When Carolyn Foote and her colleagues first formed the group FReadom Fighters in 2021 in Texas as a response to a push by officials to challenge a broad list of book titles in school libraries, she said they did not expect that close to four years later, they would still be working on the issue.
Foote, who spoke to attendees at an ISTE+ASCD Innovator Talk in San Antonio this summer, worked for 29 years as a school librarian after 11 years as an English teacher, but now describes herself as a “rewired school librarian, retired but very actively working, particularly in the field of intellectual freedom.”
In discussing the meaning of intellectual freedom, Foote cited the American Library Association, stating that intellectual freedom allows for “the right of every individual to seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction,” and Foote noted that censorship seeks to limit people to one point of view.
The changing landscape of book bans
Foote shared data from PEN America, which recorded 10,046 book titles either challenged or removed in the 2023-24 school year, and also the group United Against Book Bans, which reported that 72% of the challenges came from organized groups rather than individuals and 90% of challenged books were part of efforts to ban multiple titles. This data represents what Foote described as a change in the way schools are receiving such challenges.
Knowing this data is important for education professionals to help inform their response, Foote says. “This is a big change . . . maybe the old ways we used to do things are not going to work in this kind of environment.”
Foote noted that changes in the way books are being challenged are also leading to more titles being swept up into challenges, and in some cases leading to books incorrectly being identified as having content they don’t actually include.
And preemptively removing titles to protect against possible challenges is not the answer, Foote said. “We cannot predict what someone else is going to come in and object to,” she said, comparing the trend to a snowball rolling down a hill, picking up more items along the way.
If the definition of intellectual freedom includes having access to all points of view, Foote stressed the importance for educators of listening to different perspectives and different voices.
“As a country right now, it’s so important that we are able to listen to one another and see others with empathy and gain other people’s perspectives,” she said.
Being “proactive, prepared and professional”
Foote offered suggestions for educators working in schools and school libraries on being “proactive, prepared and professional” in their work and in supervising others who may be navigating book challenges.
It is essential for professionals to keep in mind each family’s rights and viewpoints, remain grounded in the First Amendment and the law and consider broader rights movements, Foote said.
“Our job is to provide different perspectives and different viewpoints. . . . And we also have to lead in our school in helping our school leaders understand that – if we are working at the building level, as a teacher, librarian or something like that – we have to help build understanding upwards, because people may not understand all these perspectives.”
Foote shared recommendations for educators:
- Remember to center each student and family — “not just the squeaky wheels” — asking, “are we grounding our decisions in every student in our care?”
- Keep shame, fear and reactivity levels in check to ensure decisions are made from a professional perspective
- Prepare and listen to staff – from librarians and teachers to aides and volunteers – so everyone knows how to respond to questions or concerns about books
- Understand laws around censorship carefully and accurately before acting
- Adhere to all current policies to ensure legal protection for schools and districts
- Seek help and resources from trusted professional organizations and thought partners to avoid feelings of isolation
Communication around book challenges
Having a crisis plan in place regarding communication is also important, Foote said. “What happens when someone calls the superintendent? Who gets assembled? Who gets the information? What happens next if someone calls the building-level principal? . . . What is the policy? Where is it kept?”
“It’s so much less stressful if you face a situation, you can just go in the drawer, just like for a fire drill, and you know exactly what you’re supposed to do, and everybody else knows what they’re supposed to do.”
Foote stressed the importance of the language educators use to discuss books and book challenges, maintaining professionalism and respect across the board. She suggested using inclusive and specific language, such as when referring to a book, considering who it is written for. Instead of saying a book is “age appropriate,” she suggested “age relevant” or “developmentally relevant,” noting that “books aren’t really appropriate or inappropriate — it’s more about the age.”
Educators should clearly communicate about a book’s intended audience, she said. “If it is a teen book, we just need to use the word ‘teen.’ . . . If it’s middle grade, we need to say ‘middle grade’ every time so that we aren’t miscommunicating about who the book is meant for.”
Community support for literacy
Foote suggested that educators think about and find support from their broader community as a way to prepare themselves for challenges. “Who are the stakeholders that care about literacy? Because they are also the defenders of the freedom to read,” she said.
“You don’t have to talk about book banning, but just strike up a relationship, because those people will come to your aid if they know what your job is and what you do.”