The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) has written a letter to Broward County Public Schools District regarding the recent removal of A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo. The book was removed because of the Broward County Public Schools District Review Committee’s belief that it is inappropriate due to its negativity towards the US government. The NCAC demands the return [...]
The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) has contacted Lookout Valley Middle/High in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to express concern regarding a provision within the school's dress code that forbids shirts with "designs, pictures, symbols, or writing" considered "political." The Supreme Court ruled 40 years ago in Pico that students have the right to wear clothing with political messages as long as doing [...]
NEW YORK - The National Coalition Against Censorship defends freedom of expression, including the right to access ideas, even when they offend the majority. Therefore, we support Amazon’s decision to sell From Hebrews to Negroes: Wake up Black America, a book and video by Ronald Dalton Jr. that have been accused of promoting conspiracy theories and antisemitism. The [...]
For this year’s Youth Free Expression Program Film Contest, The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) encouraged U.S. high school students to create a film exploring issues related to free speech. The three winners broadly explored the meaning of their First Amendment rights with films that examined family life and controversial matters, personal expression, and the censoring of opinions. First [...]
In the Fall of 2022, the much-anticipated reopening of the Orange County Museum of Art was marred by the censorship of a painting by renowned artist Ben Sakoguchi in the museum’s California Biennial 2022: Pacific Gold. A few months prior to the opening, the artist was informed of concerns coming from the museum’s education department that some of the [...]
NEW YORK— Each year National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), an alliance of 59 of the nation’s leading education and publishing organizations, recognizes the notable contributions of Free Speech Defenders whose activism has had a profound impact on the protection of First Amendment rights in schools, libraries, and publishing. Tony Award Winner Daniel J. Watts is the host of the star-studded event [...]
NEW YORK – The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Impact and Legacy Fund, its newly formed charitable/social action division, are co-sponsoring a discussion of book banning with bestselling authors whose works have been challenged and members of Student Advocates for Speech (SAS), NCAC’s new initiative to build a national [...]
NEW YORK - The National Coalition Against Censorship defends the freedom to write, publish and read books. Therefore, we strongly support Penguin Random House’s decision to publish a book by Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett. At a time when challenges to books in schools and libraries are at record highs, it is deeply ironic that hundreds of people [...]
NEW YORK – Today, the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), which represents 59 education, publishing, religious and arts organizations, joins the Dramatists Legal Defense Fund and PEN America to call attention to the cancellation of plays at two universities following protests over their content. The groups released the following statement: Colleges and universities should be places to explore and [...]
Update 02/08/2023: After nearly six years of calls to do so, the Defense Department of the U.S. Government has agreed to end the Trump Administration’s policy preventing the release of artwork made by prisoners of the Guantànamo Bay Detention Camp. Former and departing prisoners are now permitted to retain a “practicable quantity” of their artworks they made while imprisoned, [...]
The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), which represents 59 trusted education, publishing, and arts organizations, joins the Dramatists Legal Defense Fund and PEN America to encourage Texas Wesleyan University to support artistic free expression and reschedule Down In Mississippi, a play by Carlyle Brown that the university's theatre department recently canceled due to language concerns and complaints. History is [...]
Updated 3/27/2023 – The school board has reviewed 4 of the books challenged and voted to retain the books in their schools. Those books were Toni Morrison's “The Bluest Eye”, Raina Telgemeier's "Drama," Amy Reed's "The Nowhere Girls." and Jerry Craft's "New Kid." This shows why removing books pending adjudication is never a good idea. Students in Escambia County School [...]
NEW YORK - The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) is deeply concerned by the threatened censorship of a mural that the town of Greenburgh, New York, commissioned from the artist known as Kindo Art. The alteration of the mural without the artist’s permission would be a violation of his First Amendment rights as well as those of the residents of [...]
CHICAGO — Sourcebooks, a leading independent publisher based in Chicago, and the American Library Association’s (ALA) book publishing imprint, ALA Editions | ALA Neal-Schuman, announce the publication of “Read These Banned Books: A Journal and 52-Week Reading Challenge.” Available via the ALA Store as well as through bookstores nationwide, this interactive recommended reading list presents readers with a different banned or [...]
[Portland, OR, September 12, 2022] - Accessibility to books and diverse author voices is essential in understanding the human experience and the world at large. This concept is core to the work we do at A Kids Co., and it's why we've partnered with the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) to write A Kids Book About Banned Books, released [...]
