PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel Responds to Remarks by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis that Book Bans Are a ‘Hoax’
If we take Gov. Ron DeSantis at his word that he is simply aiming to protect students from porn and sexualized texts, then the approaches and methods being legislated… More
PEN America Welcomes ‘Safekeeping Status” for Texas Prisoner-Journalist Whose Reporting Put His Safety at Risk
Moira Marquis, senior manager of PEN America’s Freewrite Project, expressed gratitude for supporters across the country who wrote to the Texas prison authorities on behalf of Walker. She said:… More
Closure of Exhibit on Diversity and Civil Rights at Florida College, as Some Items Are Deemed “Offensive,” Sends the Wrong Message About Higher Ed and its Values, PEN America Says
(NEW YORK)– PEN America today said objections made over pieces of art in an exhibit at the State College of Florida—that led organizers to cancel it— were “clearly political… More
The Most Banned Picture Books of the 2021-2022 School Year
These are the most banned picture books of the 2021-2022 school year. Several are nonfiction, including histories of civil rights and gay pride. Others are lighthearted fiction about animals… More
Florida Book Bans: Why Are There Empty Shelves in Florida Schools?
You may have seen pictures of empty bookshelves in Florida classrooms, or heard about book bans across the state. What’s happening now is that new laws passed last year in… More
PEN America supports challenge to DeSantis’ ‘Stop WOKE’ law
PEN America filed an Amicus brief in Honeyfund v. DeSantis, saying the law had a “profound chilling effect,” not only on employers like Honeyfund, but on educators across the… More
Oklahoma teacher is still fighting book bans, now from Brooklyn
Summer Boismier lost her job after she gave students a QR code to the Brooklyn Public Library’s Books Unbanned project. Now she’s helping teens fight book bans. More
Bill to Ban TikTok is a Sweeping Resort to Censorship that Would Undermine Free Expression, Says PEN America
Proposals such as Hawley’s–including the recently introduced Terminate TikTok on Campus Act (H.R. 231), which would prohibit federal funding of higher education institutions unless they ban TikTok on institution-owned… More
Laws restricting drag shows should scare everyone who believes in free expression
A wave of bills restricting free expression is building in state legislatures. This time, the target is drag performances. More
National Organizations Condemn Cancellation of Student Play at Douglas Anderson School of Performing Arts in Duval County, FL
“Indecent is a critically acclaimed and award-winning 2015 play by Paula Vogel that possesses rich educational and artistic merit. It has been produced Off-Broadway, on Broadway, and has been broadcast… More