Banner Year: RI Authors Against Book Bands unveils scorecards for School Committee candidates

Rhode Island was founded on intellectual and personal freedom principles by Roger Williams, author of a book banned in England and colonial Massachusetts. Today, RI authors are coming together to uphold our state’s tradition of free speech, which includes the written word. In celebration of Banned Books Week (Sep 22 – 28), the Rhode Island chapter of Authors Against Book Bans (RI AABB) released its Freedom to Read Candidate Scorecards for school committee candidates around the state. Jeanette Bradley, RI author-illustrator and RI AABB co-leader, explained, “It takes a lot of time to research local candidates, so our scorecards provide voters with clear insights into where candidates stand on this crucial issue.” The focus on school committees stems from the substantial influence they have over both direct book removals and “soft” censorship practices that exclude books out of fear of controversy, which are growing concerns. In 2023, the number of titles targeted for censorship at public libraries nationally increased by 92% over the previous year, while school librarians saw an 11% increase, according to the American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom. About half of the targeted titles represent the voices and lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals. Book bans and challenges are not just a national problem. They are happening in RI and to RI authors.

“My novel Born Behind Bars was challenged,” said Padma Venkantraaman, author and RI AABB co-leader. “I heard that people objected because I’d stated in the author’s note that inordinately high numbers of innocent Black people are incarcerated in our nation. After this, my bookings for speaking engagements dropped noticeably.” The freedom to read is on the ballot in school committee races across the state. In Chariho, Jessica Purcell, a Richmond advocate for reading freedom, is racing against Clay Johnson, Chair of The Gaspee Project, and Moms for Liberty candidate Louise Dinsmore. Both organizations have organized around removing books from school libraries. “Libraries are intended to provide a diverse selection of materials that present many points of view,” said Purcell. In the Hopkinton race, Moms for Liberty candidate Dianne Tefft faces off against Gregory Avedisian, a supporter of the freedom to read. “This is a critical topic,” Avedisian said, “especially in this election, as members of the Chariho School Committee have previously attempted to ban certain books, and the balance of power on the committee is quite narrow.” North Kingstown incumbent Jennifer Lima, co-founder of the We Are All Readers book festival celebrating diverse books, is running against Megan Reilly, who led a book-banning campaign in North Kingstown in 2021. “The freedom to read is essential to our democracy,” said Lima. “Book banning is not just physically removing a book from a shelf or keeping it out of the classroom or a library. It’s creating a culture of intimidation and fear for librarians and teachers that keeps them from putting certain books out.”

In Smithfield, pro-freedom-to-read candidates Benjamin Caisse and Robert Randall are up against Jeffrey LeBlanc. In June 2022, LeBlanc advocated banning three books to the school committee. Caisse supports Smithfield Public Schools’ policy, which allows parents to prevent their own children from accessing books but not deny access to other children. North Smithfield’s race includes pro-freedom-to-read candidate Christopher Simpkins, who is running against Bradley Trenchard and David de la Cruz.

“My kids have read books that are frequently banned, and those books sparked meaningful conversations in our family,” Simpkins said. “They helped my kids see the world from different viewpoints… Book bans disproportionately affect works by marginalized voices, which means students miss opportunities to learn about diverse experiences.” In the US Senate race, Patricia Morgan, who sponsored a 2023 bill that would have criminalized librarians if any book in their collection was challenged, is running against Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, who has publicly supported the freedom to read. By providing accessible information on candidates’ positions, RI AABB aims to empower voters to make informed choices. •

Read the AABB scorecard at riaabb. weebly.com/schoolcommittee.html. This information was primarily from a press release by the RI AABB.