Book Bans and “Divisive Concepts” Censorship Efforts in K-12 Schools Across the U.S. – The Current State of the Law and Implications

Thursday, April 4, 2024 | 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Format: Webinar

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Program Chair:

Natalie Gomez-Velez
City University of New York School of Law

  • Over the past several years, there has been a troubling rise in efforts to remove and/or ban certain books from public school libraries and classrooms and to censor and penalize public school instruction involving matters related race, gender, and a vague range of what the would-be censors call “divisive concepts” using framing in a September 2020 federal Executive Order forbidding diversity training characterized as divisive.

    This program will describe the forms such book bans and censorship efforts have taken, including formal legislation and less formal actions across the U.S. and in New York. It will then place the book bans and other education censorship efforts based on “divisive concepts” in the context of existing constitutional law, noting the complex legal issues they present.

    Program Fee:
    Free to Members | $50 to Nonmembers

  • Taifha Natalee Alexander
    CRT Forward Project Director, UCLA School of Law’s Critical Race Studies Program

    Diana Aragundi- Moderator 
    Advocates for Children of NY

    Arthur Eisenberg  
    Executive Counsel, NYCLU

    Kasey Meehan
    Program Director, Freedom to Read, Pen America

    Johanna Miller
    Director of the Education Policy Center, NYCLU

  • 12:00– 12:05 pm
    Introduction

    12:10– 12:35 pm
    The law surrounding book bans and other efforts to censor school personnel and libraries
    (Art Eisenberg)

    12:35– 1:00 pm
    Legislative and other K-12 activity around the country and information about the CRT Forward Project
    (Taifha Natalee Alexander)

    1:00– 1:25 pm
    Explanation of book bans and censorship activity occurring in New York schools
    (Johanna Miller)

    1:25– 1:50 pm
    Legal issues and responses when confronting censorship in K-12 schools
    (Kasey Meehan)

    1:50– 2:00 pm
    Moderated discussion and Q&A

  • New York: 2.0 Professional Practice
    New Jersey: 2.2 General
    California: 2.0 General
    Pennsylvania: 1.5 General
    Connecticut: Available to Licensed Attorneys

  • Sponsoring Association Committee:
    Education and the Law, Jonathan D. Glater & Rebecca Berkebile

    Co-Sponsoring Organizations:
    Office of Diversity & Equity & Inclusion & Belonging, Tanya Martinez-Gallinucci, Executive Director
    Small Law Firm Center 

    Sponsorship Opportunities are Available! Please Contact:
    Yelena Balashchenko, Manager, Business Development & Sponsorships | (212) 382-6608 | ybalashchenko@nycbar.org

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Register for the Webinar