On April 24, The American Library Association released its research on 2022-2023 book banning efforts. The report found 1,269 calls to censor library resources last year. Batch bans, or the call to restrict multiple titles in a single challenge, rose to 90 percent of all overall challenges.
Censorship laws have caused major panic and fear for teachers, staff, and school librarians. Across the country, members of the GOP have proposed bills that would limit or terminate student access to book materials.
Govenor Ron Desantis’ (R-Florida) support for laws popularly known as the STOP WOKE and the Don’t Say Gay acts contribute to censorship efforts. The Stop Woke Act aims to prevent the use of instructional materials that promote discussion of racial identity. Critics say this bill targets books by Black authors and authors of color. The Don’t Say Gay law limits student access to books that discuss LGBTQIA+ relationships or any form of sexual identity. Students who might benefit from these materials will not receive guidance in the safety of a classroom.
HB 1467 prevents the use of “sexually explicit” content in Florida classrooms. Opponents have argued schools and educators may be unfairly punished when leading discussion on texts that reference sensitive topics, such as sexual assault or nontraditional relationships.
In the weeks following these decisions, Florida educators scrambled to comply. Administrators emptied shelves to prepare for the review process. Bookshelves in many schools remain empty while reviews take place.
In Texas, legislators proposed two bills, HB 900, authored by Rep. Jared Patterson (R-Texas), and SB 13, authored by Sen. Angela Paxton (R-Texas). Both pieces of legislation propose an increase in parental oversight and removal of explicit material from public school libraries.
HB 900, also known as the READER Act (Restricting Explicit and Adult Designated Educational Resources), restricts the ability of book vendors to sell obscene content to primary or secondary school libraries. The bill implements a review and rating process. The bill requires book vendors to compile a list of books rated explicit and to make this list available to the public.
Opponents criticize this measure as a step of extreme oversight that could cause more harm than good. The bill has passed the House and is waiting for committee review in the Texas Senate.
SB 13 pushes for advisory councils and parental oversight. It gives parents final approval of materials their students check out from the school library. Each school year, parents may choose to receive notification whenever their student accesses library resources. The bill has passed the Senate but has not progressed into review by a House Committee.
Opponents of TX SB 13 believe the measure charts a dangerous path of oversight and discrimination against students from marginalized backgrounds.
Calls for book bans are on the rise in other states as well. In response to numerous challenges in Illinois, Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D- Illinois) introduced HB 2789. The bill requires libraries to ignore book bans and to provide service to all library patrons.
In the midst of increasing calls for book censorship, students suffer most. Those who value access to reading material and other valuable resources lose their primary resource – the school library.
In response to this problem, the New York Public Library system offered students across the country access to banned books via their library system from April to May of 2022. The New York public library system was recently under review for budget cuts, which have since been cancelled.
Learn more about censorship efforts and the public’s options to combat them at the American Library Association website. Their annual State of America’s Libraries report is also available for viewing.
