NEW YORK – On September 12, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, Emily Knox, the Board President of the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), is set to testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary. The hearing, titled Book Bans: Examining How Censorship Limits Liberty and Literature, will address the alarming increase in book censorship. A live video feed of the hearing will be available at judiciary.senate.gov.
As an expert in the field of intellectual freedom, Knox’s testimony will play a vital role in the upcoming hearing. Her insights will provide a comprehensive understanding of the far-reaching consequences of book banning on education, democracy, and the First Amendment rights of individuals. Knox’s testimony will serve as a wake-up call for our nation’s leaders, compelling them to take decisive action to safeguard our fundamental right to read.
“Book Banning has created a perilous challenge to our Constitutional Rights, which promises our freedom to choose materials for ourselves and our families,” said Knox. “We should also consider the harm that the act of banning materials is having on youth, educators, librarians, families, and diverse communities across our nation as they fight for access to materials that mirror their cultures and experiences. I hope that our nation’s leaders will understand that each book removal equals a profound loss of educational resources needed to understand the complex world surrounding us. “
The hearing comes at a time when the NCAC is actively addressing political groups across the country that seek to remove books from library collections and curricula. To this end, NCAC has established the Kids’ Right to Read Network (KRRN), a nationwide community of advocates who strive to protect every child’s right to access literature. KRRN’s dedicated affiliates exert great effort in preventing the removal of books from local library shelves. Additional information about KRRN is available at ncac.org/krrn.
National Coalition Against Censorship
Since its inception in 1974, the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) has functioned as a first responder in protecting freedom of expression, a fundamental human right, and a keystone of democracy. Representing 59 national education,