The fight continues in Wisconsin where parents are calling to ban (and possibly burn) books from a public library. This time they face a library board friendlier to their cause, now that the four pro-First Amendment members weren’t reinstated. CNN reports that parents who object to a list of 82 books in the young adult section, including The Perks of [...]
Kids’ Right to Read’s Jamie Chosak interviewed the Founder of West Bend Parents for Free Speech, Maria Hanrahan about the book challenges in West Bend. Here’s an excerpt: Kids’ Right to Read: What actions did you and the West Bend community take in response to the challenges? Maria Hanrahan: In late March, the Maziarkas started circulating a petition that asked, [...]
Yesterday, the Leesburg Library Advisory Board in Florida refused to move a couple of Young Adult books into the adult section of the library or give them advisory labels. Parents had drawn up a petition in April against the YA status of the books, Only in Your Dreams: A Gossip Girl Novel and The Bermudez Triangle. Mothers Dixie Fechtel and [...]
Kids’ Right to Read’s Jamie Chosak interviewed West Bend library board member Mary Reilly-Kliss about the book challenges in West Bend. Here’s an excerpt: Kids’ Right to Read Project: On June 2, 2009, West Bend’s library board voted to keep the books where they are. What was your experience of this meeting and how did you feel upon hearing this [...]
The West Bend, Wisconsin public library battle finally ended Tuesday with the best decision possible. The Library Board voted unanimously to keep the challenged books on the shelves, “without removing, relocating, labeling, or otherwise restricting access,” according to the West Bend Daily News. An inspiring demonstration of support for free speech among West Bend community members influenced the decision. Last [...]
We’ve been covering the challenges to several books in West Bend, Wisconsin, including Geography Club and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Meanwhile, critics there recently called for restrictions on a third book, Baby Be Bop by Francesca Lia Block. The Christian Civil Liberties Union’s Milwaukee branch has, in fact, filed a legal claim, arguing that the plaintiffs (all of [...]