Free Speech

The First Amendment protects our right to receive information and share ideas free from viewpoint-based censorship. The government can’t ban books in public schools or libraries just because it dislikes the ideas contained in those books, nor may it do so for partisan, political, or viewpoint-based reasons. That is a violation of the First Amendment.

The majority of recent book bans target books by Black and LGBTQ authors. These books are being targeted because they specifically discuss race, gender, and/or sexual identity from the viewpoint of an author or character who is a person of color, an immigrant, queer, or otherwise from a marginalized community.

Having the freedom to form our own opinions includes having the opportunity to engage with the history, experiences, and viewpoints of our diverse communities, both inside and outside of school. All young people deserve to see themselves and the issues that impact them reflected in their classroom curricula and libraries. They also deserve to be given the tools and space to develop their own critical thinking skills.