Latest news with #FreedomtoRead
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill to protect RI libraries from book bans moves forward
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Legislation aimed at protecting libraries from book bans and affirming free speech in Rhode Island is now headed to the House. The Senate advanced the Freedom to Read Act on Tuesday. If passed, the bill would promote access to information and freedom of expression by prohibiting censorship of library materials. BACKGROUND: RI leaders, advocates push for 'Freedom to Read' bill at State House State Sen. Mark McKenney introduced the legislation, which seeks to safeguard the rights to free speech, free inquiry, and opinion—protections outlined in both the U.S. and Rhode Island constitutions. In recent months, state leaders, residents, and advocates have weighed in on the issue. Some agree with McKenney, who believes materials should not be banned, removed or censored, emphasizing that 'reading is a gift.' Meanwhile, others have expressed strong opposition to the measure, arguing that children should be shielded from 'offensive material' and libraries should be stocked with 'age-appropriate' rather than 'age-relevant' items. MORE: RI lawmakers consider 'Freedom to Read Act' According to the Rhode Island Library Association, every New England state except Rhode Island currently has legal protections in place for librarians, teachers, and museum employees against civil or criminal charges related to their collections. If enacted, the bill would direct the commissioner of elementary and secondary education to create policies for library collection development, including criteria for selecting and maintaining materials and protections against censorship efforts. 'Public libraries are the repositories of free thought, and librarians are the guardians of those principles,' McKenney said. 'It should be the policy of every state to guarantee that libraries remain a place of free and open exchange of ideas without any partisan or doctrinal pressure.' The proposal also asserts that, 'Authors, creators, and publishers have a right to communicate their ideas to anyone who is interested in receiving them. Students and library patrons of all ages have a corresponding right to encounter them without government interference.' The Rhode Island Freedom to Read Act Coalition applauded the Senate's decision to pass the legislation. 'Rhode Islanders care deeply about the freedom to choose the books they and their familiesread,' said Cheryl Space, co-chair of the Rhode Island Library Association Legislative ActionCommittee. This is the third year the Freedom to Read Act has passed in the Senate, according to the coalition. 'There is broad support for this bipartisan bill both within the House of Representatives andaround the state,' said Padma Venkatraman, co-chair of Rhode Island Authors Against BookBans. 'We are eager to see it voted into law.' Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Parental rights' or 'book banning zealots'? RI bill opens up culture war over school libraries.
PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island lawmakers are once again embroiled in what Westerly librarian Bill Lancellotta described as a "culture war that pits First Amendment advocates against book banning zealots." But others contend the battle is over "parental rights," and, more specifically, the kinds of books that school libraries make available to children. Those warring – and passionately-held views – about the merits of this year's "Freedom to Read" legislation played out in a legislative hearing room on Wednesday night, with some opponents of the bill insisting Rhode Island's teachers and librarians are "pedophiles" and "groomers" intent on peddling pornography to school children. "I have seen the literature ("Lawn Boy," "Gender Queer") that is put in our schools and libraries for children and teens to read. These books teach children and teens about sexual acts and ... immoral behavior," James Richardson wrote the Senate Education Committee. "As someone who has a daughter, I find it abhorrent that [state legislators] would lobby to have pornographic content continue to be in schools and be able to be read in libraries," he wrote. But the many parents, teachers, librarians and clergy who spoke in favor of the legislation on Wednesday night said it protects a vital freedom from "anti-Democratic" and "authoritarian" actions by people and groups intent on "controlling the narratives and perspectives to which young people are exposed." One speaker after another cited the "troubling rise in efforts to ban books from schools and public libraries," particularly in states like Florida, Texas, and Idaho, with the efforts focused on books "that explore issues of race, gender, and identity." The legislation requires school libraries, in particular, to have a clear policy for evaluating "right-to-remove requests," while shielding librarians from getting personally sued by a person or group unhappy with a decision, as famously happened in Westerly. Sponsored in the Rhode Island House of Representatives by Rep. David Morales and in the Senate by Sen. Mark McKenney, the legislation [ S238] says, in part: "The freedom to read is a human right, constitutionally protected by the First Amendment to the United States [and Rhode Island] Constitution ... Authors, creators, and publishers have a right to communicate their ideas to anyonewho is interested in receiving them. Students and library patrons of all ages have a correspondingright to encounter them without government interference." The bill calls on the state's chief of library services to create a "model policy" that, among other things, recognizes that public libraries are "centers for voluntary inquiry ... [that] promote the free expression of and free access to ideas." It would limit requests-to-remove books from school libraries to parents or guardians of children within that school, in