‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill Inserts “Heavy Hand” of Lawmakers Into Classroom Lessons
PEN America issued the following statement upon passage of Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill, from CEO Suzanne Nossel: "Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill amounts to a government diktat policing the… More
Best Practices for E-reader Tablets in Carceral Institutions
Produced by the Coalition for Carceral Access in Literature and Learning (C.A.L.L.) The introduction of e-reader tablets to carceral institutions is a new and growing trend. When implemented in a… 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
Educational Gag Orders: Legislative Restrictions on the Freedom to Read, Learn, and Teach
This report chronicles the alarming spread of legislative efforts in 2021 to constrict education on topics related to race, gender, and American history. More
Free Expression and Education
PEN America’s free expression and education program works with schools to ensure robust protections for freedom of speech are balanced with advancements in diversity and inclusion. More
The PEN Pod: On Belarus, Hong Kong, and Free Speech Rights for Students
“We’ve come to recognize how vitally important it is to educated young people on free speech rights, and that isn’t being systematically done.” More
The PEN Pod: On Iran, Digital Sovereignty, and Divisive Topics on Campus
“[There’s a hypocrisy of] purporting to be a champion of free speech on campus. . . and at the same time, trying to pass a bill stating that certain… More
The PEN Pod: On Threats to Journalists, Information Ecosystems, and Critical Race Theory
“The gag order—what it illustrates is just the breadth and the power that the Justice Department has had to silence and stifle inquiry.” More