Jonathan Friedman 📚
@jonfreadom.bsky.social
Fighting the official suppression of ideas with @PEN_America. | TEDx: https://rb.gy/jlsjjc | Opinions my own
Reposted by Jonathan Friedman 📚
Both male and female horses have eyelashes. Unicorns don't exist so this can't be scientifically verified. Valiant use of taxpayer money to micromanage the acceptable eyelash representation of fictional animals.
This is what "parents rights" looks like in TX: 1 mother decides what 8,292 students don't get access to read b/c she thinks boy unicorns shouldn't be pink or have eyelashes. *side note: the unicorn isn't pink, but he does have eyelashes. And to TX legislators: your bad laws are harming our kids.
November 15, 2025 at 5:39 AM
Both male and female horses have eyelashes. Unicorns don't exist so this can't be scientifically verified. Valiant use of taxpayer money to micromanage the acceptable eyelash representation of fictional animals.
News of clandestine book banning at Yosemite national Park. Against what else? A book about ecological decline with California waterways. Because this is somehow what the current admin opposes people learning about?
www.sfgate.com/national-par...
www.sfgate.com/national-par...
Trump admin to ban book from Yosemite National Park, says author
The Trump administration's censorship directive has reportedly targeted Obi Kaufmann.
www.sfgate.com
November 14, 2025 at 11:37 PM
News of clandestine book banning at Yosemite national Park. Against what else? A book about ecological decline with California waterways. Because this is somehow what the current admin opposes people learning about?
www.sfgate.com/national-par...
www.sfgate.com/national-par...
Mixed day for free speech in Texas higher ed
Texas Tech made a draconian policy that faculty can't teach about sex and gender unless it's to the letter of whatever the President says (!?)
But Texas State reinstated prof with pay, who was fired for an extramural speech share.google/bXV8TM11EQR2...
Texas Tech made a draconian policy that faculty can't teach about sex and gender unless it's to the letter of whatever the President says (!?)
But Texas State reinstated prof with pay, who was fired for an extramural speech share.google/bXV8TM11EQR2...
Texas State University professor reinstated by court after being fired for “inciting violence”
Thomas Alter, who was fired for comments he made during an online socialist conference, won’t be allowed to teach but will be reinstated with pay, the university said.
share.google
September 27, 2025 at 2:59 AM
Mixed day for free speech in Texas higher ed
Texas Tech made a draconian policy that faculty can't teach about sex and gender unless it's to the letter of whatever the President says (!?)
But Texas State reinstated prof with pay, who was fired for an extramural speech share.google/bXV8TM11EQR2...
Texas Tech made a draconian policy that faculty can't teach about sex and gender unless it's to the letter of whatever the President says (!?)
But Texas State reinstated prof with pay, who was fired for an extramural speech share.google/bXV8TM11EQR2...
Reposted by Jonathan Friedman 📚
Removing To Kill a Mockingbird and The House on Mango Street from Texas classrooms does not protect Texas kids. The Texas GOP and Governor Abbott need to answer for this. Shameful.
www.fox7austin.com/news/leander...
www.fox7austin.com/news/leander...
Leander ISD pauses dozens of books in classrooms in response to state law
www.fox7austin.com
September 27, 2025 at 2:36 AM
Removing To Kill a Mockingbird and The House on Mango Street from Texas classrooms does not protect Texas kids. The Texas GOP and Governor Abbott need to answer for this. Shameful.
www.fox7austin.com/news/leander...
www.fox7austin.com/news/leander...
A victory for free speech. Now let's hope, as @jimmykimmel.com called for, people also raise their voices for other free speech, academic freedom, press freedom cases. For the ppl that don't have the same prominence. Lord knows there are enough of 'em!
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/26/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/26/b...
Local TV Giants End Jimmy Kimmel Boycott
www.nytimes.com
September 26, 2025 at 11:21 PM
A victory for free speech. Now let's hope, as @jimmykimmel.com called for, people also raise their voices for other free speech, academic freedom, press freedom cases. For the ppl that don't have the same prominence. Lord knows there are enough of 'em!
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/26/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/26/b...
This is the offending monologue from @jimmykimmel.com , begins at the 2 minute mark. Watch the clip and ask yourself when did this become forbidden speech on American TV?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j3Y...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j3Y...
Trump Grieves By Talking About $200 Million Ballroom, MAGA Hits New Lows & Guillermo at the Emmys
YouTube video by Jimmy Kimmel Live
www.youtube.com
September 18, 2025 at 3:19 AM
This is the offending monologue from @jimmykimmel.com , begins at the 2 minute mark. Watch the clip and ask yourself when did this become forbidden speech on American TV?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j3Y...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j3Y...
