Intellectual Freedom NOT Censorship

INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM

​​Moreillon, Judi. “Anxiety as an Impetus to Act Courageously for Intellectual Freedom.” School Librarian Leadership blog, 4 Oct 2021. http://www.schoollibrarianleadership.com/2021/10/04/anxiety-as-an-impetus-to-act-courageously-for-intellectual-freedom/?fbclid=IwAR3ppiQN8Viw5gzV-hCjqNfDOa5hSWIZx-KJcSvLMWoXhZu4jqAJMXxvZhA

“ALA Executive Board releases statement that reinforces commitment to safeguarding intellectual freedom and social justice by opposing initiatives to censor resources addressing racial injustice, Black American history and diversity training.” Press release, 18 Aug 2021.
​
Texas Library Assn. “The Freedom to Read is a Right and Must be Protected.” Nov 2021.

ACTIVISM FOR INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM
Bellomy, Jill and Lisa Loranc. “Facing Materials Challenges: The Importance of Policies in Public and School Libraries.” Texas Library Journal, Fall 2021. 

​Mangrum, Meghan. “Tennessee Librarians Speak Out against Chattanooga School Board Member's Attempt to Ban Books.” Tennessean Education section, 21 Oct 2021. 

McMorris-Santoro, Evan  et al. “Students Fight Back Against a Book Ban That Has a Pennsylvania Community Divided.” CNN, 15 Sept 2021. “Students in a southern Pennsylvania school district are battling the latest example of panic spreading over how history and race are taught in schools across the US.”

LEGAL UNDERSTANDING
Abdelkader, Engy. “Are Government Bans on The Teaching of Critical Race Theory Unconstitutional?” ABA Journal, 7 Oct 2021. “’Significantly, the Brown court reminds us of public education’s primary purpose: “Today, education is the most important function of state and local governments. … It is required in the performance of our most basic public responsibilities, even service in the armed forces. It is the very foundation of good citizenship. Today it is a principal instrument in awakening the child to cultural values, in preparing him for later professional training, and in helping him to adjust normally to his environment. In these days, it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to succeed. In life if he is denied the opportunity of an education.’”

Join Texans for the Right to Read to support Intellectual Freedom in Texas. Membership is FREE. https://texansfortherighttoread.com/

Join Unite Against Book Bans to support Intellectual Freedom more broadly. Membership is FREE. https://uniteagainstbookbans.org/

Support the Freedom to Read Foundation with a small donation. Stay aware of how to speak in favor of intellectual freedom. https://www.ftrf.org/

CENSORSHIP
Attiah, Karen. “Opinion: Why books have become a battlefield in Texas.” Washington Post, 1 Nov 2021.

Bump, Phillip. “There Is a Consistency to the Debate Over Book Censorship: Distress about Change.” Washington Post Politics, 27 Oct 2021.

Caneva, Gina. “Op-ed: Limiting Teachers’ Curriculum Is Just As Bad As Banning Books.” Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2021.

Fleischer, Katie. “Three K-12 Teachers Weigh In on the Consequences of Critical Race Theory Bans.” Ms. Magazine, 25 Oct 2021. “Now, thanks to CRT suddenly becoming a mainstream conservative talking point, teachers are caught in the middle of a political battle, and some have been harassed and even fired for discussing the Black Lives Matter movement and white privilege. … In a recent event moderated by Dr. Kaye Wise Whitehead, three K-12 educators from across the country discussed how the politicization of CRT has affected their classrooms and their lives. Here’s what they had to say about CRT bans, the importance of understanding oppression and how teachers can take advantage of this moment to push for diverse and inclusive curriculums.”

Griffin, Jasmine Griffin. “Banning Toni Morrison’s Books Doesn’t Protect Kids. It Just Sanitizes Racism.” Washington Post “Post Everything” section, 28 Oct 2021.

Hoffman, Ashley and Jessica Bohrer. “Educating Young Children on the Importance of Freedom of Speech.” ALSC blog (ALA/Assn for Library Service to Children), 17 Feb 2021.

Sanders, Amy Kristin. “We Need to Do A Better Job Teaching Citizens about the First Amendment.” USA Today, 22 Oct 2021. “Now more than ever, we need a renewed focus on civic education to ensure Americans understand their constitutional rights. In addition, one study from the Freedom Forum suggests nearly one in five Americans cannot name a single First Amendment freedom.”