Latest news with #bookban
Russia Today
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Russia Today
Ukrainians up in arms over author of ‘mail-order bride Elena Zelenska' novel
A Ukrainian publishing house has destroyed books by American romance writer Sophie Lark, who was accused of praising Russia and disparaging Ukrainians. The Kharkov-based publisher KSD canceled the release of the Ukrainian translation of Lark's novel Brutal Prince following an outcry on social media. Ukrainian bloggers took issue with her 2024 'romantic thriller' Monarch, whose main character is named Elena Zelenska – almost like the real-life wife of Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, Elena Zelenskaya. In the novel, Zelenska is described as 'the world's most unlikely mail-order bride,' according to the book's description on Amazon. Other users claimed the author was 'romanticizing the Russian mafia' in her other books and depicting Crimea as Russian territory. Some labeled Lark 'a fan of Russia,' accused her of promoting 'pro-Russian' narratives, and claimed she called for 'the murder of Cossacks' in her novel Anastasia, which centers on the Russian imperial Romanov dynasty. In a statement issued on Friday, KSD admitted that the decision to publish Lark's book 'was a mistake.' 'After thoroughly examining the situation and not receiving a response from the author, we have decided to destroy all 30,000 copies of the book and cancel the contract for the entire six-book series,' the publisher said on Facebook. 'It is important for us to remain responsible not only in our publishing decisions, but also in our moral principles.' Ukraine has banned multiple books, films, and songs under its laws prohibiting 'the propaganda of Russian imperial policies.' It has also removed monuments and renamed streets as part of its 'de-Communization' and 'decolonization' campaigns. The government recently announced plans to remove Russian writers, poets, and composers from the school curriculum. In March, US publisher Bloom Books pulled Lark's novel Sparrow and Vine after some readers described parts of the dialogue as racist and criticized lines in which characters praised tech billionaire Elon Musk. Lark apologized at the time, saying she had intended to write 'flawed' characters.
Malay Mail
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Home Ministry bans seven books including ‘Tuan Ziyad: Forbidden Love', ‘Kougar 2' for threatening morality, public order
KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — The Ministry of Home Affairs has banned seven books under the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, citing concerns over content that could undermine public morality or threaten societal harmony. The prohibition orders were gazetted between 15 and 17 April 2025, with Tuan Ziyad: Forbidden Love by Bellesa and Kougar 2 by Shaz Johar among those banned for content deemed potentially harmful to morality. Other titles included Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood and The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas, that were also banned for the same reason. Local works Darlingku Mr. Cold Mafia by Nur Firsha Nadia and Mischievous Killer by Aira Syuhairah Noradzan were similarly listed as being potentially harmful to morality. Meanwhile Suhuf Abraham, was banned over concerns that it could threaten public order. According to the ministry, 'This prohibition order under Act 301 serves as a mechanism of control and prevention before any threat or harm occurs.' Under Section 7(1) of the Act, the possession, distribution, printing, or sale of any banned publication is strictly prohibited. Violators may face fines of up to RM5,000 for possession, or up to RM20,000 and/or three years' imprisonment for distribution-related offences. 'The government remains committed to regulating and enforcing controls on printing and publishing, particularly to prevent the spread of elements, beliefs or movements that could disrupt security and public order,' the ministry said.
CBC
27-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
What books are acceptable in Alberta schools?
