Posted on November 17, 2021 at 3:14 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

While book challenges aren’t exactly new, there are a few new trends in the most recent burst of controversy.

School librarians and advocates for them told TIME magazine that both the challenged content and the challengers have changed in this latest chapter.

That is, they’re seeing an increased focus on books about race and LGBTQ identities – and they’re seeing it from elected officials.

TIME adds, however, that in a previous era of prolific book challenges, a key Supreme Court ruling emerged.

In 1982, justices ruled that school boards can’t remove books simply because they disagree with them.

So while challenges can and certainly do still come, most school districts have some sort of formal review process for complaints — it’s just a matter of remembering to use them.

Read more from school librarians on the increase in book challenges in TIME.

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Categories: Today in Books

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