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Jessica Horton @jessicahorton.bsky.social · 7h

The fact that the legislative auditor used Rated Books to conduct their audit makes my blood boil. Those reports are biased, often include inaccurate excerpts from the text, and (as of recently) are AI generated. They should *never* be relied on to evaluate a book’s value.

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Jessica Horton @jessicahorton.bsky.social · 7h

To be honest, I’m really nervous for next year’s legislative session in Utah. These types of recommendations are going to lead to schools closing their libraries so they can “review” books to comply with whatever nonsense the Utah legislature comes up with.

Audit: More stringent selection policies could lead to less 'sensitive materials' in school libraries

The Utah Legislature is continuing to focus on the contents of school libraries across the state, this time honing in on the process of how books are selected to build out a library.

www.ksl.com

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Jessica Horton @jessicahorton.bsky.social · 18h

Utah friends! If you’re in Cache County, please show up in support of your public library. Get a library card! Write your council member and tell them why the library matters to you! Show up to the October 28 county council meeting! Tell your family and friends! Your library needs you!

skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 20h

The Executive Director of Cache County (UT) has proposed completely defunding the Cache County Library system: www.hjnews.com/news/communi...

Cache County Library pleads for community’s help as potential defunding looms

The Cache County Library, led by Director Brynnan Sainsbury, took to social media Thursday evening, launching a series of pleas to “SAVE THE CACHE COUNTY LIBRARY,” following news of Cache

www.hjnews.com

Reposted by Jessica Horton

skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 1d

UPDATE -- students in Georgia who've participated in the Reading Bowl have launched a petition to get answers as to why these 8 books were banned. Please amplify their petition and message, as well as the story here.

Petition: www.change.org/p/ensure-tra...

Image of a book with flowers on it. It's a flier from the Wheeler High School Reading Bowl team saying "Fight Book Banning." Under the image it says "We want open minds, not closed books," and asks people to sign their petition: https://www.change.org/p/ensure-transparency-and-change-in-georgia-high-school-hrrb-book-banning-process?recruited_by_id=1a6e97a0-a854-11f0-aa25-fd089d14a993&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=share_petition&utm_term=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink

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Jessica Horton @jessicahorton.bsky.social · 1d

My kids all somehow learned my husband’s phone number by listening to him recite it to the cashier for the grocery store’s loyalty program. But they don’t know my phone number (which is fine. I don’t mind not being the default parent for everything).

Jessica Horton @jessicahorton.bsky.social · 5d

Summer never ends for these patchwork pals 😊

A series of quilt blocks hanging on a white wall. There are three patchwork pieced sloths and three capybaras, each wearing Hawaiian themed shirts and shorts. The sloths have bows or flowers in their hair.

The pattern is by Elizabeth Hartman: https://elizabethhartman.com/products/capybara-sloth-pdf-quilt-and-pillow-pattern

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Jessica Horton @jessicahorton.bsky.social · 6d

Thank you!

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Jessica Horton @jessicahorton.bsky.social · 6d

THE GRACE YEAR x HELL FOLLOWED WITH US

🏳️‍🌈 Anxiously demisexual protagonist
❤️‍🔥 Slow-burn romance
🔥 Sexy thoughts --> violent self-combustion
👨‍⚖️ Corrupt Christo-fascist government
👹 Chaos demon
👵 Sassy grandma

#DVpit #YA #D #H #LGBT

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Reposted by Jessica Horton

Authors Against Book Bans @authorsabb.bsky.social · 7d

Hello #BookSky Are you still figuring out what you're doing for #BannedBooksWeek We'll help! Here's a framework for you:
1 Event or
1 Organization or
1 Person
Here's what we mean...

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Reposted by Jessica Horton

Let Utah Read @letutahread.bsky.social · 7d

These 18 books are currently banned in Utah schools state-wide. If you look closely, you'll notice a trend of female and minority authors, and LGBTQIA+ stories. It's important for us to come together, read and discuss these books, and fight for our freedom to read.

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Jessica Horton @jessicahorton.bsky.social · 7d

The threenager had school pictures today, and she was not having it. Her scowl was one for the ages. When I asked her what happened, she said, “It’s just so hard to smile today. So hard.” And yeah, I hear ya, kiddo.

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Reposted by Jessica Horton

Leanne (L. A.) Schwartz @schwartzwords.bsky.social · 8d

What’s wrong with this picture? While I’m a longtime supporter of Banned Books Week, I’d love to see more displays in libraries and bookstores showcasing the actually most commonly banned books—BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and other marginalized books. Decades-old bestsellers aren’t truly in danger.

My kind of trouble held up before a banned books display reading “have you read these banned books?” With to kill a mockingbird and Matilda.

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Jessica Horton @jessicahorton.bsky.social · 8d

There is so much more I could say. But the toddler is calling. And that's the thing. We all have full lives outside of fighting book bans. But you don't have to do it all. Pick one thing a day to fight fascism and then do it. Nothing will ever change if we just yell at each other from the sidelines.

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Jessica Horton @jessicahorton.bsky.social · 8d

15. Do your homework. There are so many organizations and people who are doing good work. Read and listen what they have to say. Don't assume you know better because you're an expert in scrolling on the internet.

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Jessica Horton @jessicahorton.bsky.social · 8d

14. Don't fight censorship with censorship. We don't ban the bible to score cheap points. It always backfires and creates more work for those advocates who are fighting for lasting change.

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Jessica Horton @jessicahorton.bsky.social · 8d

13. Listen. Talk to librarians, teachers, authors, and other stakeholders. Listen to what they say about what they need and how you can best support them, and then do those things.

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Jessica Horton @jessicahorton.bsky.social · 8d

12. Get involved! Volunteer in your local school library. Join the PTA and help out with the book fair. Sign up for your local freedom to read organization.

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Jessica Horton @jessicahorton.bsky.social · 8d

11. Talk to other parents. Despite us being five years into this book banning madness, far too many people don't know what is happening. Tell them what is happening and invite them to do an action item with you.

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Jessica Horton @jessicahorton.bsky.social · 8d

10. Show up to school board meetings. Make public comment, look your school board members in the eye, and explain why a book has value.

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Jessica Horton @jessicahorton.bsky.social · 8d

9. Submit written public comment and/or email school board members in support of challenged books. Say why those books provide value.

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Jessica Horton @jessicahorton.bsky.social · 8d

8. Demand that books be reviewed in their entirety. Reading books as a whole means they are more likely to stay on the shelves. It’s hard to argue that a book has no serious value when you look beyond the cherry-picked passages.

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Jessica Horton @jessicahorton.bsky.social · 8d

7. Speak up! Advocate for policy changes that better protect students' right to read.

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Jessica Horton @jessicahorton.bsky.social · 8d

6. If a book is removed, ask the district for a clear explanation that explains their reasoning for removing the book with specific examples/references to the actual text.

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Jessica Horton @jessicahorton.bsky.social · 8d

5. Read the books being challenged. Get the context for the book as a whole.

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Jessica Horton @jessicahorton.bsky.social · 8d

4. Track book challenges in your district. Request copies of challenge forms. Figure out why a book is being challenged.

Relatedly, compare the cherry-picked passages with the book's actual text. Sometimes they don't match and a book will be banned for something that it doesn't even say.

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