PEN America Files Amicus Brief in Case Against Texas Law Requiring Ratings for Sexual Content on Books Sold to Public Schools
(NEW YORK)—PEN America has filed an amicus brief in the Fifth Circuit in the case of Book People v. Wong, challenging Texas’s HB 900, which requires booksellers to “rate”… More
Decision by University of Southern California to Bar Professor from Teaching This Semester for Anti-Hamas Remarks is a “Shocking Overreaction,” Says PEN America
“Totally barring a professor from campus because of a passing comment like this is a shocking overreaction. Regardless of Professor Strauss’s intent, he is entitled to his views and… More
PEN America Names Katie Blankenship to New Position as Florida Director
“Katie is the proven leader and advocate we need to expand our effort to protect the freedoms to read and learn in Florida,” said PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel.… More
PEN America Urges Texas School to Reverse Decision to Kick Trans Student Out of Lead Role in Musical Oklahoma!
“This is a cruel decision guided by a ‘criteria’ that the district admits is applied unevenly. It is yet another example of threats to free expression for LGBTQ+ students,… More
New Report: Legislatures Introduce 110 Educational Gag Orders in 2023
“Censorship advocates have spent years trying to sabotage the teaching of ideas they don't like, and imposing their own views on our nation's students,” said PEN America’s Jeremy C.… More
Brandeis U Revokes Recognition of Student Palestine Group Without Citing Any Violations of Policies
“Private universities ought to uphold robust protections for students’ free expression and association. Even if they are not subject to the First Amendment, private universities like Brandeis have rightfully… More
Scholastic Urged to Explore Other Options Instead of Limiting or Partitioning Diverse Book Titles At School Book Fairs
Despite the challenges of this climate, we call on Scholastic to explore other solutions so they can reject any role in accommodating these nefarious laws and local pressures, or… More
“Shocking Overreaction” as School District in California Closes Libraries to Hunt for Sexual Content After Complaint
“The decision by Superintendent Rankins-Ibarra to halt all school library services in the Escondido Union School District following “the discovery” of one book alleged to be “sexually explicit” is… More
Hollywood Artists Join Writers for Banned Books Week Day of Action Oct. 7
(NEW YORK)—More than 20 actors, writers, and artists are joining together to spread the word about book bans by creating videos about their favorite banned books, a project spearheaded… More
Support for Congressional Resolutions Condemning Book Bans and Educational Censorship
(Washington) – As the movement to ban books and censor classrooms continues to undermine free speech and academic freedom across our nation’s public schools, Representative Jamie Raskin on Wednesday… More