California Pushes Back on the Book Banning Movement

Earlier this month, amid a sharp rise in book bans across the country, Governor Gavin Newsom called on educators to preserve students’ access to books, including those that “reflect the diverse experiences and perspectives of Californians.” Individual book bans in U.S. classrooms and school libraries increased by 28 percent during the first half of this school year compared to the prior six months, according to a report by the free speech group PEN America. The increase is partly due to newly-enacted state laws, and the bans “continue to target stories by and about people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals,” according to PEN. While rare in California, book battles are percolating in Temecula and Huntington Beach. We talk about the impact of book bans on free expression and students’ access to literature and diverse perspectives

Guests:

Deborah Caldwell-Stone, Director, American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom - and executive director of the Freedom to Read Foundation

Jaea Rivera, officer, Vandegrift High School Banned Book Club - in Austin, Texas.

George M. Johnson, award-winning author of "All Boys Aren't Blue" and "We Are Not Broken"

Jeff Horseman, Riverside County government and regional politics reporter, Southern California News Group

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