msnbc.com
Two teenagers, a tiny library, and the nations’ largest publishers take on Idaho’s book ban law
Two Idaho teenagers, a handful of authors, a tiny public library, and the nation’s largest publishers are suing the state of Idaho, pushing back against HB170 – the state’s book ban that went into effect last summer - a law that restricts books from both public and school libraries. The law forbids minors from accessing books with content that the state has deemed “harmful to minors.” “The most important thing is to speak out,” says Jerrick, one of the student plaintiffs in the case. The plaintiffs say the law is overly broad because it enables any person in the community to complain about any book whose message they disagree with. “We are the boots on the ground here in Idaho,” says 17-year-old Jerrick.
