ALA Council

 
October 08, 2021 - Collated by OIF Staff and News Editor on the Intellectual Freedom Blog

Highlights

A Note from Jerry Craft: In October 2021, a local petition to ban books by Newbery Medal-winning author Jerry Craft resulted in the postponement of his appearance in front of a Texas school district. Dissenters claim the book teaches critical race theory and therefore should not be taught in schools. The following is Craft's response to the petition.

Censorship

• The Fight to Ban Books | The New York Times
• Wyoming librarians under fire for books about sex, LGBTQ | ABC News
  • Campbell County library prosecution up to Weston County Attorney | County 17
  • Gillette library reviews book challenges during 'Banned Book Week' | Pinedale Roundup
  • Library makes progress on 35 book reconsiderations | County 17
  • Are These Wyoming Library Books Obscene? | Reason
  • Teens share their concerns with commissioners during special presentation | County 17
• Hudson district pull books from high school library, launches review after parents complain | Akron Beacon Journal
• Inside the Right's Plan to Rebrand Sex Ed as 'Child Porn' | The Daily Beast
• NCAC objects to removal of Out of Darkness from Lake Travis, Texas school libraries | National Coalition Against Censorship
• How Students Fought a Book Ban and Won, for Now | The New York Times
  • Central York unifies behind banned books -- but stay vigilant | York Dispatch
• Mid-Continent Public Library Board blasted as banned books comments suggest censorship | NPR
• Katy ISD pulls books, cancels author's visit after parents petition claiming subject matter teaches 'critical race theory' | KRPC News
  • Katy ISD cancels event with acclaimed children's author after parents allege 'critical race theory' | Houston Chronicle
  • How did 400 Katy ISD parents get a book removed? Accusations of Marxism and 'critical race theory' | Houston Chronicle
  • Texas schools remove children's books branded 'critical race theory' | Reuters
  • Jerry Craft, Black author of book pulled by Katy ISD, says his work lets 'kids see themselves' | Houston Chronicle
• Southlake Carroll ISD votes to reprimand teacher after parents complain about anti-racist book | Dallas News
• Spring Branch ISD bans graphic novel after parent's complaint over transgender character | Houston Chronicle
  • Spring Branch ISD says it banned book over sexual content, not because it has transgender character | ABC13 News (TX)
• Johnston County school board acquiesces to demands of Board of Commissioners | NC Policy Watch
• LGBTQ+ Group Decries Efforts to Ban 2 Books From School Libraries | Patch
• Plano ISD hears complaints about library books that include sexual content, profanity | Dallas News

Privacy & Cybersecurity

• New research warns of risks to K-12 students due to monitoring software | North Dallas Gazette
• Easy-to-Use Privacy Guides for Libraries | Institute of Museum and Library Services
• Watchdog faults FBI for 'widespread' errors handling surveillance warrants | Reuters
• FTC Report to Congress on Privacy and Security (September 2021) [PDF] | Federal Trade Commission
• 'Stalkerware' Apps are Proliferating. Protect Yourself. | The New York Times

More privacy news is available at the Voices for Privacy blog.

First Amendment, Free Speech, & Civil Liberties

• Are government bans on the teaching of critical race theory unconstitutional? | ABA Journal
• Federal Judge Pauses Strict Texas Law Banning Most Abortions | The New York Times
• Judge rules sheriff violated First Amendment with jail threat over COVID posts | WNA News
• Student group files lawsuit against schools | Pendleton Times-Post
• Soon to be blockbuster cases from the Supreme Court | The Hill
• Lesbian parents battle Nebraska for equal parental rights | Los Angeles Blade
• Pennsbury hit with second lawsuit in two weeks. This one challenges censorship of board meetings | Bucks County Courier Times
• Shaheen & Hassan Introduce the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act with Group of 47 Lawmakers [press release] | Jeanne Shaheen
• Colorado High School Student Appealing First Amendment Case After Expulsion for Antisemitic Snapchat Post | Algemeiner

Access

• Nevins Library eliminates overdue fines | Eagle-Tribune

Net Neutrality & Broadband

• FCC to Open Second Application Window for Emergency Connectivity Fund | Intellectual Freedom Blog

Academic Freedom & Campus Speech

• Binghamton University holds deliberative dialogue on inclusion and the First Amendment | BingUNews
• Tenure Under Threat in Georgia | Inside Higher Ed

