Book bans targeting public and school libraries have become endemic in some parts of the U.S. Previously relegated to isolated cases in which parents challenged individual books, a variety of right-wing groups have begun pushing for sweeping oversight of the materials school and public libraries make available to their students. This has resulted in changes affecting policy, staff composition, and book acquisition, among other issues. Here in Western Pennsylvania, attempts to restrict or “curate” library collections have occurred, but not at the rate that has been seen in other areas, including the eastern part of the state. Some schools have been the target of right-wing attempts to ban books, but others have seen educators and parents successfully push back on attempts to limit access to materials addressing topics that include sexuality, gender, racism, and American history. That’s beginning to change as right-wing groups organize and push for greater oversight of school and public libraries. A nationwide effort to reshape school boards has already impacted districts throughout the region. Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism covered one such case in Pine-Richland School District last year. Bankrolled by outside donors, groups including the controversial Moms for Liberty have made concerted efforts to get right-wing locals to run for office — even when these candidates don’t have children in the district where they’re running. According to sources in the district and recent reporting, conservative residents in Pine-Richland have several nascent book ban efforts underway. Much as conservative donors helped propel a rightward shift on the school board, right-wing pundits from out of state such as controversial pastor John Amanchukwu have traveled to the district to claim its libraries hold books that are “pornographic.”

Photo credit: Jody DiPerna/Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism