Censorship

Read about the suppression of speech or writing deemed offensive or inappropriate in schools
Amanda Darrow, director of youth, family and education programs at the Utah Pride Center, poses with books that have been the subject of complaints from parents in recent weeks on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, in Salt Lake City.
Amanda Darrow, the director of youth, family, and education programs at the Utah Pride Center in Salt Lake City, poses with books that have been the subject of complaints from parents in recent weeks.
Rick Bowmer/AP Photo
Curriculum Is Your School Facing a Book Challenge? These Online Resources May Help
Book challenges are popping up with more frequency. Here are supports for teachers fighting censorship.
Ileana Najarro, September 1, 2022
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5 min read
Deb Lambert, director of collection management for the Indianapolis Marion County Public Library for the past three years, looks over the books at the Library Services Center on Sept. 25, 2015. When a flap occurs at the library, the matter becomes the responsibility of Lambert.
More districts are seeking to restrict access to some books or remove them from classrooms and libraries altogether.
Charlie Nye/The Indianapolis Star via AP
Curriculum Q&A These Teachers' Book List Was Going to Be Restricted. Their Students Fought Back
The Central York district planned to restrict use of some materials last year. Here's how teachers and their students turned the tide.
Ileana Najarro, August 29, 2022
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8 min read
Illustration of figure with a megaphone casting a shadow of a figure indicating silence.
z_wei/iStock/Getty Images
Equity & Diversity Bills Targeting Classroom Talk on Race and Gender Identity Ballooned This Year
Lawmakers this year proposed 137 bills restricting lessons and training about racism and gender identity, a 250 percent increase since 2021.
Eesha Pendharkar, August 18, 2022
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8 min read
Curriculum Spotlight Spotlight on Curriculum
This Spotlight will help you explore parental involvement in curriculum choices, how curriculum can help students’ media literacy, and more.
June 1, 2022
Demonstrators gather on the steps of the Florida Historic Capitol Museum in front of the Florida State Capitol, Monday, March 7, 2022, in Tallahassee, Fla. Florida House Republicans advanced a bill, dubbed by opponents as the "Don't Say Gay" bill, to forbid discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools, rejecting criticism from Democrats who said the proposal demonizes LGBTQ people.
Demonstrators gather on the steps of the Florida Historic Capitol Museum in front of the Florida State Capitol, Monday, March 7, 2022, in Tallahassee, Fla.
Wilfredo Lee/AP
School Climate & Safety Fla. School Board Reverses Decision to Censor Yearbook Photos From ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Protest
The Seminole County School Board scrapped the plan in response to public backlash.
Skyler Swisher, Orlando Sentinel, May 11, 2022
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2 min read
Marchers wave U.S. and rainbow flags and signs as they walk at the St. Pete Pier in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Saturday, March 12, 2022 during a rally and march to protest the controversial "Don't say gay" bill passed by Florida's Republican-led legislature and now on its way to Gov. Ron DeSantis' desk.
Marchers wave U.S. and rainbow flags and signs as they walk at the St. Pete Pier in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Saturday, March 12, 2022 during a rally and march to protest the controversial "Don't say gay" bill passed by Florida's Republican-led legislature and now on its way to Gov. Ron DeSantis' desk.
Martha Asencio-Rhine/Tampa Bay Times via AP
School Climate & Safety Fla. High School to Cover Yearbook Photos of ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Student Protests
Lyman High School’s yearbook features photos of students holding rainbow flags and a “love is love” sign during a walkout protest in March.
Skyler Swisher, Orlando Sentinel, May 10, 2022
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3 min read
Image of library shelves.
VTT Studio/iStock/Getty
Curriculum How Prevalent Are Book Bans This Year? New Data Show Impact
Two million students in 86 school districts have had access to books restricted due to book bans, according to a report by PEN America.
Eesha Pendharkar, April 7, 2022
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4 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
Curriculum Opinion AP Takes a Stand Amid the Raging Curriculum Debates. It’s Worth Emulating
The College Board has made it clear that it won't be cowed by ideologues, and that's heartening.
Rick Hess, March 21, 2022
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3 min read
Image of a person working under scrutiny.
nadia_bormotova/iStock/Getty
Teaching Profession In the Culture Wars, Teachers Are Being Treated Like 'Enemies'
Professional teaching groups warn that a crossfire of political and cultural conflict threatens teachers' ability to do their jobs.
Madeline Will, March 15, 2022
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3 min read
Amanda Darrow, director of youth, family and education programs at the Utah Pride Center, poses with books that have been the subject of complaints from parents in recent weeks on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, in Salt Lake City.
Amanda Darrow, director of youth, family and education programs at the Utah Pride Center in Salt Lake City, shows books that have been the subject of complaints from parents this school year.
Rick Bowmer/AP Photo
Curriculum How Social Media Is Shaping Book Ban Debates
Social media utilized to fight against censorship or help those trying to remove books from school libraries.
Alyson Klein, March 14, 2022
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3 min read
Image of a girl selecting a book in the library.
Hakase_/iStock/Getty
Reading & Literacy PEN America Receives $500,000 to Fight Book Bans
The donation from publishing CEO Markus Dohle aims to help ramp up anti-book ban efforts.
Eesha Pendharkar, March 11, 2022
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2 min read
illustration of man inside a book, surreal optical illusion educational concept
FrancesCoch/iStock/Getty
Teaching Opinion Let's Build Trust Instead of Banning Books
What would it take to have productive civic and classroom conversations about our deepest values? A religious studies professor offers ideas.
Jill DeTemple, March 10, 2022
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5 min read
Books packed up in a cardboard box.
Patrick Daxenbichler/iStock/Getty
Law & Courts ‘We Must Protect This Right': Students Sue School District Over Banned Books
The banned books about race, gender, and marginalized communities include “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison.
Kaitlyn Alanis, The Charlotte Observer, February 18, 2022
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2 min read
Image of library shelves.
VTT Studio/iStock/Getty
Families & the Community As Book Bans Spread, Suburban Moms Who Oppose Them Are Fighting Back
These mothers have deployed a series of unique strategies to convince board members to keep books about racism and homophobia.
Eesha Pendharkar, February 17, 2022
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4 min read
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