Alberta, goddamn.
share.google/El4Mbh9HWxMf...
share.google/El4Mbh9HWxMf...
Alberta bans school library books it deems sexually explicit | CBC News
Alberta's education minister says sexually explicit content must be gone from school library shelves as of Oct. 1, but says the announcement is not about book banning.
share.google
July 11, 2025 at 3:55 AM
Alberta, goddamn.
share.google/El4Mbh9HWxMf...
share.google/El4Mbh9HWxMf...
Reposted by Jonathan Friedman 📚
State BOE Member Byrd recommended districts skip the review process and go right to removing every title on their shelves that has appeared on the state’s annual removal lists.
Well, it appears Volusia listened. Here are 10 of the disappeared titles we have been monitoring, now banned in Volusia.
Well, it appears Volusia listened. Here are 10 of the disappeared titles we have been monitoring, now banned in Volusia.
July 9, 2025 at 3:43 PM
State BOE Member Byrd recommended districts skip the review process and go right to removing every title on their shelves that has appeared on the state’s annual removal lists.
Well, it appears Volusia listened. Here are 10 of the disappeared titles we have been monitoring, now banned in Volusia.
Well, it appears Volusia listened. Here are 10 of the disappeared titles we have been monitoring, now banned in Volusia.
Reposted by Jonathan Friedman 📚
I just shared this with Dr. Bhattacharya and colleagues...
July 10, 2025 at 6:22 PM
I just shared this with Dr. Bhattacharya and colleagues...
My latest commentary, in @slj.com with @tasslyn.bsky.social on the Mahmoud v Taylor decision. These wonderful books -- and their authors -- deserved better.
The nine picture books cited in Mahmoud v. Taylor are not pornography. Nor are they obscene. "What is obscene is a Supreme Court decision that denies the basic humanity and equality of LGBTQIA+ people."
@penamerica.bsky.social
@penamerica.bsky.social
The Ugly Stereotype Beneath the Supreme Court Ruling on LGBTQIA+ Books
The nine picture books cited in Mahmoud v. Taylor are not pornography. Nor are they obscene. What is obscene is a Supreme Court decision that denies the basic humanity and equality of LGBTQIA+ people.
www.slj.com
July 11, 2025 at 1:32 AM
My latest commentary, in @slj.com with @tasslyn.bsky.social on the Mahmoud v Taylor decision. These wonderful books -- and their authors -- deserved better.
Reposted by Jonathan Friedman 📚
"We would not expect schools to put Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day in the sex education curriculum simply because it features a straight mom and dad. Why would Justice Gorsuch or others believe stories about families with two moms or two dads belong there?"
Pay attention. Speak up. www.slj.com/story/The-Ug.... Cc @angryblacklady.bsky.social @hegemommy.bsky.social I had some stuff to say too. :):
The Ugly Stereotype Beneath the Supreme Court Ruling on LGBTQIA+ Books
The nine picture books cited in Mahmoud v. Taylor are not pornography. Nor are they obscene. What is obscene is a Supreme Court decision that denies the basic humanity and equality of LGBTQIA+ people.
www.slj.com
July 11, 2025 at 12:16 AM
"We would not expect schools to put Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day in the sex education curriculum simply because it features a straight mom and dad. Why would Justice Gorsuch or others believe stories about families with two moms or two dads belong there?"
Reposted by Jonathan Friedman 📚
Last night, Hillsborough County Public Schools held its first school board meeting since letters from state officials ordered books off shelves.
Two parents made particularly poignant statements that must be heard.
You can watch the whole meeting here: www.hillsboroughschools.org/Page/6365
Two parents made particularly poignant statements that must be heard.
You can watch the whole meeting here: www.hillsboroughschools.org/Page/6365
June 3, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Last night, Hillsborough County Public Schools held its first school board meeting since letters from state officials ordered books off shelves.
Two parents made particularly poignant statements that must be heard.
You can watch the whole meeting here: www.hillsboroughschools.org/Page/6365
Two parents made particularly poignant statements that must be heard.
You can watch the whole meeting here: www.hillsboroughschools.org/Page/6365
Reposted by Jonathan Friedman 📚
Talk about L is for LEAP. How “Pride Puppy!” - a children’s alphabet book - came to the center of a SCOTUS case w/ high stakes for access to books & education, involves "a pretty disturbing interpretation," says @robinstevenson.bsky.social. The "backlash is such evidence of need for these books."
