PEN America Proudly Supports Introduction of Congressional Resolutions Condemning Book Bans and Educational Censorship
PEN America endorsed the resolution and praised the lawmakers’ commitment to preserving free expression in classrooms and libraries. More
New Bill in Congress on School Materials Addresses a Non-Existent Problem, But Would Instead Chill Public Education
Laura Schroeder, senior manager of legislative affairs at PEN America, said: “This bill is an intimidation tactic that seeks to address a problem that doesn’t exist. There is no… More
PEN America: Withdrawal by Arkansas of AP African-American Studies Course is “Reckless and Ideologically-Motivated”
PEN America’s Freedom to Learn program director Jeremy C. Young said: “In its zeal to copy Florida’s destructive policies, Arkansas has demonstrated that attacks on intellectual freedom in schools… More
PEN America: “Disturbing” Decision to Take Away 28 School Libraries in Houston
“To remove libraries and librarians under the guise of “transformation” is shocking and disturbing,” said Kasey Meehan, Program Director for Freedom to Read at PEN America. “School libraries and… More
“Blatantly Inappropriate Investigation” of Texas A&M Professor After She Criticized the Lieutenant Governor
Kristen Shahverdian, senior manager in PEN America’s Free Expression and Education program, said: “This blatantly inappropriate investigation is a frightening example of how precarious academic freedom is becoming on… More
The Culture Wars Are Coming for College Accreditation
An aspect of higher education governance has increasingly been targeted in legislative censorship efforts: college and university accreditation. More
More Than Meets the DEI
Bills that purport to ban DEI initiatives on college campuses are currently in vogue in state legislatures. Their proponents describe them as straightforward “DEI bans.” More
Firing of Tenured Professor at Bakersfield College “Blurred Lines” Between Protected Speech and Conduct that May Merit Investigation, Says PEN America
Jeremy C. Young, senior manager of free expression and education at PEN America, issued the following statement: “Universities should never throw the kitchen sink at faculty in an attempt to… More
From Classroom Censorship to Curricular Control
Not only are these new bills equally censorious compared to the older model, they are more brazen and have the potential to be much more destructive to the basic… More
Revised Florida Textbooks Left Race Out of Rosa Parks History
In an effort to pass muster in Florida, a history textbook publisher omitted references to race, even when it came to Rosa Parks. A revised text said only that… More