We're back! With links
The Senate Judiciary hearing, Hoboken's "sanctuary" law and more
I’m catching up after August’s childcare desert, a summer vacation, onboarding for a new editing gig and a quick bout of COVID, whew! Below, some highlights from this week in book bans.
The Senate Judiciary Committee met to discuss censorship.
On Tuesday, representatives got together to debate the legality of book removals and whether they infringe on First Amendment rights. The hearing lasted over two hours and featured testimony from the president of Parents Defending Education — a conservative grassroots group against “indoctrination” — as well as the chair of the board of the National Coalition Against Censorship. But the biggest breakout moment by far was when Louisiana Senator John Kennedy, 71, read explicit passages aloud from two controversial novels: Gender Queer and All Boys Aren’t Blue. In his lilting Southern accent, the gray-haired official shared scenes describing oral and anal sex. It’s worth a look — if only for Illinois Secretary of State Alex Giannoulias’s response afterwards.
Hoboken adopted a ban — on book bans
The New Jersey city, which has been revitalized in the past twenty years thanks to its PATH train access, has declared itself a “book sanctuary,” meaning it won’t entertain book bans.
A Libertarian think tank argued against public libraries, and public schools
The Cato Institute, founded by Charles Koch, published a lengthy statement in which it conceded that book bans go against libertarian ideals — but apparently so does public education. That’s because a system of curating books is inherently biased, and therefore shouldn’t be subject to public tax dollars. “The violation of liberty occurs with the existence of public libraries and schools, institutions for which all, diverse people must pay, but unless librarians or other authorities select books at random, or purchase every book ever published, must elevate the speech and values of some over that of others,” the author writes. The essay ends with an argument for “school choice,” a conservative proposal where the government would essentially stop funding public schools and instead reinvest that money into other existing educational models (private schools, religious schools, even home schooling) by way of a voucher system. Tres Koch-y.
Sex ed tome ‘It’s Perfectly Normal’ made a writer rethink book banners
In Slate, journalist and NJ dad Aymann Ismail writes about how the graphic illustrations in It’s Perfectly Normal — which depict sex and masturbation — shocked him enough that he started to empathize with book banners. But ultimately, he came to understand that the book, by Robie Harris, might actually inoculate adolescents with knowledge in a world where much less sensitive graphic content is available at the click of a button. Nuanced, and worth a peek.
A site published a shoppable list of banned books, by state
Florida and Texas are really bringing the thunder. Pretty cool, Harper’s Bazaar.
And finally, a plea: If you’re enjoying Banner Year, please share it with your friends and colleagues. It’s free!