public discourse. . . has there been a moment where issues of free expression. . . have been more salient to our politics.” More
The PEN Pod: On Self-Censorship, Book Bans, and Biden’s Virtual Democracy Summit
“Students are really crucial allies. They have, I think, an instinctive sense of not wanting to be told what they can and can’t read.” More
PEN America Calls Restriction of 400 Books in Texas Predictable, Unfortunate
Today, PEN America denounced North East ISD, one of the largest school districts in Texas, for removing more than 400 books for review while responding to a request from… More
PEN America Calls Out Texas School District for Banning Eleven Books
A Texas school district announced this week that it would remove or suspend nine books from its secondary school book club readings lists. More
Texas Governor Invokes ‘Pornography’ to Ban Books, Threaten Criminal Action Against Librarians and Teachers
PEN America condemns the governor’s actions as a politically-motivated exercise in censorship and intimidation that threatens to ban books and criminalize teachers and librarians doing their job. More
PEN America Denounces Texas House Committee’s Investigation into School Districts’ Books on Race, Sexuality, and Gender
The investigation comes at a time when books addressing these issues are being challenged in schools across Texas. More
The PEN Pod: On Protesting Book Bans with the Students of York, PA
“We saw. . . what was happening at our school and we wanted to take immediate action. . . . Because we knew we had to do it.” More