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LIBRARIES In his October video, Dorr reads To fight back against the self- Coeur D’Alene, Idaho a blog post titled “May God and the anointed censor, the library is display- Books that a patron judged to be crit- Homosexuals of OC Pride Please For- ing the recently found missing movies ical of President Donald Trump disap- give Us!” from his website, which he with a sign that reads: “The Berkley peared from the shelves of the Coeur calls “Rescue The Perishing.” The Public Library is against censorship. d’Alene Public Library. video ends with Dorr burning Two Someone didn’t want you to check Librarian Bette Ammon fished this Boys Kissing, a young adult novel by these items out. They deliberately hid complaint from the suggestion box: David Levithan; Morris Micklewhite all of these items so you wouldn’t find “I noticed a large volume of books and the Tangerine Dress, a children’s them. This is not how libraries work.” attacking our president. And I am book about a boy who likes to wear a Arnsman said the most recent Fifty going to continue hiding these books tangerine dress, by Christine Balda- Shades movie, Fifty Shades Freed, was in the most obscure places I can find cchino; This Day In June, a picture noticed missing in mid-June. A year to keep this propaganda out of the book about a pride parade, by Gayle ago, she said, the second of three Fifty hands of young minds. Your liberal E. Pitman, and Families, Families, Fam- Shades movies, Fifty Shades Darker, angst gives me great pleasure.” ilies! by Suzanne and Max Lang, about also went mysteriously missing. The The library posted the note on a nontraditional families. library bought a new copy of that bulletin board, along with a typed Since then, several GoFundMe movie and nothing else happened. note from the library. The library pages and Facebook fundraisers have “This time they went missing and invited the patron to provide titles raised thousands of dollars for the because of it happening a year before, that s/he would like to see, adding: library—much more than the roughly we kind of had a feeling it was delib- “We are sorry you feel the need to $50 needed to replace the burned erate,” Arnsman said. hide books you don’t agree with since books. The library bought new copies of that takes up valuable time to reorder Dorr calls Rescue The Perishing a the movie on DVD and Blu-ray to and replace lost titles.” Reported in: “crisis center and pro-life, pro-family replace the missing movie. Then, the Spokane Spokesman-Review, Septem- movement.” He has declined to be new copies of the movie and older ber 27. interviewed and indicated that he will copies of the other movies in the tril- not pay any library fines or fees for the ogy went missing. Orange City, Iowa destroyed books. Additional investigation by the More than 200 books have been Orange City is the county seat of library showed the movie Eyes Wide donated to the Orange City Public Sioux County, known as the most con- Shut and the documentary Jerusalem Library in northwest Iowa after a man servative county in the state. Reported also were missing. checked out—and then burned—four in: Sioux City Journal, October 28; Des Most of the movies were found LGBTQ children’s books on October Moines Register, October 31. hidden in the library, though Arns- 19. Religious activist Paul Dorr threw man did not want to reveal specifi- four library books into a burning trash Berkley, Michigan cally where the movies were hidden. can while streaming live on Facebook. Someone has been hiding or remov- Copies of the older Fifty Shades mov- He burned the books in protest of the ing the Berkley Public Library’s tril- ies have not been found, but new cop- city’s second annual gay pride event. ogy of Fifty Shades movies that depict ies have been purchased. The library had faced criticism consensual sexual bondage, as well as In all, Arnsman said the library has earlier this year, when members of two other films on DVD. The library spent more than $100 to replace the the conservative, historically Dutch says it is censorship. movies, but now has all of them in Reformed community spoke out “One of the tenets of being a DVD and Blu-ray formats for patrons against LGBTQ books held by the library and being a librarian is access to check out. No one has come for- library. In response to the uproar, to all information. You can’t pick and ward to say they took or moved the the library in March 2018 changed choose what you’re going to carry. If movies. Arnsman doesn’t expect the its classification system and opted to patrons want that, we have to provide person to do so, either. arrange books by subject and cate- that information, even if it is a feature She said the trilogy of Fifty Shades gory instead of alphabetically by the film,” said Lauren Arnsman, a refer- books (on which the movies were author’s name. ence librarian at the library. based) has not gone missing.

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Arnsman said about 14,000 peo- the book mistakenly. Each family was sending a message of advocacy on the ple are in the library’s service area of contacted and offered a replacement part of the library, which he wanted Berkley, Michigan, but the library book. to maintain as a neutral space. Library also has patrons from Southfield, Meehan said something like a staff, however, saw the policy as dis- Huntington Woods, Oak Park and rating system on books could have criminatory and directly in conflict Ferndale. helped prevent this. with the American Library Associa- She said she was surprised at the “It’s not appropriate for kids,” she tion’s Library Bill of Rights. positive comments and community said. “It would’ve been nice to be able In June 2017, WCLS employee support voiced after the Facebook to pick up the book and see an “M” Natalie Daniel created an exhibit posts. for mature and explicit sexual con- for Pride Month titled “Got Pride?” Supporters praised the library for its tent and language and I could’ve said, featuring a collection of LGBTQ- recent display of the formerly missing ‘OK, that’s not for us.’” Reported in: themed material. Some patrons movies and its stance, with comments KFOX14 TV, July 6. reportedly complained, according to ranging from “thank you” to “love Tucker, as did an unnamed county my library.” Reported in: Detroit Free Plano, Texas official. Tucker, who is in charge of Press, July 3, July 5. The Plano Library in Septem- WCLS’s eight branches, instructed ber removed Holy Terror, a graphic workers to change the display mid- El Paso, Texas novel by Frank Miller, from circula- month to “June is Pride Month,” and An El Paso mom complained to a tion, in response to concerns raised to remove from the display additional local TV station that her son received by the Dallas/Fort Worth chapter LGBTQ resources linked to outside an “inappropriate” book from a local of the Council on American Islamic organizations. Although the rest of the library. Tiffany Meehan’s kids took Relations. display remained in place throughout part in a summer reading program CAIR-DFW Executive Director the month, Tucker issued a direc- at the Jenna Welch and Laura Bush John Janney had asked the library to tive that future displays should not Community Library. They received see if there were any standards, poli- be LGBTQ-themed. Some patrons a goodie bag with a free book at the cies, or code of ethics that the publicly would interpret such signage as “advo- end of the program. funded library followed when faced cating for that point of view” on the Her 11-year-old son, Harrison, with publications that dehumanize or part of the library, he told the press. got a book titled Will Grayson, Will marginalize minorities—especially This year, library staff was again Grayson, an LBGT-themed young when those publications are targeted instructed not to create a display adult novel by John Green and David at children. After a short conversation specifically pointing to LGBTQ- Levithan. Harrison said he read three with a library representative about the themed material. Instead, the display paragraphs before taking it to his library’s screening process, the library addressed the broader theme of diver- mom. reviewed the graphic novel and agreed sity, featuring material on race, reli- “I read it and it had a bunch of cuss to withdraw it from circulation. gion, sexual orientation—including words,” Harrison said. Miller conceived the novel as LGBTQ materials—and other topics, Meehan said it only got more response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, with signage reading “Libraries are for graphic from there. “As I flipped but in 2018 he expressed some regret everyone.” through, it just got worse and worse. for the book. Reported in: cair.com, To supplement the display, some (It was) very sexually explicit and it September 19. employees had buttons made that uses many curse words,” she said. said “Ask me about LGBTQ Reads.” She took the book to the library Washington County, Utah LGBTQ Reads is a website which to find out why it was given to her Library staff at the Hurricane branch features LGBTQ-themed material, 11-year-old. She was told it was a of Utah’s Washington County Library author interviews, guest blogs, and mix-up and that book was only sup- System (WCLS) were told to change more. Again, claimed Tucker, patrons posed to be for students between 13 signage on LTBTQ-themed displays complained, and he directed employ- and 17 years old. and stop wearing buttons pointing ees to take their buttons off—also cit- KFOX14 reached out to the library. library visitors to LGBTQ resources. ing the library’s dress and appearance An official said about four children in Director Joel Tucker stated that policy, which called for a “business the 10-12-year-old age range received promoting LGBTQ materials was casual” appearance. “Buttons of any

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kind are not in line with that pro- When Tucker acknowledged that freedom to read, think and explore fessional appearance,” he told Library he did not consider Black History new ideas.” It also pointed to Journal. Month displays controversial, Mark resources such as ALA’s Exhibit Spaces Ammon Treasure, a clerk at the Chambers, a former town council- and Bulletin Boards guidelines and Hurricane branch, was one of the man, state senate candidate, and mem- NCAC’s “Museum Best Practices for library workers who spoke out against ber of Equality Utah, stated, “When Managing Controversy.” Tucker’s actions. Treasure first went to you say Black History Month is not “All of our policies conform with the WCLS human resources depart- controversial, but our month is, you the Library Bill of Rights,” Tucker ment, but was dissatisfied with the are dismissing us.” told LJ on August 20, “and seek to response, which he described as “I would like to have found more further our mission of providing peo- repeating Tucker’s justification. So he common ground,” Tucker told St. ple with materials, information, and reached out to a local paper, The Spec- George News after the forum. “I strive the space to promote ideas, inspire trum; the story was then picked up by to be accepting to all people and all lifelong learning, and strengthen a number of media outlets, including perspectives, and the LGBTQ com- communities.” Good4Utah.com, St George News, The munity is a part of that. I want them Tucker and WCLS are report- Advocate, and the Associated Press. to feel included and a part of the edly drafting a new policy. Trea- Treasure explained that highlight- library.” sure said on August 20, “I’ve been ing LGBTQ resources in the library However, he told Good4Utah.com, informed that our library system will is not the same as promoting an if that common ground could not be be forming a committee to create agenda—and that forbidding such dis- reached he considered banning all dis- new policies about displays—in which plays undermines the library’s role as plays throughout the WCLS system. they will be working closely with a safe space. “There are a lot of peo- ALA weighed in as well. James state librarians experienced with the ple who have yet to come out of the LaRue, director of ALA’s Office Library Bill of Rights and upholding closet, or are unsure of the environ- for Intellectual Freedom, told intellectual freedom.” Reported in: ment we’re in, whether or not they’re Good4Utah, “Libraries providing Library Journal, August 21. going to be ridiculed,” Treasure told robust services and lots of informa- Good4Utah. “We wanted to be able tion about the world is just business Berkeley Springs, to provide all of our community with as usual—that’s our whole purpose in West Virginia information that they need.” public life. . . . We very much believe “There are fearless libraries, and then The library had built displays that the kinds of displays that go on in there are libraries without Fear.” That around other holidays and topics, Pride Month . . . are just part of the was how the Washington Post started Treasure noted, such as Black His- human condition, and it makes perfect a story about whether the Morgan tory Month and St. Patrick’s Day. sense for them to be in libraries.” County Public Library would carry “My hope is that by coming for- The National Coalition Against Bob Woodward’s book Fear, about the ward we can start an important con- Censorship (NCAC), joined by mem- Trump administration. versation about inclusion and work bers of Lambda Legal, the National Originally, Donna Crocker, the toward eliminating the stigma that Council of Teachers of English, the director of the library, wanted to still surrounds this topic,” he told The Utah Library Association, and ALA, keep the book out of the library in Spectrum. sent Tucker an open letter on August the small town of Berkeley Springs Representatives from the advo- 16. The letter read, in part, “Not only in West Virginia. She confirmed that cacy group Equality Utah convened is suppressing LGBTQ displays likely the library had no copies of Fear, but a public forum at the St. George to be a violation of the First Amend- she declined to answer any questions branch library on August 9, where ment, it further marginalizes a vul- about her decision. “I don’t want to they met with library officials and nerable minority group and would set get in the middle of that,” she said on staff. There, Tucker explained that a dangerous precedent of intolerance September 14. “We have other Trump LGBTQ displays have been banned at to purportedly controversial ideas. books.” all of Washington County’s libraries, Such a culture of prejudice is toxic Later that day, Connie Perry, the noting, “If you put up a display that in any community forum, especially president of the trustees of the Mor- says LGBTQ, you’re pushing away a the library where everyone should gan County Public Library, said the segment of our society.” be equally welcome and guaranteed library board did not know that the

