New York Passes Freedom to Read Law With Key Author & Publisher Support
Jacqueline Woodson and PRH’s Rosie Stewart speak to the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Caucus – Chair Michaelle Solages (D-22nd Assembly District) to her right
During the first week of June, the state of New York passed significant anti-censorship legislation in the Freedom to Read Act, which protects teachers, librarians, students, and creators from book banning.
Penguin Random House was heavily involved in supporting this bill, from engaging with coalition partners such as the New York Civil Liberties Union and New York Library Association to engaging authors in advocacy.
Nick Bruel with Freedom to Read Act author Sen. Rachel May (D-48th Senate District)
Last month, we hosted an advocacy day in Albany, which saw participation from PRH authors Jacqueline Woodson, Nick Bruel, and the estate of Kurt Vonnegut, represented by his daughter Nannette. Woodson also spoke to the state’s Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian (BPHA) Caucus, securing their support for the bill.
Woodson made a powerful statement on the importance of responsive literature to child development, saying in part in the press conference: “[W]hen kids don’t have what Dr. [Rudine Sims Bishop] referred to as mirrors and windows in their literature—mirrors so that they see reflections of themselves in literature, and windows so that they can see into the lives of other people [and] have experiences not all their own—they struggle with developing empathy … These stories help them tell their own stories.”
Jacqueline Woodson speaks at the Freedom to Read press conference.
BPHA Caucus Chair Assemblymember Michaelle Solages (D-22nd Assembly District) stood with PRH and our allies and declared: “As a mother of three, I want my kids to have a diversity of reading. I want them to see a diversity of perspective. And as a Caucus … we stand supporting this legislation because we want to protect students’ right to learn, support educators and librarians, and ensure every New Yorker sees themselves [in books].”
The passage of this bill follows success in other states such as Rhode Island, Colorado, Oregon, and others. Among other provisions, this legislation will:
- Require schools to have publicly posted policies for reconsidering library materials
- Prohibit removing books based on disagreement with the ideas included or based on themes of identity/the identity of the author themselves
- Protect New York librarians and teachers from retaliation for following their district’s adopted policies.
The bill now goes to Governor Kathy Hochul’s desk for signature or veto.
To learn more about what Penguin Random House is doing and what you can do to defend the freedom to read, visit the Penguin Random House Banned Books Resource Hub.