According to the American Library Association, there were more than 3300 individual book bans in US public school libraries and classrooms, removing access to more than 1550 unique book titles, during the last school year from July 2022 to June 2023. In Massachusetts, there were 45 attempts to censor books and other library resources in 2022, placing Massachusetts as the fourth state with the highest attempts to restrict access to books. In reality, according to Massachusetts Library Association’s survey, there were 78 challenges in 2022 i.e. formal complaints filed with a library or school requesting the materials to be removed because of content or appropriateness…..of books, displays or programs.

In May 2023 at school committee meeting , Bella Soares, a vocal Ludlow, MA parent advocating for book banning, claims…”It has to do with pornographic books in our schools — drugs, rape, obscenity. That’s what we’re trying to eliminate here.”  What constitutes “pornography” was answered in the 1964 Supreme Court case Jacobellis V Ohio. When asked what was pornographic and therefore eligible for banning, Justice Potter Stewart responded in a summation of how difficult it is to objectively deem art or literature unworthy of dissemination: “I know it when I see it.” He described his threshold test for obscenity by explaining why the material at issue in the case was not obscene under the Roth test, and therefore was protected speech that could not be censored.

While some parents are fighting to protect their children from what they believe to be dangerous life models, political representatives and other parents are fighting for freedom to think and learn for their children.  State Senator Jake Oliveira of Ludlow and State Rep. Aaron Saunders of Belchertown filed legislation in late July 2023 stating:

“This is all an attempt to censor material in our public libraries, in our schools, focusing on certain populations…It is based in a right-wing ideology, not based in fact, it is based in xenophobia and we’re not going to stand for that here in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.” They also reminded their colleagues of the American Library Association’s Bill of Rights, (ALA) which states, “Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.”

Massachusetts State Senator Julian Cyr filed an act advocating free expression and the Massachusetts House advanced a bill as well in late July 2023. Both legislations were aimed at preventing books, media and other library resources from being removed or banned in schools or libraries due to personal or political views.

Marilyn Schairer from GBH describes that the rise in book banning began after the 1982 Supreme Court decision, Board of Education, Island Trees Union Free School District v. Pico, in which the high court held that the First Amendment limits the power of school libraries to remove books because of their content. It was the first time — and still the only time — the Supreme Court heard a case about censorship in school libraries.

Already in 2023, in the town of Dighton MA, after the local public library recommended and promoted the book Seeing Gender which discusses gender identity and expression, community members met with the library officials and board of trustees to argue and emphasize their viewpoint that sexual and politically inflammatory books “should not be displayed in obvious places where children may be able to see them.”

Following this challenge, the board voted on the accessibility of books.  Books could be removed from the curriculum of schools or the circulation of library books. Many of the challenged books featured people of color and LGBTQIA+ issues. Of the Top 13 Most Challenged Books of 2022, most books were reported because of the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ content or because the books were claimed to be sexually explicit. Of the books that were reported because of the LGBTQIA+ content, many are memoirs or semi-autobiographical texts and many received a mixture of praise and criticism. Authors of these books recalled not having read these kinds of books and could not see themselves reflected in any books when they were growing up and decided to use their stories to educate readers about the LGBTQIA+ community and to possibly portray a different path in life that LGBTQIA+ readers may not have thought about before.

Writing for their family, Maia Kobabe published their graphic memoir Gender Queer: A Memoir in 2019. Centering on coming out to friends and family as nonbinary, Gender Queer, which was listed as the top 1 most challenged book of 2022 both nationwide and in Massachusetts, has been praised by some for how it explores identity and has simultaneously drawn lots of rebuke from some people for a few of its sexually explicit images and illustrations. Despite many young people and parents denouncing the ban on Gender Queer and arguing the significant role this memoir can play on young people who are exploring gender identity and on families who are uninformed or unsupportive, the graphic memoir was still removed from numerous schools and libraries across the country. During an August 28, 2023 conversation with WBUR 90.9 fm’s “Radio Boston,” Maia shared their viewpoint regarding encountering a slightly challenging topic in books:

“Coming across challenging topics such as topics about abuse, sexuality or historical atrocity in books is one of the safest ways since people can ingest and process the text at their own speed…. It is important for people to learn about other people’s life experiences even if they would never have such experiences.”

In response to a surge in the number of challenges to books in libraries, bookstores, and schools, Banned Books Week – held annually to highlight the value of free and open access to books and information and to bring together the entire book community in shared and collective support of the freedom to seek and express ideas – was launched in 1982. The theme of the 2023 event, which was held October 1 to October 7 was “Let Freedom Read”.  It highlighted the threat which a culture of book banning has on liberty and raising the awareness of the multiple dangers of book censorship. At the Chicago Public Library, there was a bright neon sign that read  “UNBANNED” with books which have been banned during distinct periods of American history on display on spiral shelves … a public art piece “Altar for the Unbanned” by Theaster Gates. By displaying this artwork, library officials hoped to defend and emphasize the freedom to read by offering citizens opportunities to learn more about books banned over history and to engage over those books and others.

For those looking to access books that have been banned, or would like ways to help ensure people have the option to read any title that piques their interest, the Brooklyn Public Library launched Books UnBanned, a teen-led initiative catering to young readers across the country, regardless of state. Many Books offers a variety of free eBooks. The same options are available at Libby, Hoopla, and books at www.archive.org .

The classic 1953 Ray Bradbury novel Fahrenheit 451 examined a society in which books were personified and outlawed. The mandate of all firemen in this world was to engulf any found literary contraband in flames, thereby eliminating all chance at enlightenment and illumination. Seventy years later, Bradbury’s comments at the time about the book’s meaning still burn in conscience of many of us: “The problem in our country isn’t with books being banned, but with people no longer reading. You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.”