NCAC at work

ACLU Joins NCAC in Protesting Attempts to Rate and Censor Library Books in Virginia; UPDATE: Books Will Remain in Libraries

By |2019-03-08T00:14:18-05:00September 13th, 2016|Blog, Letters, NCAC at work|

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.

Uni. of Wisconsin-Stout Moves to Censor Paintings of First Nations People; UPDATE: Chancellor Modifies Course, Paintings to be Relocated

By |2020-01-03T15:31:50-05:00August 3rd, 2016|Blog, Letters, NCAC at work|

The University's Diversity Leadership Team expressed concern the painting's colonial subject matter would reinforce racial stereotypes.

Virginia School District Caves To Parent Pressure, Scraps Summer Reading List; UPDATE: Republican Senator Blasts Librarians For Selecting ‘Trash’, Petition Pushes Back

By |2020-01-03T15:31:26-05:00June 22nd, 2016|Blog, NCAC at work, Updates|

The Chesterfield County Public School summer reading list contained books that were "pornographic" and contained "vile, vile, nasty language," one mother complained.

Vermont School Disinvites Childrens Author Because of Book About Heroin Addiction; UPDATE: School Reverses Decision, Will Carry Book in Library

By |2020-01-03T15:31:03-05:00June 10th, 2016|Blog, NCAC at work|

Kate Messner speaking event at South Burlington's Chamberlin Elementary School after the school discovered her latest book was about heroin addiction.

Author Who Talks About Transgender Themes Disinvited from Schools in Texas

By |2020-01-06T00:07:46-05:00June 8th, 2016|Blog, NCAC at work|

The children's author Phil Bildner apparently has been disinvited from several schools in Round Rock Independent School District in Round Rock, Texas. He published this statement yesterday on the blog of ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom: Whenever I present to kids at my school visits, I always booktalk other authors’ books. It’s important for kids to know about the great stories that are out there. I always [...]

Portland Resolution on Teaching Climate Change Raises Concerns

By |2020-01-03T15:30:59-05:00June 3rd, 2016|Blog, NCAC at work|

NCAC has released the following statement on the climate change controversy brewing in Portland: On May 17, the Public School Board of Portland, Oregon unanimously adopted a resolution to “Develop an Implementation Plan for Climate Literacy,” which concluded with this recommendation: “The implementation plan should include a review of current textbooks for accuracy around the severity of the climate crisis and the [...]

Georgia Lawmakers Attack Museum Exhibition Exploring AIDS Epidemic

By |2020-01-03T15:30:57-05:00June 1st, 2016|Blog, NCAC at work|

David Wojnarowicz (born 1954, died 1992) Untitled (Buffalo), 1988-89. Vintage gelatin silver print, signed on verso, 28⅝x35¾; inches. Collection of Michael Sodomick, Courtesy of the Estate of David Wojnarowicz and P.P.O.W Gallery, New York   In statements reminiscent of the culture wars of the 1990s, three Republican lawmakers in Cobb County, Georgia have attacked a museum exhibition that [...]

Previously Censored Senior Reads “Dark” Poem at Graduation

By |2020-01-03T15:30:58-05:00June 1st, 2016|Blog, Incidents, NCAC at work|

I woke up today. And when I woke up I thought of A friend. I thought of Kyle, I thought of Jack, I thought of Tamir And those who we have lost, Those who Cannot wake up. This stanza from an original poem by senior at Austin High School in Austin, Texas led to him being prohibited from reading it at his graduation. Pablo [...]

American Nocturne: When Public Art Engenders Controversy; UPDATE: Mural Removed, Elgin Arts Commission Will Decide Fate

By |2020-01-03T15:30:50-05:00May 26th, 2016|Blog, Incidents, Letters, NCAC at work, Updates|

NCAC has sent a letter to Elgin Mayor David Kaptain supporting the mural's return in advance of the City Council's vote on its fate on July 13th.

