Advocating for the Right to Read: Finding Support

Introduction

The possibility of teachers and school librarians facing a book challenge, or a formal request to remove a book from the curriculum or school library, has become increasingly likely in recent years. The number of challenges reported to the American Library Association (ALA) in 2022 was higher than at any other time in more than 20 years and nearly double the number reported in 2021 (ALA, 2023a). Though it has become increasingly commonplace, censorship has many negative outcomes. One is that it strips young people of their access to a wide array of books. Books about social issues and identities like race and sexuality are often the ones students are most interested in reading (Ivey & Johnson, 2018), yet they are the most often challenged. For example, seven of the top thirteen most frequently challenged books in 2022 were considered problematic because of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, asexual, and intersex (LGBTQAI+) content (ALA, 2023b). Censorship also erases marginalized identities - like those of LGBTQAI+ individuals - which sends students the implicit message that their identities are not welcome or valued at school (Dallacqua, 2022). In addition, censorship creates a climate of fear. When a book is challenged, educators may refuse to include it at school because of anticipated backlash (Sachdeva et al., 2023). Even the potential for a challenge is enough for some educators to turn away from particular books, a phenomenon known as preemptive censorship (Kimmel & Hartsfield, 2019). Consequently, some educators choose to “play it safe” by selecting books that are less likely to create controversy, and possibly, less likely to engage their students as readers given that young people want to read books that are relevant to their lives (Dallacqua, 2022).

Educators are advocates for their students when they make the courageous choice to take a stand against censorship, including preemptive censorship, and stand up for their students’ right to intellectual freedom. However, advocating for this right is understandably difficult when powerful, politically-connected organizations are behind many book challenges in schools (Harris & Alter, 2023) and educators may face the possibility of being targeted on social media by parents and others who oppose students’ access to certain literature (Sachdeva et al., 2023). Even more concerning, laws in some states criminalize educators for disseminating so-called “obscene” books in schools, resulting in fines or prison time (Natanson, 2023). Given these circumstances, where can teachers, school librarians, and administrators go for support? The purpose of this chapter is to describe resources that education professionals may draw from to prepare for a book challenge or to handle a challenge if one has already occurred. We begin with an overview of book banning in U.S. schools past and present and the role of social activism in combating censorship. Next, we turn to theoretical perspectives that may be used in defense of students’ intellectual freedom, including the role of choice and diverse books in supporting students’ literacy engagement. Then, we address how professional organizations like the ALA and others can support educators experiencing a book challenge and describe the anti-censorship efforts of young people and community groups. Our goals are to 1) offer educators a rationale for defending students’ intellectual freedom and 2) connect educators to sources of support in the event of a book challenge.