Song of Solomon Retained in Indiana AP English Classes
After a couple months of debate, the Franklin Township School Board in Indiana has ruled to retain Song of Solomon in its AP English classes!
It’s not about the children: “Revolutionary Voices” pulled from public library
We were gratified to learn of a kind mention last week from librarian Lizzy Burns in her thoughtful blog A CHAIR, A FIREPLACE & A TEA COZY concerning one example of the kind of work the NCAC does every day. You can find the original post here. The latest wrinkle in the story: Revolutionary Voices has been pulled from not [...]
The Kid’s Right to Read Project Urges Indiana School to Keep Song of Solomon
As we reported in our latest edition of Censorship News, Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon was recently removed from an Indiana high school’s AP English class on April 28 after a parent and school board members complained about its content. Two days later, the book was returned to the class when a committee of educators and parents ruled in favor of keeping the book. On June 21, the Franklin Township school board will hear an appeal of the committee’s decision.
LGBTQ-themed Book Removed from NJ High School Library
The Rancocas Valley School Board in Mt. Holly, New Jersey, chose to remove one of the three challenged books at its meeting on May 4. Revolutionary Voices: A Multicultural Queer Youth Anthology and two other books were challenged because they appear on a list of books on GLBTQ themes created by the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN). The objectors [...]
“Christian Taliban” to Host Halloween Book and Music Burning
The Amazing Grace Baptist Church in Asheville, North Carolina will be spending this Halloween burning books and music its deemed Satan's work - including all non-King James versions of the Bible. Attendees will enjoy barbeque chicken and all the sides while they burn works written by the Pope and Mother Teresa among others. Pastor Marc Grizzard says there is a [...]
Kids’ Right to Read Project Opposes Censorship in Ohio Schools
On September 29th, Wyoming City Schools' School Board voted to back Superintendent, Gail Kist-Kline's plan to re-evaluate every non-textbook teachers recommend to students. Staff members will now be asked to rate books based on a new 4-point criteria, which inclues the extent to which a book "could create controversy among students, parents and community groups. However, removing books from reading [...]
Author John Coy and First Amendment Victory in Alabama
Later this month the Kids' Right to Read Project will interview John Coy, author of YA novels Box Out and Crackback, and would like your help designing the interview. Crackback was challenged in September at a school in Helena, Alabama. Coy worked with KRRP and the local Library Media Specialist in support of the right to read and so we [...]
Kids’ Right to Read Protests Efforts to Censor YA Author Ellen Hopkins
Its Banned Books Week and yet efforts to censor books in the U.S.A continue. In fact, just this past week, Ellen Hopkins, author of the Banned Books Week Manifesto was censored in Norman, Oklahoma. According to Ms. Hopkins, "I was supposed to do a school visit at Whittier Middle School. A parent went in complaining about content in CRANK and [...]
Kids’ Right to Read Protests Efforts to Censor Young Adult Author Ellen Hopkins in Oklahoma
Kids' Right to Read Protests Efforts to Censor Young Adult Author Ellen Hopkins in Oklahoma
The Kids’ Right to Read Project Confronts Censorship in PA
On Monday, we reported on the Kids' Right to Read Project's response to a challenge in North Pocono High School against Laurie Halse Anderson's book Speak. We have since learned North Pocono is not the only place in PA where Ms. Anderson's writing may be censored. Her novel, Twisted, which tackles serious teenage concerns about sex, alcohol, grades and family [...]
Kids’ Right to Read Opposes Censorship at Panther Valley Middle School
Kids' Right to Read Opposes Censorship at Panther Valley Middle School
Kids’ Right to Read Objects to Censorship in Kentucky High School
Kids' Right to Read Objects to Censorship in Kentucky High School
Kids’ Right to Read Protests Efforts to Remove Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson
Kids' Right to Read Protests Efforts to Remove Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson
KRRP Protests Book Censorship in Pennsylvania and California
The Kids' Right to Read Project is urging the general public to speak out against book censorship at two high schools, one in Pennsylvania and the other in California where Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak and Jeannette Wall’s The Glass Castle are being challenged. KRRP is calling on supporters of free speech to advocate for students’ right to read everywhere, especially [...]
KRRP Protests Censorship in Pennsylvania High School
North Pocono High School
KRRP Protests the Censorship of Speak in California High School
Temecula Valley Unified School District
Author of the Banned Books Week Manifesto Censored!
Ellen Hopkins, author of numerous Young Adult titles as well as most recently, the Banned Books Week Manifesto is being censored in Norman, Oklahoma. Hopkins was scheduled to speak at Whittier Middle School on September 22nd about her experiences as an author writing about real life issues facing youth today. However, her talk was reportedly cancelled by the district's superintendent [...]
Kids’ Right to Read Project Interview with Ellen Hopkins, author of the Banned Book Week Manifesto
Kids' Right to Read Project Interview with Ellen Hopkins, author of the Banned Book Week Manifesto
To you zealots, bigots and false patriots….
Touch every book. Char every page. Burn every word to ash. Ideas are incombustible... The NCAC is excited to present the Banned Books Week 2009 Manifesto written by Ellen Hopkins, author of several verse novels on teenage struggles, including Crank, Burned, Impulse and most recently, Tricks. We here at the NCAC want to know what you are doing this year [...]
