Tennessee sees surge in books banned in public schools. Here's which ones and why
Nearly 1,400 books were removed from public school libraries across the state last year, as laws restricting school library content grew harsher.
This must be America's fabled freedom of speech in action.
Specifically Republican "free speech" crusaders, who scream about being canceled while banning books.
Hey, so I'm in Tennessee.
If you look at the map, you'll see only 13 counties have done any banning, and 6 of those banned 10 or fewer books. While no counties should be banning anything, you'll see that Nashville banned nothing. Memphis is in Shelby county and they're listed as 'no response,' but I'd bet my butt they didn't ban anything, either.
Now, Mufreesboro, in Rutherford county, banned books. And Wilson county, which is Lebanon and Mt. Juliet, banned a shitton. That's interesting because you don't think "poor, rural assholes" when you think Mt. Juliet.
I went looking for specific information on Memphis, and I found this article, which talks about how that big list of the Rutherford county books was being circulated even in Clarksville (Montgomery county, north of Nashville), but it's being treated as a "review this list and remove whatever you choose to" with the librarians. The article also says that the law that caused this is likely facing a suit.
Which I would expect! I expect a lot of pushback on this. I just don't see any state with the Imagination Library, and with that program being so well-loved, going without challenge.
This has been your on-the-ground report with flicker. I'll be keeping you updated as the situation develops. Back to you, whoever.