NCAC’s Top 16 Free Speech Defenders (& Offenders) in 2016
Facebook, nude art and conservative lawmakers are just a few elements of NCAC's top offenders/defenders of free speech list. But who made the no 1 spots?
Oklahoma Library System Embroiled in Issue Over Placement of LGBT Books
Oklahoma LGBT activists are calling into question a local library policy that limits the placement of LGBT-themed books to sections that hold books on sensitive topics such as drug use, incarceration and sexual abuse.
Washington State Daycare Program Prohibits Kids’ Access to ‘Frightening’ Books
A daycare requirement to prevent young student's access to "frightening" materials may come at the cost of librarian's literary expertise in choosing student reading.
PA School Reschedules Homecoming Game Over Fears of Student Anthem Protest
Incidents involving students using school national anthems as an avenue of protest are showing no sign of stopping.
Free Speech, Transparency Orgs to FBI: New Intelligence Records Not Exempt From Privacy Act
NCAC has joined OpenTheGovernment.org and other allies in protesting a new FBI proposal to exempt its new system of records from parts of the Privacy Act.
After Censorship Request, Author Cancels Reading on Columbia U. Radio
Author Laurie Stone was abruptly asked to censor her reading because it did not match the university's values.
New PEN Report on Campus Free Speech, Trigger Warnings and Title IX
The report assesses the reality of the narrative espoused by the loudest critics of contemporary campus culture: that free speech at the American university is facing an existential crisis.
Trump’s Threats to Sue NY Times Confirm his Disdain Toward First Amendment Protections; UPDATE: ABA Agrees to Publish Trump Libel Article
Legal experts believe Trump's continued legal threats to the NY Times are empty, stunts that prove his disrespect for 1st Amendment protections.
Free Speech Orgs to Virginia School District: Drop Prior Restraint Policy for Student Journalism
The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) is urging a Virginia high school district to repeal its prior restraint policy for student newspapers.
NCAC to Virginia School District: Drop Prior Restraint Policy for Student Journalism
NCAC has written a letter recommending a Virginia school district to repeal a policy that permits principals to exercise prior review of school newspapers.
Band The Slants Take Case on Their Allegedly ‘Disparaging’ Name to Supreme Court
The Supreme Court will hear Lee v. Tam, a case involving a band that considers the rejection of its band name, The Slants, a free speech issue.
Library Pub. Suggests YA Novel with Bi Character Inappropriate for Young Readers; UPDATE: Response from VOYA
VOYA dismissed critics of its recommendation. But why are VOYA readers rightly concerned?
“I Don’t Want to be a Safe Writer”: An Interview With Rainbow Rowell
This Interview originally appeared in Censorship News Issue 125 Author Rainbow Rowell has won enormous praise for stories like Eleanor & Park, which perfectly captures the growing pangs, hormonal joys and general awkwardness of the teenage experience. Her raw portrayals of teenage life have, however, frequently made her books subject to censorship attempts. We spoke to Rowell about these challenges [...]
Fall 2016 Legal Briefs
This article originally appeared in Censorship News Issue 125 Transit ads again A decision from the federal appeals court in Chicago revisits the contentious issue of ads on public transportation. The case involves a policy in Fort Wayne, IN, against advertisements that “express or advocate opinions or positions upon political, religious or moral issues.”The ad in question promotes a “free resource [...]
Confronting the Past in Pain[t]
This article orignally appeared in Censorship News Issue 125 History textbooks are re-written every few years – not because the past changes, but because our understanding of it does. Even as we reconsider our understanding of the past, artifacts survive that remind us how our predecessors saw the world. Historical paintings are a case in point. Many such works are [...]
Literature as “Pornography”
This article originally appeared in Censorship News Issue 125 Virginia state senator Amanda Chase recently claimed that three popular and highly-regarded books for teens are “pornographic.” The books were included on a high school summer reading list, but they were not required – students were free to choose other books. Nonetheless, Senator Chase demanded that they be removed from the [...]
Does the First Amendment Protect the NY Times in Publishing Trump’s Tax Returns?
The Times received pages of Trump's tax returns from an anonymous source. Did they have the legal right to publish them?
