Iowa Law that Led to Thousands of Book Bans in School Libraries Will Go Back Into Force, as Judge Lifts Injunction
“As we have already seen, Iowa’s SF 496 is a perfect recipe for censorship,” said Jonathan Friedman, Sy Sims director of US Free Expression programs at PEN America. “The… More
Teachers, Parents, Advocates and Authors Call on FL Gov DeSantis to Reverse “Dark Night of Censorship” in Public Schools and Colleges
The letter said: “We call on you today, and all of Florida’s leadership, to stop these tactics of suppression and instead provide the critical resources necessary to truly protect… More
North Carolina Professor Dismissed After Secret Recording by University in His Classroom
“This case is positively Orwellian,” said Jonathan Friedman, Sy Sims director of U.S. Free Expression Programs at PEN America, “There has been no transparency whatsoever. It is particularly appalling… More
Major Writers for Children and Young Adults Among Over 380 Authors Calling on South Carolina Lawmakers to Reject Restrictions to Evaluate Books in Public Schools
Along with publishers Hachette Book Group, MacMillan, and Penguin Random House, signers include ACLU of South Carolina, Authors Against Book Bans, Every Library, National Coalition Against Censorship, National Women’s… More
New Report Finds Unprecedented Surge in School Books Bans
“Students are at the epicenter of the book banning movement, and they’re fearlessly spearheading the fight against this insidious encroachment into what they can read and learn across the… More
Censorship Proposals Largely Fail in the Florida Legislature
“Floridians fought hard for these victories. This is the product of parents, students, teachers, grassroots organizations, and legislators deciding that Florida has had enough state censorship." More
PEN America: Passage of Teacher Training Bill by Florida Senate is a Giant Leap in the Wrong Direction
Katie Blankenship, director of PEN America Florida, said: “HB 1291 is nothing but an educational gag order that muzzles professors on ideas and concepts at both public and private… More
Calls by Lawmakers to Disband LGBTQ Studies and Remove “Critical Race Theory” at Texas A & M
Jeremy C. Young, Freedom to Learn program director at PEN America, said in response: “This level of ideological meddling into the affairs of a university by politicians is frightening.… More
Coalition of 20 Groups Press Lawmakers to Reject Florida Teacher Training Bill
“This bill is as dystopian as the original Stop WOKE Act, and would undermine teacher training across key classroom topics, from history and literature to social studies and current… More
PEN America: Florida Education Commissioner “Undermines Academic Freedom” With Ideologically-Motivated Ban of Sociology from General Education Curricula
“This is an alarming statement by Manny Díaz, and one that substantially undermines academic freedom and university governance in the state. While governing boards are free to modify general… More