1. 4 months ago, The Supreme Court gave families a right to opt out of LGBTQ+ education in schools. Now, in Montgomery County, Maryland, where the case originated, the results are in. Only 43 families out of 160,000 students have exercised that new right. Subscribe to support our journalism.

New on SLANDERTOWN: "The Art of the Libel Lawsuit: Trump vs. the WSJ." Gerry Regep explains why Donald Trump's lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal could be disastrous ... for him. www.slandertown.com/blog/the-art...

In Saratoga Springs, an official was convicted for violating the Freedom of Information Law and charged $660. These aren't criminal charges, but still very rare to see officials penalized over FOIL violations like this www.timesunion.com/news/article...

Thanks to the "Law 401" Podcast for having me on to talk about book bans. We discuss First Amendment law and our recent group project: new legislation protecting the right to read in Rhode Island. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8zs...

Please vote for our SXSW Edu panel on coalition building and the RI #FreedoToRead success story! Follow the link to SXSW and click on the heart to vote! participate.sxsw.com/flow/sxsw/sx... #SXSWEDU #PanelPicker

“None of these books are obscene” A group of best-selling authors, publishers, parents & students sued over a harsh ban in FL, and this week "we pushed back, and we won,” says Angie Thomas. Books “are a gateway” to empathy. “They allow us to step into lives unlike our own" #VelshiBannedBookClub

“If a district did not put the books back, then they are risking a lawsuit…If you don’t do the right thing, a student or a parent or an author or publisher or an educator can vindicate their rights now.” - @dannovack.bsky.social floridapolitics.com/archives/751...

“Historically, librarians curate their collections based on their sound discretion not based on decrees from on high.” “…it is clear to the Court that the removal of library books without consideration of their overall value cannot be expressive activity amounting to government speech.”

When we started FFTRP during the 21/22 SY, we were hoping our research efforts would lead to a ruling (or law) that would affirm students’ First Amendment rights. While we expect an appeal, the judge’s 50-page order offers freedom strong footing. www.wuwf.org/florida-news...

This is a huge victory for the tireless team at @flfreedomread.bsky.social, the intellectual freedom crew at PRH, and the authors and parents who joined the suit. Your hard work will help readers and libraries across the country. Thank you!

“It’s a complete knockout. There’s not a single issue that the court did not side with the plaintiffs on.”

Inspired by these incredible humans that I’ve had the privilege to get to know this year - each one out there doing the work to make the world a better place for all of us

"That’s why RadarOnline’s FOIA lawsuit might be the best shot, after all, of getting a glimpse inside the controversial records."

Today show some support to an author who is important to you. Send a message on social media or the contact form on their website. Bonus points if their books are being banned. Bonus bonus points if they're from a community that is being targeted. Cannot overstate how meaningful these notes can be.

“In court, they insist that releasing even one additional page from the Epstein file would hurt their ability to re-prosecute Ghislaine Maxwell in the event the supreme court orders a new trial,” a spokesperson for Radar said. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

“The Department of Justice and F.B.I. are required to respond to my case, and the response is forthcoming, and you can expect it to be stupid, like it’s been in the past." puck.news/one-attorney...

I spoke with The Lever about my Kafkaesque journey to obtain the Epstein Files.

It’s a gorgeous day in Boston to support the freedom to read! #MassFreedomToRead @massaabb.bsky.social @authorsabb.bsky.social

I sued the FBI 8 years ago for the Epstein Files on behalf of Radar Online and James Robertson. The case is currently on appeal. The FBI continues to insist releasing ANY Epstein files would jeopardize a (long-shot, hypothetical) re-trial of Ghislaine Maxwell. www.newsweek.com/jeffrey-epst...

Rhode Island is poised to become a #FreedomToRead state! Our bill is headed to Governor McKee’s desk to be signed into law! Thank you yo our many FTR coalition volunteers and to the RI General Assembly & bill sponsors @davidmoralesri.bsky.social & Sen Mark McKenney!!

📢 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝐋𝐆𝐁𝐓𝐐+ 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐨𝐰𝐚 A federal judge just delivered a major blow to Iowa’s 2023 censorship law, SF496. And for once, we get to say this:

New SLANDERTOWN pod! Dan and blog contributor Isabella Jurcisin discuss her ⁠article⁠ "Undisputed Facts Sack Brett Favre’s Lawsuit Against Shannon Sharpe." Special Guests: Sharpe's attorneys Mary Ellen Roy and Mark Fijman. open.spotify.com/episode/3PMo...

A regular reminder to the press that it's wrong not to link to court documents when reporting about a lawsuit. This is pretty much always true and you're not going to change our mind about this.

