Stuff You Should Read

On this page you'll find links to articles and news stories that we think you should read and share with others. Check back often!

1. Accusations of 'Grooming' Are the Latest Political Attack - With Homophobic Origins - An article by NPR reporter Melissa Block, also available as a 6 minute audio file, that delves into the painful history behind the use of the term 'grooming' as a political weapon.

2. A Colorado Library Board Has Voted to Ban Book Bans - A potential model for replication in your town.

3. America's Censored Classrooms - An important report released by PEN America on its 100th anniversary examining the dangerous spike of educational gag order legislation and its impact on students: "Lawmakers are undermining the role of our public schools as a unifying force above politics and turning them instead into a culture war battleground. By seeking to silence critical perspectives and stifle debate, they are depriving students of the tools they need to navigate a diverse and complex world."

4. A Perfectly Inoffensive School Library - What would a school library collection need to look like so that it offended noone?

5. As Book Bans Increase, Chicago Protects the Freadom to Read - An interview with Chris Brown, the Chicago Public Library Commissioner, on Chicago's establishment of book sanctuaries.

6. Banning Ideas and Authors is Not a 'Culture War' - It's  Fascism - An article by Jason Stanley calling attention to the misuse of 'both-sides' framing; "The media’s framing of measures like Florida’s African American studies ban is a dangerous falsification of reality."

7. Book Bans Affect Everybody - Here's How You Can Help - Written by school librarian, Alex Brown, this article clearly voices how parents, caregivers, and other concerned stakeholders can support libraries as we face an explosion in censorship attempts.

8. Book Banning in Walton County Based on Misleading "Porn in Schools Report" Illustrates Alarming Influence of Fringe Groups on Educational Censorship - A report by Pen America on a specific case that exemplifies the creeping power and reach of organized censorship efforts, including links to important figures, lists, and groups to keep watch over.

9. Book Banning in the US: These Are the Authors of Color Censors are Trying to Silence - A report by Elliot C. McLaughlin that highlights four young adult authors of color whose novels are being targeted by censorship efforts and how these efforts are tied to race.

10. Books for Trans Teens: How Visibility Can Lead to Anti-Trans Backlash - Trans activist Will Malloy, and YA Author Kyle Lukoff talk about the importance of books for trans kids and teens, and how visibility leads to backlash.

11. Conservatives Are Trying to Ban Books in Your Town. Librarians Are Fighting Back - How right-wing mania is destroying the social fabric of communities across America. This article details the experience of a Michigan public library and how organizing was a positive step forward.

12. Conservatives Who Attacked School Boards in 2022 Are Now Going After Libraries - "Moms for Libraries is set to inject right-wing politics into school reading shelves."

13. Culturally Centered Education: A Primer - A report that "a. Defines key terms pertaining to culturally-based education; b. Explains the implications these terms have for curriculum and instructional materials; and c. Assesses the state of the culturally-based education field." [Description cited from original source]

14. Debbie Reese on Book Bans and Native Representation - In this interview with activist, scholar, and former elementary school teacher Dr. Debbie Reese, the discussion examines how the book ban trend reflects a strong fear of a just society.

15. Here's What Book Banning Means for Latinx Communities - An article by Meg Medina for Parents magazine, discussing the impact of book banning and book challenges on specific groups.

16. How to Beat a Book Ban: Students, Parents, and Librarians - An article by Adam Gabbatt of The Guardian that highlights examples of ways groups are pushing back against censorship efforts nationwide.

17. How to Fight Book Bans and Challenges: An Anti-Censorship Toolkit - An article by Kelly Jensen at Bookriot that provides a great background on the role of media, news organizations, polarization, misinformation/disinformation, on the current uprise in book challenges, along with practical steps for addressing these issues.

18. How to Support Diverse Books During a Book Ban - An article by JoAnn Yao, Diversebooks.org, on ways to fight book challenges in your local community.

19. Huntsville Public Library Privatized After Pride Display - An article by Kelly Jensen at Bookriot describes how a Texas public library is no longer.

20. Inherit the Wallflower - A write up by Frank Strong that describes the steps and tactics parents and community members in Conroe ISD (Texas) successfuly used to push back on censorship efforts by new board members.

21. Libraries Must Stop Pretending They Can Be Neutral About Human Rights - An article by Alex Brown (they/them), a queer and Black school librarian and well-known author, explaining why "both sides" is a myth that allows misinformation, prejudice, and hate to gain a dangerous foothold in library spaces.

22. Mirrors, Windows, & Sliding Glass Doors - A famous essay written by Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, this brief paper is a foundational explanation of why reading a broad variety of books, by and about a broad variety of people, is crucial for a global mindset. 

23. New Right to Read Bill Expands School Library Access, Students' Right to Read - from our friend at Bookriot, Kelly Jensen, an important bill for you to keep your eye on and for you to encourage your representatives to support!

24. Notes From a School Board Takeover: This Isn't Leadership. It's Vandalism - Written by Paul Bowers, a community member tracking events at his local school board, and including links to his live-tweet of the event, this play-by-play demonstrates what happens in the first 30 minutes of a Moms-4-Liberty candidate takeover of a local South Carolina school board.

25. Public Library Budgets Are Being Slashed. Police Have More Cash Than Ever. - "Proposed cuts to New York City public libraries speak to an ongoing trend that puts funding for police above education."

26. Republican Wants to Expand Definition of "Child Pornography" to make it Easier to Ban LGBTQ+ Books - Discusses efforts by a new lawmaker in Wyoming to ban LGBTQ+ books from both public and school libraries.

27. Right-Wing Groups Stoked a Moral Panic about School Libraries - The article covers the beginnings of the Banned Book Club at Vandegrift High School, Leander, TX, and how youth feel silenced as parents argue over what books should be accessible to all.

28. Seven Ways to Make a Case for a Challenged Book in the Classroom - The Open Blog, "a blog on race, diversity, education, and children's books," is a great overall resource for learning more about the importance of access to diverse books and educational materials. This particular article helps parents, caregivers, and classroom teachers make a case for challenged books from a reconciliatory perspective.

29. The Obscenity Pivot - By journalist Dan Kois, "Virginia Republicans are testing a new way to ban books and restrict their sales. In the long run, it might just work."

30. The Absurd Year in Educational Censorship, From Gay Penguins to Gettysburg Address - a collection of 14 head-scratching stories on educational censorship curated by PEN America.

31. Tired of Uninformed School Board Candidates? Try Asking These Questions - Written by a former elementary school principal, this article gives you a list of powerful questions to ask those running for school board candidacy. These questions would also be useful to you if you are considering running as a candidate yourself. 

32. When Extremists Take Over School Boards, Students Pay the Price - A blog post by Ravin Rolle, a recent high school graduate from Southlake, TX where she explains why she is more involved in her school system now than she was a student.

33. Writing Kid Lit While Queer - A thoughtful and heartfelt post by YA author Robin Stevenson on writing as a queer author and what book challenges mean in this context.