Two bills aimed at combating censorship in schools and libraries have passed the New York State Senate, according to State of Politics. Senator Rachel May, representing the Syracuse area, introduced the measures in response to a national surge in book bans.
PEN America reports over 10,000 school book bans occurred during the 2023–24 year, targeting works by authors like Margaret Atwood, Maya Angelou, and Judy Blume. May’s bills—S1099 and S1100a—are designed to protect access to diverse literature in school and public libraries.
Supporters say the legislation defends students’ and readers’ rights amid growing national efforts to restrict content in educational settings.
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