PEN America Positive Outcome Story: Anti-Book Ban Coalition Successfully Halting Educational Censorship Law

As documented in PEN America’s Banned in the USA: Narrating the Crisis report in 2024, Texas had the third most book bans of any state during the fall semester of 2023. Part of PEN America’s advocacy efforts in defending the freedom to read, is support and amplification of local and regional coalitions fighting book bans and educational censorship, particularly in key hot zones of censorship like Texas. 

As Texas leads the way in book bans, anti-ban work there is especially crucial for preserving access to ideas, information, and literature, which is foundational to a functioning democracy. As such, we invested in an anti-book ban coalition in Texas, the Texas Freedom to Read Working Group. The working group included librarians, educators, parents, and advocates from across the state. After several meetings, the group was able to identify three leaders who established the Texas Freedom to Read Project (TX FTRP), officially launching in January 2024. This organization grew from our engagement with multiple local advocates in different parts of the state, all active in combating the rise of book banning, after experiencing it within their public schools and public libraries firsthand.In our partnership with TX FTRP, we have invested in operational, personnel, and research support as well as media and social engagement opportunities. We were able to successfully grow and sustain the organization through monthly Freedom to Read Working Group meetings. These are now maintained by the organization’s three co-founders. We also identified and hired a regional organizer in Texas that supports TX FTRP in networking with other groups across the state like ACLU-Texas, Children’s Defense Fund, and others and responding to specific book ban cases through coordinated advocacy efforts. 

In a specific example of how this work manifested itself, PEN America joined TX FTRP, alongside the Children’s Defense Fund, Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT), ACLU of Texas, Texas Freedom Network, EveryLibrary, and the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) in supporting Texas students speaking out to defend the freedom to read in response to HB 900, a Texas law requiring book vendors to rate books for sexual content prior to selling them to public schools. As a result of this work, the law has been put on hold by a judge. We also drive local and national press to TX FTRP in order to ensure local voices are included in articles on Texas book bans. For example, we hosted a press call featuring TX FTRP to offer additional insights on the state of book bans for journalists from major publications nationally, such as the Washington Post, the New York Times, and National Public Radio. Our amplification and capacity-building of TX FTRP has helped position them and amplify their efforts opposing book bans at the local level, as well as state-wide.

TX FTRP continues to grow its followers and establish its name across the state as a trusted partner for individuals and groups pushing back on book bans. Their dogged research and public awareness building on instances of book bans has made it harder for districts to ban books without anyone noticing. TX FTRP demonstrates the power of grassroots activism, supported by a national partner, in fighting for our rights and democracy.