Multi-level barrage of US book bans is ‘unprecedented’, says PEN America

[Portre]

Book banning in the US has surged in the past few years, fueled by conservative backlash against discussions of race, LGBTQ+ issues, and diversity teaching in public schools. Last week, the Donald Trump administration instructed the Department of Education to end their investigations into these bans, calling them a “hoax”.

PEN America, one of America’s largest non-profits dedicated to protecting free expression in literature and beyond, warns that the current barrage of book bans and the growing traction of the movement is dangerously reminiscent of authoritarian regimes throughout history.

“What we’re seeing right now mirrors elements of different historical periods, but this has never all happened at once,” Jonathan Friedman, Sy Syms managing director for US free expression programs at PEN America, said.

Multi-level barrage of US book bans is ‘unprecedented’, says PEN America

[Michelle]

Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Great Gatsby, The Scarlett Letter, Animal Farm, 1984, The Color Purple, The Catcher in the Rye, Of Mice and Men, A Wrinkle in Time, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, The Grapes of Wrath, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, To Kill a Mockingbird, Bridge to Terabithia, The Outsiders...sigh.

OH...you were talking about the books conservatives have had taken out of schools. None of the books were banned, by the way. If you are so inclined, you can still buy them for your child to read and hopefully have a heart to heart talk with them.

[+Link of Hyrule]

1 hour ago, Michelle said:

None of the books were banned, by the way. If you are so inclined, you can still buy them for your child to read and hopefully have a heart to heart talk with them.

Many of them are available in the high school library (the book was just moved from a primary school shelf to a high school one for age appropriateness). Or there is always the public library. I agree with everything else you wrote, just wanted to add this.  

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

Banned in the same way university level calculus textbooks are banned in ‘elementary schools’ or banned in the way Mein Kampf is banned?