2024 Omar Bonderud Human Rights Award: Bloomington Freedom to Read
Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Book censorship in school libraries
Student advocacy for library media
Representation of LGBTQ+ and trans students in media
Policy changes to restrict book removal
Statewide education policy on book bans
Areas of Interest (4)
- Student-led movement in Bloomington successfully challenges school library book bans.
- The intersection of identity and media access for queer and trans youth in Minnesota schools.
- Impact of state-level intervention by Governor Walz on local school library policies.
- The role of informal community support networks in student activism.
Notable Quotes (2)
As soon as you have someone whose identity is stripped from the media then they're stripped from the community as a whole as well.
RepresentationExplaining the impact of book banning on LGBTQ+ students.
The school board decided to make it more difficult for books to be removed from our libraries, so I think that's a huge win for us.
School Board PolicyReflecting on the outcome of school board advocacy.
People (2)
Tim WalzGovernor of MinnesotaPassed policy making it harder to ban books in Minnesota schools.
1 quote
Passed policy making it harder to ban books in Minnesota schools.
“Tim Walls pass a policy that would make it harder to ban books in Minnesota”
Student acknowledgement of state-level policy action.
Johnny KerwinStudentMentioned in context of hosting meetings at his family home.
Mentioned in context of hosting meetings at his family home.
Places Mentioned
BloomingtonKennedy High SchoolJefferson High School
Events & Meetings (1)
- Monthly school board listening sessions