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.
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?
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?
Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis Responds to Public Outcry Over Racially Charged Art
The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis keeps the conversation going as it responds to anger over racially-charged works in the Kelley Walker exhibition.
Comparing Librarians’ and Teachers’ Self-Censoring Patterns
NCAC's Executive Director and Millie Davis from NCTE explore why books are challenged in schools and libraries and the common responses to these challenges in a comparison between two surveys.
KRRP’s Annual Recap of Top Book Censorship Cases
For Banned Books Week, the Kids' Right to Read Project has released its annual recap of book censorship cases. Labeling books "sexually explicit", the teaching of Islam in schools and sanitizing slavery, it's all here in the form of a handy, printable flyer.
NCAC to Florida School: Drop Student Requirement for Parent Permission to Protest
NCAC has written to a Florida school protesting a rule requiring parental permission prior to student protest on the grounds it infringes student free expression.
YA Author Coe Booth on Reading to Find Commonality in the Other
NCAC spoke to YA author Coe Booth about the recent controversy in Chesterfield, of which her book was at the center, and why reading diverse books can help establish a sense of commonality.
NCAC, FIRE & DLDF Letter to Cal State University Long Beach: Re-Instate Play About Race
NCAC has sent a joint letter to California State University Long Beach (CSULB) in response to the university's recent cancellation of the comedy N*GGER WETB*CK CH*NK (N*W*C) at the University's Performing Arts Center.
Banned Books Week: Author Kate Messner on a Story’s Ability to Broach Real life Issues
For Banned Books Week, NCAC spoke to Kate Messner about why young students should access a diverse range of experiences in their readings.
Welcome to Banned Books Week 2016
Banned Books Week 2016 is here! Each day this week, NCAC will be releasing and publicizing new content as part of our celebrations.
Remembering Edward Albee, Free Speech Defender
Edward Albee died over the weekend aged 88. A tireless free speech defender, here are a few of the times Albee's work crossed over with NCAC's
Following Kaepernick, Students Punished for Protesting During Pledge
NCAC has been monitoring three school districts’ responses to students who protest governmental actions by declining to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance or national anthem.
New PEN Report Discusses Book Challenges, NCAC and Diversity in Publishing
With Banned Books Week on the horizon, PEN's report discusses NCAC's 'multipronged' approach to book challenges and the specific challenges censorship poses to diverse books.
Cal State Long Beach Censors Acclaimed Show, Director Resigns in Protest
A California university nixed a performance of a comedy intended to diminish the potency of racial slurs on the grounds “the performance wasn't achieving the goal of constructing a dialogue about racial relations.”
ACLU Joins NCAC in Protesting Attempts to Rate and Censor Library Books in Virginia; UPDATE: Books Will Remain in Libraries
The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) has today written to a Chesterfield, VA, school board in defense of books on a summer reading list that recently came under fire for containing "sexually explicit" material.
NCAC, Allies Raise Concerns About Oregon Shakespeare Festival Boycott of Bookstore to Protest a Display About Censorship
Signed by 6 free speech organizations, NCAC's statement reminds OSF of the meaning behind a banned books showcase, that more speech is always better than less.
Artist Sues California After Local Art Fair Bans Painting With Confederate Flag
A California law that bans the state from selling or buying the Confederate flag may have unintended consequences on freedom of expression.
Artists Know Your Rights, An Interview About NCAC’s Latest Resource
Artist's Rights is a comprehensive new website designed to help artist's understand their legal rights when faced with censorship. NCAC's Arts Advocacy Program speaks to Creative Capital about the project.
Detroit Artists Face Felony Charges for Protest Graffiti; UPDATE: Artists Reach Out of Court Settlement
Antonio Cosme and William Lucka face a $75,000 fine and four years in prison for protesting the water cut offs in Detroit by graffitiing a Highland Park water tower.
NCAC Supports Letter Protesting Effort to Request US Visitors’ Social Media Info.
NCAC is one of 28 signatories on a letter sent by the Center for Democracy & Technology to the DHS urging the rejection of a proposal to ask foreign travelers about their social media presence.
NCAC to Florida School District: Reject Calls to Remove Book Series From Libraries
TTYL and sequel TTFN by Lauren Myracle were described by Fla. parents as telling kids "to party, drink, cuss, and do other obscene things.”
NPR Moves to Eliminate Comments From Website
NPR has announced it will remove the comments section from its website. But what are the implications for freedom of speech?
Virginia Student Speaks Out Against School District’s Prior Restraint Policy
Kate Karstens, editor-in-chief of The Lasso, tells NCAC her school's vetting of her newspaper's articles violates district policy.
Oregon Shakespeare Festival Boycotts Local Bookstore Over Racially ‘Offensive’ Display
The bookstore owner was slammed for her "distinct lack of empathy for the experiences of people of color."
ABA’s Anti-Harassment Policy Continues a Disturbing Trend
The American Bar Association's vaguely worded harassment policy has wide-reaching implications on speech limitations of lawyers
Does Twitter Have A Selective Censorship Problem?
Buzzfeed today reported Twitter's ex-CEO oversaw moderation of President Obama's and Caitlyn Jenner's Q & As, prompting questions of selective political bias of the site.
Uni. of Wisconsin-Stout Moves to Censor Paintings of First Nations People; UPDATE: Chancellor Modifies Course, Paintings to be Relocated
The University's Diversity Leadership Team expressed concern the painting's colonial subject matter would reinforce racial stereotypes.
Satanic After School Club Planned To Counter Evangelical ‘Indoctrination’
Club activities will “include a healthy snack, literature lesson, creative learning activities, science lesson, puzzle solving, and art projects.” Students of all religious faiths are welcome to attend.
Comic Strip Pulled Over ISIS Reference
A nationally syndicated comic strip was censored because of a harmless reference to ISIS. But why do cartoons so frequently provoke overreactions?
Jersey City, Censorship and ‘Hypersensitivity’: An Interview With Monopoly Mural Artist Mr. AbiLLity
Gary Wynans, a.k.a. Mr. AbiLLity, sits down with NCAC to discuss the behind the scenes of his controversial Monopoly mural that was censored by Jersey City.
NJ Bill Proposed To Prevent Schools Meddling In Student Journalism; UPDATE: Illinois Drafts Similar Legislation Into Law
The legislation will prohibit the vetting of articles prior to publication—with the exception of those that are libelous, unwarrantedly invade privacy, violate the law, or incite students to disobey school policies.
A Dispatch From The Free Expression Network Student Summit
NCAC attended the Free Expression Network's student summit at the Newseum in D.C.