RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS
Intellectual Freedom
The First Amendment of the United States Constitution
What is Intellectual Freedom? Why is it important?
Why Book Ban Efforts Are Spreading Across the US
GLAAD & NCAC Media Fact Sheet on School Censorship
Judy Blume's Thoughts on Censorship
Coalition Statement: The Attack on Books in Schools
Teen Librarians Are Not Pornographers
Banned in the USA: PEN America's Report on The Growing Movement to Censor Books in Schools (great source for statistics)
Toolkits/Lesson Plans
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Learn From History - National Council for the Social Studies Teacher Toolkit
More than ever, students need to learn from history to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, succeed in diverse workplaces, and help create a better society for all of us. In this toolkit, you'll find ways to get involved--along with information that will help you respond to questions from parents, the general public, and the media about these topics.
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NEA Classroom Resources to Celebrate the Freedom to Read
Find posters, bookmarks, stickers, and more to show your support for banned books and freedom from censorship in the classroom.
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The Free Expression Educators' Handbook
Developed by the National Coalition Against Censorship, this guide "contains practical tools and advice for managing book challenges and censorship controversies in schools and school libraries."
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Read Write Think Unit Plan -- Censorship in the Classroom: Understanding Controversial Issues
In this lesson, students examine propaganda and media bias and explore a variety of banned and challenged books, researching the reasons these books have been censored. Following this research, students choose a side of the censorship issue and support their position through the development of an advertising campaign.
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National Council of Teachers of English
NCTE recognizes that the freedom to read and other components of intellectual freedom are vital to literacy and our mission. Through the Intellectual Freedom Center, NCTE has for many decades offered guidance, tools, and other support to teachers faced with challenges in classrooms and schools pertaining to texts (e.g., literary works, films and videos, drama productions), student writing, and/or to teaching methods.
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National Coalition Against Censorship
We promote freedom of thought and inquiry and oppose censorship. When controversy occurs, we encourage and facilitate dialogue between divergent voices and perspectives, including those that have historically been silenced.
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National Council for the Social Studies
Founded in 1921, National Council for the Social Studies is the largest professional association in the country devoted solely to social studies education. NCSS engages and supports educators in strengthening and advocating social studies.
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PEN America
PEN America’s free expression and education program works to reconcile these tensions by working with schools, colleges, and universities to ensure robust protections for academic freedom and freedom of speech are balanced with advancements in diversity and inclusion, as well efforts to redress legacies of discrimination and inequity. Our team of experts engage in research, advocacy, trainings, public events, and youth programming, and we have developed specialized resources for college administrators, faculty, and students.
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Penguin Random House Banned Books Resources Hub
At Penguin Random House, we believe in the right to freedom of expression and protecting writers against censorship. Reading is indispensable in having an informed, engaged democracy, and the dramatic rise in efforts to ban books in public schools and libraries—many of them by BIPOC or LGBTQ voices—threatens the advancement of our society and culture.
Unite Against Book Bans
Unite Against Book Bans is a national initiative to empower readers everywhere to stand together in the fight against censorship.
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