Police Search Massachusetts Middle School for 'Gender Queer' | Censorship News

A complaint to the police sent a plainclothes officer to the school in Great Barrington, MA, but Gender Queer was not there; hundreds of books get removed in a Florida district; and Books Save Lives Act was introduced in Congress.

Police called to Western Massachusetts Middle School over Gender Queer | Boston.com
A complaint to the police about Gender Queer: A Memoir prompted a plainclothes police officer to visit a middle school in Great Barrington, MA, in search of the book. The book, which was reportedly in a classroom library, was not there. Police officials determined that the issue was “a matter to be managed within the Berkshire Hills Regional School District.”

Florida School District Pulls 673 Books from Teachers' Classroom Shelves | Orlando Sentinel
The books, which were in teachers' classroom libraries, will get another review by Orange County (FL) Public School staff and could be returned to shelves at some point.

Massachusetts Rep. Aryanna Pressley Introduces Bill to Fight Book Bans | UPI
Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) is sponsoring the Books Save Lives Act to stop discriminatory book bans and require public and school libraries to maintain a diverse collection of books.

Following LGBTQ+, Racial Book Bans, ACLU Files Wave of Records Requests | Urban Milwaukee
The ACLU of Wisconsin filed records requests with six school districts, following book bans and challenges to reading materials largely targeting books with LGBTQ+ and racial themes that the organization says threaten the First Amendment rights of students and their families.

State Bill Addressing Sexually Explicit, Relevant Content Likely Won't Change Much Locally, Librarians Said | 3 News
Corpus Christi (TX) ISD (CCISD) library specialist Lauren Smith said that House Bill 900 impacts vendors not districts, requiring booksellers to submit ratings of the books they sell to the state. "CCISD does not buy sexually explicit books, so that's not going to change anything," she said. "As far as sexual relevancy—if a book does get rated that way—we will be required to have parent permission to allow a student to check out that book."

Missouri's Book Removals Have Taken a Toll on School Librarians | KCUR
The efforts to remove books from school libraries started with parents in local school districts and ended up in state legislatures. After two years of controversy, one school librarian says her colleagues are leaving the profession because it has become too painful.

Idaho District Removing 10 Books From Library Shelves | KTVB
West Ada (ID) School District administrators told librarians the books, "don't align with the West Ada School District program philosophy or the selection criteria of learning resources." That list includes books like The Handmaid's Tale: A Graphic Novel, Water For Elephants and You.

Kansas School District Restricts Books that Mention Nudity, Sexual Orientation, or Gender Identity | KMUW
Despite objections from parents and students, the Leavenworth (KS) School District Board of Education voted 4-3 to pass revisions to an education policy that bans “gender identity” and “sexual orientation” references in the district’s elementary library books. Critics say the move may impact a wide scope of educational materials in the district, along with the LGBTQIA+ books the decision targets.

Alabama Public Library Service Offers Form for Parents Concerned about Library Books | CBS 42
The Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) announced it will now provide a form for parents to express concern about the “appropriateness of some resources available to children and teenagers in the state’s public libraries.” 

Books Targeted for Banning by Western Pennsylvania School Board Members Almost Never Checked Out, Analysis Shows | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
According to data from districts, books being challenged have rarely if ever been checked out at the schools. The most popular title among those challenged in one district was Heartstopper, which was checked out only 16 times over two years.

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