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library director had refused to accept Our whole credibility as an institution band’s repertoire until a new fight a donated copy of Fear until the issue rests on our willingness to provide song is selected. was raised in media reports. “The access to the most current information Passions are running high among board didn’t know anything about in our culture. . . . but that’s a local some in Arab, where many are still this,” Perry said. “We have corrected decision.” upset by school leaders’ decision a few that. The book has been accepted—in Berkeley Springs is the county seat years ago to comply with a Supreme fact, two of them.” of Morgan County, which voted 75 Court decision and end student-led Perry, who once chaired the com- percent for Donald Trump in the 2016 Christian prayers over the public mittee to raise money to build the election. Reported in: Washington address system before football games. library, said, “Our policy always has Post, September 14, September 15. Complaints about “Dixie” have been that we accept books. This just renewed the debate over the role of got blown out of proportion. It was SCHOOLS religion in pregame ceremonies. an employee who . . . wasn’t aware Arab, Alabama The “Dixie” debate isn’t brew- of what she should have done. She The fight over Confederate symbol- ing just in Arab, an overwhelmingly should have just said, ‘Thank you.’ ism has landed in an Alabama town, white town of about 8,200 people. The board has corrected that.” where education leaders have banned Fans of the tune also are complain- Perry noted that the library’s initial the high school marching band from ing in Glade Spring, Virginia, after decision not to carry Fear had become playing “Dixie” as the fight song. leaders there prohibited the band from a major issue in Berkeley Springs. Dozens of opponents of the deci- playing “Dixie” during games this fall “More and more people want to read sion packed a city school board meet- at Patrick Henry High School. it now,” she said. ing August 30 in support of the tune, Written by Ohio native Daniel D. The issue arose when Berkeley which they depict as a traditional part Emmett, “Dixie’s Land” was first per- Springs resident Rob Campbell of the soundtrack of life in their small, formed on stage in New York in 1859, thought he could help out his library Southern town rather than an ode to two years before the Civil War, said by donating a copy of Fear. He wrote the days of slavery in the Old South. historian and musician Bobby Horton, a letter to the local newspaper, the “We’re from Alabama, we’re not who performed some of the music for Morgan Messenger, saying, “Recently from New York,” said Daniel Haynes, Ken Burns’ epic miniseries “The Civil I called to offer Fear, the new Wood- 36, who attended Arab (“AY-rab”) War.” ward book, but the library declined High School and loves hearing the “It was written as what they called my offer saying they wouldn’t be tune played after the Knights score a a walk-around tune . . . for a minstrel putting books like that on the shelves touchdown. show. It was like a tune between acts,” anymore.” He notes in his letter that Board members didn’t budge. The said Horton. he is happy to share his copy with 750-student school has a new prin- Later known simply as “Dixie,” the anyone else who wants to read it. “I cipal, band director, football coach, song became an unofficial anthem of decided to be a library of one book,” and stadium this year, said Superin- the rebel states after it was played at he wrote. tendent John Mullins, and the change the inauguration of Confederate Pres- James LaRue, director of the was needed in a system where the ident Jefferson Davis in 1861. Presi- Office of Intellectual Freedom for the core values include mutual respect and dent Abraham Lincoln loved the tune American Library Association, said unity. and asked for it to be played at the public libraries should make selection “I really think it’s the right decision White House the night Confederate decisions based on the reputation of for the right reason at the right time,” Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered, said the publisher and the author, the qual- Mullins said in an interview. Horton. ity of reviews, and the level of com- Supporters of the song say they’ll University and high school bands munity demand. now take their complaints to the across the South played “Dixie” for “Community demand is an inter- City Council, which appoints the generations, but the practice waned as esting question,” LaRue said. “It may five-member school board, but it’s complaints rose about the song being well be that there is a majoritarian unclear what might happen next. An a painful, racially insensitive reminder view on this issue, but that does not old R&B song, “The Horse,” has of the oppression of slavery. mean that a library should sacrifice its temporarily replaced “Dixie” in the The University of Mississippi’s obligation to present the other side. “Pride of the South” marching band

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excluded the song from its playlist in The Conejo Valley Unified School and parents should read the book and 2016, and the Marching Rebels band District board voted 3-2, with trustees know the child.” This is the now- of Robert E. Lee High School in Pat Phelps and Betsy Connolly dis- defunct language that was formerly on Midland, Texas, quit playing “Dixie” senting, to keep the policy intact with the Department of Education website. last year. language that’s since been removed After the changes made in the spring, Southern historian Wayne Flynt, from the California Department of that annotation in Conejo Valley will who remembers the song being sung Education website. There were nearly include a timestamp of October 2017. in segregated schools in Alabama in 30 speakers at a board meeting August Throughout the process, com- the 1940s when he was a boy, said 21, roughly evenly split in favor and munity members on either side of some view it as an anthem of regional against the policy. the argument turned out to school pride. But “Dixie” and other Con- The revival of the policy last spring board meetings in droves to voice federate emblems became symbols of came after the state’s Department of their opinions. Board members often white defiance against desegregation. Education removed language used by engaged in heated debate. This summer in Arab, Mullins the district to flag titles with mature From the dais, Everett defended released a statement saying the song content on high school English sylla- the literature policy on August 21 by was being dropped because it has buses with an asterisk. reading several letters from parents “negative connotations that contra- During the discussion preceding who expressed a desire to have such a dict our school district’s core values of the earlier vote in May, the board vio- policy in place. unity, integrity, and relationships.” lated the state’s open meetings law, the Everett’s critics have often asserted The song hadn’t previously been an Brown Act, by not producing cop- there weren’t many people to whom issue in Arab, which Census statistics ies of the revised policy that trustee this policy applied and that in the past, show is more than 96 percent white. Sandee Everett presented to the board, parents were always permitted to opt But through the years, the band didn’t despite pleas from the public. A let- their children out of a literature title if play the song when visiting more ter from the Ventura County District they chose. That practice wasn’t codi- diverse schools, officials said. Attorney’s Office didn’t require the fied by the board, however. School board members have pub- board to vote again on the matter, but Board member Betsy Connolly, licly supported Mullins’ decision to board President John Andersen said one of the dissenters, talked at the give up “Dixie.” trustees were doing so to avoid expos- meeting about the division the policy The board president, former Arab ing the district to a potential lawsuit has caused on the board and in the football coach Wayne Trimble, said from members of the public. community. Yet Connolly hoped the his views were shaped by an incident The district’s core literature policy, board could move past the controver- from the late 1970s when an oppos- which passed 3-1 last fall, was met sies of the past year and hoped trustees ing head coach said he wasn’t sure he with criticism manifesting out of a would reflect on the role they may could convince players on his team debate dating back more than a year, have played “in coming to such a dark to make the trip to Arab because of when Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely place.” “Dixie.” True Diary of a Part-Time Indian was During public comment, those “That has stuck with me a long suggested as a title for ninth-grade against the policy pleaded with the time,” Trimble said in an interview. English students. board to reconsider or postpone vot- “Is that the way we want Arab to be Everett authored the revised board ing August 21. But others thanked perceived?” Reported in: Associated policy last fall after the board desig- the board, particularly Everett, for Press, August 31. nated a committee of administrators their hard work in enacting this pol- and teachers to create one and include icy. Reported in: Ventura County Star, Conejo Valley, California the California Department of Educa- August 22. Parents will still see controversial tion annotations to notify parents of asterisks on their child’s syllabus to mature themes. Petaluma, California flag books with mature content in Books with asterisks are flagged Somebody at Petaluma High in Pet- Conejo Valley high schools after the with this note: “This book was pub- aluma, California, apparently cut board voted to keep its policy as is, lished for an adult readership and the microphone on its valedictorian, following an open-meetings act viola- thus contains mature content. Before 17-year-old Lulabel Seitz, at the grad- tion during a revote last spring. handing the text to a child, educators uation ceremony on June 2. Seitz says

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officials had warned her not to men- noble of them. But the lesson of this mistake. “It’s difficult to believe they tion being the victim of an alleged moment is that things have changed. didn’t know,” he said. sexual assault on campus and what she And women no longer need “Children don’t have to be look- claims was the school’s failure to take permission. ing for porn,” Robin Paterson said in action when she reported it. a statement. “They can stumble into For the first few minutes, she Reported in: Miami Herald, June 13. it in these EBSCO databases. Imag- obeyed that restriction, concentrating ine how that might affect your grade instead on standard-issue stuff: hopes, Greenwood Village, schooler.” dreams, and overcoming adversity. Colorado, and EBSCO, based in Birmingham, But when she turned to the forbidden Salt Lake City, Utah Alabama, provides databases that topic, her microphone mysteriously EBSCO’s online research databases, contain thousands of scholarly and stopped working. used in libraries across the United popular magazine articles for research “Let her speak!” people cried out. States, have been removed from some projects. By last count, the company But she was not allowed to finish. school libraries in Colorado. In Utah, services 55,000 schools nationwide. That wasn’t the end of the story, the databases were removed for a It also works in Canada, Europe, and though. The next day, she took to month—but then restored—at many South America, Drew Paterson said. YouTube, where she gave her speech school and public libraries, because EBSCO spokeswoman Kath- in its entirety, including the banned some parents objected to sexual con- leen McEvoy denied the allegations, sentence, a paean to perseverance that tent that was included in mainstream saying the company has worked to went as follows: “And even learning magazines and scholarly journals provide appropriate content to uni- on a campus in which some people within the database. versity libraries, public libraries, defend perpetrators of sexual assault In September, the Cherry Creek school libraries, and other organi- and silence their victims, we didn’t let School District in Greenwood Vil- zations for more than 70 years. “To that drag us down.” lage, Colorado, cancelled its EBSCO be clear, EBSCO does not include Ten days later, Lulabel Sietz’s video contract after a two-year campaign pornographic titles in its databases, had been viewed 335,379 times. And led by a couple who charged that their embed pornographic content in its the story has been reported by CNN, daughter’s online account in middle databases, or receive revenue for NBC, NPR and the Washington Post, school allowed her to see unfiltered advertising for any organization,” and other media outlets that never had pornography. Drew Paterson and his McEvoy said. “We are appalled by the planned to cover graduation ceremo- wife, Robin, followed up their vic- tenor of the allegations related to our nies at Petaluma High before that mic tory with a lawsuit against EBSCO intent and the inaccuracies of state- was cut. and the nonprofit Colorado Library ments clearly made in absence of fac- Syndicated columnist Leonard Pitts Consortium (CLiC), which helps tual information.” Jr. of the Miami Herald stated: libraries acquire resources, includ- Jim Duncan, executive director of ing the EBSCO database (see “From CLiC, declined to comment directly It should be clear that the era of the Bench,” page 44). The suit seeks to on the lawsuit against his organiza- women suffering in silence and remove the EBSCO research service tion, but said the consortium provides humiliation is over. But apparently, from schools across Colorado. a variety of infrastructure services to the memo has not yet reached Peta- Pornography is Not Education, hundreds of libraries across the state. luma. A bright young girl alleges that a parent group led by the Patersons, Public libraries, schools, and academic she was sexually assaulted and that the alleges that databases provided by libraries routinely ask the consortium people who should have helped her EBSCO Industries Inc., and distrib- to negotiate cost-saving discounts on didn’t—and administrators respond uted by the CLiC consortium, contain their behalf, including subscriptions by telling her, in effect, to shut up? In erotic and BDSM (bondage, disci- to web-based educational and research so doing, they misread the morality pline, sadomasochism) stories that products from vendors and publishers. of the moment and the limits of their could be located through innocent Less than a month after the lawsuit own power. searches by kids and their parents. was filed in Colorado, another attack “Let her speak!” demanded the Paterson said it’s unlikely EBSCO on EBSCO surfaced in Utah. In late crowd. “Let her speak!” Which was and the consortium embedded and September, a parent who accessed distributed the pornography by the EBSCO database from her home

