Intellectual Freedom Center
All students have the right to materials and educational experiences that promote open inquiry, critical thinking, diversity in thought and expression, and respect for others.
News and Updates
The updates and news presented here are representative of, but not comprehensive coverage of, NCTE’s ongoing Intellectual Freedom work. Due to the confidential nature of individual cases and our commitment to protecting teachers, items posted are all public in nature.
Current Year
2024
As children’s book bans soar, sales are down and librarians are afraid. Even in California (LA Times, December 2024)
NCTE has joined two amicus briefs, in collaboration with Penguin Random House and other parties vested in protecting intellectual freedom in the classroom. The Georgia case, Katherine Rinderle v. Cobb County School District, can be read here. The California case, Mae M. v. Joseph Komrosky, can be read here. (October 2024)
NCTE endorsed the federal bicameral resolution condemning book bans, which was co-sponsored by Representative Raskin and Senator Schatz. (September 25, 2024)
It’s Banned Books Week. Have the Challenges to Books Slowed Down? (EducationWeek September 24, 2024)
Executive Director Emily Kirkpatrick attended the National Summit on Democracy, Intellectual Freedom, and Book Censorship in the 21st Century, working to enact change on behalf of educators in partnership with other national organizations. (September 16–17, 2024)
NCTE sponsors the Rally for the Right to Read at the American Library Association’s Annual Conference. (June 28, 2024)
NCTE Leaders Participate in Roundtable on Book Bans and Educational Censorship in Washington, DC (April 29, 2024)
NCTE, along with PEN America and more than 20 other organizations, signs a letter opposing Florida Senate bill 1372, which targets teacher training programs’ freedom to teach. (February 28, 2024)
This Story Matters Teacher Corps expanded to create five more cohorts to expand the book rationale database. (January 2024)
Previous Years
NCTE signs We Believe in the Freedom to Read statement created by PEN America and We Believe. (October 2, 2023)
NCTE was recognized, along with other partner organizations, for best practice guidelines around literacy education in a recently reintroduced bicameral resolution by Representative Raskin and Senator Schatz. (September 27, 2023)
This Story Matters Teacher Corps created to more vigorously expand the book rationale database. (September 2023)
Illinois is a haven against book bans, but advocates say the threat to democracy remains (WBEZ-Chicago, August 31, 2023)
PEN America warns of a growing wave of ‘educational intimidation’ bills (The Hill, August 23, 2023)
How new tactics have driven a spike in book ban attempts (The Hill, July 9, 2023)
NCTE supports the reintroduced Right to Read Act. (April 26,2023)
NCTE Signs Onto Two Statements Condemning Florida House Bill 999: The Effort to Undermine Academic Freedom in Florida House Bill 999 ACLS Statement and the AHA Statement Opposing Florida House Bill 999 (March 3, 2023)
NCTE cosigns the American Council of Learned Societies’ Statement In Support of Academic Freedom and New College of Florida (February 9, 2023)
A bicameral resolution issued by the U.S. Congress and U.S. Senate, led by Chairman Raskin and Senator Schatz recognized NCTE as best practice leader on intellectual freedom and condemned the uptick in book bans and education-targeted gag orders. (September 22, 2022)
What Message Do Book Bans Send To Black Students? (The Seattle Medium, September 21, 2022)
Today’s book bans might be more dangerous than those from the past (Washington Post, September 12, 2022)
In 2022, a New Urgency for Banned Books Week (Publishers Weekly, September 9, 2022)
Pushback over diversity in the classroom push teachers out of schools (ABC News, August 31, 2022)
NCTE Intellectual Freedom Fellowship announced (July 13, 2022)
NCTE releases first of it’s kind book rationale database (June 23, 2022)
This Story Matters Campaign launched (June 23, 2022)
Virginia Legal Action Threatens the Freedom to Read (May 18, 2022)
Unite Against Book Bans (national partner with ALA’s initiative, May 9, 2022)
Open Books, Open Doors poster resource (in partnership with School Library Journal, PEN America, the National Coalition Against Censorship, Library Journal, and FReadom, May 2, 2022)
Teachers to culture warriors: Stop treating us as enemies (The Washington Post, March 22,2022)
Freedom to Teach: Statement against Banning Books (released March 15, 2022)
In the Culture Wars, Teachers Are Being Treated Like ‘Enemies’ (Education Week, March 15, 2022)
Educators’ Right and Responsibilities to Engage in Antiracist Teaching (March 8, 2022)
The Power of Storytelling: A Critical Conversation with George M. Johnson (released March 8, 2022)
NCTE Creates Book Rationale Database with Penguin Random House Education Grant (March 7, 2022)
Beating back book bans: How to keep a challenge from becoming a crisis (District Administration, February 24, 2022)
Statement in Solidarity with Teachers, with over 30 Conferences, Associations, Assemblies, and Affiliate groups signing on in support (February 22, 2022)
Statement on the Doublespeak Award and Anti-Censorship Efforts (February 7, 2022)
Partnership with the National Coalition Against Censorship (January 26, 2021)
Cosigned nonpartisan coalition statement (June 23, 2021)
Fairfax school system pulls two books from libraries after complaints over sexual content (Washington Post, September 28, 2021)
Calls to Ban Books by Black Authors Are Increasing Amid Critical Race Theory Debates (Education Week, September 30, 2021)
Backlash to school books centering on race, sex and LGBTQ people turns into conservative rallying cry (Washington Post, November 12, 2021)
Prize-winning 1619 Project now coming out in book form (Associated Press, November 13, 2021; story picked up by numerous additional outlets)
Fighting Book Bans: A National Teach-In Virtual event (Cosponsored with PEN America, December 15, 2021)