Keeping Up and Checking In

Across the United States, the escalating wave of educational censorship—book bans, restrictions on curriculum, and ideological litmus tests for teachers—isn’t happening in a vacuum. These efforts are not simply about shielding children from “concerning” content. They are part of a broader, well-funded strategy to undermine public education and accelerate the expansion of privatized alternatives like charter schools and voucher programs.

In the fight for the freedom to read, we tend to picture censorship as a stack of banned books, an angry speech at a microphone, or a harshly worded policy. But some of the most potent censorship doesn’t look like a ban at all. It looks like a budget line. It sounds like: “If you keep those books on the shelves, you’ll lose funding.” It arrives as a quiet memo: “To avoid risk, cancel the author visit.” It’s a school board lawyer advising, “Let’s remove the display until the legislature finishes its review.”

A new national survey of 4,096 secondary English teachers offers urgent insight into how censorship unfolds in K‑12 schools, and who really bears the burden. This research, published in Reading Research Quarterly, is a pivotal resource for advocates of intellectual freedom, educators, and community organizers pushing back against book bans. Read the full report here.

When a controversial new education policy makes headlines, like book bans, curriculum restrictions, or changes to what students can learn about history or identity, it’s easy to assume it appeared overnight. But in reality, new laws go through a multi-step process before they become rules enforced in classrooms and libraries.

In communities across the country, parents, educators, and students are showing up to school board meetings, city council sessions, and library trustee hearings to fight censorship and defend the freedom to read. But let’s be honest: sometimes you speak up, and the vote goes against you anyway. The board bans the book. The policy passes. The resolution gets tabled.

On July 14, 2025, Florida’s Commissioner of Education, Anastasios Kamoutsas, issued a letter to public school parents across the state. At first glance, it reads like a welcome-back message filled with praise for students, families, and educators. But scratch beneath the surface, and it becomes clear: this is not just a school-year kickoff. This is a thinly veiled manifesto for a sweeping ideological transformation in American public education.

Book censorship is on the rise in the United States, often driven by small but vocal groups who claim to be protecting children, preserving morality, or upholding parental rights. While these arguments may sound reasonable at first, they often mask deeper efforts to restrict access to diverse perspectives and erase marginalized voices from public education and library systems.

Looking for a fun, impactful way to build community and stand up for the right to read? Host a Book Exchange Event! Think of it as part neighborhood gathering, part advocacy party, part literary celebration designed to get people talking, reading, and taking action against censorship.

On June 26, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor that will have far-reaching implications for all public school students and their families – especially those with ties to the LGBTQ+ community, and the future of public education in this country. At the heart of the case was the question of whether public schools were constitutionally required to honor parental opt-out requests for curriculum designed to promote inclusivity and understanding among K-5 students when their religious beliefs are in conflict with these anti-bullying initiatives. In a 6-3 ruling, the Court sided with the parents and vacated the lower court’s injunction, upholding what Justice Sotomayor, in her powerful dissent, called a "selective silencing" of queer identities under the guise of neutrality.

As we approach the 2026 legislative session, advocates for intellectual freedom must be prepared to counter growing threats to the right to read. In recent years, book bans, vague state mandates, and political pressure have intensified, stripping students, educators, and communities of access to diverse and inclusive books. Now more than ever, it is essential to be organized, strategic, and data-driven in our advocacy.