Banning the Banning of Books: Illinois and California lead the way

In June, at the Harold Washington Library in Chicago, Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation banning book bans in Illinois public libraries. This legislation, initiated by Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, passed the Illinois House and Senate in March by substantial majority.

The bill charges the Illinois State Librarian with the task of either adopting the American Library Association's Bill of Rights or developing its own declaration protecting the freedom of state libraries to meet the reading needs of Illinois citizens. The ALA Bill of Rights states that reading materials should not be proscribed, removed or restricted because of partisan or personal disapproval.

In September, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation banning book bans and censorship in that state's public schools and libraries.

These state initiatives to protect the literacy rights of its citizens were provoked by the ever-increasing attacks on forms of instruction, books and other types of publications in public education and libraries by individuals and groups pursuing their own ideological agenda. In many counties and states, a complaint by one citizen can result in a book being pulled out of circulation or a theme being removed from a school curriculum until the matter has been adjudicated—usually a slow tedious process.

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