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said she found inappropriate materi- to the database. “In blocking access will use less tightly controlled search als and raised concerns with the Utah to the 275 million articles to over engines such as Google, and will Education and Telehealth Network, 800,000 students across the state of be more likely to rely on their own also called the Utah Education Net- Utah who rely on these extremely smartphones rather than school or work (UEN). UEN provides services, safe, curated and filtered research public library computers. As LaRue including access to databases, at many databases to do their homework every put it, “Students will be left, liter- school and public libraries across day, UEN has erred, has made a bad ally, to their own devices.” Reported Utah. choice,” Bromberg said. “The deci- in: ebsco.com, September 15, 2017; Even though the access was not sion ignored the facts and was based Journal of Intellectual Freedom & Privacy, gained within schools, which officials on the report of someone searching Fall-Winter 2017-18; KUTV-2 News, say have filtering software intended for 45 minutes on her home computer September 21 and October 2; uen.org, to prevent students accessing inap- in an unfiltered environment unlike October 1 and October 19; ksl.com, propriate content, UEN administra- the heavily filtered environment that October 6; Denver Post, October 10; tors quickly decided to block access, this would happen in a school setting. oif.ala.org, October 12; clicweb.org, pending an investigation. Their UEN themselves said at their board October 23. decision was later supported by the meeting they were unable to replicate UEN board on a 6-1 vote. On Octo- these results,” he said. The decision Fort Myers, Florida ber 19, UEN voted to restore access to censor millions of articles “has a Fort Myers High School removed City to EBSCO at the libraries it serves. sweeping and negative impact on stu- of Thieves, a novel by David Benioff, Before EBSCO was restored, 19 mag- dents and teachers across this state,” one of the creators of HBO’s Game of azine titles (out of a total of about he said. Thrones, from the 10th grade cur- 22,000) were removed because their Utah State Board of Education riculum. The 2008 historical com- main audience is older than K-12 stu- member Michelle Boulter noted that ing-of-age novel was removed from dents, according to Utah State Librar- EBSCO is among the National Cen- the curriculum in October, following ian Colleen Eggett. ter on Sexual Exploitation’s “Dirty a parent’s complaint that it contains EBSCO provides different tiers of Dozen” list. explicit language and depictions of access to its products: one for K-12 Board member Spencer Stokes sexual violence. students, another for higher education countered that the pro-censorship The book was one of eight texts and public libraries. The databases can organization’s “Dirty Dozen” list chosen for the high school’s 10th be customized for individual libraries also includes Amazon, Backpage. grade curriculum, each of which were or schools. com, Comcast, HBO, iBooks, Poster then randomly assigned to a select UEN was created by and funded Boys, Roku, Snap, Steam, Twitter and number of students. Parents were by the Utah legislature, initially as YouTube. “I’m sorry, but if this is the granted time to assess the appropriate- an educational television entity but ‘dirty dozen,’ I use the ‘dirty dozen.’ ness of their students’ assigned books evolving into an educational network I use like 10 of these, like I used them and invited to raise any concerns. No over time. The Utah State School last week,” Stokes said. concerns were expressed about City Board has no oversight authority over The nationwide attack on EBSCO of Thieves until after this period had the education network. The Utah in libraries was covered in depth in a ended. State Board of Education has one feature in JIPF nearly a year ago by The Florida Education Defenders, position on the network’s 13-mem- James LaRue, director of the Amer- a group of education and free expres- ber board. During the time EBSCO ican Library Association’s Office for sion advocates led by the National access was cut off, the State Board of Intellectual Freedom. Coalition Against Censorship, has Education voted on October 4 to sup- In a follow-up post on the OIF written to Lee County school officials port restoring public school students’ blog after the Colorado lawsuit was to voice opposition to their removal and teachers’ access. filed, LaRue pointed out that cen- of the acclaimed novel. Reported in Peter Bromberg, executive direc- soring EBSCO will expose chil- NCAC.org, October 19. tor of the Salt Lake City Library and dren to more pornography, not less. advocacy chairman for the Utah Without the ability to do their school Emporia, Kansas Library Association, was one of the research on a curated database filled Right before the start of Banned voices in support of restoring access with mainstream publications, they Books Week, an English teacher at

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Waverly High School in Emporia was it out and that book, until this year, were adamantly against the removal of suspended from his job for consider- I’d never had a problem with.” the book from that grade level. ing teaching Sherman Alexie’s novel, Schopper added, “I don’t want it Assistant Superintendent Jennifer The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time to look like the school’s the bad guy Arnold explained that after listening Indian. The Lebo-Waverly Unified here. Some people were upset and the to the concerns of the parents, she felt School District 243 suspended Austin school was just kind of like, ‘Well, Monster was inappropriate for eighth Schopper from teaching for nine days OK, we’ll try to make everybody graders. “It wasn’t just because a par- starting September 11. Parents also happy.’ I just want to make that very ent or a couple of parents wanted this complained about his thinking about clear—I don’t blame the school.” pulled, I wouldn’t do that,” she said, teaching Me and Earl and the Dying While Schopper was unwilling adding she had broached the issue to Girl, by Jesse Andrews. to talk about his feelings about the other members of school administra- Alexie’s book, which first came district’s decision to suspend him, he tion. “We made the decision as a team. into print in 2007 and won the did talk about banned books in gen- I was under the impression it would be National Book Award, has frequently eral, specifically referencing an article the best thing.” Reported in: scituate drawn attention “for acknowledging written by Alexie. His summary of .wickedlocal.com, October 5. issues such as poverty, alcoholism and Alexie’s point is that “if our goal is to sexuality,” according to the American educate students and to teach them Warren, New Jersey Library Association’s website, and has the value of literature, then we need Some parents asked for the removal been challenged in school curriculums to speak to them where they’re at,” he of Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, because of profanity and situations said. “We can’t pretend like the issues a graphic memoir by Alison Bech- that were deemed sexually explicit. that our students already go through del, from the 12th grade curricu- Schopper said he wanted to teach don’t exist. I can’t imagine that there’s lum at Watchung Hills Regional the book because he read it while a class that doesn’t have a family High School in Warren Township. earning his degree at Emporia State member that struggles with addiction After hearing from parents, alumni, University, and thought it was a great or mental health or . . . poverty.” and others, who voiced opposition book that helps young people see This is Schopper’s second year as a and support for the book, the board that other people have faced the same teacher at Waverly. of education on June 19 voted for a issues. USD 243 Superintendent Corey “compromise” in which Fun Home is He had taught the book in the past, Reese said he was unable to discuss retained in the curriculum, but as one though not at Waverly. the suspension, for confidentiality rea- of several options students may read. Schopper said he came in expecting sons. Reported in: Emporia Gazette, Watchung Hills had added Fun the situation to be similar—that he’d October 3. Home after a two-year review, to be be able to teach the book. But that the last in a four-year series of graphic wasn’t the case, he quickly learned. Scituate, Massachusetts works that are being included in the “The school just kind of deter- Monster by Walter Dean Myers, a curriculum. mined, what I’m told was in response young adult novel written in the form Published in 2006, Alison Bech- to some parent concerns, that we of a screenplay by a teenaged protago- del’s book includes themes of sexual weren’t going to be teaching it,” he nist who has been charged with mur- orientation, suicide, gender roles, said. der, contains language, violence, and emotional abuse, and dysfunctional He said he was fine with this. sexual overtures that make it inappro- family life. The protagonist uses liter- Schopper said none of his students priate for seventh and eighth grade ature to further delve into an under- have ever expressed an issue with the students, Scituate school administra- standing of self and family. Besides books by Alexie and Andrews. tors decided on October 1. the content of the words, it was a few He said Me and Earl and the Dying The decision of school administra- of the book’s images which especially Girl “is consistently the only book tion to remove Monster from the mid- upset several parents, who deemed it that I’ve ever taught that we’ve had a dle school curriculum caused an out- “explicit” and “pornographic.” 100 percent completion rate with our cry. Opponents to this decision felt it In support of the book, the juniors,” he said. “We had the most was censorship. The majority of those National Coalition Against Cen- students ask to re-read it or re-check who spoke at the October 1 meeting sorship (which includes the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, American

