Movement to Ban Book Bans Gains Momentum in Minnesota and Beyond
A growing number of states, including Minnesota, are pursuing legislation to prohibit book bans, countering the trend of increasing book challenges in more conservative regions.
The movement aims to protect access to diverse literature, especially for marginalized communities like LGBTQ+ and BIPOC youth. It has been met with resistance from conservative groups who argue for parental control over library materials.
Despite these objections, several states have passed or are considering bills that impose restrictions on book bans and shield librarians from liability for providing challenged books.
In Minnesota, Governor Tim Walz has championed a proposal that would prohibit book bans in public and school libraries based on content or ideological objections. The state House is considering a more stringent approach that includes penalties and allows private citizens to sue to enforce the ban.
Shae Ross, a queer and out Minnesota high school senior, has been vocal in her opposition to book bans. She and her friends helped persuade their school board to make it more difficult to remove books and other materials from their libraries and classrooms.
“For a lot of teenagers, LGBT teenagers and teenagers who maybe just don’t feel like they have a ton of friends, or a ton of popularity in middle or high school … literature becomes sort of an escape,” Ross said. “Especially when I was like sixth, seventh grade, I’d say reading books, especially books with gay characters … was a way that I could feel seen and represented.”
Conservative lawmakers in Minnesota have argued that instead of worrying about book bans, they should be focusing instead on performance in a state where just under half of public school students can read at grade level.
“Every book is banned for a child that doesn’t know how to read,” said GOP Rep. Patricia Mueller, a teacher from Austin.
However, supporters of the movement to ban book bans argue that access to diverse literature is essential for all students, regardless of their reading level.
“That’s what’s so critical here. The voluntary nature of reading,” said Martha Hickson, a librarian at North Hunterdon High School in New Jersey. “Students can choose to read, not read, or totally ignore everything in this library. No one is asking them to read a damn thing.”
The movement to ban book bans is gaining traction across the country. Several states, including Washington, Maryland, and Illinois, have already passed such legislation. It is a major flashpoint in Oregon’s short session, where legislation passed the Senate but died without a House vote.
According to the American Library Association, over 4,200 works in school and public libraries were targeted in 2023, a jump from the old record of nearly 2,600 books in 2022. Many challenged books — 47% in 2023 — had LGBTQ+ and racial themes.
Restrictions in some states have increased so much that librarians and administrators fear crippling lawsuits, hefty fines, and even imprisonment if they provide books that others regard as inappropriate. Already this year, lawmakers in more than 15 states have introduced bills to impose harsh penalties on libraries or librarians.