Access to Gossip Girls May Be ‘Only in Your Dreams’ for Teens in Leesburg
In April we reported on a book challenge after two parents called for the removal of Maureen Johnson's The Bermudez Triangle and Ceicly von Ziegesar's Gossip Girls: Only in Your Dreams from the Leesburg Public Library. In June, we were excited to offer an update full of good news. Yet somehow we are still holding our breath... On Monday the [...]
Kids’ Right to Read Project Calls on Leesburg City Commission to Uphold First Amendment Principles
Letter to Leesburg City Commission Aug 21, 2009
KRRP Interview with writer, blogger Lee Wind
Voices Against Book Censorship interviews author, blogger Lee Wind
Brooklyn Public Library Locks up “TinTin Au Congo”
The Brooklyn Public Library trusts you to form your own opinions about any controversial and provocative content that you would find in Beloved, Hard Candy or Mein Kampf. However, apparently they feel the need to protect you from racially insensitive material in the cartoon from almost 80 years ago TinTin Au Congo. The NYTimes today reports that [...]
Library Board refuses to censor book from teen section
The Effingham Helen Matthes Library Board in Effingham, Illinois voted unanimously to deny a request to censor Living Dead Girl, a novel by Elizabeth Scott. Local parent, Amy Hibdon formally requested that the book be removed from the library, or at least the teen section, after her 15-year-old daughter checked out the book and was reportedly upset by the content [...]
Land of Free Expression…? Map of Book Censorship in the USA Suggests Otherwise
Being so busy with campaigns promoting “freedom and democracy” in the Middle East and central Asia, it’s hardly surprising that most of us here in the United States are unaware of an archaic and abominable practice that continues here at home - book banning. The Kids’ Right to Read Project (KRRP), a collaboration of NCAC and the American Booksellers Foundation [...]
Kids’ Right to Read Project talks to Francesca Lia Block
Kids’ Right To Read’s Jamie Chosak interviewed Francesca Lia Block, author of many young adult novels, including Baby Be Bop, which the Milwaukee branch of the Christian Civil Liberties Union is currently calling for the right to publicly burn West Bend Public Library's copy. When asked about responding to challenges, FLB said: I keep writing. To me that is the [...]
New Undamaged Copy of “Paint Me Like I Am” back in Landis Intermediate School Library
In May, the Kids’ Right to Read Project reported on the censorship of Jayson Tirado’s poem, "Diary of an Abusive Stepfather", after Landis Intermediate School principal, Don Kohaut, literally ripped the poem out of the school's only copy of the nationally-acclaimed anthology, Paint Me Like I Am. One mother of a thirteen year-old student had raised concerns over the age-appropriateness [...]
The Kids’ Right to Read Project Interviews Author, Chris Crutcher
The Kids' Right to Read Project Interviews Author, Chris Crutcher
Kids’ Right to Read Opposes Censorship of “Love/Gender/Family” Literature in Litchfield, New Hampshire
The Kids’ Right To Read Project sent a letter today to the Chair of the Litchfield District’s School Board opposing the removal of several titles from Campbell High School’s upper-class elective “Love/Gender/Family” unit. KRRP also interviewed Andy Towne, a member of the Class of 2007 at Campbell High School after he authored an op-ed for The Nashua Telegraph about the [...]
Kids’ Right to Read Opposes “Love/Gender/Family” Censorship in Litchfield, NH
On June 18, the Litchfield District School Board in New Hampshire decided to remove four short stories from the “Love/Gender/Family” unit of an upper-class elective English class at Campbell High School. The stories, including "Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway, "Survivor Type" by Stephen King, "The Crack Cocaine Diet" by Laura Lippman, and "I Like Guys" by David Sedaris.
Kids’ Right to Read urges Leesburg library to uphold decision
The Kids' Right To Read Project sent a letter today to the Leesburg Public Library Advisory Board applauding their decision to keep two challenged books on the shelves in the Young Adult section without labeling or restricting them in any way. We also urged the Board to uphold its decision during an appeals process. Libraries serve every member of the [...]
Interview with Maureen Johnson, YA author of The Bermudez Triangle
Kids’ Right to Read Project Director Jamie Chosak interviewed author Maureen Johnson about her experiences with censorship, including the recent challenge against her book, The Bermudez Triangle, in Leesburg, Florida. Here’s an excerpt: The Kids’ Right to Read Project: Challenges against The Bermudez Triangle have focused on ‘homosexual themes.’ Some commentators have identified this as an increasing trend. Would you [...]
KRRP Interview with Author, Maureen Johnson
Kids' Right to Read Project Interview with Author, Maureen Johnson
Kids’ Right to Read Opposes Censorship in Randolph School District
The Kids' Right to Read Project opposes the removal of Vibe magazine from Randolph High School's library in Randolph, WI after the school's principal, Tom Erdmann complained about the magazine's“gang violence/activity” and “gang symbols/materials.” Dr. Greg Peyer Superintendent Randolph School District 110 Meadowood Drive Randolph, WI 53956 [...]
Interview with Brent Hartinger
Interview with Brent Hartinger, author of Geography Club.
Interview with Maria Hanrahan, Founder of West Bend Parents for Free Speech
Kids’ Right to Read’s Jamie Chosak interviewed the Founder of West Bend Parents for Free Speech, Maria Hanrahan about the book challenges in West Bend. Here’s an excerpt: Kids’ Right to Read: What actions did you and the West Bend community take in response to the challenges? Maria Hanrahan: In late March, the Maziarkas started circulating a petition that asked, [...]