Incidents

NCAC Co-signs Letter to US Senate Expressing Concerns Over SAVE Act

By |2019-03-07T22:47:19-05:00November 13th, 2014|Incidents|

(Update: NCAC signed on to another letter in January 2015 organized by the Center for Democracy & Technology.) NCAC and other organizations concerned with human rights sent the below letter to the Unites States Senate to convey strong opposition to S.2536, the "Stop Advertising Victims of Exploitation" (SAVE) Act. While we believe that Congress should provide additional funding for victims [...]

Warring Parents in Highland Park Disagree over Educational Policy; NCAC Intervenes

By |2019-03-07T22:46:36-05:00November 10th, 2014|Incidents|

NCAC is joined by the American Booksellers Foundation For Free Expression, the Association of American Publishers, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, the National Council of Teachers of English, PEN American Center, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators in a follow-up letter sent to the Highland Park Independent School District in TX. In the letter, we urge [...]

Removal First, Review Second? NCAC Questions Handling of Challenge to “Black Swan Green”

By |2016-01-25T10:59:05-05:00November 6th, 2014|Incidents|

Today, NCAC was joined by the American Booksellers Foundation For Free Expression (ABFFE), the Association of American Publishers (AAP), the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom (ALA), and PEN America in a letter sent to the Kings Canyon Unified School District in Reedley, CA. In the letter, the signatories expressed [...]

Curtain Comes Down on “Almost Maine” in North Carolina

By |2019-03-07T22:46:28-05:00October 22nd, 2014|Incidents|

(UPDATE: Good news! The students organized and managed to stage their performance at a local playhouse, thanks to a Kickstarter campaign.) NCAC and other organizations committed to artistic and intellectual freedom sent the below letter to Maiden High School in response to the cancellation of the scheduled January production of John Cariani's Almost, Maine due to concerns about the play's content. Although [...]

Bravos Drown Out Hecklers at “Death of Klinghoffer” Opening

By |2020-01-03T14:47:51-05:00October 22nd, 2014|Incidents|

The audience coming to see John Adams' Death of Klinghoffer on Monday, October 20th, had to pass through a cordon of angry protesters crying "shame" and holding placards condemning the Metropolitan Opera of rather far fetched things like "taking terrorist $$$" or "glorifying terrorism." They must not have succeeded in shaming anyone as the house was full. The few hecklers in the [...]

NCAC Joins Letter Calling for Reform of US Government Watchlisting System

By |2016-01-25T10:59:05-05:00October 15th, 2014|Incidents|

In a joint letter to the Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division and the Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, NCAC and the below signatories question the legality of federal watchlisting practices. The letter deems the current system of labeling thousands of people, including American citizens, as suspected terrorists as "bloated and unfair." The signatories [...]

Students at “Distinct Disadvantage” If Written Consent Forms Become Policy

By |2020-01-03T14:52:56-05:00October 10th, 2014|Incidents|

Update: Teton County School District will not be moving forward with the proposed consent forms. A win for the Kids' Right to Read Project! In response to the controversy over Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya in the Teton County School District, the school board has proposed to require parents to sign written consent forms for assigned books and to offer [...]

Third Time’s the Charm? NCAC Responds to Red-Flagging Policy in WI School District

By |2020-01-03T14:52:24-05:00October 7th, 2014|Incidents|

NCAC and other free speech organizations sent a letter to the Waukesha School District in regard to efforts made to remove Looking for Alaska by John Green, Chinese Handcuffs by Chris Crutcher, and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini in classrooms and libraries, and to reject the idea of "red-flagging books that deal with sex, rape, extreme violence and brutality, and animal cruelty." In a previous [...]

Free Speech Groups Urge School District to Reinstate “The Fault in Our Stars” to Middle School Libraries

By |2020-01-03T14:52:23-05:00October 3rd, 2014|Incidents|

NCAC along with seven other other free speech organizations sent a letter to the Riverside Unified School District urging the School Board to reinstate The Fault in Our Stars by John Green to middle school libraries. A reconsideration committee voted to remove the book after a parent of a middle school student raised objections to the novel's language and sexual content. The [...]