Social Media

• Clearly, Facebook Is Very Flawed. What Will We Do About It? | New York Times
  • Facebook whistleblower: The company knows it's harming people and the buck stops with Zuckerberg | CNBC
  • Whistleblower says Facebook put profit before reining in hate speech | Reuters
  • Ex-Facebook employee tells Congress social media giant endangers users, democracy | Los Angeles Times
• Trump asks judge to force Twitter to restore his account | Politico
• Trump sues Facebook to get his account back immediately while lawsuit proceeds | Denver Gazette
• Social media companies remove less hate speech in 2021 | Politico

Journalism & Media

• Journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov win Nobel Peace Prize | CNN
  • Maria Ressa: Targeted by Duterte | Columbia Journalism Review
• Why Black Media Matters Now | Center for Community Media, CUNY
• Into Oblivion: How news outlets are handling the right to be forgotten | Columbia Journalism Review
• The Movable Feast: Food media, archival repair, and what we expect from recipes | Columbia Journalism Review

Information Literacy & Disinformation

• False election claims undermine efforts to increase security | The Hill
• Automating disinformation. China's emerging disinformation policy and practice. GhostWriter and the European Union. Deepfakes? How about a shallowfake? | Cyber Wire Briefings
• Clubhouse, DoubleVerify, Vimeo Join EC Code of Practice on Disinformation | Adweek
• COVID vaccine disinformation a big reason behind low inoculation rates, officials say | Los Angeles Times
• A Star-Telegram reader's guide to fighting misinformation and disinformation online | Fort Worth Star-Telegram

International News

• Singapore passes 'most powerful' foreign interference law amid fears of ever-shrinking space for dissent | The Washington Post
• Civil liberties groups criticise Priti Patel's plan to criminalise protest | The Guardian
• LinkedIn censors more journalist profiles in China, suggest self-censorship as solution | China Digital Times

Banned Books Week

• Intellectual Freedom Censorship After Banned Books Week | Intellectual Freedom Blog
• Fighting the good fight as a school librarian during Banned Books Week | Chicago Sun-Times
• Banned Books Week: Matters of Common Humanity | Seacoast Online
• Banned Books Week has new meaning for Columbus author whose novel was challenged | The Columbus Dispatch
• Banned school books focus on sex and race because of parents, not students | NBC News

Around the Web

• Pescadero school library prioritizes social justice | Half Moon Bay Review
• Teaching Anti-Racism Won't Shame Kids. It Will Empower Them | Sojourners
• Culture war intensifies over school boards | The Hill
  • School Boards Ask Biden to Review Threats and Violence as Possible 'Domestic Terrorism' | Education Week
  • California school board officials plead fro protection from protesting parents | The Guardian
• His books on Rosa Parks and MLK were banned. Here's what this South Florida author did | GM Today
• SPL reports findings from racial equity and inclusion discussions | Morning Times
• HarperCollins to remove Chinese character from Walliams book after criticism | The Bookseller
• The Book Club that Helped Spark the Gay-Rights Movement | The New Yorker
• Youngkin cozies up to anti-LGBTQ extremists ahead of [Virginia] governor's election | American Independent
• Central York School Board to protest state mask mandate with legal brief | York Daily Record
• Leander ISD to use new manual for picking instructional materials | Community Impact Newspaper
• Celebrating Banned Authors During Hispanic Heritage Month | Intellectual Freedom Blog
• IFRT Member Spotlight – Sarah Burchart | Intellectual Freedom Blog

ALA News

• Drabinski, Watson seek 2023-24 ALA presidency
• Registration and housing now open for PLA 2022 Conference
• ALA Nominating Committee announces councilors-at-large candidates
• Hepburn, Lanza-Galindo running for 2022-25 ALA treasurer
• Libraries Worldwide Invited to Celebrate International Games Week 2021 This November

Awards & Grant

• Libraries are invited to apply for the 2022 Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grants for Libraries
• Nominations open for 2022 IFRT John Phillip Immroth Memorial Award
• ALA to distribute $2 million in humanities funding to libraries as part of NEH American Rescue Plan

eLearning

• Core Webinar: Improving Web Site Accessibility

More eLearning opportunites

Publishing

• UX principles for library signage and wayfinding design
• Ready-to-use lesson plans for scholarly research topics
• A deep dive into information literacy research

More ALA News

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