Velshi Banned Book Club: “Pride Puppy!” by Robin Stevenson
“Pride Puppy!” by Robin Stevenson is a rhyming alphabet book. With brightly colored illustrations, it tells the story of a puppy that gets lost during a Pride parade. “Pride Puppy!”, despite its cute premise and beautiful pictures, is at the center of a Supreme Court case happening right now. A small group of Maryland parents have sued over exposing their children to LGBTQ+ inclusive books like “Pride Puppy!” at their public school. As outlandish as it may seem to center a children’s book in such a high profile, so much is on the line for authors, for access to literature, and for families like the ones portrayed at Pride in this children’s book.
www.msnbc.com
May 31, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Talk about L is for LEAP. How “Pride Puppy!” - a children’s alphabet book - came to the center of a SCOTUS case w/ high stakes for access to books & education, involves "a pretty disturbing interpretation," says @robinstevenson.bsky.social. The "backlash is such evidence of need for these books."
Reposted by Jonathan Friedman 📚
“‘Aggressively revoking’ visas based on political ideology is a gross violation of basic free expression principles that anchor the academy,” @jonfreadom.bsky.social, PEN America's managing director of U.S. free expression, tells Inside Higher Ed www.insidehighered.com/news/global/...
Trump Targets Chinese Students, a Harsh Blow to Higher Ed
The Trump administration’s latest effort to revive its student deportation campaign could drastically curtail the largest population of international students in the country.
www.insidehighered.com
May 30, 2025 at 4:55 PM
“‘Aggressively revoking’ visas based on political ideology is a gross violation of basic free expression principles that anchor the academy,” @jonfreadom.bsky.social, PEN America's managing director of U.S. free expression, tells Inside Higher Ed www.insidehighered.com/news/global/...
A FL public library considering pulling out books about "life issues" to a separate section. Except it's defined so incredibly brutally it's basically books about any topic someone might want to censor.
A training that’s under development also shows more concerning practices regarding where young people can find books intended for them, but that cover “Life Issues” deemed worthy of parent supervision.
May 30, 2025 at 9:39 PM
A FL public library considering pulling out books about "life issues" to a separate section. Except it's defined so incredibly brutally it's basically books about any topic someone might want to censor.
Reposted by Jonathan Friedman 📚
Revoking Harvard's right to enroll international students is "a brazen escalation of the Trump administration’s attacks on the higher education sector... (that) reduces international students to pawns in a political game," says PEN America's @jonfreadom.bsky.social. pen.org/press-releas...
Trump Administration Strips Harvard of Right to Enroll International Students - PEN America
Trump administration strikes at Harvard's right to enroll international students; an assault on academic freedom
pen.org
May 22, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Revoking Harvard's right to enroll international students is "a brazen escalation of the Trump administration’s attacks on the higher education sector... (that) reduces international students to pawns in a political game," says PEN America's @jonfreadom.bsky.social. pen.org/press-releas...
Reposted by Jonathan Friedman 📚
Trump's vile ban on foreign students at Harvard comes as an AP poll finds large majorities disapprove of his treatment of colleges. He's getting them to band together and he's making them *more* popular with the public.
On the pod, @jonfreadom.bsky.social explains:
newrepublic.com/article/1956...
On the pod, @jonfreadom.bsky.social explains:
newrepublic.com/article/1956...
Trump’s Angry New Attack on Harvard Is About to Blow Up in His Face
As Trump’s assault on Harvard grows more unhinged, a leading free speech advocate explains how all this is already backfiring on Trump by stiffening institutional resistance to him—and what must happe...
newrepublic.com
May 23, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Trump's vile ban on foreign students at Harvard comes as an AP poll finds large majorities disapprove of his treatment of colleges. He's getting them to band together and he's making them *more* popular with the public.
On the pod, @jonfreadom.bsky.social explains:
newrepublic.com/article/1956...
On the pod, @jonfreadom.bsky.social explains:
newrepublic.com/article/1956...
Reposted by Jonathan Friedman 📚
Report from today’s hearing in the Middle District case PRH v. Gibson:
The state stuck to the argument that our libraries are “government speech” and students, parents, educators, authors, and publishers have no reasonable expectation to access particular ideas or to have their ideas endorsed.
The state stuck to the argument that our libraries are “government speech” and students, parents, educators, authors, and publishers have no reasonable expectation to access particular ideas or to have their ideas endorsed.
May 21, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Report from today’s hearing in the Middle District case PRH v. Gibson:
The state stuck to the argument that our libraries are “government speech” and students, parents, educators, authors, and publishers have no reasonable expectation to access particular ideas or to have their ideas endorsed.
The state stuck to the argument that our libraries are “government speech” and students, parents, educators, authors, and publishers have no reasonable expectation to access particular ideas or to have their ideas endorsed.