“Persepolis” Under Attack at Glenwood High School; School Board to Meet Tonight (Update: Victory!)

By |2020-01-03T14:52:17-05:00September 29th, 2014|Incidents|

Update: The School Board voted unanimously to keep Persepolis in the 12th grade English IV curriculum in Glenwood High School. In a letter sent to the Ball-Chatham Board of Education today, NCAC and other free-speech organizations urged the Board to reinstate Marjane Satrapi's acclaimed Persepolis to the 12th grade English IV curriculum in Glenwood High School. The Board will meet [...]

Jefferson County School Board to Review History Curriculum

By |2020-01-03T14:52:22-05:00September 29th, 2014|Incidents|

UPDATE #1: Good news--the plan to 'review' AP History has been scrapped.   *UPDATE #2 : The controversies in JeffCo have still been brewing since NCAC's intervention. The district decided to establish a committee comprised of two board-appointed members, along with students, teachers, and curriculum experts selected by the District. The district hopes that that the issue regarding the curriculum will be [...]

International Free Speech Organizations Condemn Barbican Exhibit B Cancellation

By |2020-01-03T14:52:15-05:00September 26th, 2014|Incidents|

The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) has joined the UK based Index of Censorship and other members of ARTSFEX, an international civil society network actively concerned with the right of artists to freedom of expression, in a statement condemning an alarming worldwide trend in which violent protest silences artistic expression that some groups claim is offensive. The below statement was issued [...]

NCAC Writes Follow-up Letter in Response to Fired Drama Director

By |2020-01-03T14:52:03-05:00September 22nd, 2014|Incidents|

Last Friday, NCAC and a number of other organizations devoted to free speech considerations in education, drama, and literature sent a letter to the South Williamsport Area School District calling on them to reverse their cancellation of Monty Python's Spamalot, which had been called off due to "homosexual themes." As we sent out the letter, we learned that Dawn Burch, [...]

PA High School Cancels “Spamalot” Over Homosexual Themes

By |2020-01-03T14:52:03-05:00September 19th, 2014|Incidents|

UPDATE: We've just heard that, in apparent retaliation for speaking about the cancellation of the play, drama teacher Dawn Burch, has been just fired. Stay tuned for action alert and letter to the school board.  In a letter sent to the South Williamsport Area School District today, the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), the American Booksellers Foundation For Free Expression, the [...]

An “Absolute” Mess: West Ada School District Reviews Every Book on Reading List

By |2020-01-03T14:49:20-05:00September 10th, 2014|Incidents|

UPDATE: School Board unanimously voted on September 9 to put Alexie's book back in classrooms...
Last spring, the West Ada School District voted to remove Sherman Alexie’s Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian from the 10th grade supplemental reading list after a parent complained about the content of the book. The school district is once again the focal point of First Amendment neglect by requesting a review of all books on supplemental reading lists for grades 6-12.

NCAC co-signs letter to President Obama and Members of the PCLOB

By |2020-01-03T14:49:02-05:00September 4th, 2014|Incidents|

The undersigned organizations, former government officials, and members of Congress write to express their concerns over the US government's surveillance activities conducted under the authority of Executive Order 12333. NCAC shares the concerns of many that these surveillance activities will "undermine the fundamental rights of internet users everywhere" by implementing an unnecessary assemblage of users' personal information. The letter calls [...]

Not the First Time Around: “The Kite Runner” and “Chinese Handcuffs” Challenged in Wisconsin School District

By |2020-01-03T14:48:54-05:00August 19th, 2014|Incidents|

The parent of a Waukesha School District high school student has requested that The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and Chinese Handcuffs by Chris Crutcher be removed from the district’s libraries, insisting that both novels should be restricted to adults over age 18. This is not the first time that the Waukesha School District has been attacked by parents claiming [...]

Challenge to “The Handmaid’s Tale” in PA Leaves Summer Reading List in “limbo”

By |2020-01-03T14:48:53-05:00August 18th, 2014|Incidents|

The brother of an incoming senior in New Eagle, PA has formally requested the removal of the award-winning dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood from the Ringgold High School summer reading list, complaining about the novel's “adult nature” and “grossly inappropriate conduct.” The board’s vote to suspend the book was mitigated by the August 12 decision to rescind the book’s [...]

