Censorship

Read about the concept of the suppression of speech or writing deemed offensive or inappropriate in schools
Image of a speech bubble behind yellow tape, a censorship concept
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + iStock/Getty Images
Law & Courts Opinion A Student Journalist's Plea: Stop Censoring Us (and Our Advisers)
High school newspaper staff deserve the same rights as professionals: to uncover wrongdoings and inform the public.
Serena Liu, March 9, 2023
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4 min read
Social studies teacher Matthew Hawn, who is accused of insubordination and repeated unprofessional conduct for teaching about racism and white privilege, sits on his couch inside his home on August 17, 2021.
Tennessee social studies teacher Matthew Hawn, who is accused of insubordination and repeated unprofessional conduct for teaching about racism and white privilege, sits on his couch inside his home back in August of 2021.
Caitlin Penna for Education Week
Equity & Diversity Educators' Opposition to Censorship Comes at a Big Personal Cost
A Tennessee teacher and a Louisiana librarian discuss their very public battles against book bans or restrictions on teaching about racism.
Eesha Pendharkar, December 29, 2022
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5 min read
The Bibles are on display during the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, June 14, 2022.
The Bibles are on display during the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, June 14, 2022.
Jae C. Hong/AP
Reading & Literacy Why the Bible Is Getting Pulled Off School Bookshelves
In an ironic twist, the Bible showed up in mass book removal efforts in at least three districts.
Eesha Pendharkar, December 15, 2022
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5 min read
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Lily Freeman and her mother, Mindy Freeman, have actively campaigned against efforts to restrict LGBQT books in the Central Bucks school district and elsewhere.
Courtesy of Mindy Freeman
Equity & Diversity Why a Trans Student and Her Mom Are Fighting Their District's Anti-LGBTQ Policies
Lily Freeman and her mother, Mindy Freeman, are working to stem a slew of anti-LGBTQ policies and directives issued in Central Bucks County, Pa.
Eesha Pendharkar, October 14, 2022
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6 min read
A recent bookstore display features books that have been frequently banned from schools.
A display of banned books is in a Barnes & Noble book store in Pittsford, New York, on Sunday, September 25, 2022.
Ted Shaffrey/AP
Reading & Literacy As Book Bans Escalate, Here's What You Need to Know
Catch up on numbers and findings from new reports on the growing push to ban books in schools and libraries.
Eesha Pendharkar, September 30, 2022
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5 min read
Ashley Hope Pérez, author of "Out of Darkness," the third most banned book in the country.
Ashley Hope Pérez, author of <i>Out of Darkness,</i> the third most banned book in the country.
Photo courtesy of Ashley Hope Pérez
Reading & Literacy Q&A Banned-Book Author: If a Book Isn't in the School Library, 'It Might as Well Not Exist'
Ashley Hope Pérez, an author and a former high school English teacher, explains her concerns with the current wave of school book bans.
Eesha Pendharkar, September 27, 2022
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7 min read
Amanda Jones, a librarian in Livingston Parish, La., pictured on Sept. 13, 2022. Jones is suing members of a Facebook group who harassed her virtually after she spoke against censorship in a public library meeting. Jones received angry emails and even a death threat from people across the country after she filed the lawsuit.
Amanda Jones, a librarian in Livingston Parish, La., is suing members of a Facebook group who harassed her virtually after she spoke against censorship in a public library meeting.
Claire Bangser for Education Week
Law & Courts A School Librarian Pushes Back on Censorship and Gets Death Threats and Online Harassment
Amanda Jones lost her legal battle against online harassers this week but vows to continue to press her case.
Eesha Pendharkar, September 22, 2022
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7 min read
Image of books piled in a locked cell.
DigitalVision Vectors
Equity & Diversity Who's Behind the Escalating Push to Ban Books? A New Report Has Answers
Right-wing activist organizations and Republican lawmakers are pushing to get books about LGBTQ people and racism removed, says PEN America.
Eesha Pendharkar, September 19, 2022
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5 min read
Books packed up in a cardboard box.
Patrick Daxenbichler/iStock/Getty
Teaching Profession Q&A A Teacher Who 'Refused to Be Party to Censorship' Tells Her Story
The teacher was targeted for sharing links to online libraries with students amid district book challenges.
Ileana Najarro, September 14, 2022
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8 min read
Amanda Darrow, director of youth, family and education programs at the Utah Pride Center, poses with books that have been the subject of complaints from parents in recent weeks on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, in Salt Lake City.
Amanda Darrow, the director of youth, family, and education programs at the Utah Pride Center in Salt Lake City, poses with books that have been the subject of complaints from parents in recent weeks.
Rick Bowmer/AP Photo
Curriculum Is Your School Facing a Book Challenge? These Online Resources May Help
Book challenges are popping up with more frequency. Here are supports for teachers fighting censorship.
Ileana Najarro, September 1, 2022
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5 min read
Deb Lambert, director of collection management for the Indianapolis Marion County Public Library for the past three years, looks over the books at the Library Services Center on Sept. 25, 2015. When a flap occurs at the library, the matter becomes the responsibility of Lambert.
More districts are seeking to restrict access to some books or remove them from classrooms and libraries altogether.
Charlie Nye/The Indianapolis Star via AP
Curriculum Q&A These Teachers' Book List Was Going to Be Restricted. Their Students Fought Back
The Central York district planned to restrict use of some materials last year. Here's how teachers and their students turned the tide.
Ileana Najarro, August 29, 2022
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8 min read
Illustration of figure with a megaphone casting a shadow of a figure indicating silence.
z_wei/iStock/Getty Images
Equity & Diversity Bills Targeting Classroom Talk on Race and Gender Identity Ballooned This Year
Lawmakers this year proposed 137 bills restricting lessons and training about racism and gender identity, a 250 percent increase since 2021.
Eesha Pendharkar, August 18, 2022
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8 min read
Curriculum Spotlight Spotlight on Curriculum
This Spotlight will help you explore parental involvement in curriculum choices, how curriculum can help students’ media literacy, and more.
June 1, 2022
Demonstrators gather on the steps of the Florida Historic Capitol Museum in front of the Florida State Capitol, Monday, March 7, 2022, in Tallahassee, Fla. Florida House Republicans advanced a bill, dubbed by opponents as the "Don't Say Gay" bill, to forbid discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools, rejecting criticism from Democrats who said the proposal demonizes LGBTQ people.
Demonstrators gather on the steps of the Florida Historic Capitol Museum in front of the Florida State Capitol, Monday, March 7, 2022, in Tallahassee, Fla.
Wilfredo Lee/AP
School Climate & Safety Fla. School Board Reverses Decision to Censor Yearbook Photos From ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Protest
The Seminole County School Board scrapped the plan in response to public backlash.
Skyler Swisher, Orlando Sentinel, May 11, 2022
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2 min read
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