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Booksellers for Free Expression, the novel about a junior ice hockey team Both award-winning, bestselling American Library Association, the in a small town torn apart by accusa- young adult books explore themes of Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, tions related to a violent act. racism and police brutality, issues that and the National Council of Teach- The school board told parents in are relevant to the lives of many youth ers of English) sent a letter to the October that a new English teacher at and young adults, especially in black school board prior to its June meeting, the high school picked the book with- communities. According to the pres- saying: out the standard approvals from the ident of the Fraternal Order of Police principal and a review committee. (FOP) Tri-County Lodge #3, The We urge you to base your decisions The book, published in April 2017, Hate U Give and All American Boys on pedagogical motives, rather than was a Publishers Weekly bestseller. encourage “distrust of police,” and the yielding to ideologically motivated Reported in: Herald-Sun, October 9. law enforcement union wants the two pressures from some groups or par- texts removed from the reading list. ents. Our legal system recognizes Howard, Ohio “Whether it be through social images, like words, as symbolic A fifth grade teacher at East Knox media, whether it be through text expression protected by the First Elementary School was disciplined for message, whether it be phone calls, Amendment. Removing Fun Home giving a student Forever, a young adult we’ve received an influx of tremen- simply because some parents dislike novel by Judy Blume, to read. dous outrage at the selections by this a few illustrations in the book would Superintendent Steve Larcomb reading list,” lodge president Jon be constitutionally suspect. . . . placed Maria Eaton on paid leave Blackmon told local news channel While the book does contain for more than two weeks beginning News 2. “Freshmen, they’re at the a few images that some may find on September 19. Larcomb said that age where their interactions with law sexually explicit, these images are he conducted an investigation after enforcement have been very minimal. an integral part of the larger narra- a parent of one of Eaton’s students They’re not driving yet, they haven’t tive. Booklist has recommended Fun complained about language in the been stopped for speeding, they don’t Home for young adult readers, not- book. When he looked into the mat- have these type of interactions. This ing that the “the very few incidental ter, he concluded that the book was is putting in their minds, it’s almost sex scenes” are “non-prurient” and not appropriate for fifth graders, and an indoctrination of distrust of police that “the family story rings utterly he notified Eaton that she would be and we’ve got to put a stop to that.” and movingly true.” . . . Some par- placed on paid leave immediately. He added, “There are other ents may still find their children are Eaton was not allowed on school socio-economic topics that are avail- not yet mature enough to appreciate grounds during her leave, accord- able and they want to focus half of the literary and artistic value of Fun ing to the notice sent to Eaton from their effort on negativity towards the Home. We encourage you to offer Larcomb. She was also not permitted police? That seems odd to me.” them alternative assignments, rather to discuss “the events that led to this Neither of the books are manda- than removing Fun Home from the leave” with school board members, tory reading—the list includes eight curriculum and thereby denying all parents or students during that time. books, and students only have to students the opportunity to read and Reported in Knox Pages, October 7. select two. learn from its pages. The response from the FOP, one Charleston County, of the largest police organizations in Reported in: ncac.org, June South Carolina the country, raises concerns for school 4; mycentraljersey.com, June 12; Police have spoken out against The librarians about censorship and for Echoes-Sentinel, June 21. Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas, and members of the Charleston com- All American Boys, by Jason Reyn- munity. This is the same city where Rockingham County, olds and Brendan Kiely, on a summer white police officer Michael Slager North Carolina reading list for Wando High School’s fired eight shots at Walter Scott while Beartown by Fredrick Backman has English I class in Charleston County, he ran away, striking him five times been removed from the required read- South Carolina, raising concerns in total and three times in the back, in ing list in a sophomore honors English about police involvement in school 2015. The officer was prosecuted and class at McMichael High School after curricula. convicted, with a 20-year sentence, parents objected to “vulgarity” in the for an on-duty shooting. That same

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year, white supremacist Dylann Roof idea that people are planting this idea historical figures, including Clinton walked into a Charleston church and of the police in children’s heads as and Keller, from the curriculum. massacred nine black parishioners, and opposed to children observing the On November 16, the board voted after police apprehended Roof, they world and seeing police for who they to keep Clinton and Keller in the bought him a Burger King meal. are, what they actually do, is com- curriculum. Poet Marjory Wentworth teaches pletely off-base,” said Smith, author of The board also voted in November a college course on banned books at the New York Times bestseller Invisible to keep in the curriculum a refer- the Art Institute of Charleston. She Man, Got the Whole World Watching. ence to the “heroism” of the defend- told Salon that “these are exactly the “[Black] children have had interac- ers of the Alamo, which had been kinds of books we need to be reading tions with the police, whether the recommended for elimination. Also and the conversations we need to be police want to admit to this or not. retained were Moses’ influence on having.” She added that Blackmon’s It starts way earlier than when they the writing of the nation’s found- depiction of the two books as anti- can drive,” he continued. “They ing documents, multiple references police is a miscategorization. “The know family members who have been to “Judeo-Christian” values and a idea that this is a one-dimensional, arrested. They’ve been in cars that requirement that students explain how anti-police book, just, it’s inaccurate,” have been stopped, if they weren’t the Arab rejection of the State of Israel Wentworth said. driving them themselves. All of this has contributed to ongoing conflict in The Hate U Give was inspired by stuff is in the lives of black children.” the Middle East. the Black Lives Matter movement and Wando High School Principal Dr. High schoolers have been required tells the story of a teenage girl who Sherry Eppelsheimer wrote in a state- to learn about Clinton, who was the sees the police shoot her unarmed ment that “A ‘Request for Reconsid- first woman to win a major politi- best friend. Beyond the nuanced eration of Instruction Materials’ form cal party’s presidential nomination, in exploration of police brutality and its has been submitted and the school history class. Under a section about wide-reaching effects on a commu- and District will follow the proce- citizenship, students were assigned to nity, the protagonist’s uncle is a black dures outlined in Policy IJKAA-R in “evaluate the contributions of sig- police officer and a positive influence connection with the reconsideration nificant political and social leaders in her life. The acclaimed bestseller request.” in the United States” including her, has been turned into a movie, which The policy instructs that a com- plus Andrew Carnegie, Thurgood premiered this fall. mittee be formed to review the mate- Marshall, and Sandra Day O’Connor. All American Boys follows a teenage rial and to hear from the parent who Barry Goldwater was also removed boy trying to grapple with the after- complained, the assigning teacher, and from this teaching requirement. A math following an incident with the other experts. A recommendation is work group tasked with the curricu- police where he is falsely accused of provided to the Superintendent, who lum streamlining also recommended shoplifting and then brutally beaten can accept or reject it. A final deci- removing evangelist and Baptist pastor by a police officer. sion is made by the Board of Trustees. Billy Graham, but the state board kept School librarian and South Caro- Reported in: salon.com, July 11. him. lina Association of School Librarians Third-grade social studies teach- president Heather Thore wrote: “I Austin, Texas ers have been required to educate kids encourage everyone who is worried History curriculum in Texas remem- about the life of Keller, who despite about these books to actually read bers the Alamo but considered for- being deaf and blind graduated from them, and even talk to teens about getting Hillary Clinton and Helen college and lived a life of activism and their impressions of the books.” She Keller. As part of an effort to “stream- authorship. wondered why the police union’s first line” the social studies curriculum Removing figures like these from reaction was to ban or to remove the in public schools, the State Board of the curriculum doesn’t forbid them books, rather than read and discuss Education voted on September 14 to from being taught, but just means them with the students. adjust what students in every grade they’re no longer mandatory. Also, the Blackmon’s stance that literature are required to learn in the classroom. streamlining of the curriculum won’t or art can sour young people on the Among the changes, board mem- affect textbooks or other instructional police is also misguided, according to bers approved the removal of several material, which the board is not author Mychal Denzel Smith. “The updating at this time.

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The Dallas Morning News spoke were revised, drawing criticism from The Student Press Law Center with two teachers from the group parents and teachers. And earlier this (SPLC) on May 31 sent a letter to of board-nominated volunteers that year, a new Mexican-American stud- Prosper Independent School District made the recommendations. Both said ies course was the subject of the lat- Superintendent Drew Watkins, asking the state required students to learn est culture war. Reported in: Dallas that he take steps to ensure the district about so many historical figures that it News, September 14, November 16. complies with Constitutional require- resulted in rote memorization of dates ments regarding free speech. It was and names instead of real learning. Prosper, Texas signed by 17 news groups, including The 15-member work group At Prosper High School, a principal the American Society of News Edi- came up with a rubric for grading who had been at the school for less tors, the Society for Professional Jour- every historical figure to rank who is than a year in February 2018 began nalists, and the Freedom of the Press “essential” to learn and who isn’t. The reviewing content of the student Foundation. formula asked questions like, “Did the newspaper, the Eagle Nation Online, “School administrators must person trigger a watershed change?”; prior to publication, and blocked some remove themselves from reviewing “Was the person from an underrep- content that did not meet his stan- student journalism that involves the resented group?”; and “Will their dards. In May, Prosper High School image or reputation of the school, as impact stand the test of time?” Principal John Burdett terminated the administration faces an ethical Out of 20 points, Keller scored the contract of school newspaper conflict in serving as both the subject a 7 and Clinton scored a 5. Elimi- adviser Lori Oglesbee-Petter, who has of news coverage and its editor,” the nating Keller from the requirements advised student papers for more than letter said. could save teachers 40 minutes of three decades. The district declined to comment. instructional time, the work group First Amendment advocates have SPLC is hopeful the incident will estimated, and eliminating Clinton called on the school district to end encourage a state lawmaker to intro- could save 30 minutes. (Students in the censorship and are hoping for new duce a measure that has had mixed that grade are still required to learn legislation that will give more inde- success around the United States. about former President Bill Clinton’s pendence to student journalists in Frank LoMonte, a senior law fellow impeachment.) Texas. at the Student Press Law Center, said By contrast, local members In several incidents when Bur- in an email, “the Prosper situation is of the Texas Legislature (whom dett forced the Eagle Nation Online to so outrageous that it’s the poster-child fourth-graders learn about) got a remove content, the issue was how the case that could fuel reform.” perfect score, as did Barbara Jordan, articles might affect the school’s public Fourteen states have laws protect- Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin, and image. He vetted the newspaper for ing high school journalists. Reported Henry B. González. President Don- material that was controversial or ran in: Texas Monitor, June 4. ald Trump isn’t included in the list counter to “community norms.” He by name, but students are required sought content that was “uplifting.” Jordan, Utah to learn about the current president, “If you’re trying to defend a story The Things They Carried, a collection governor, and mayor. that may be a little vulgar or have of short stories by Tim O’Brien about Each year, the board discusses and tones of sexual innuendo, that’s one the Vietnam War, has been approved, debates new classroom standards for thing,” said Oglesbee-Petter, the for- but still faces a challenge at the Bing- Texas’ 5.4 million schoolchildren. Its mer adviser. “That’s not what we’re ham High School in the Jordan members, currently five Democrats talking about here. This is about School District. and ten Republicans, are elected to stories that set out to improve the The book was not required read- four-year terms and represent specific schools.” ing, but was on a list of approved geographic areas. Burdett did not respond to an books for a senior class. The teacher The board’s process has always email seeking an interview. warned the class that the book con- garnered attention—and often con- Oglesbee-Petter said a statewide tained realistic dialog common among troversy. Five years ago, members speech protection bill would be “pro- soldiers, including 72 instances of the clashed over whether science books tection against someone who is not “f word.” should have to teach an alternative to familiar with the role of the press or Lori Martinsen, parent of a evolution. In 2014, math standards Constitutional rights.” senior at the school, said she will be