the wake of a Washington Post analysis that found the majority of 1,000-plus book challenges analyzed by The Post were filed by just 11 people. Significantly, the legislation would also create a right-to-sue for librarians, students, authors, booksellers and publishers whose are, in one way or another, damaged by censorship. "It essentially upholds the notion that we've all long held that free libraries are critical to the enlightenment of the citizenry and to the advancement of Democracy," said the lead Senate sponsor, Sen. Mark McKenney. But it also anticipates the state's chief librarian will work with the commissioner for elementary and secondary education to make sure "appropriate" policies are in place for school libraries, "with things such as age appropriateness considered," McKenney said. Amy Rodrigues, the Washington County, Rhode Island chapter chair of Moms for Liberty, said the bill, as she reads it, protects "bad actors," usurps parental rights and allows for legal action by authors, booksellers, and publishers "against elected officials, who we the parents vote for, if they remove ... inappropriate materials." "I took my three children to local libraries with the assumption that they were safe places for children to learn without the risk of having their developing brains harmed from seeing pervasively vulgar graphic content that they can't unsee," she said. Westerly activist Robert Chiaradio went farther. He called the bill "trash" that does "nothing more than adopting into law ... the agendas [that] many on the left, including those on this committee, seek which is [the] absolute legal right to racialize, radicalize, and sexualize Rhode Island's kids via age inappropriate books ... [and] shield librarians and school districts from any responsibility for the harm they do to these kids by making age inappropriate books available to them." While singling out the only Republican on the committee for "probably for being the lone voice of reason on this," he said, "the rest of you are the usual cast of characters that we've dealt with before." This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Bill to stop book banning in RI has both sides slinging insults
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
RI lawmakers consider ‘Freedom to Read Act'
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Dozens gathered at the R.I. State House Wednesday evening to share their thoughts on a proposal that would ensure access to books in libraries across the state. The R.I. Senate Education Committee heard testimony from those both for and against the proposal Wednesday night. The 'Freedom to Read Act' would develop library collection policies in order to provide standards for the selection and curation of library material. It would also establish criteria for the removal of existing school library material and provide protection against censorship attempts. 'We can decide what books we want to check out from the library, and we can decide what our own children read or don't read,' said Sen. Mark McKenney, who introduced the legislation. 'But what we can't do is decide what everyone else gets to read or what other people's children get to read or not read.' RELATED: RI leaders, advocates push for 'Freedom to Read' bill at State House 'Reading is a gift, and it is so important that we stay protective of the gift of reading and that when someone wants to take it away, whether by banning books directly or by launching lawsuits attempting to intimidate libraries, schools and librarians because of a book they have on their shelves, we fight,' he continued. The proposal would also protect librarians, teachers and museum employees from civil and criminal charges over the materials in their collections. Rhode Island is the only state in New England that doesn't provide these protections, according to the Rhode Island Library Association. 'Children are naturally curious about their world, and our goal should be to ignite their passion for learning, giving them the tools to address their questions and leave them wanting more,' Community Libraries of Providence Director Cheryl Space said. 'In order to inspire reading, our youth need to see themselves in the books on our library shelves.' 'Librarians have a professional responsibility to provide a diversity of materials in our collection that reflect all of the people in our American society,' she continued. Space urged lawmakers to pass the legislation 'and let all Rhode Islanders know that they are valued and that their history, their point of view and their stories will be protected in our library collections.' '[The legislation] is supported by our youth, who stand to be the most affected by restricted access to library materials blunting their abilities to read factual information about their health and history,' Space testified. But not everyone is on board with the proposal. 'We shouldn't have to feel the need to hover over our children when they're at the library,' Ramona Bessinger testified, arguing that children may unintentionally stumble upon 'offensive material' while browsing a library's collection. '[The proposal's] objective is to give librarians sole authority in stocking library shelves with age-relevant items instead of age-appropriate items,' Moms of Liberty's Amy Rodriguez added. McKenny's proposal has been held for further study. The Senate so lawmakers can review the written testimony that was submitted. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
12-03-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Most banned books feature people of color and LGBTQ+ characters: Graphics explain the data