The Alberta government is aiming to create province-wide standard for K-12 schools, after it says books with explicit sexual content have been found in some libraries, including sexual activities, nudity, profanity and derogatory terms.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill would give parents more say in removing what they call obscene, 'harmful' reading materials
A year after a similar proposal was rejected, the campaign to give parents more power when it comes to trying to ban any 'harmful' books and periodicals in public schools has cleared the New Hampshire Legislature. Critics charge the legislation (HB 324) is a book ban that violates local control and will have a chilling effect on what librarians and teachers decide to introduce that could be considered sexually graphic, yet have significant literary value. 'Every student deserves the freedom to read and to see themselves reflected in the pages of their books, but this book ban infringes upon the right to read for Granite State youth and could criminalize New Hampshire teachers, librarians, and even school board members,' said Megan Tuttle, president of the National Education Association of New Hampshire. The association is the largest union representing public school educators as well as all public employees in the state. State Sen. Tim Lang, R-Sanbornton, said the legislation is about transparency and consistency for how school boards treat complaints about material that a parent might view as obscene or harmful because it's not age appropriate. 'This bill doesn't ban a single book; it establishes a process where a parent sees material he or she views as harmful and can bring it to the attention of the local school board. If the board disagrees then, no, it's not removed,' Lang said. The legislation now makes moves to the desk of Gov. Kelly Ayotte, who has yet to weigh in publicly on the matter. The intent, supporters believe, is in keeping with Ayotte's insistence that parents get more of a say over what their children experience in public schools. 'This bill poses a significant threat to our children's access to diverse educational materials and places unnecessary pressure on our teachers—particularly during an ongoing teacher shortage,' said MacKenzie Nicholson, senior director of New Hampshire MomsRising, the group leading a local coalition opposed to it. 'We urge the Governor to veto HB 324, and we will continue to advocate on this issue until she does.' Barrett Christina, executive director of the New Hampshire School Board Association, said local boards already have their own policies that deal with objectionable material. 'William Shakespeare's literature contains significant amounts of sexual references and innuendos and it would be nonsensical to disallow schools from using Shakespeare readings,' Christina told the Senate Education Committee during a recent hearing. 'If the bill's provisions were interpreted from an overly broad perspective, this bill could have this effect.' Supporter: Shakespeare is OK Sen. Daryl Abbas, R-Salem, said that's a deliberate misreading of the bill since it states no material may be removed that has 'serious literary, scientific, medical, artistic, or political value for minors.' 'I may not like all of Shakespeare, but none of it would be banned,' Abbas said. 'Now Hustler magazine? That is sort of what is being banned if the school board finds that it is harmful to minors.' The Senate's final passage last week, on a party line 15-8 vote, marked a crowning achievement for its chief sponsor, Rep. Glenn Cordelli, R-Tuftonboro, who chairs the House Education Policy and Administration Committee. Cordelli has long tried to end the exemption that public education has had from obscenity laws. State prosecutors have told him should the legislation become law it's unlikely anyone will be criminally prosecuted. 'Books containing sexually explicit content have no space in New Hampshire schools,' Cordelli testified recently. 'The books offered in schools should be age-appropriate and further the educational experience of our youth.' The issue crystalizes how elections have consequences. The narrowly-divided House of Representatives last year voted 187-162 to kill a near identical bill (HB 1419). Cordelli then had the embarrassment of the House voting to indefinitely postpone the topic. That's a parliamentary death penalty of sorts that meant it couldn't come back to that chamber in any form until 2025 at the earliest. Cordelli didn't suffer an avalanche of GOP defectors to his idea; only six House Republicans opposed it last year. Thanks to the ballots cast by voters in all 400 House districts last November, House Republicans gained about two dozen seats. That's why in March, Cordelli's bill passed the House 183-148 with just three GOP members against it, Reps. Joe Guthrie of Hampstead, David Nagel of Gilmanton and Brian Taylor of Freedom. Rep. Manoj Chourasi, D-Nashua, was the lone House Democrat in support. Katie DeAngelis said as a victim of sexual assault she suffered when she was 6, it was graphically-written books about this traumatizing experience befalling others that became one of the first ways she uncovered the severity of the crime committed against her. Reading books as a child helped her heal, DeAngelis told the Senate education panel. Kevin Gagnon of Salem said he found multiple books that were available, but to him, were unsuitable for children to read. His protests got nowhere with the local school board, principal and superintendent, which brought him to a state Senate committee last month. The entire episode led him to remove his child from public school, Gagnon said. If signed, the law would take effect Jan. 1. Then, all school districts by Nov. 1, 2026, must come up with a complaint resolution policy. Within 10 days of any complaint, unless both parties agree to a different schedule, the principal must respond to the parent whether the material will be removed or remain. Those unhappy with the decision can appeal it to the school board. If it is still not overturned, they can petition the state Board