Florida School District Moves to Ban The Perks of Being a Wallflower

By |2020-01-06T00:07:46-05:00May 24th, 2016|Incidents, NCAC at work|

After two parents complained about sex, drugs, and drinking in Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which had been assigned in a 7th grade advanced language arts students at Pasco Middle School in Dade City, Florida, the superintendent called for the removal of the book and initiated a formal review that has recommended a district-wide ban. According the Tampa Bay Times, Superintendent Kurt [...]

School Library in Minnesota Removes Graphic Novel for “Vulgarity”; UPDATE: Board Allows Restricted Access

By |2020-01-03T15:30:39-05:00May 23rd, 2016|Incidents, NCAC at work|

In Henning, Minnesota, a small town 90 miles southeast of Fargo-Moorhead, the award-winning graphic novel This One Summer was removed from the school library in early May after a parent complained. A “coming-of-age tale about the awkward transition from carefree childhood to jaded, self-conscious young adulthood,” in the words of a Booklist starred review, This One Summer contains a dozens instances each of a few four-letter words, [...]

Penny Dreadful in Paint: Accusations of Blasphemy Hit Virginia MOCA/Hi-Fructose Exhibition

By |2020-01-06T00:07:46-05:00May 16th, 2016|Blog, Incidents, NCAC at work|

Mark Ryden: Fountain, 2003. Oil on Panel, 12x6.25 inches. ©Mark Ryden. In a replay of former New York Mayor Guiliani's attempt to grab attention by attacking "blasphemous" art, Ben Loyola, a member of the Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission, is directing his ire against the work of LA-based painter Mark Ryden, featured in Turn the Page: The First Ten Years of [...]

No Student Clubs Affiliated with Amnesty International, Says Ohio High School (Update: Decision Reversed)

By |2020-01-03T15:20:59-05:00May 11th, 2016|Blog, NCAC at work|

A junior at New Albany High near Columbus organized an Amnesty International affiliate group at her school to discuss human rights and came under fire for promoting what some people thought to be an "anti-Israel" message. The school's principal ultimately reversed his decision to "protect" the student "from getting caught up in political lightning rod topics" and will allow the club to form next fall.

Staten Island High School Art Students Told to Clothe their Anti-Rape Artwork

By |2020-01-06T00:07:45-05:00May 9th, 2016|Incidents, Letters, NCAC at work|

When students at Susan E. Wagner High School in Staten Island produced a photographic artwork critiquing rape culture and the sexualization of young women's bodies, the administration responded by removing the artwork, implicitly sexualizing the body of a young woman. Last week, a photo-collage was removed from a student exhibition in the lobby of the high school due to its [...]

Threats to Blows: We Stand with Illma Gore

By |2020-01-06T00:07:45-05:00May 3rd, 2016|NCAC at work|

@illmagore : "Make America Great Again"   On Saturday, in the latest fallout over artist Illma Gore's controversial nude portrait of Donald Trump, Gore was physically assaulted by a Trump supporter not far from her home in LA. After punching the diminutive artist in the face, her attacker shouted "Trump 2016" and jumped into a waiting vehicle. Gore posted the story [...]

Victory for Looking for Alaska in Kentucky!

By |2020-01-03T15:20:48-05:00May 3rd, 2016|Blog, NCAC at work|

We received some great news from Kentucky this morning: a reconsideration committee in Marion County voted to keep John Green’s highly acclaimed first novel Looking for Alaska on its high school shelves last night. The book received a complaint from a parent who not only refused to let his child read the book, but determined it was "filth" and good [...]

Shameless in Lafayette: Nude ArtWalk !

By |2016-07-07T15:59:36-04:00April 7th, 2016|Blog, NCAC at work|

A few days ago we wrote about artist Nicole Touchet 's recent brush with censorship in Free the Nipple: Nude Paintings Raise Temperatures in Lafayette. The artists of Lafayette have since rallied around the cause of freedom of expression with a city-wide Nude ArtWalk. For this occasion we offer our statement on nudes and censorship: The Human Body is Not [...]

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