John Green’s Looking For Alaska Challenged in Wisconsin

By |2020-01-03T14:48:50-05:00July 21st, 2014|Incidents|

A parent in Waukesha, WI has formally requested a district-wide ban on John Green's award-winning and beloved novel Looking For Alaska, reportedly claiming the book is "not suitable for teenagers." It's worth noting that the book won the American Library Association’s prestigious Michael L. PrintzAward, which is given annually to “the best book written for teens, based entirely on its literary merit.” [...]

Singapore National Library Should Reconsider Decision to Pulp Children’s Books

By |2016-02-08T10:49:23-05:00July 17th, 2014|Incidents|

From National Coalition Against Censorship (USA), freeDimensional and PEN International July 17, 2014 As organizations committed to freedom of speech and to the universal human value of artistic and literary production, the USA-based National Coalition Against Censorship, PEN International and freeDimensonal are deeply concerned about the decision of the Singapore National Library Board to remove and pulp three children’s books: And [...]

“Miseducation of Cameron Post” Removed From Cape Henlopen High School, KRRP Responds

By |2020-01-03T14:48:08-05:00July 9th, 2014|Incidents|

Update July 30: The school board has voted 6-1 to eliminate the entire summer reading list for incoming students at Cape Henlopen High School. Rather than reinstate Cameron Post, they will " return to the district's previous summer reading requirements, which demand college preparatory students read one book for the summer and honors students read two books," according to Delmarva Now. Update [...]

Florida School District Removes John Green’s “Paper Towns” From Summer Reading List (Update: Victory!)

By |2020-01-03T14:47:52-05:00June 30th, 2014|Incidents|

Update 7/16: Paper Towns has reappeared on the latest version of the John Long Middle School summer reading list! Previously: NCAC's Kids' Right to Read Project has expressed concerns over the removal of John Green's award-winning novel Paper Towns, from the 8th grade summer reading list at John Long Middle School in Pasco County (FL). A parent who objected to sexual content and references in the book expressed her concerns in an email to a member of the school board, who in turn forwarded the message to school officials on Friday, June 20. By the following Monday, the book had been removed from the reading list, even though the objecting parent did not request the book’s removal, but merely complained because she had not been alerted to its content.

This Compromise Is Not Acceptable: Constitutionally Suspect South Carolina Budget Measure is an Assault on Academic Freedom

By |2016-01-27T16:02:52-05:00June 13th, 2014|Incidents|

National Coalition Against Censorship, American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina, American Association of University Professors , American Booksellers Foundation for Freedom of Expression, Association of American Publishers, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Dramatists Guild, Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, Modern Language Association and National Council of Teachers of English   As national organizations dedicated to freedom of speech [...]

UnWholly by Neal Shusterman Removed From 7th Grade Class in Kentucky

By |2018-06-26T13:42:05-04:00June 11th, 2014|Incidents|

NCAC's Kids' Right to Read Project has sent a letter to the Murray Independent Schools district in Kentucky regarding the decision to remove the novel UnWholly from 7th grade reading at Murray Middle School, and the ongoing conversation about book challenge policies and how they are implemented in the district. The parent of a student complained that the book’s content [...]

Florida School’s Cancelling Little Brother Assignment Causes Big First Amendment Concerns For National Organizations

By |2020-01-03T14:47:43-05:00June 9th, 2014|Incidents|

In a letter sent today, NCAC’s Kids’ Right to Read Project expressed concerns over the cancellation of Cory Doctorow's novel Little Brother, as the assigned text for Booker T. Washington High School's school-wide summer reading program. The letter points out that "the book was selected after an extensive process by the professional staff", yet the program was cancelled despite "no formal [...]

Potential Challenge to Absolutely True Diary in Same NC County Where Color Purple Was Under Threat

By |2019-03-07T22:49:27-05:00June 4th, 2014|Incidents|

No lie, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian will likely face another challenge, this time in Brunswick County, North Carolina, where the The Color Purple was challenged earlier this year. NCAC sent a letter in the Color Purple case and the book was ultimately kept. A formal challenge has yet to be filed regarding Absolutely True Diary, though NCAC sent the below [...]

