Major publishers and authors sued Florida over the ban.
Leading publishers and authors are suing Florida over a law prohibiting books that are deemed sexually violated the law, saying the law violates free speech.
Straight Arrow News
In Gainesville, Florida, Lynx Books will be holding a screening of “Banned Together” on the back patio.
In Washington, D.C., participants march at the national mall that halts at the museum, highlighting the importance of maintaining history.
In Seattle, visitors to several public libraries will take part in the “silent lead-in” of banned books.
All over the country, librarians, teachers, bookstore owners, civil rights activists and others will host up to 100 events as the day of Truth Action, June 7th. The national campaign aims to support the teachings of unbarred history and encourage people, including banned books, to read more.
Action comes in the wake of the Trump administration and several conservative groups efforts to limit the teaching of certain history and ban many books written by authors of color.
“This wave of bans is not new, but it’s getting worse because it’s not only supported by the federal government but it’s also made it worse because the federal government is using it to withhold funds,” said National Education Association President Rebecca Pringle. “Now we realize that more and more people need to stand up, and we need to use our voices.”
It’s not censorship, but some people say education
Dozens of states, led primarily by Republicans, have adopted or proposed measures that restrict languages related to issues of race, sexuality and gender in public schools, or that they overlook important parts of black history. Others have limited books and materials available in the classroom, while others focus on race and sexuality.
These primarily conservative lawmakers and groups argue that some books are offensive and should be protected from children, and that important parts of black history are already taught in schools.
Jonathan Butcher, a senior fellow at the Conservative Heritage Foundation, said that if school officials deem the book too sexually graphic for young people, it should not be in the school library.
He said it was the responsibility of the school board and parents to make that decision.
“That’s what they do,” Butcher said.
He said the prohibited books are available online or in public libraries, and some claims of censorship have been exaggerated.
“If this is actually the purpose of education, I think it’s a tactic to make it look like censorship is happening,” Butcher said. “Adults come together to decide what to teach in sex education, health eds, citizens and history, and decide which books to keep on shelf.”
March to maintain history
Pringle and leaders of libraries and civil rights groups expressed their concerns Actions extend beyond the book ban Opposing narrow interpretations of history.
“Last year we focused a lot on banned books because obviously they were a lot of things happening in public squares,” said Nakeesha J. Ceran, deputy director of advocacy group Teaching for Change. “What I feel different in this moment is the deep, coordinated efforts to undermine all the spaces and places of public education, including public schools, museums and libraries.”
DC March, led by Teaching for Change and others, stops at the American History Museum, the Hirshhorn Museum, and the National Air and Space Museum, ends at the American Indian National Museum and begins at the African American History and Culture Museum.
The popular African American History Museum was chosen by President Donald Trump. President Donald Trump called the work part of “a wide-ranging effort to rewrite our country’s history.”
Ceran objected, saying it was important for educators, students and others to be able to teach the truth about the history of all Americans.
“It’s also important in the midst of seeing all the dismantling happening and being inspired by people, the movements and resistance that are happening every day,” she said.
Reading materials affects the “culture of places”
In Florida, Lynx’s books will discuss Saturdays the ban on books and proposals to restrict education in history. It follows the show “Banned Together,” a documentary about teenagers fighting the ban on books.
“There are a lot of people in our community who are very saddened by the ban on books and the intense curriculum restrictions in Florida, and we really want to fight that.”
Lynx sells banned books all year round and holds a banned bookbook club every month. Next is “If Beale Street Can Speak” by James Baldwin. Bookstores donated books to community organizations, including those that were banned.
“This is an issue that affects all communities,” Schnabel said. So I think everyone should definitely care. ”
“We are working on banning fight books.”
Pringle, called Florida, has been called “exhibition” in the fight against book bans and restrictions on the history of education, but he said there are pushbacks in other states as well.
“We have to have activists in every community,” she said.
For example, Seattle Public Library hosts anti-book events on June 7th, 14th and 21st.
“The country is experiencing an unprecedented level of censorship,” said Christie Gale, a teenage service librarian. “I think so many people wanted to use this stuff, and they are trying to attract a lot of attention from people who want to support the library.
2023, The library has released “Books Unbanned.” This is a free digital collection of audio and e-books, including those that are prohibited. Library officials said more than 440,000 books have been checked out.
“It’s a way to employ our resources and make them available to people in other parts of the country who don’t have library support or experience censorship,” said library spokesperson Elisa Murray.
Schnabel of Lynx Books hopes that the effort will have an impact beyond a day.
“We are working on a ban on fighting not only on this day, but all year round,” she said. “But we are excited and hopeful that this day will shed a special light on the work we are doing and the work that other people around the country are doing.”
