Minnesota Pride Festival Cancels Picture Book Author Event Because of “Safety Concerns” | Post Bulletin
Rochester Pride had planned a reading from The Rainbow Parade author Emily Neilson. The book was removed from a local elementary school because of a depiction of public nudity. The nonprofit, which had already purchased 250 copies of The Rainbow Parade, said it instead planned to host a book giveaway event.

A Fight Over School Books Gets the Green Light in Florida | WMNF
With major publishing companies and authors arguing a 2023 state law violates First Amendment rights, a federal judge refused to dismiss a lawsuit against members of the State Board of Education over the removal of school library books. U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza rejected a state motion to dismiss the case, which also names as defendants members of the Orange County and Volusia County school boards. In August, six publishing companies, The Authors Guild, five authors, and two parents filed the lawsuit in federal court in Orlando.

Pennsylvania High School Bans Three Books, Including Gender Queer, in Response to a Parent’s Challenge | The Philadelphia Inquirer
An ad hoc committee convened by Radnor (PA) High School’s superintendent reviewed Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe, Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, and Blankets by Craig Thompson, and determined by a 5-1 vote that the challenged books “are not age-appropriate for our students,” said Radnor spokesperson Theji Brennan. The books—all autobiographical graphic novels—were removed, she said. Brennan said the committee included an administrator, a principal, a librarian, a school board member, a classroom teacher in the subject area, and a parent, as specified by Radnor’s library policy.

Georgia Senate Passes Bill Removing Legal Protection for Libraries Providing 'Explicit' Materials to Minors | WABE
Georgia state senators passed a Republican-backed bill that could open up librarians to misdemeanor charges for allowing minors to access explicit or “harmful” materials. The Georgia State Senate voted 32-23 to pass Senate Bill 74. Current state law prohibits the distribution of materials that are sexually explicit or otherwise harmful to minors, which the law defines as the representation or description of “nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, or sadomasochistic abuse” when it is “lacking in serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors,” “predominantly appeals to the prurient, shameful, or morbid interest of minors,” and is deemed “patently offensive” by adult standards of what is appropriate for minors. Public libraries and libraries operated at a school or university, however, are exempt from this law.

CT Legislators Consider Proposals About What Books Would be Allowed in Public, School Libraries | CTPost
Laws establishing a state task force to determine what books can be in school libraries, set policies for how to select or remove books, and to shield against politically motivated attempts to have books removed from libraries are among this year's proposals.

Lubbock ISD Trustees Deny Request to Remove Book from Elementary for Same-Sex Couple Image | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
A parent challenged the book Bathe the Cat by Alice B. McGinty, objecting to an illustration of two men holding hands with a baby. The Lubbock ISD Board of Trustees ultimately voted 4-1 to uphold the district's decision to keep the book in school libraries. The board acknowledged the parent's concerns but determined that removing the book would violate district policy and potentially legal standards. Some board members, however, suggested revisiting the policy to give parents more control over the books their children can access.

Readers Hold Quiet Protests Statewide Against North Dakota Bill Targeting Library Content | InForum
Read Outs were held outside public libraries throughout North Dakota on March 1 to protest Senate Bill 2307. Events were held at 16 libraries in all areas of the state, including Fargo and West Fargo. Outside the main Fargo Public Library branch downtown, more than100 people sat out in the sunny but cold weather to read in silent protest. SB 2307 would require public libraries and school districts to keep materials that are sexually explicit in an area not easily accessible by minors. It would also create stricter guidelines for libraries to review their collections and ensure databases do not include sexually explicit material. A person who thinks a library is violating the law could request a local state’s attorney's opinion for possible prosecution. For libraries not in compliance, the state could withhold allocated funds.

A South Carolina School Board Votes to Keep The Hunger Games in District Middle Schools | WIS10
The school board for Lexington County (SC) School District One voted 5-1 to keep The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins on the shelves. A local mother of a middle school student at Lakeside Middle School submitted a 123-page complaint to the school board in December, citing violence, murder, child sacrifice, underage drinking, suicide, and others. One student who spoke before board members at the meeting said it was unfair to remove the book because it addresses serious topics and allows students to think critically.

Pennsylvania District Passes Second Read of Controversial Book Policy | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pine-Richland (PA) school directors passed the second reading of a controversial library book policy in an hourslong meeting that, at times, devolved into arguments between board members. Directors in a 5-4 vote approved the second reading of Policy 109.1, which lays out how library books are selected as well as the process to challenge books. Despite several attempts by a handful of board members, no additional changes were made to the policy that has been heavily edited over the past few months to change the reconsideration process if a book is challenged and to add in language regarding parental rights. Elizabeth Shenefiel, the district’s library department chair, suggested "ambiguous language” and “cumbersome requirements” laid out in the policy would pose several challenges for librarians. She highlighted the 30-day review period, saying students seeking reliable and relevant sources should be met with “instant gratification.”

Lawmakers Consider ‘Freedom to Read’ Bill as Latest Attempt to Limit Book Bans in Oregon Schools | OBP
Proponents point to historic highs in book ban attempts, largely targeting people of color, women, and LGBTQIA+ communities. Opponents argue it should be up to the parents. This time last year, Oregon lawmakers came close to passing Senate Bill 1583 before it died last minute. The 2024 bill would have blocked school boards and other school officials from removing or refusing to offer library books or textbooks simply because they contain the perspective of, or are written by, members of protected classes, such as people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, or religious minorities. Instead, the bill—which passed the Senate on a party-line vote—got stuck in committee on the House side as Republican delay tactics effectively ended the legislative session early. This year, Senate Bill 1098 is picking up the torch.