School Film Club Disbanded in New Hampshire

By |2017-01-26T15:44:45-05:00May 18th, 2014|Incidents|

NCAC's Youth Free Expression Project sent a letter to the Newfound Area School District warning of the "constitutionally suspect" dissolution of a high school student film club. The official reason for disbanding the club was its supposed failure to advance "student performance in core academic subjects like reading and mathematics” or “complement their regular academic program.” But in conversation with [...]

“Sixth Grade Can Really Kill You” Challenged in School Libraries Near the Twin Cities

By |2020-01-03T14:47:30-05:00May 14th, 2014|Incidents|

Update: The book as been retained. Click here for details on the decision. Barthe DeClements' award-winning Sixth Grade Can Really Kill You has been challenged for a school library removal in Rosemount - Apple Valley - Eagan Public Schools (District 196) near the Twin Cities in Minnesota. A parent filed a complaint over the use of the word "retarded" in the [...]

“Two Boys Kissing” could be purged from Fauquier High School library

By |2020-01-03T14:43:56-05:00April 23rd, 2014|Incidents|

Update: A review committee unanimously decided to keep the book, though an appeal is possible. NCAC's Kids' Right to Read Project has written the Fauquier County Public Schools superintendent and board with regard to a challenge to David Levithan’s Two Boys Kissing in the Fauquier High School library, because of objections to the same-sex themes explored in the book. We [...]

Huxley’s Classic ‘Brave New World’ Targeted in Delaware

By |2022-09-23T11:58:16-04:00April 10th, 2014|Incidents|

NCAC's Kids' Right to Read Project has sent a letter to the Cape Henlopen School District in Delaware to warn against labeling Aldous Huxley's 20th Century classic Brave New World as potentially "inappropriate" for some Advanced Placement English students, as has been proposed by school board members. Though no one on the board has yet proposed that the book be removed [...]

MD State Legislators Take Aim at Protected Political Expression and Activity at State Colleges and Universities

By |2020-01-03T14:37:52-05:00March 13th, 2014|Incidents|

The National Coalition Against Censorship and the American Association of University Professors criticize academic boycotts, but warn public officials against interference with political expression and open discussion and debate.

Kennesaw State University To Restore Censored Artwork

By |2019-03-15T16:36:39-04:00March 4th, 2014|Incidents|

The National Coalition Against Censorship received word that Ruth Stanford's "A Walk in the Valley" has been restored to the Kennesaw State University's Zuckerman Museum of Art. KSU had said “A Walk in the Valley” was pulled because it did not fit the "celebratory nature" of the museum's opening.

NY State Legislators Take Aim at Protected Political Expression and Activity at State Colleges and Universities

By |2020-01-03T14:37:47-05:00February 27th, 2014|Incidents|

National Coalition Against Censorship criticizes academic boycotts, but warns public officials against interference with political expression and open discussion and debate. The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) issued a statement on Wednesday in opposition to state legislative proposals (A.8392a and S.6438) that would "penalize professional associations and their members for engaging in protected political activity," according to NCAC Executive Director Joan Bertin. [...]

Victory! ‘House of the Spirits’ Stays in Watauga County Classrooms

By |2020-01-03T14:37:46-05:00February 27th, 2014|Incidents|

After close to six months of community debate, freedom to read advocates in Boone, North Carolina are breathing a sigh of relief. Last night, a 3-2 school board vote held that Isabel Allende's The House of the Spirits could be taught again in Watauga County Schools.

Yet Another Challenge to Sherman Alexie’s ‘Absolutely True Diary’ in Sweet Home, OR

By |2020-01-03T14:37:48-05:00February 11th, 2014|Incidents|

NCAC's Kids' Right to Read Project activated to advise a reconsideration committee in Sweet Home, OR to retain the use of Alexie's popular young adult novel in 8th grade classrooms. Parents and other citizens whose children do not even attend Sweet Home Public Schools have complained about the book's content. Before the book was taught, teachers in Sweet Home Middle [...]

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