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.
NCAC to Florida School: Drop Student Requirement for Parent Permission to Protest
The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) has expressed concern over a Florida school district’s decision to require student athletes to first attain parental permission if they wish to protest during the national anthem.
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.
Free Speech Groups Denounce Boycott of Oregon Bookstore Over ‘Offensive’ Display
The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) is leading a coalition of 6 free speech organizations in denouncing an Oregon theater group’s boycott of a nearby bookstore over a book display deemed racially offensive.
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.
Reject Calls to Remove Book Series from Florida School Library, Free Speech Groups Urge
The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) and a group of free speech advocates are coming to the defense of popular, but frequently censored, books, urging school officials to leave them in the school library.
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.
First Amendment Groups Urge University of Wisconsin-Stout To Keep Historic Paintings On Display UPDATE: Chancellor Modifies Course, Paintings to be Relocated
The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) and the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) are urging the University of Wisconsin-Stout to reverse a proposal to place historic paintings depicting First Nations peoples into storage because some claim that they reinforce negative stereotypes of Native Americans.
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.
First Amendment and Education Groups Unite to Oppose Effort to Rate and Censor Books
The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) is leading a coalition of groups which on August 1st sent a letter to a Virginia school board addressing claims that award-winning contemporary novels contain “pornographic” material.
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?
The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art Falls Short of its Mission by Cancelling Site Specific Installation about the Environment
The National Coalition Against Censorship has issued a statement In response to the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Arts (MOCA) halting of an environmental artwork.
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.
Colorado Student Punished For Questioning School’s Educational Priorities
Cidney Fisk, an outspoken atheist, says her view on religion and criticism of the school's religion-orientated priorities caused her grades to plummet.
Bill Proposed To Streamline Legal Action Taken On Intellectual Property
The drafted legislation would allow copyright owners to avoid costly federal lawsuits when protecting intellectual property.