Most banned books feature people of color and LGBTQ+ characters: Graphics explain the data The majority of books banned last school year highlighted stories featuring people of color and LGBTQ+ characters and subjects. A recent analysis of thousands of banned titles by PEN America found that more than a third of unique banned titles featured people of color or fictional characters of color. A quarter of banned titles included LGBTQ+ people or characters. PEN America is a nonprofit organization that tracks book bans. The organization said that commonly censored books portray themes of race, sexuality and gender identity. They also show young people dealing with substance abuse, suicide, depression and other mental health issues. Across all genres and reading levels ‒ including fiction, history, biography, memoir and picture books ‒ characters and people of color were disproportionately affected by book bans in the past school year. Of all the history and biography titles, 44% featured people of color, according to the report. Some of the titles removed include "Fences," a Pulitzer-prize winning play, "Another Brooklyn" by Jacqueline Woodson, as well as "A is for Activist," a children's picture book. 'When we strip library shelves of books about particular groups, we defeat the purpose of a library collection that is supposed to reflect the lives of all people. The damaging consequences to young people are real," said Sabrina Baêta, senior manager for PEN America's Freedom to Read program. Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them. Moms For Liberty, a right-wing political activist group, has been a powerful crusader within the parents' rights movement, with a major focus on restricting access to books with sexual content. The advocacy group previously posted online that, 'age appropriate is not banning,' The organization wrote, "Schools have the responsibility of keeping obscene and pornographic materials out of the hands of children. Our moms are working within their communities to make sure books in public schools are age appropriate for all children.' In their analysis, PEN America found that 31% of banned titles had references to sexual experiences but with minimal detail, they added. Another 13% described the sexual experiences 'on the page." States with the most book bans A different PEN America report shows that Florida was the state with the most book bans during the 2023-2024 school year, followed by Iowa. The organization said laws in both states censor certain books in public schools. In Florida, legislation dictates that titles including sexual content, even if it is not pornographic, are subject to removal. Teachers in the state can be charged with a felony for possessing and distributing inappropriate books. 'Inappropriate' can be hard to define. Mentions of race or an LGBTQ+ person or relationship and sexual violence in any context have fallen under that term. Book bans nearly tripled during the 2023-2024 school year with more than 10,000 books banned in public schools, according to PEN America. The spike reflects a renewed effort since 2021 to ban or restrict books in the U.S. Top banned books of the previous school year: According to PEN America, these are the most commonly banned books in schools: Suzanne Trimel, senior adviser for communications and media at PEN America, previously told USA TODAY that the group tracks bans through school board minutes, local news stories and reports from organizational partners across the country. PEN America notes on its website that it does not document book challenges that do not result in bans. This story was updated to add new information.
Boston Globe
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
In Roger Williams' Rhode Island, banning books is a departure from our heritage
Get Rhode Map A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State. Enter Email Sign Up There are a lot of reasons to object to this alarming trend. Advertisement You might note that the You might object because such bans are an affront to American ideas. The founding fathers – Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison – were avid readers and writers who valued the free exchange of ideas. And subsequent presidents warned against censorship. During the height of McCarthyism, President Dwight Eisenhower – a Republican – Advertisement You might object because you know that book bans can be a harbinger of worse things to come. After his Holocaust-focused graphic novels 'Maus " were banned by a school district in Tennessee, the author Art Spiegelman And even if you're not persuaded by any of these arguments, you might be offended by more local reasons. Rhode Island was founded by a guy – Roger Williams – who was banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for Our state also has a rich history of literacy and education. Newport is home to America's oldest continuous lending library, the It is for all of these reasons – from the hyperlocal to the international – that I support the 'Freedom to Read' bills recently introduced in the Rhode Island Advertisement To be clear, the bills do not mandate that students must read material that they or their parents find objectionable. They simply ensure that one parent's discomfort does not diminish the access of an entire community. Now, as a published author, you might think that I've got a conflict of interest on this issue. And, of course, I don't want my book to be banned. Contrary to what some folks believe, book bans But I'm a straight white guy, who wrote a book – a By opposing book bans in my backyard, I'm speaking up to protect free expression, not my own bottom line. I am defending the local libraries I love, and the civic-minded folks who work there. I am affirming the Rhode Island Library Association's Advertisement Rhode Islanders would never agree to change our state motto from 'Hope' to 'Fear.' Nor would we ever rename the statue atop the state house as the 'Semi-Independent Man.' And yet efforts to pull books from local shelves move us in this direction. Let's pass the 'Freedom to Read' bills and leave book bans in the past where they belong. Philip Eil is a freelance journalist and author based in Providence, his hometown. He is a member of the Rhode Island Chapter of Authors Against Book Bans.