Reposted by Jonathan Friedman 📚
South Carolina has voted to ban 10 more books in public schools statewide, raising the total to 22. This makes it the leading state for mandated book bans in every K-12 public school, replacing Utah, which currently has mandated bans on 18 books statewide. pen.org/press-releas...
South Carolina Replaces Utah as the State with the Most Mandated Banned Books for All Public Schools - PEN America
South Carolina has voted to ban 10 more books in public schools statewide, raising the total to 22. This makes it the leading state for mandated book bans in every K-12 public school, replacing Utah, ...
pen.org
May 7, 2025 at 6:59 PM
South Carolina has voted to ban 10 more books in public schools statewide, raising the total to 22. This makes it the leading state for mandated book bans in every K-12 public school, replacing Utah, which currently has mandated bans on 18 books statewide. pen.org/press-releas...
This is among the more thinly- veiled censorship rationales I've seen in a while. NYC Mayor's office pressured City Parks Foundation to cancel Kehlani at SummerStage b/c of "the controversy" related to them being cancelled at Cornell... construed as a "safety" issue.
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/05/n...
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/05/n...
Kehlani Concert in Central Park Is Canceled After Pressure From Mayor
www.nytimes.com
May 6, 2025 at 1:02 PM
This is among the more thinly- veiled censorship rationales I've seen in a while. NYC Mayor's office pressured City Parks Foundation to cancel Kehlani at SummerStage b/c of "the controversy" related to them being cancelled at Cornell... construed as a "safety" issue.
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/05/n...
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/05/n...
Reposted by Jonathan Friedman 📚
“What we’re seeing now is very dangerous,” said PEN America's @jonfreadom.bsky.social. “When you attach these punitive potential actions to these concepts, you can comb through anything a university is doing and find fault.” www.nytimes.com/2025/05/05/a...
Trump and Harvard Both Want ‘Viewpoint Diversity.’ What Does It Mean? (Gift Article)
The administration has accused the university of lacking viewpoint diversity. Harvard is fighting its demands, but embracing the vague term.
www.nytimes.com
May 5, 2025 at 1:01 PM
“What we’re seeing now is very dangerous,” said PEN America's @jonfreadom.bsky.social. “When you attach these punitive potential actions to these concepts, you can comb through anything a university is doing and find fault.” www.nytimes.com/2025/05/05/a...
Reposted by Jonathan Friedman 📚
The decision in Alabama may have been the first time a local public library was targeted for defunding by a state government, said @jonfreadom.bsky.social, who directs U.S. free expression programs at the nonprofit PEN America. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/04/u...
This Alabama City Faces a Culture War, With Its Public Library at the Center (Gift Article)
Fairhope originated as an experimental colony, and that spirit remains part of its character. But it now faces a culture war, with its library at the center.
www.nytimes.com
May 5, 2025 at 2:16 PM
The decision in Alabama may have been the first time a local public library was targeted for defunding by a state government, said @jonfreadom.bsky.social, who directs U.S. free expression programs at the nonprofit PEN America. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/04/u...
There's still an adult in the room in North Dakota. Republican Gov Armstrong has done the reasonable thing and vetoed a bill that would censor libraries, saying it represented a "misguided attempt to legislate morality through overreach and censorship".
More of this pls 🙏
apnews.com/article/nort...
More of this pls 🙏
apnews.com/article/nort...
North Dakota's GOP governor vetoes library restrictions, school voucher program
North Dakota's Republican governor has vetoed bills to further restrict sexual content in libraries and to create a private school voucher program.
apnews.com
April 23, 2025 at 11:26 PM
There's still an adult in the room in North Dakota. Republican Gov Armstrong has done the reasonable thing and vetoed a bill that would censor libraries, saying it represented a "misguided attempt to legislate morality through overreach and censorship".
More of this pls 🙏
apnews.com/article/nort...
More of this pls 🙏
apnews.com/article/nort...
Reposted by Jonathan Friedman 📚
U.S. Naval Academy Silences Speaker Over Criticism of Book Bans: “A Tragic New Low,” says PEN America's @jonfreadom.bsky.social pen.org/press-releas...
Naval Academy Silences Speaker Over Criticism of Book Bans; “Tragic New Low” - PEN America
New low for attack on free speech with an author lecture canceled for even having a slide about banned books at U.S. Naval Academy
pen.org
April 21, 2025 at 7:27 PM
U.S. Naval Academy Silences Speaker Over Criticism of Book Bans: “A Tragic New Low,” says PEN America's @jonfreadom.bsky.social pen.org/press-releas...
Reposted by Jonathan Friedman 📚
