(WASHINGTON)—PEN America issued the following statement in response to HR 7661 passing the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. The bill would restrict funding under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 from being used on programming and literature containing so-called “sexually oriented material” or trans representation with few exceptions.
“The House Education Committee’s decision to pass HR 7661 out of committee is an affront to local control of schools and another attempt to censor education by DC politicians,” said Ian Schwab, director, Government Affairs and Strategy at PEN America. “This bill devalues contemporary works, treats kindergartners the same way as high schoolers, and simultaneously dehumanizes and erases the trans community from public education. Books about trans people, books that discuss sexual assault and consent, books that cover painful moments in American history as well as contemporary classics will undoubtedly face censorship under this bill. If this bill receives a vote from the full House of Representatives, we urge all members to vote no.”
About PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.
Contact: Suzanne Trimel, [email protected], 201-247-5057