RI Authors Against Book Bans unveils scorecards for school committee candidates
"...our scorecards provide voters with clear insights into where candidates stand on this crucial issue."
From an RI AABB press release:
Rhode Island was founded on intellectual and personal freedom principles by Roger Williams, author of a book banned in England and colonial Massachusetts.
Today, Rhode Island authors are coming together to uphold our state’s tradition of free speech, which includes the freedom of the written word. In celebration of Banned Books Week (September 22-28), the Rhode Island chapter of Authors Against Book Bans (RI AABB) releases its Freedom to Read Candidate Scorecards for school committee candidates around the state.
Jeanette Bradley, Rhode Island author-illustrator and RI AABB co-leader explained, “It takes a lot of time to research local candidates, so our scorecards provide voters with clear insights into where candidates stand on this crucial issue.”
The focus on school committees stems from the substantial influence they have over both direct book removals and “soft” censorship practices that exclude books out of fear of controversy, which are growing concerns. In 2023, the number of titles targeted for censorship at public libraries nationally increased by 92% over the previous year, while school librarians saw an 11% increase, according to the American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom. About half of the targeted titles represent the voices and lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals.
Book bans and challenges are not just a national problem. They are happening in Rhode Island and to Rhode Island authors.
“My novel Born Behind Bars was challenged,” said Padma Venkantraaman, author and RI AABB co-leader. “I heard that people objected because I'd stated in the author's note that inordinately high numbers of innocent Black people are incarcerated in our nation. After this, my bookings for speaking engagements dropped noticeably.”
The freedom to read is on the ballot in school committee races across the state:
In Chariho, Jessica Purcell, a Richmond advocate for reading freedom, is racing against Clay Johnson, Chair of The Gaspee Project,1 and Moms for Liberty2 candidate Louise Dinsmore. Both organizations have organized around removing books from school libraries.
“Libraries are intended to provide a diverse selection of materials that present many points of view,” said Purcell.
In the Hopkinton race, Moms for Liberty candidate Dianne Tefft faces off against Gregory Avedisian, a supporter of the freedom to read.
“This is a critical topic,” Avedisian said, “especially in this election, as members of the Chariho School Committee have previously attempted to ban certain books, and the balance of power on the committee is quite narrow.”
North Kingstown incumbent Jennifer Lima, co-founder of the We Are All Readers book festival celebrating diverse books, is running against Megan Reilly,3 who led a book banning campaign in North Kingstown in 2021.
“The freedom to read is essential to our democracy,” said Lima. “Book banning is not just physically removing a book from a shelf or keeping it out of the classroom or a library. It’s creating a culture of intimidation and fear for librarians and teachers that keeps them from putting certain books out.”
In Smithfield, pro-freedom-to-read candidates Benjamin Caisse and Robert Randall are up against Jeffrey LeBlanc.4 In June 2022, LeBlanc advocated banning three books to the school committee. Caisse supports Smithfield Public Schools' policy, which allows parents to prevent their children from accessing books, but not deny access to other children.
North Smithfield's race includes pro-freedom to-read candidate Christopher Simpkins, who is running against Bradley Trenchard and David de la Cruz.5
“My kids have read books that are frequently banned, and those books sparked meaningful conversations in our family,” Simpkins said. “They helped my kids see the world from different viewpoints…. Book bans disproportionately affect works by marginalized voices, which means students miss opportunities to learn about diverse experiences.”
In the United States Senate race, Patricia Morgan, who sponsored a 2023 bill that would have criminalized librarians if any book in their collection was challenged, is running against Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, who has publicly supported the freedom to read.
By providing accessible information on candidates' positions, RI AABB aims to empower voters to make informed choices that will protect and promote the availability of diverse voices in school and public libraries.
You can access the Freedom to Read Candidate Scorecards at the link.
About Authors Against Book Bans (AABB): AABB supports the availability of diverse voices on public and school library shelves and opposes any attempts to censor or ban books. We pledge to protect the rights of all young people to access the books they need and deserve.
I recieved this email from Edward J. Renehan Jr., illume Media / New Street Communications, LLC - Newport, RI:
"As an author, a registered Democrat, and a proud member of American PEN, I'm a free speech absolutist who staunchly opposes all book bans - whether we are talking about conservative activists seeking to ban LGTBQ titles or liberal activists trying to ban "Of Mice and Men" and "Huckleberry Finn," as has happened.
"I live in North Kingstown and am astonished to see our various Independent candidates for School Committee branded as book banners in your recently published "scorecard" which is based - as you say - on the decisions of an un-named "team of volunteers" researching "candidate records, news stories, and direct emailing candidates to request information."
"In fact, I'm not aware of a single one of NK's Independent candidates for School Committee ever calling for book bans of any kind. I also note that absolutely NONE of them are endorsed by "Moms for Liberty" or any similar organization, even though that sort of thing is pretty much de rigueur for book ban candidates these days, including a number of candidates in RI towns other than NK.
"I'm likewise astonished to see Steven Ahlquist in his Substack article concerning your "Scorecard" explicitly describe Megan Reilly of North Kingstown as a book banner. At ONE meeting of the North Kingstown School Committee quite some time ago Ms. Reilly stood up and questioned the age-appropriateness of certain literature for school libraries. That is a far cry from burning books in the town square. At no time during that conversation did Ms. Reilly call for any book to be "banned." Not only that, but she certainly has never "led" a "book banning campaign" such as is described in Ahlquist's Substack report. In fact, there has never been such a "campaign" here in North Kingstown that I am aware of.
"For two years running (2023/24) each spring here in North Kingstown we have had the "We Are All Readers" book festival held at our high-school and sponsored by Towards An Anti-Racist North Kingstown, headed by School Committee incumbent Jennifer Lima. I am not aware of a single voice ever being raised in opposition to this event - and I include in this the voices of the people who are now Independent candidates for our School Committee. (For reasons unknown to me there will apparently be a hiatus and no such festival in 2025. Whatever the reason, it is not because of opposition. Perhaps a funding issue. I just don't know.)
"Ironically, book banning is not even a hot-topic here in North Kingstown vis-a-vis the School Committee races. The focus here is on financial and administrative incompetence - boring but important matters of procedure, management, budgets, and allocation of resources. Still, given their lousy record concerning these mundane but vital issues, I can see why School Committee incumbents would prefer to talk about some sexy but hallucinatory pending local book banning Armageddon, just as Trump and Vance seem bent on talking about hallucinatory cat-eating Haitians instead of real issues. But it isn't working for our School Committee incumbents any more than it is working for the Trump/Vance circus.
"(Ironically, Ms. Reilly has attended and spoken at dozens of School Committee meetings through recent years. At one, as mentioned, she questioned age-appropriateness regarding certain literature. At ALL the others she has spoken to topics related to finance, strategic planning, and administrative procedures. The one local "campaign" that Ms. Reilly has headed was her successful fight last year against the approval of a large and highly-controversial local bond issue.)
"Truth be told, I'm not particularly worried about fallout from your scorecard, as I've not noticed any public commenter other than Alquist actually take notice of it. And I've never before heard of your organization - such as it is. But I have nevertheless felt compelled to set the record straight."
Anyone who wants to ban books should be banned from voting.