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contesting the book and asked, “Is it censored by Burlington High School they take “reasonable and appropriate appropriate for those kinds of details, administration.” action to protect a student journalist for that kind of language, for that “In my opinion, [the article] cre- for engaging in conduct protected” by level of sexuality in it to be taught to ated a hostile work environment for the law. minors in a public school setting? My one of my employees,” Green said in Fialko Casey is familiar with Act daughter could not legally walk into an interview. “I would react the same 49. Student journalists at Burlington a movie with a glimpse of what is in way for any of my employees.” High School, who had been subject to this book.” Green’s order to pull the story strict administrative editorial over- In the Jordan School District, the appears to be in direct conflict with sight, had helped get it enacted. Fialko review process for contested books a law signed in May 2017 that was Casey and then-student editors posed begins in November. Reported in: meant to protect student journalists for photos with Governor Phil Scott abc4.com, September 19. from administrative meddling. For in May 2017 as he signed the bill into any decision to censor, Act 49 main- law. Burlington, Vermont tains that school administrators must In this instance, Fialko Casey said, Burlington High School principal provide “lawful justification without she left it up to the students to decide Noel Green may have violated state undue delay.” whether to comply with Green’s order law when he ordered student journal- “Content shall not be suppressed or not. While she knew about protec- ists to take down a story posted to the solely because it involves political or tions provided by the law, she didn’t school newspaper’s website. controversial subject matter, or is crit- know what repercussions she or the On September 10, a Monday night, ical of the school or its administra- students would face if they refused the website of the Register (the stu- tion,” the law reads. Certain infor- to listen to the principal. She said she dent newspaper) broke the news that mation is not protected, including promised to support the students in the state has been investigating school libelous and slanderous material, and whatever decision they made. guidance director Mario Macias, who stories deemed an “unwarranted inva- “I’m just a mentor,” Fialko Casey is accused of unprofessional conduct sion of privacy.” said. “They have control of the paper and could lose his educator’s license “I think the students have a very and can take or leave my advice. I’m for nearly a year. strong case that their rights are being not the editor. It’s not my newspaper.” By Tuesday morning, Green or­ violated,” said state Sen. Phil Baruth, After taking the story down, Fialko dered the Register’s teacher adviser, who helped shepherd the legislation Casey met with Green for 70 min- Beth Fialko Casey, to pull the arti- through as chair of the Senate Educa- utes. The two argued and debated the cle. Fialko Casey conferred with tion Committee. “I think the princi- censorship and left the meeting still the article’s four authors—editors pal, with a little bit of time to reflect, in disagreement. Fialko Casey said Julia Shannon-Grillo, Halle New- would do well to put the article back Green had a copy of Act 49 in front man, Nataleigh Noble, and Jenna up.” of him. She said he felt his decision to Peterson—who reluctantly agreed to Shannon-Grillo said she and the pull the article was in keeping with comply. other student journalists spent Tues- the law. “It did cross our minds that they’d day morning calling local law firms “Unfortunately, the censorship want to talk to us and we were ready and representatives from the Student stood,” Fialko Casey said. “He would to defend our actions but we were Press Law Center to get clarification not let us put it back up, so we did not expecting it to be censored,” said about their legal rights. When they not win the battle but we live to fight Shannon-Grillo, a 16-year-old junior. couldn’t get in touch with anyone, another day.” Reported in: Seven “We understand [Green’s] decision, they agreed to temporarily pull the Days, September 12, September 13. but as editors, we don’t agree with it.” story. They worried Green would dis- By Tuesday afternoon, Septem- cipline Fialko Casey. Albemarle County, Virginia ber 11, several local media outlets “We didn’t see why it needed to be The Albemarle County School had confirmed and reported on the taken down,” Shannon-Grillo said. Board’s meeting on August 30 had a story the Register broke. The student “It was public information.” free-speech issue on the agenda, while newspaper’s article, meanwhile, had What they didn’t know at the time other free-speech issues emerged out- been replaced with a blank page and was that Act 49 also protects news- side the meeting: the rights of resi- the headline: “This article has been paper advisers from discipline when dents to protest and assemble outside

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of public meetings, and where those protests that are interrupting meet- The group that organized the pro- rights potentially end. The contro- ings, several First Amendment schol- test, the Hate-Free Schools Coalition, versy inside the meeting was a pro- ars say—but it’s not clear if a whole released a statement the next day say- posal to change school dress codes to group of people should be ordered out ing the protest was merely an effort to ban Confederate images. while the meeting continues. Simi- be heard after the group felt the board About 50 people assembled outside larly, public buildings are often the remained unresponsive to requests the public meeting; after a few min- sites of protests, but common spaces in to amend the county schools’ dress utes, their chants and speeches could those buildings, like lobbies, are not code to include a ban on Confederate be heard inside the meeting chambers. always open to free-speech activities, images. A few minutes later, a deputy chief of according to the American Civil Lib- “Because the board shut down our police began asking protesters to quiet erties Union of Virginia. scheduled 8/23 opportunity, we were down. When they did not, he then The public generally has the right determined to be heard on 8/30,” the asked them to disperse. When they to observe public meetings—but not group wrote, referencing a previous refused, he began arresting people. necessarily to participate, according meeting that ended after one public After six arrests were made inside and to Clay Hansen, executive director comment. “When the board tried to outside Lane Auditorium and police of the Thomas Jefferson Center for silence our voices yet again by remov- cleared the anteroom, several mem- the Protection of Free Expression, ing public comment from the agenda, bers of the public and media were ini- an Albemarle-based think tank that we called a community gathering for tially refused re-entry to the meeting. advocates for freedom of speech. the same time as the board meeting. “During the initial altercations, “And then if your participation We refused to muzzle ourselves, and it became fairly hectic,” Albemarle becomes disruptive, you might lose then the board ordered the police to police Lieutenant Terry Walls said. your ability to participate in the meet- either intimidate us into silence or “Once things were stabilized and ing,” Hansen said. “Once you cross arrest us. We did not back down.” secured, we were able to place some that line into disruptive comment, The board has said it plans to con- people at the entrances in an attempt you also don’t get a second bite at the tinue working on its nondiscrimi- to keep people that had been banned apple if you get removed.” nation policies and hopes to final- from coming back in, because we Still, according to Megan Rhyne ize a new policy by the end of the had witnessed several people who we of the Virginia Coalition for Open year. Reported in: The Daily Progress, believe had left that were part of the Government, a public body proba- August 31. problem and then tried to re-enter the bly shouldn’t remove individuals for building.” disruptive conduct, but then con- Smithfield, Virginia A large group was asked to leave tinue a meeting while keeping out a A parent of a Smithfield High School the antechamber by County Execu- whole group of people. “While there freshman took her child to an open tive Jeff Richardson, Walls said, and is some precedent for removing dis- house at the beginning of the school some people tried to re-enter. The ruptive individuals, I don’t think it is year and found what she considers police didn’t want people who had proper to keep out certain segments of homosexual pornography that was been disruptive to return, Walls said. the population,” Rhyne wrote in an viewed through the school’s online However, he also said that police at email. “Otherwise, it’s not a meeting research database. The school blocked the entrance didn’t have a good way open to ‘the public’ under [the Free- the site pending an investigation. to know whom those people might dom of Information Act].” Diana Elswick, an IT professional be and could have inadvertently kept In a statement after the meeting by trade, was looking up the school’s non-disruptive members of the public and in a letter to the editor published technology policy on the Smithfield and media out. in the Daily Progress, School Board High School website and ended up All six of the people who were Chairwoman Kate Acuff indicated on the student zone where she found arrested were charged with trespass- that she viewed the wearing of Con- the Gale Virtual Library—an online ing; two of the six also were charged federate symbols as hurtful but pro- resource available to school districts in with obstruction of justice. tected speech, and that ongoing dis- Virginia. There is precedent for keeping ruptions of public meetings would be One of the topic areas offered by disruptive individuals out of pub- met with requests to leave and, poten- Gale is “Gender Studies Collection,” lic meetings and for shutting down tially, arrests. which included articles from The

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Advocate, a gay and lesbian publication. or challenged since its publication in proper guidelines to judge a library Photos with some articles included 2012. Reported in: boarddocs.com book. The trustees later decided to nude men. /wi/cedar, June 14; Ozaukee Press, weigh in, voting 5-1 in February to “That first picture, I was shocked,” July 11. remove the book. said Elswick of one of the photos. Els- At that time, the school immedi- wick went on to create a video of how Cody, Wyoming ately implemented Alexandria library she found the material and alerted Parent complaints against A Bad Boy software to notify parents of books school officials. Can Be Good for a Girl by Tanya Lee being checked out from district librar- The Smithfield Times was also Stone and other proposed classroom ies by their children. It includes an able to access the material via the reading materials and library books opt-out for parents who do not wish Smithfield Middle School webpage. at the Cody School District will be to be notified. Reported in: WAVY, September 4, reviewed later this school year. The Chair Kelly Simone has pointed to Smithfield Times, September 5. Cody School Board on September 18 the notification system as a key way voted to keep the book on the shelf parents now have a greater say in what Cedarburg, Wisconsin until the review is completed, and their children check out, thus lim- Drama by Raina Telgemeier was approved four new community mem- iting the need of a policy that’s too restricted by the Cedarburg School bers and three alternates to round restrictive. District near the end of the 2017- out the nine-person KEC committee Lucas said the policy at her school 18 school year, as inappropriate for tasked with reviewing complaints on libraries will be backed up by a con- younger children. materials. stant review process of books. Beyond A letter to the editor in a local The committee is made up of five complaints, books could be removed newspaper said the district “needs a patrons or parents from the com- for being worn, obsolete, unneeded or more rigorous review process when a munity, three teachers, and a district a variety of other reasons. Reported couple of parents and four committee administrator. in: Cody Enterprise, September 19. members ban Drama by Raina Telge- Some trustees wanted books meier.” In her brief letter, Maureen removed when they are challenged, COLLEGES AND O’Brien of Cedarburg wrote, “Ban- but the majority overruled them. UNIVERSITIES ning a book is more dangerous than “Things have changed in the last Kansas City, Kansas allowing a child to read a book that four months,” trustee Stefanie Bell Free speech advocates are protesting might challenge his or her think- said. “We have a notification sys- the University of Kansas’ decision to ing. . . . Being able to read any book tem for parents and we have a district remove a controversial American flag is a safe way for a child to learn about librarian who said she will back par- marked with paint following com- the real world.” ents 100 percent. I think the best solu- plaints from Kansas Governor Jeff The minutes of the Cedarburg tions are going to come with the par- Colyer and other Republican poli- School Board meetings show that its ent sitting down with the librarian, or ticians that the public art piece was Materials Review Committee met librarian and administrator, and they disrespectful. on June 11 and June 14 to consider see their parental role is respected.” “It is unfortunate that the Univer- moving the book from the Parkview District librarian Jennison Lucas sity of Kansas appears to have bowed Elementary School library to Web- has said previously she would sit down to pure political pressure in its display ster Middle School, or to allow only with any parent with a complaint and of the art installation, ‘Untitled (Flag 5th graders at the elementary school work to make sure their children are 2),’” declared Micah Kubic, executive to check out the book. The minutes not able to access whatever books director of the American Civil Liber- with the committee’s decision were the parent does not want the child to ties Union of Kansas, in a statement. not posted. check out. “You do not need to like the art, or An online search uncovered no The changes stem from the last agree with the political sentiments further details about the challenge in time the KEC committee reviewed it expresses, or even believe that it Cedarburg. The graphic novel, about a complaint on a library book. The expresses any political idea at all to the on- and off-stage drama of stu- complaint went through KEC, which recognize that the artwork is pro- dents in a middle school theater pro- voted 7-2 not to remove the book, tected by the First Amendment.” duction, has frequently been banned although it also said it didn’t have the