The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) has joined the American Library Association (ALA) to Unite Against Book Bans, a national grassroots campaign to engage the public in the fight against censorship. This non-partisan campaign leverages the reach of national organizations representing librarians, educators, parents, authors, publishers, distributors, and champions for civil liberties, civil rights, equality, and more. ALA's recent [...]
The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) has joined the Student Press Law Center in denouncing the improper suspension of journalism educator and student media adviser Adriana Chavira from the Daniel Pearl Magnet High School in Los Angeles and demanding the withdrawal of the disciplinary case against her. Please read our joint statement here. [...]
Students' rights to access ideas are threatened when book removal decisions are made in a cursory manner. The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) has contacted Pinellas County School Board in Largo, Florida, to ask the district to ensure any decisions to remove materials are based solely on legitimate criteria as mandated by district policy instead of being influenced by [...]
Tulsa Public Schools in Tulsa, Oklahoma, have removed Gender Queer and Flamer from the district's school libraries. The books were removed pending a formal review in alignment with the district's review policy. However, recent media quotes from school officials suggest that the books will not be formally reviewed anytime soon and will remain absent from bookshelves. The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) delivered [...]
Currently, more than 35,000 students in the third-largest land area in Tarrant County no longer have access to all versions of the Holy Bible, The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, Anne Frank's Diary (The Graphic Adaptation), George by Alex Gino, All Boys Aren't Blue by George Johnson, Weird Girl and What's His Name by Meagen Brothers, and so many other notable titles. The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) delivered [...]
NEW YORK – As a new school year begins and Banned Books Week, Sept. 18 – 24, 2022, is on the horizon, polarizing politics and a surge in book banning attempts continue to create a challenging landscape for our nation’s educators. In response, the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) has created a virtual Banned Books Week Inquiry Center that [...]
NEW YORK – Student activists from coast to coast are participating in protests in response to efforts to ban materials referencing Critical Race Theory, GLBTQIA+ issues, or books about or by authors of color. But how do students feel about current threats to their First Amendment rights? The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) is seeking submissions from young people [...]
The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) released the following statement in response to today’s horrific attack on Salman Rushdie, a brave defender of free speech. The NCAC is an alliance of 59 national nonprofit organizations that is committed to the non-partisan defense of free expression.
At a time when threats to books in schools and libraries have reached an unprecedented level, the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), has elected a new chair of its Board of Directors—Emily Knox, a leading scholar of information and library science who possesses deep expertise in the fields of intellectual freedom and information access.
The Lyman Allyn Art Museum in New London, Connecticut, removed a work from an exhibition because it was considered by the museum to be “inappropriate for children.”
NCAC has written to the Nampa School District in Idaho after the School Board voted to permanently remove 22 books from the District’s libraries.
A York, South Carolina, councilperson blocked a constituent from posting on her Facebook page, a violation of the First Amendment as the courts have ruled the social media pages can serve as public forums.
A Virginia legal action against two books profoundly threatens the freedom to read and could limit the availability of books in the state.
A school district in Walton County, Florida, recently received challenges to more than fifty library books.
Turlock, California, school district canceled remaining high school performances of "Be More Chill" after one show because of concerns that the content is not suitable for younger audience members.
NCAC is deeply concerned about a series of new Florida laws that threaten the ability of students to access information and are likely to cause a dramatic increase in censorship in Florida’s public schools.
A Texas State Representative and 21 other members of the Texas House wrote an intimidating and misleading letter to every school district in the state in an attempt to censor books.
Thirty books have been removed from Prosper Independent School District libraries in Prosper, Texas, without following the district’s book challenge procedures.
George M. Johnson’s All Boys Aren’t Blue was removed from from libraries in Wicomico County Public Schools in Maryland, without review.
An assistant principal in Raymond, Mississippi, was terminated because he read the book, I Need A New Butt, to students at the school.
Port Allegany School District in Pennsylvania may have violated a student's First Amendment rights by requiring them to remove clothing with the message "Let's Go Brandon".
School districts are the most active battlefield in the American culture wars today. Teachers need our support; they need our trust; they need to have the freedom to exercise their professional judgment.
Schools in Yorktown Heights, New York, removed several books from library shelves after a challenge was filed but not yet reviewed.
North Thurston Public Schools in Lacey, Washington, recently barred students from protesting on its campuses.
Wentzville, Missouri, schools remove Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye after incorrectly labeling it obscene.
