Business and Finance Business and Finance

New Jersey Governor Signs New Law to Limit Book Bans and Protect Librarians


Published on 2024-12-11 13:41:22 - MSN
  Print publication without navigation

  • Librarians and schools weary from escalating efforts to ban books have new protections under legislation Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law Monday. The "Freedom to Read Act" limits book bans in public schools and libraries and shields librarians from lawsuits and criminal charges filed by folks who find library materials obscene or otherwise objectionable.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has signed a new law aimed at protecting librarians and limiting book bans in public and school libraries. This legislation, known as the "Freedom to Read Act," prohibits the removal of books from library shelves due to political or ideological disagreements. It mandates that libraries adopt the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights or develop their own policies ensuring free access to information. The law also provides protections for librarians against harassment or dismissal for resisting demands to censor materials. This move comes in response to a noted increase in book challenges across the U.S., with New Jersey experiencing a significant rise in such incidents. Governor Murphy emphasized the importance of libraries as places for free thought and learning, not censorship, highlighting the state's commitment to combating what he described as a "rising tide of hate and intolerance."

Read the Full MSN Article at:
[ https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/new-jersey-governor-signs-new-law-to-limit-book-bans-and-protect-librarians/ar-AA1vGe5u ]
Similar Business and Finance Articles
[ Mon, Dec 09th 2024 ] - MSN