The governor of California, Gavin Newsom, the attorney general Rob Bonta and the state superintendent Tony Thurmond They sent a joint letter to all county school superintendents, district school superintendents, and charter school administrators warning against the book ban in California.
The letter outlines relevant educational civil rights and corresponding legal mandates that school administrators must follow to preserve freedom and ensure access to diverse perspectives and curricula.
“In the first half of this school year alone, 1,477 books were banned nationwide, and teachers and librarians were threatened with prison terms for putting the wrong book on a shelf,” Newsom, Bonta and Thurmond said.
"As state leaders elected to represent the values of all Californians, we offer our response in one shared voice: Access to books, including books that reflect the diverse experiences and perspectives of Californians, and especially those that can challenge us to deal with uncomfortable situations. truths - is a profound freedom that we must all protect and cultivate", they underlined.
The joint letter sent this Thursday highlights jurisprudence and constitutional precedents that restrict the withdrawal of books from libraries and schools; the responsibilities of school administrators to expose students to diverse world views; and legal mandates that require school administrators to provide an impartial curriculum to students and preserve free speech.
In turn, it informs local educational agencies that if they remove or ban instructional materials from classrooms or libraries, they may be required to provide information to the Attorney General's Office for review.
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