of Education. The bill also gives the parent a legal cause of action to sue in civil court against a school or district and get legal fees and a $1,000 award for each violation if the parent prevails. Senate Democratic Leader Rebecca Perkins Kwoka of Portsmouth tried to get added to the bill a provision that the school district get legal fees paid if it wins that lawsuit; the Senate rejected that by an identical 15-8 partisan vote with all GOP senators in opposition. Gilles Bissonette, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire, said since 1976 the state has had a prohibition against minors getting harmful materials, but said the legislation goes way beyond that standard and would be unconstitutional. The bill's restriction on all materials containing 'nudity and sexual arousal' was too expansive, he said. Sen. Debra Altschiller, D-Stratham, focused on how unpopular the policy appears to be. She cited a University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll that found two-thirds of respondents disagreed with the state setting 'policy procedures for reading materials.' Online, 39 signed up in the Senate in favor of the bill with 1,367 opposed. Similarly in the House, there were 47 supporters and 1,355 opponents. 'This is a roadmap with all signs pointing to book bans,' Altschiller said. Sen. Denise Ricciardi, R-Bedford, said all parents should rise and insist that sexually inappropriate material come off school library and classroom shelves. 'When you have 'Gender Queer' in a second grader's school and it's got pornographic drawings and parents read excerpts from it, that's a problem,' she added. klandrigan@
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Florida leaders send letter to Hillsborough Schools demanding certain books deemed inappropriate be removed
The Brief The Hillsborough School District came under fire after the Florida attorney general demanded certain books the state deemed inappropriate be removed from libraries. Uthmeier sent a letter addressed to Hillsborough school board members, identifying several books he considered "pornographic." This comes after Florida's education commissioner sent a letter to Hillsborough Schools' superintendent last week, identifying two books he considers inappropriate. TAMPA, Fla. - The Hillsborough County School District came under fire this week after Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier demanded certain books the state deemed inappropriate be removed from school libraries. Big picture view Uthmeier sent a letter addressed to Hillsborough school board members. In it, Uthmeier identified several books he considers "pornographic" and wrote that the materials should be immediately removed. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube "You should undertake an immediate review of your current collection to remove any additional harmful, sexualized content that has errantly been presented to students," Uthmeier wrote. "Your obligations under the constitution, state statute, and your own policies demand it. And so do I. I will monitor your actions to determine whether formal legal action by my office is warranted." The backstory This comes after Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz sent a letter to Hillsborough Schools Superintendent Van Ayres last week, identifying two books he considers inappropriate, but available in some high school libraries: 'Call Me By Your Name' and 'Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts).' Diaz ordered the superintendent to attend the upcoming Florida Board of Education meeting and explain why the materials are still on bookshelves. Uthmeier identified several additional materials that he believes should be removed. READ: Hillsborough County Public Schools wins 'U.S. District of the Year' award What they're saying Julie Gebhards, a parental rights advocate who has worked with Moms for Liberty, applauded the move. She said she's been sharing what she considers inappropriate content from books in question on her social media accounts to try to bring attention to them. "I'm really grateful and for just the accountability that comes when someone like the attorney general of Florida is writing to your district, and you know, leaning in saying, why aren't you doing anything about this?" said Gebhards. "This is a violation of the law. That is traction that we need desperately so that we can protect these kids from really awful content." Anti-censorship advocates, including the Florida Freedom to Read Project, meanwhile, believe this is an overreach by the state. "This is now the third attempt from somebody at the state to pressure books off the shelves against those in the community. None of these books have faced formal objections. None of them have gone through a committee review process," said Stefana Ferrell, with the Freedom to Read Project. "Every community should get to decide its standards. Based on the needs and interests of the students and the socioeconomic needs of the community." MORE: Why student loan delinquencies are soaring - and credit scores are dropping The other side In a response letter to Diaz that the district provided to FOX 13 on Friday, Ayres outlined the actions taken. The superintendent wrote he directed the Library Media Services department to remove from all schools the books identified by the state as inappropriate. He also directed the department to place "under review" any other title the state has included on lists of potentially questionable material. Ayres also outlined potential policy changes to ensure the district is in compliance with state standards and statutes. The Hillsborough school district has previously said it follows state law regarding book challenges and allows any community member to do so. The books are then subject to reviews by a school committee, the school board and potentially the state. The Source The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13's Aaron Mesmer. WATCH FOX 13 NEWS: STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app:Apple |Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