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An American flag marked with to protect politically popular speech. the US Constitution to not censor. black paint had flown atop a flagpole It exists to protect the speech likeliest Reported in: Kansas City Star, July 12; outside KU’s Spooner Hall since July to stir controversy, and it is a crucial ncac.org, July 16. 5 as part of a public arts project spon- check against the power of the state to sored by the New York City-based silence dissenting voices.” St. George, Utah arts nonprofit Creative Time. Copies of Meckseper’s work are After a complaint from a group that The flag’s creator, German artist simultaneously being displayed across tracks what it sees as violations of the Josephine Meckseper, had depicted the United States. It is the last in a separation of church and state, the a black-and-white sock and a split series of flags created for “Pledges of state-owned Southern Utah Univer- United States using a drip paint- Allegiances,” in which Creative Time sity removed all copies of the Bible and ing technique. She said her piece was commissioned 16 artists to create flags the Book of Mormon from guest rooms intended as a call to unite a deeply highlighting various causes. at Dixie State Inn, a hotel associated polarized country. The Spencer Museum of Art and with the university. But the flag was taken down July KU Commons inside Spooner hosted The Freedom from Religion Foun- 11, hours after Colyer and Kansas the privately funded project and dis- dation alerted Dixie State’s president Secretary of State Kris Kobach called played 15 other flags on the Spooner about the issue in June. The group for its removal. Colyer—who faced flagpole since November. Meckseper’s reminded Dixie that the establish- Kobach in August’s GOP primary— flag was expected to fly until July 31. ment clause of US Constitution’s First had called the piece a “disrespectful Creative Time issued a statement Amendment forbids public schools display of a desecrated American flag,” after the flag had been taken down. from promoting, endorsing, or and other conservatives, including “Art has a responsibility to drive hard advancing any religion. Kansas congressional candidate Steve conversations,” the statement read. The university president then Watkins, expressed disapproval. “‘Pledges of Allegiance’ was begun to turned it over to the school’s lawyers KU Chancellor Doug Girod said generate dialogue and bring attention to consider. After an in-depth analy- in a statement that safety concerns to the pressing issues of the day. The sis by Alison Vicroy, the university’s prompted university officials to move right to freedom of speech is one of assistant general counsel, the school the flag to an exhibit in KU’s Spencer our nation’s most dearly held values. asked the inn to take the religious Museum of Art. He did not elaborate It is also under attack. We are proud texts out of individual guest rooms. on what those safety concerns were. to stand by artists who express them- That was “an appropriate course The decision “smacks of censor- selves. Today’s events illustrate the of action,” Dixie State spokeswoman ship,” the ACLU’s Kubic said. “The same divisions in our country that the Jyl Hall said. “The university doesn’t elected officials in question, includ- series has confronted head-on.” want either the appearance or the ing Governor Colyer and Secretary National Coalition Against Cen- reality of advancing one religion over Kobach, have been very clear that sorship joined the FIRE and the another.” they want the art censored because of American Civil Liberties Union Copies of the Bible and Book of the political statement it makes, and (ACLU) of Kansas in a letter to the Mormon (the Church of Jesus Christ the way in which it makes that state- University of Kansas (KU) strongly of Latter-day Saints scripture) are still ment,” he said. “That is an affront to urging it to take a stand against cen- available at the front desk. Reported the spirit of the First Amendment, and sorship by restoring a public artwork in: Salt Lake Tribune, October 1. the values for which the flag stands.” that the university removed. The joint Other free speech advocates letter reminds KU that as a public MILITARY BASES released statements as well. institution it is obligated to protect Cheyenne, Wyoming; Peter Bonilla, vice president of the First Amendment rights of its stu- Okinawa, Hawaii programs at the Foundation for Indi- dents and faculty. In one response to a campaign by the vidual Rights in Education (FIRE), The letter cites statements from Military Religious Freedom Foun- called for the university not to take both Colyer and Kobach that pub- dation (MRFF), the commander of down the flag, and stand “apart from licly-funded institutions should not Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, the numerous institutions that have “promote” this type of art, but argues Wyoming, Colonel Stacy Jo Huser, censored artistic expression.” He said, that, in fact, it is precisely public insti- removed the Bible from a POW-MIA “The First Amendment doesn’t exist tutions like KU that are bound by display.

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The MRFF has sought to remove Navy to remove the Bible of the book other words, they have it RIGGED, religious articles from POW/MIA from the display, and also to elimi- for me & others, so that almost all “Missing Man” tables at US military nate language about the Bible and the stories & news is BAD. Fake CNN is bases for years, with mixed results. phrase “one nation under God” from prominent. Republican/Conservative MRFF lawyers argue that the First an accompanying explanatory plac- & Fair Media is shut out,” Trump Amendment not only forbids the gov- ard. The complaint also called for an wrote online. ernment from establishing an official investigation into how the book came The president appeared to be ref- religion but also prohibits government to be displayed, who authorized it, erencing an article from PJ Media, a actions that favor one religion over and “appropriate disciplinary measures conservative blog founded in the early another. administered to those responsible.” 2000s. The article, published over the The official Navy or Defense By mid-September, there were weekend two days before the presi- Department stance on Bibles being no reports of any action taken by dent made the same complaints about included in POW/MIA “Missing the Navy inspector general on this Google, features a pie chart that says Man” table displays remains unclear. complaint. it breaks down “Google search results However, a report on the Navy’s web- Earlier, MRFF forced the Den- for ‘Trump’” by party bias. Only a site from 2014 describes the Bible as ver Veterans Administration Medical sliver of the pie chart, which encom- being an official part of the display. Center to remove religious items from passes the Wall Street Journal, is red. In Wyoming, Col. Huser issued a display in November. Reported in: The rest of the chart, marked in blue, a statement that said she just didn’t Stars and Stripes, June 27; Washington is made up of outlets PJ media accused want to offend those of religions other Times, August 4. of being “left-leaning,” including the than Christianity. “One of our focus New York Times, CNN, the Washington areas,” she said, “is increasing the SOCIAL MEDIA Post and Politico. sense of belonging for all our airmen; Mountain View, California Google is among the tech giants a large part of that effort is ensuring President Donald Trump on August that have drawn the ire of the presi- the religious and non-religious feel 28 issued a stark warning to tech dent and his conservative base. The included and cared for. . . . [The 90th giants including Google, Facebook, previous week, Trump blasted Face- Missile Wing will] replace the Bible and Twitter, accusing them of muz- book and Twitter for “silencing mil- on the POW/MIA table with a ‘book zling conservatives and saying they lions of people.” Google said in a of faith’ containing scriptural writ- are “treading on very, very troubled statement that its search feature is “not ings and prayers from the five DOD territory.” used to set a political agenda.” chaplain-appointed faith groups, and “I think Google has really taken “We don’t bias our results toward a sixth set of blank pages to repre- advantage of a lot of people. It’s a very any political ideology,” a Google sent those who find solace by other serious thing,” Trump told reporters spokesperson said. “Every year, we means.” at a White House event. “If you look issue hundreds of improvements to MRFF was less successful with a at what is going on at Twitter, if you our algorithms to ensure they surface complaint against the POW/MIA look at what is going on in Facebook, high-quality content in response to display at the US Naval Hospital in they better be careful because you users’ queries. We continually work to Okinawa, Hawaii. MRFF first filed a can’t do that to people.” improve Google Search and we never complaint about the Okinawa display The president spent the day criti- rank search results to manipulate with Rear Adm. Paul Pearigen, Navy cizing the tech companies for what he political sentiment.” Medicine West commander, on April sees as the suppression of conservative Neither Trump nor the PJ media 5. The Navy later said it investigated voices. Earlier in the day, the presi- article offered any proof that Google the matter but found that including dent posted a series of tweets accusing was purposely promoting negative the Bible was “consistent with Depart- Google of treating certain political stories about the president at the ment of the Navy and Department of ideologies unfairly. The presidents said expense of positive ones. Many news Defense guidance, as well as the US the search giant is “rigged” to show outlets specifically tailor their online Constitution.” users “bad” stories about him. content to match Google’s search On June 26, the MRFF appealed “Google search results for ‘Trump algorithms in an effort to appear at or that decision. The updated complaint News’ shows only the viewing/ near the top of search results. asked the inspector general of the US reporting of Fake New Media. In

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On Twitter, the president wrote: White House reporters. Trump DRAG QUEEN “Illegal? 96% of results on ‘Trump declined to answer the questions, STORYTIMES News’ are from National Left-Wing which is his right. But then, Collins EDITOR’S NOTE: “Drag Queen Media, very dangerous. Google says, she was called before Press Storytimes” is a new department in JIFP & others are suppressing voices of Secretary Sarah Sanders and newly News. This is a rapidly growing area of Conservatives and hiding information appointed deputy chief of staff Bill controversy that is different from other cen- and news that is good. They are con- Shine and told that she would not be sorship in JIFP’s established “Censorship trolling what we can & cannot see. allowed to attend an open press event Dateline” department, as the challenges This is a very serious situation—will in the Rose Garden later in the day. generally target not specific titles nor specific be addressed!” Apparently, the White House offi- speakers, but rather the method in which Trump did not elaborate on what cials have decided that singling out stories are presented to children. When steps he might take against Google, CNN won’t hurt them. On President such challenges result in court cases, they although White House economic Trump’s recent European trip, he will be mentioned in this department, with adviser Larry Kudlow told reporters attacked CNN unprompted at a press further details in the “From the Bench” the administration is “taking a look” conference in the UK, refused to department. at imposing regulations on Google. answer a question from the network’s Trump’s attacks on August Jim Acosta, and pivoted to Fox News’s Libraries 28 marked a continuation of his John Roberts, saying, “Let’s go to a MOBILE, ALABAMA long-running feud with media out- real network.” The White House later Hundreds of children crowded the lets and tech companies that he claims pulled national security advisor John auditorium at the Ben Ray Main offer him unfairly negative coverage. Bolton from a scheduled appearance Library in Mobile for the city’s first “We have tremendous—we have on CNN as retaliation for what it said Drag Queen Story Hour on Sep- literally thousands and thousands of was “bad behavior.” tember 8. Former Tuscaloosa resi- complaints coming in and you just According to the Columbia Journal- dent Wade Brasfield, in his stage drag can’t do that, so I think that Google ism Review, persona of “Ms. Khloe Kash,” read and Twitter and Facebook, they’re two books for the young crowd, The really treading on very very troubled The outrage from journalists to Col- Rainbow Fish, by Marcus Pfister, about territory and they have to be careful. lins’s banning was palpable, but in a fish who looks different from the It’s not fair to large portions of the order to have an impact they must others, and Stella Brings the Family, by population,” Trump said later on the also make it clear to the public why Miriam B. Schiffer, which is about a same day. Reported in: politico.com, this story matters beyond the under- little girl who must decide which of August 28. standable anger and frustration from her two dads to bring to a Mother’s CNN. . . . The real reason why this Day event. FREEDOM OF THE PRESS is significant is that Trump’s constant Supporters of the readings outnum- Washington, DC attacks on the press—so regular that bered opponents, with barricades set CNN’s Kaitlan Collins was punished they barely register anymore—have up by local police to separate them. by the White House for doing her now been backed by concrete action Demonstrators in favor of the reading job as the television pool reporter at from his minions. As with any num- event carried signs with slogans like an Oval Office photo opportunity on ber of individual incidents involving “I’m going to tolerate the heck out July 25. The aggressive retaliation by this administration and the media, of you,” while critics carried placards government officials drew outrage the specific action won’t hasten the with messages including “your life- from journalists, rival networks, and end of the free press as we know it, style isn’t for my children.” the White House Correspondents but the sum of Trump’s deliberate Opposition organizer Lou Cam- Association. attempts to undermine trust in jour- pomenosi says his group isn’t anti-gay. Collins called out questions to nalism has long-lasting consequences. “The long and the short of it is this President Trump about his former we just think this isn’t an age appro- lawyer’s taping of conversations and Reported in: Columbia Journalism priate reading for kids aged three to Vladimir Putin’s failure to accept an Review, July 26. eight years old,” said Campomenosi. invitation to Washington. Calling out “And, I think that is our biggest con- questions is common practice among cern, and I think for the community

