Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives are trying to pass a bill that would codify nationwide book bans. House Resolution 7661 was introduced last month in a purported effort to prevent minors from accessing sexually explicit literature and other…
When book bans enter the classroom, students lose
On a recent trip to my public library, as I was scanning my books, a young boy next to me asked the librarian behind the desk how many books our library branch has. The answer was in the tens of…
Book challenges rose 65% in 2023, reaching ‘unprecedented heights’
If you’ve sensed that efforts to limit access to books in America’s libraries and schools are on the rise, there’s now data to prove you’re right. Book challenges at libraries and schools rose 65% in 2023, according to the latest…
Faithful discomfort: Why white Americans need to be offended
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently announced his support for a Parent’s Bill of Rights, a new but oh-so-familiar offering from conservatives that seeks to bar librarians and teachers in public schools from offering access to facts and stories that stand…
Everything you need to know about the rise in efforts to ban books from libraries
Remember those quaint days when some people tried to ban the Harry Potter books from libraries because they were sure kids would learn how to cast spells if they read the fictional accounts of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?…