Doug Emhoff at NYC event: Book banning ‘erodes our democracy’

Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff led a Wednesday roundtable discussion in Manhattan at the New York Public Library, addressing the increasing threat of school book bans and their impact on students’ civil rights. The event included high school and college students and featured remarks from the Biden administration’s book ban ‘czar’ Matt Nosanchuk, who serves as deputy assistant secretary for strategic operations and outreach in the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.

“Most of the books that have been targeted for bans were written by LGBTQ+ authors, people of color, or were about topics related to these communities. It’s just wrong on so many levels,” Emhoff said. “This is also a legal civil rights issue. Taking these books away, your civil rights are being impeded. It erodes our democracy.”

Courtesy The White House

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Emhoff emphasized the educational harm caused by book bans. “It impedes your learning. Growing up having the freedom to read what you want to read made me a more well-rounded student and a more well-rounded professional. It undermines literacy if you’re not able to read the full range of books and topics, and you should not be limited to different perspectives and points of view,” he said, adding, “You want to see the full range.”

Emhoff also underscored the importance of diverse literature. “Freedom to read is such an essential part of your education. Reading diverse authors and books actually improves reading scores, and it cultivates a more respectful and thoughtful learning environment. This actually objectively makes you better students,” the second gentleman said.“It allows students to see their own selves, their own identities reflected in the books they see at their own schools. And it reflects the diversity of our nation. This is who America is. It is a diverse nation. Our books and what we talk about need to reflect that,” he said.

Liza Acevedo

Nosanchuk, who oversees the administration’s efforts against book bans, shared alarming statistics from a recent American Library Association report. He noted that 4,240 titles were banned in schools and libraries last year, a 65 percent increase from the previous year. It’s the highest number ever recorded by the ALA, with the majority of targeted books authored by or about members of the LGBTQ+ community and people of color. He said this figure contrasts sharply with the annual challenges from 2000-2020, which never exceeded 400.

“We have a vital role to play when a school’s actions violate students’ civil rights,” Nosanchuk said. “And we are firmly committed to fulfilling this role in response to complaints about book bans that we have received.”

Emhoff concluded by noting the Biden-Harris administration’s broader fight for freedoms. “I see firsthand how the President and Vice President are so passionately against book banning and for freedoms. You see them fighting for freedoms. You see the Vice President fighting for reproductive freedoms, freedom to vote, freedom to be who you want to be, love who you want to love and read what you want to read. It’s all connected, and they are fighting so hard against these ridiculous book bans,” he said. “It’s unacceptable to do this.”