Americans’ freedom to explore words, ideas, and books is under an escalating assault and banning books is a hot-button topic.
The JC3 is pleased to host a presentation on the legal and ...
Americans’ freedom to explore words, ideas, and books is under an escalating assault and banning books is a hot-button topic.
The JC3 is pleased to host a presentation on the legal and political issues associated with calls for banning of books. The presentation coincides with Banned Books Week, an annual event that celebrates the freedom to read and draws attention to the harms of censorship. This year’s theme is “Freed Between the Lines.”
Extremist conservative groups fuel drives to control local school and library collections, and to influence state legislation. The mere allusion to “woke” liberal ideology, critical race theory, or LGBTQA+ characters or themes subject books and curriculum to censorship. At the same time, some state governors are signing into law provisions to regulate, challenge, and remove books from schools, public libraries, and bookstores.
Battles over these actions are winding up in court. In this presentation, we will examine whether the United States Constitution permits school boards, library boards, and state laws to restrict the freedom to read. We will also explore the events that led to Pico, the first book banning case to go to the Supreme Court. Additionally, we will review the arguments being presented in three cases on appeal in the federal courts today.
This inevitably leads to a discussion of what the current United States Supreme Court would do if it were to decide to take up one of these simmering cases.
Finally, we’ll look at states that are fighting back by enacting so-called “bans on book bans.”
150 pesos general admission (CLIP payment button)
100 pesos for members
Doors open at 1:30 for coffee, tea, and cookie reception.
The presentation is designed for booklovers with little or no experience with the law. The research, writing, and presentation is by Suzanna Dworsky, a retired attorney who practiced law in the United States and now resides in San Miguel de Allende. The views and opinions expressed are those of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of JC3/CHESMA, A.C