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not to hear an opposing view isn’t a Connie Hudson, who expressed of Christian group Alaska Family good thing.” her disapproval to library director Action, sent an email to supporters The local LGBTQ support group Scott Kinney, and called the event in which he called such story times Rainbow Mobile arranged for the “inappropriate.” “alarming.” The email condemned event through the local library board. A Mobile Public Library spokesper- “using taxpayer funded public librar- Drag Queen Story Time ended son said the library is not supporting ies to talk with impressionable young without incident or arrests. the event, and taxpayers’ money is not children about ‘gender fluidity.’” He Brasfield feels he would have ben- going toward it. She said Rainbow urged people to contact the library efited from a drag queen story time Mobile met all the requirements the and ask that future events be canceled. when he was young and said he had library has in place to hold the event. Shortly afterward, the library said difficulty dealing with intolerance at Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson’s it received 29 negative comments. school. In an interview with Alabama office also has said the city has little Most express concern about normal- Public Radio and the University of legal authority to interfere. izing what the senders see as deviant Alabama’s Center for Public Televi- The library, though, receives a behavior. sion prior to the event, Brasfield said lion’s share of its funding through But the library said another cam- he hoped his young audience will local sources and at least one Mobile paign, organized by Identity Inc., realize it’s okay to be different. County commissioner said the the non-profit that provides support Prior to the event, representatives library’s budget should be exam- to the LGBT community and which from Baptist churches in Mobile and ined. “If there is money wasted on partners with the library for the drag three other speakers spoke in oppo- such events, maybe we should figure queen story times, had generated 87 sition on August 27 at the Mobile out if there is too much money being emails and comments that are positive County Commission meeting at spent,” said Commissioner Jerry Carl, about the program. Government Plaza and at a Mobile who was critical of the American Library Director Mary Jo Torgeson City Council meeting on August Library Association’s role in the event. said the program isn’t costing tax- 28. Rev. Mack Morris, senior pastor ALA has supported public libraries’ payers anything, because the library at Woodridge Baptist Church, said efforts to create programs promoting doesn’t get public funds to pay for its “Their plan is not a one-time gig at diversity and inclusive societies. programming. She said operational the library but rather it is a carefully Amber Guy, spokeswoman with funds are raised by the nonprofit crafted political agenda with the idea the Mobile Public Library, said the Friends of the Library group, adding of infiltrating the public-school sys- library adheres to ALA’s guidelines for that the drag queens are supplied for tem where their immoral teachings making meeting rooms available on free by Identity Inc. shall be used to indoctrinate young equal terms to all groups of people, At an earlier Drag Queen Story children.” “regardless of beliefs and affiliations of Time at Loussac Library on June 9, a Joining him at the County Com- their members.” Reported in: al.com, man who refers to himself as a pastor mission meeting, Rev. Fred Wolfe, August 23, August 27, August 28; tried to spread a less tolerant message. a longtime pastor in the Mobile area Alabama Public Radio, September 8. Dave Grisham, a self-proclaimed pas- and founding pastor at Luke 4:18 Fel- tor with Last Frontier Evangelism, has lowship, said his church would still ANCHORAGE, ALASKA made a habit of interrupting events be opposed to reading a story about The latest Drag Queen Story Time and gatherings which celebrate views a family with two dads, inside a pub- inside the Loussac Library on Novem- he doesn’t agree with, to shout his lic library, even if the reader wasn’t ber 3 drew some controversy when it own beliefs. He’s known for barging dressed as a drag queen. was announced in October. A previ- into the local “Santa House in North On August 28, two of the three ous Drag Queen Story Time in the Pole” to spread a religious message to county commissioners who spoke at same Anchorage library drew a dis- children in line to see Santa, telling teh public meeting said there was little ruptive protestor when it was held on them “Santa isn’t real.” they could do to prevent the Septem- June 9. On November 3, Grisham video ber 8 event. “The Mobile County The ticketed event was promoted recorded himself crashing the story Commission really has no authority as a celebration of reading, creativ- time, while someone holding a second legal or otherwise over the Mobile ity, and acceptance, but at the end camera inside the room captured the Public Library,” said Commissioner of October, Jim Minnery, head outburst from the opposite angle.

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“Today we’re at the Loussac Pub- officials noted that they host dozens of permanently canceling the program lic Library where they’re having story story times every year, and only one despite the need to secure a new host time with a drag queen,” he said. “So will feature drag queens. “The Drag venue, as their administration and we are going to go inside and tell the Queen Story Time will share stories board believe in serving a diverse kids the truth, there’s no such thing as of individuality, openness and accep- community. They also say many fam- transgenders.” tance with families seeking an oppor- ilies have expressed support for the As Grisham enters the room, two tunity to show their children that event. drag queens and a drag king are read- every person is unique and should be Controversy surrounded the story ing a book to a room of children and treated with equal respect,” accord- time ever since it was announced their parents. ing to the statement on the library roughly two months earlier. Some “Hey kids, my name is Pastor website. Library staff would select the strong opposition was expressed, David, and I want to tell you there’s books to be read. but public comments at a Lafayette no such thing as transgenders,” he The event was originally scheduled City-Parish Council meeting in interrupted. to be held at Lafayette Public Library’s August were overwhelmingly Parents in the room quickly Main Library building on Congress supportive. forced him to leave, as his message is Street in Lafayette. Two days before Mayor-President Joel Robideaux drowned out with the children’s nurs- the event, the library announced that had registered his opposition to the ery rhyme, “Wheels on the Bus.” the event would be moved to the event with a statement calling for an People who attended the event say nearby community college to accom- inquiry into how it became part of the the intrusion caught them by surprise modate larger crowds. The public library’s programming. That led to the and they are thankful the situation library’s auditorium that had been resignation of Robideaux’s appoin- didn’t turn violent. set to hold the event can accommo- tee to the library board of directors, Torgeson said people who don’t date 300 people. In addition, Public Joseph Gordon-Wiltz, who told The wish to have drag queens read to Library Director Teresa Elberson said, Advocate he would not “impugn the their children don’t have to attend the move was practical due to the dignity of any citizen of the Parish of the events. Four more are sched- “expected disruption to regular Satur- Lafayette.” Gordon-Wiltz, president uled for next year, starting in Feb- day activities at the Main Library.” of the library board, said he didn’t see ruary. Reported in: KTVA, June 10, One day before the event, the eye-to-eye with Robideaux on the November 5. community college also announced event. that it could not host the story time, The mayor-president’s appointee, LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA partly due to concerns about safety. who must be a Lafayette Consolidated A Louisiana library’s Drag Queen South Louisiana Community College Government employee, is the only Story Time is early October has said in a statement that law enforce- library board member who serves at been postponed indefinitely, and ment told school officials that oppo- the pleasure of a single individual. one library official resigned to show nents of the event planned to demon- The other seven members are collec- his support for the event when strate. The college also said it has a tively appointed by the City-Parish it was questioned by Lafayette’s limited capacity to manage the large Council. Mayor-President. crowds anticipated, and at least one City-Parish Council members The planned story time was sup- national organization intended to William Theriot and Jared Bellard posed to feature male University of attend. The college said it cannot introduced a resolution calling for the Louisiana at Lafayette (UL) students increase its limited security because council to formally oppose the event, dressed as women, reading books to of a state policy that says there can be even though the effect of such a res- young children between the ages of no direct cost to the school system for olution would likely be limited to three and six. The students are mem- such events. There is also a responsi- symbolism. As the seven other council bers of a provisional UL chapter of bility to students taking classes Satur- members noted in an August 31 press Delta Lambda Phi, which calls itself a day to provide a setting conducive to release, the council has no authority fraternity for gay, bisexual, and pro- learning, which would be disrupted to dictate library operations beyond gressive men. by the crowds, the college said. the appointment of board members. In its original statement announc- Lafayette Public Library officials That press release was careful to ing the event, Lafayette Public Library said in a statement that they are not note that the council as a whole was

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not taking a position for or against the social media to protest the event with CLARKSVILLE-MONTGOMERY, event, though the resolution could others. TENNESSEE force members on one side or another. Stickles said she was inspired to At Clarksville-Montgomery County The library board listened to public host this reading after seeing news Public Library, a local community comments, but took no action on the articles about Drag Queen Story group—Equality Clarksville—is Drag Queen Story Time on Septem- Hour, an organization that began in offering a story time for children that, ber 17, at its last scheduled meeting San Francisco in 2015 but has since at times, has featured drag perform- before the October 6 date that had spread to cities across the country. ers. This sparked competing opinion been set for the story hour. And because the Olean library’s other pieces in local newspapers. Reported in: New York Times, programs representing the lesbian, Martha Hendricks, director of August 28; The Advocate, Septem- gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer the county library, wrote in the Leaf ber 17; KATC/ABC3, October 4; community had been embraced over Chronicle that the public library is Lafayette Daily Advertiser, September 4; the last few years—including Rain- neither a sponsor of this story time Associated Press, October 5. bow Alliance for LGBTQ youth program nor is collaborating with support group, which launched in the group. The group is simply using OLEAN, NEW YORK February 2017—she wanted to see one of the library’s meeting rooms “A Drag Queen Kids’ Party,” the the response to a program for even for its own purposes. “Having said first such event at the Olean Public younger kids. this, however,” she added, “it is the Library, was held June 20. Flo Leeta, a “It’s just like any other story time responsibility of your public library to drag queen from Buffalo, read a selec- program in our library,” she said. protect the right of local community tion of positive, age-appropriate chil- “The difference being the person groups to be able to meet and to pur- dren’s books as part of Pride Month. reading the book happens to be sue their particular agendas.” At first, some in the community dressed in age-appropriate drag and She concluded, “Isn’t that the best were divided over the plan, with some reading picture books that show thing about living in America? We threatening to protest, or even cut up kids of LGBT families that they’re may not always agree with each other, their library cards. But those protes- normal.” but each of us still has the right to tors were small in number. Stickles noted that it was a plus that speak up for what we do believe with- Instead, hundreds packed the lib­ the performer who brings Flo Leeta out fear of imprisonment and to pursue rary to show their support for Flo to life, Benjamin Berry, has for years in each of our lives, our own particular Leeta and members of LGBTQ hosted multiple events for children as version of liberty and happiness.” community. a hula-hoop instructor, entertainer, Meanwhile, Tennessee Star political Flo Leeta says her aim is to educate and drag queen. He is also an Alfred editor Steve Gill put in his newspaper parents and kids about always being State graduate and now part of the and on his “The Gill Report” broad- proud of who you are. She read Jacob’s roster of Young Audiences of West- cast on WETR FM his concern that New Dress, by Sarah and Ian Hofman, ern New York, a nonprofit that works drag queens read to children as “part and Morris Micklewhite and the Tanger- to pair teaching artists with oppor- of their gender expansion. To try and ine Dress, by Christine Baldacchino. tunities to instruct kids in creative get into the heads of these kids and Olean Library’s Programs Director programs. teach them that there is no boy thing Jennifer Stickles said those books have Flo Leeta—who is not affiliated or no girl thing it’s all just people been on the library’s shelves for years. with Drag Queen Story Hour—said things . . . trying to blend the gen- When the event was announced at many of those speaking out against ders. Which is part of the agenda of the beginning of the month, Stickles her appearance in Olean seem to mis- the perverse left.” said, negative social media posts began understand the point of it. She said He said it is “not age appropriate,” trickling in, as well as phone calls to the purpose is to humanize mem- and concluded, “they are doing it in the library and roughly 10 visits by bers of the LGBTQ community and a library in Clarksville Sunday, and those who wanted to share their dis- make children comfortable with how they can be doing it in your child’s approval in person. Also, a Pennsyl- they want to express themselves. school within the next few weeks if vania leader of the National Socialist Reported in: wkbw, June 20; Olean we don’t pay attention.” Reported in: (Nazi) Movement announced plans on Times-Herald, June 20. Tennessee Star, August 11; Leaf Chroni- cle, August 13.

