Book bans have increased substantially in Republican states like Texas, Florida, Utah, South Carolina, etc. under the justification that they are not appropriate.
ALA.org said, “A record 2,571 unique titles were targeted for censorship, a 38 percent increase from the 1,858 unique titles targeted for censorship in 2021. Of those titles, the vast majority were written by or about members of the LGBTQIA+ community and people of color.Of the reported book challenges, 58 percent targeted books and materials in school libraries, classroom libraries or school curricula; 41 percent of book challenges targeted materials in public libraries. Of the overall number of books challenged, 90 percent were part of attempts to censor multiple titles. Of the books challenged, 40 percent were in cases involving 100 or more books”
Books are being banned for the reasons that they address sexuality, race, and other controversial issues.
This has been an ongoing debate in the political world, but recently, there was a turning point.
On Thursday, September 7, lawmakers in California passed legislation that would place a fine on school districts for banning books. Gavin Newsom supported this bill.
After it passed the last stage of legislation, Newsom said,“California is the true freedom state: a place where families — not political fanatics — have the freedom to decide what’s right for them…All students deserve the freedom to read and learn about the truth, the world, and themselves.”
The bill essentially would allow school districts to be fined if they ban books on the basis that they include marginalized groups.
The bill would apply to not only curriculum literature, but also books in school libraries.
In October, Wisconsin State Representative Jodi Emerson released a statement in which she said, “I am proud to have authored and introduced an Anti-Book Banning bill during Free Speech Week. This bill prevents government funded institutions from banning access to books or other media on the grounds of ideas presented in the book or media or ideals of the creators of the books or media…The banning of books in libraries and schools directly targets the freedoms that our democracy is founded on and restricts access to diverse perspectives and values. All ages benefit from the knowledge books have to offer in schools and in libraries, but it is in particular, an injustice to hide valuable ideas and information from children, simply on the grounds of a difference of opinion. It is our responsibility to cultivate and encourage a well-informed public.”
As the debate continues, more and more Democratic State Representatives have begun pushing back against book-banning legislation. This can be seen in the cases of California, Illinois, and Wisconsin.