Katy, Fort Bend, Lake Travis, Mansfield and Grapevine Colleyville all prevented extremist candidates from winning their school board elections tonight. A victory for book lovers in Texas! 💕💕

Texas conservatives who've championed book bans & anti-LGBT policies suffered big losses tonight in school board races. And They seem to have lost their working majorities to pass their policies in big school boards. I tracked these results in FOUR boards tonight. So a 🧵 on each ICYMI.

Right now, the Supreme Court is hearing Mahmoud v. Taylor, a case engineered to give religious parents a veto over curricula at public schools, especially LGBTQ materials. SCOTUS intervened prematurely—in what seems to be a rush to side with the anti-LGBTQ parents. slate.com/news-and-pol...

Good news from Colorado: A U.S. District Judge ordered a school district to restore library books they banned by next week, prohibiting the district from further restrictions on access to books that the school board objects to politically. #UniteAgainstBookBans www.denverpost.com/2025/03/19/e...

These challenges are the barely literate work of a tiny minority and if we who value the freedom to read show up at every meeting where this bigoted, censorious fraction makes these mendacious challenges, we will win on the First Amendment and on the value of access to books for all.

Book bans in schools and libraries are not a hoax. They are a threat to bedrock American values and to the wellbeing of young people. But they are not popular. They are not the work of some imaginary "silent majority."

A printed book in a reader's hand is the culmination of countless hours of skilled work by dozens of professionals devoted to the world of books and reading. But one person who can't even spell "masturbation" thinks she should make reading decisions for every young reader in South Carolina.

But beyond that, I want to remind people that books are not solitary creative acts. In her last two books, Malinda has included credits pages to try to thank everyone she can. That page features the names of dozens of publishing professionals who worked tirelessly to bring her books to readers.

She also mentions the awards the book has earned, which represent the judgment and hard work of hundreds of booksellers, authors, and librarians who've served on awards juries. One challenger who can't be bothered to spellcheck her challenge seeks to subvert their judgment

In her response to this vile challenge, @malindalo.bsky.social rightly cites the many letters of gratitude she has received from young readers who see themselves in her work. A truly tiny number of challengers seeks to prevent a whole state of readers from having that experience.

ONE PARENT.

"The New York Times Is Spending Millions To Fight AI. Will It Be Worth It?" by Andrew Hickey for SLANDERTOWN www.slandertown.com/blog/nytai

Tonight on @idahoreports.org - I talked with @dannovack.bsky.social about a lawsuit against the state of Idaho that seeks to block last year's controversial library law regarding obscene materials. #idleg #idpol youtu.be/xLigP6pHj2U

The Reports Committee for Freedom of the Press (@rcfp.org) – which fights to protect journalists' legal rights, and which I was proud to work with at @freedom.press – just published a great guide to reporting on information illegally obtained by a third party. www.rcfp.org/resources/re...

Hot off the (Associated) Press! The AP has sued the Trump administration for banning their reporters from White House press briefings. Mackenzie Shane offers timely First Amendment analysis for SLANDERTOWN. www.slandertown.com/blog/apban

New on SLANDERTOWN: A First Amendment smackdown between library hero Amanda Jones and Dan Kleinman, a self-styled “library watchdog” who called her a "groomer." www.slandertown.com/blog/okgroomer

Dan Novack, associate general counsel for Penguin Random House, told Newsweek: "Books are both mirrors and windows—they help young people understand themselves and open their minds by introducing them to people, and ideas, that are new to them. Reading liberates." www.newsweek.com/publishers-s...

Nothing screams "I'm a good person" more than hiring Claire Locke.

Certified Libel Boy - Drake's war against Kendrick and Universal faces a problem: diss tracks are First Amendment protected. www.slandertown.com/blog/drake

It's the perfect SLANDERTOWN pod: a legal war between Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively . . . and the New York Times. Christina Lee joins @aricohn.com, Tanvi, and me to discuss her article: www.slandertown.com/blog/itendsw... open.spotify.com/show/2CuKwZh...

Antisemitism, homophobia, and graffiti dicks. A recipe for defamation heaven . . . on SLANDERTOWN. www.slandertown.com/blog/graffiti

New on @slandertown: "It Ends With Everybody Suing Everybody." The New York Times may find themselves caught between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni as their legal war escalates. www.slandertown.com/blog/itendsw...

Proud to say that we'll be defending Selzer from Trump's latest SLAPP. www.thefire.org/news/fire-de...

The podcast has emerged from it's long hibernation. I talked to SLANDERTOWN blog contributor Angela Chung about Trump's penchant for repeated defamation. open.spotify.com/episode/2HgO...

Try to make it through life without ever been hated as much as Rudy Giuliani is by a courtroom sketch artist.

This is a must-read and is also the first comprehensive post mortem I’ve read working off the vote cast data (which is the real deal) as opposed to the dubious exit polling.

“This case is about the fact that words mean things and actions have consequences. Jones explains: We teach our children to report and speak out against bullying, and that is what I am doing.” bookriot.com/louisiana-li...