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HOUSTON, TEXAS behavior, so that these children can The Daily Caller then provides a Houston Public Library continues to be more easily recruited into their link to a website called stopk12indoc host drag queen story time events, lifestyle.” Reported in: KTRK/ trination.org, where Fitzgerald invites despite protests, lawsuits, and political Houston ABC-TV 13, September 29; his viewers to “report indoctrination campaigns in opposition. KHOU-TV 11, October 23; LGBTQ in K-12 schools.” Drag Queen Storytime debuted Nation, November 3. Breitbart.com quotes the article at the Heights branch of the Hous- from The Daily Caller, and adds: “Jane ton Public Library in July. Another Schools Robbins, senior fellow at the Ameri- event in which local drag queens BROOKLYN, NEW YORK can Principles Project, based in Wash- were invited took place at the Drag Queen Story Hour has been a ington, DC, wrote in a statement sent Fred-Montrose Neighborhood monthly event at the Brooklyn Pub- to Breitbart News that “‘social emo- library on a Saturday afternoon, lic Library, but now the concept is tional learning,’ in the hands of radical September 29. spreading beyond libraries and into ideologues, can turn into child abuse.” Drag Queen Storytime is part of a number of schools in New York. Reported in: The Daily Caller, August a national program which states that The New York City chapter of the 3; breitbart.com, August 7; dragqueen its aim is to promote love and accep- non-profit Drag Queen Story Hour storyhour.org/nyc, n.d. [accessed tance. However, not everyone sees it (DQSH-NYC) lists two public December 6]. that way. schools and seven private schools in Several people outside the Sep- New York City that have had such Bookstores tember event protested it as a way to story hours. RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA “groom children to be acquainted A promotional PDF on the DQSH- Story time at Cellar Door bookstore with these issues.” Protester Cesar NYC website says that when “drag in Riverside turned into a confron- Franco said, “This is an abomination. queens trained by children’s librarians tation between a parent and the store Children should not be sexualized.” read picture books, sing songs, and owner, and it was all caught on cam- According to organizers, the pro- do craft activities with children,” this era. Cellar Door bookstore was host- gram is aimed to provide children not only promotes literacy but also ing a story time event in which Hal- with positive and unabashedly queer “teaches children to celebrate gen- loween books were read by three drag role models. The event also featured a der diversity and curbs bullying of queens. musical number, a photo booth, and LGBTQ children.” “A lot of indie bookstores are doing various activities for families. When a live drag queen is unavail- drag queen story time,” said Linda A lawsuit filed September 28 seeks able, schools can show a video of Sherman-Nurick, an owner of the to block drag queen story hours at a Drag Queen Story Hour at the bookstore. Houston city libraries (see “From the Brooklyn Public Library. But it was clear that not every- Bench,” page 45), but the mayor called This development has sparked one liked the idea. Sherman-Nurick the suit “frivolous.” alarm on conservative news sites. For said in the days leading up to the The anti-LGBTQ political action example, The Daily Caller describes reading, she had been getting angry committee behind the lawsuits also such a story hour at Maurice Sendak phone calls from people saying they used drag queen story hours in polit- Community School, a public school shouldn’t host that event. ical ads to scare Houston-area voters in Brooklyn, and quotes videographer “Our response was ‘that’s fine, into supporting Republican candi- Sean Fitzgerald of the David Horow- don’t come,’” she said. dates. The Campaign for Houston itz Freedom Center: “Think about During the event, Sherman-Nurick PAC aired TV ads and mailed post- how absurd this is. The taxpayer is noticed a woman recording video and cards with juxtaposed images of drag funding adult-themed performers to she explained to her that she couldn’t queens and crying children. come and read to our smallish chil- record kids without the parents’ The Campaign for Houston PAC dren in order to indoctrinate them permission. site has a petition saying that the into a political ideology about gender But the woman, Los Angeles res- goal of Drag Queen Story Hour is to while, at the same time, school dis- ident Genevieve Peters, refused to “indoctrinate children,” “break the tricts across the country are removing stop. On camera, she said the book- stigma of drag and queer culture with any and all references to biological sex store “has invited the public to kids” and “normalize this perverted from science textbooks.” watch this perversion with these

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homosexuals. I’m sorry this is what’s a “white savior” who makes its black them if they are found to be dissemi- happening.” characters seem “less than human.” nating false news. Some parents asked Peters to leave A memo from the Peel District Amnesty International criticized due to small children watching, but School Board states, “The use of rac- the governmental papers, in a July even after security guards stepped in, ist texts as entry points into discus- statement, saying they “give the state she refused. “That’s what you get,” sions about racism is hardly for the near-total control over print, online she said. “This is our nation’s chil- benefit of black students who already and broadcast media.” Reported in: dren, you have no right to tell us experience racism. This should give Associated Press, August 18. about our children.” us pause—who does the use of these Peters said she wasn’t recording the texts center? Who does it serve? Why FOR THE RECORD children, just the drag queens, and do we continue to teach them?” EDITOR’S NOTE: Some actions that explained that she decided to attend The board denies that the memo limit expression or access to information the reading because she feels that the constitutes either a ban or an argu- may be the result of editorial or business country is going down an immoral ment to not teach the book. decisions, not covered by the First Amend- path. “That’s not its intent at all,” said ment. News in this gray area that doesn’t “For the last 30 years, the homo- Adrian Graham, Peel’s superintendent meet the strict definition of “censorship” sexual agenda has been first and fore- of curriculum and instruction support is reported in this new section of the the most wanting to desensitize our com- services. “We’re definitely not about “Censorship Dateline” department. munities, our children, our families,” banning books. We don’t have any she said. English texts that are banned.” Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Drag queen performer Jovani One Peel District School Board Longtime Pittsburgh Post-Gazette car- Morales said he’s not surprised by the English teacher of long standing, toonist Rob Rogers announced on comments. however, called the memo “intimidat- June 14 that he was fired by the news- “I’m used to this negativity and ing,” and a “de facto book ban” that paper, after a number of his recent hate,” Morales said. “They’re scream- tells teachers who dare to assign the political cartoons had been killed. ing hateful things and negative com- book that they will not be supported Rogers said he went on vacation ments that kids shouldn’t be hearing by the school board if anyone com- in early June after Keith Burris, the to begin with.” plains. Reported in London (Ontario) newspaper’s editorial director, killed Eventually, a Riverside Police Free Press, October 18. six of his cartoons in a row. Since officer escorted Peters outside the Burris took over in March, Rogers bookstore, but she said if they bring Egypt has seen a total of 19 cartoons and the drag queens back, she will also be Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi ideas spiked, most involving criticism back. has ratified an anti-cybercrime law of President Trump. Sherman-Nurick said the events that rights groups say paves the way Burris, who stoked controversy will continue. She hopes that “the for censoring online media. in January by writing an editorial generation that comes up will not The law, published August 18 in defending Trump’s criticism of immi- have these kinds of fears, hatred and the country’s official gazette, empow- grants from “s–hole countries,” began ugliness.” Reported in: nbcbayarea ers authorities to order the blocking overseeing the Post-Gazette’s edito- .com, November 1. of websites that publish content con- rial pages after the paper’s owner, sidered a threat to national security. Block Communications, combined INTERNATIONAL Viewers attempting to access blocked them with the editorial pages of its Peel, Ontario, Canada sites can also be sentenced to one other newspaper, The Blade of Toledo, The board of a suburban Toronto year in prison or fined up to 100,000 Ohio. Burris was formerly the edito- school district is discouraging teach- Egyptian pounds ($5,593) under the rial page editor for The Blade and now ers from using the classic US novel law. splits his time between the two cities. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee In July, Egypt’s parliament approved He acknowledged that he is “more in their classrooms, judging the book a bill placing personal social media conservative” than past editorial page to be harmful, violent, and oppres- accounts and websites with over 5,000 editors and that even prior to Mr. sive to black students, with a trope of followers under the supervision of the Trump’s election in 2016, the owners top media authority, which can block of the newspaper had been trying “to

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right the ship” to reflect less liberal Bowers, who allegedly shot and killed for all people and for working with views. eleven people at a Pittsburgh syna- law enforcement to ensure that jus- Tracey DeAngelo, the Post-Ga- gogue on October 27, had a history of tice is served for the horrible atrocity zette’s chief marketing officer, told posting anti-Semitic messages on Gab. committed in Pittsburgh,” according CNN’s Jake Tapper in a statement GoDaddy confirmed its decision to the statement. that the situation with Rogers’ car- in a statement to The Verge: “We have Gab’s Twitter account said that toons “has little to do with politics, informed Gab.com that they have 24 the network would “likely be down ideology or Donald Trump. It has hours to move the domain to another for weeks” because of hosting pro- mostly to do with working together provider, as they have violated our vider Joyent’s decision to pull support, and the editing process.” Reported in: terms of service. In response to com- though a later tweet said it will be Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 14; Phila- plaints received over the weekend, “back soon.” delphia Inquirer, June 14. GoDaddy investigated and discovered GoDaddy similarly cut off sup- numerous instances of content on the port for neo-Nazi news site the Daily Social Media site that both promotes and encour- Stormer following an article that was Gab, the controversial social network ages violence against people.” published about Heather Heyer, who with a far-right following, has pulled When Gab became inaccessible, was killed during the protests in its website offline after domain pro- its website carried a message stating Charlottesville last year. Meanwhile, vider GoDaddy gave it 24 hours to that the company is “under attack” major companies like Apple, Google, move to another service. The move and “working around the clock to get and Microsoft have taken various steps comes as other companies including Gab.com back online” with a new to remove Gab from their platforms. PayPal, Medium, Stripe, and Joyent provider. “We have been smeared by Reported in: The Verge, October 28. blocked Gab over the last weekend of the mainstream media for defending October. It had emerged that Robert free expression and individual liberty

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