Proposed censorship measures in several US states could keep you from being allowed to read some books in our Nation's libraries.
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Books are being banned in libraries across the country simply because a handful of extremists disagree with the content of the books.
Some of these measures could also lead to the arrest of librarians as a result of their commitment to free speech and access to library materials.
Some provide monetized incentives to ban books.
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Librarians in states like Texas, Indiana, and Wyoming are facing measures that mean that they may soon find themselves under attack for stocking books against racism and about the lives and experiences of LGBT Americans.
“Not being told what to think taught me how to think,” one library advocate pointed out on social media.
New threats to librarians and their defense of free speech come in the wake of educators across the country being forced to defend the use of books that object to racism in their classrooms in the face of politically inspired complaints.
Recent news stories such as educators and librarians reporting being required to stock books that present opposing viewpoints (in favor) on the Holocaust have left many Americans feeling shocked and confused. In a campaign tactic to increase his name recognition and rally support, a candidate for Texas Attorney General recently succeeded in ordering school librarians to identify which of 850 book titles are currently in their school’s collection. In Wyoming, many have called for the removal of books that they disagree with accompanied by criminal charges and arrests for librarians found to be in noncompliance. In Indiana, a bill that would punish schools and public libraries for sharing “harmful material” with minors, was withdrawn before its final reading in the Senate by the author of the bill, Sen. Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville. According to this bill, schools and public libraries would be at risk for Level 6 felonies if parents disagreed with the books on the shelves.