VOA教育报道2024--US Librarians Fear Penalties, Prison over Book Bans

US Librarians Fear Penalties, Prison over Book Bans

　　An illustrated² edition of Margaret Atwood's book The Handmaid's Tale was released in 2019. The book is widely considered a classic work about the oppression of women. An illustrated version of the book would help it reach teens who struggle with words alone.

　　Educators in Clayton, Missouri, needed little debate before deciding to keep copies of the book in high school libraries.

　　But Missouri legislators passed a law in 2022 punishing librarians with fines and possible imprisonment³ for permitting sexually explicit⁴ materials on bookshelves. The school system reconsidered the new Atwood edition and later removed it from libraries.

　　Across the country, book bans and attempted book bans are becoming more common. Public and school-based libraries have seen a rise in complaints from community members and conservative activists⁵.

　　Now, some lawmakers are considering adding new threats: legal action, high fines, and even imprisonment for distributing books that some consider to be obscene or inappropriate. Obscene means related to sex in an offensive way.

　　No librarian or educator has been jailed yet. But the possibility of punishment has led to more self-censorship.

　　Already this year, lawmakers in more than 15 states have introduced bills to place severe penalties on libraries or librarians.

　　Utah passed legislation in March that empowers the state's Attorney General to enforce a new system that can remove "sensitive" books from schools.

　　In Idaho, lawmakers are considering a bill that empowers local prosecutors⁷ to bring legal action against public and school libraries if they do not keep "harmful" materials away from children.

　　Deborah Caldwell-Stone is director of the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom. She said, "The laws are designed to limit or remove legal protections that libraries have had for decades."

　　Since the early 1960s, places like schools, libraries and museums have largely been safe from costly⁸ lawsuits¹⁰ or criminal charges. Educators, librarians and other workers who give out materials to children have also been safe.

　　These protections began appearing in states as American lawmakers and others debated standards surrounding obscenity. The term was defined by the U.S. Supreme¹¹ Court in 1973.

　　The high court justices found that the First Amendment¹² does not automatically protect obscene materials. For something to be "obscene," it must meet three requirements. One requirement is that the work must lack "serious literary, artistic¹³, political, or scientific value."

　　Over time, almost every American state created protections for educators, librarians and museum officials. This prevented "prosecutions¹⁴ of teachers over health and sexuality curriculum, art, theater, and difficult subjects in English classes," says a 2023 report from EveryLibrary. The group, a national political action committee, opposes censorship.

　　But last year, Arkansas and Indiana targeted educators and librarians with criminalization laws. And the state of Tennessee criminalized publishers that provide "obscene" materials to public schools.

　　Indiana lawmakers took away "educational purposes" as a defense¹⁵ for school librarians and educators charged with giving minors¹⁶ "obscene" or "harmful" material. Doing so are crimes punishable by up two and half years in jail and $10,000 in fines. The law requires public lists of what is in each school library. It also requires libraries to set up a system to respond to complaints about the available materials.

　　Indiana's law took effect January 1.

　　Diane Rogers is a school librarian who serves as president of the Indiana Library Federation¹⁷. She said of the new law, "It's putting fear into some people. It's very scary."

　　She added that teachers who face charges because of the new law could lose their right to teach, even if they are found innocent.

　　Words in This Story

　　illustrate¹ — v. to explain or decorate a story, book, etc., with pictures

　　explicit — adj. showing or referring very openly to nudity, violence, or sexual activity

　　inappropriate — adj. not right or suited for some purpose or situation

　　censor⁶ — v. to examine books, movies, letters, etc., in order to remove things that are considered to be offensive, immoral¹⁸, harmful to society, etc.

　　introduce — v. to present for discussion or consideration

　　lawsuit⁹ — n. a process by which a court of law makes a decision to end a disagreement between people or organizations

　　automatic — adj. always happening because of a rule, law, previous agreement, etc.

　　curriculum — n. the courses that are taught by a school, college, etc.

1 illustrate   

v.举例说明，阐明；图解，加插图

参考例句：

• The company's bank statements illustrate its success.这家公司的银行报表说明了它的成功。
• This diagram will illustrate what I mean.这个图表可说明我的意思。

2 illustrated   

adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• His lecture was illustrated with slides taken during the expedition. 他在讲演中使用了探险时拍摄到的幻灯片。
• The manufacturing Methods: Will be illustrated in the next chapter. 制作方法将在下一章说明。

3 imprisonment   

n.关押，监禁，坐牢

参考例句：

• His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment.他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。
• He was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for committing bigamy.他因为犯重婚罪被判入狱一年。

4 explicit   

adj.详述的，明确的；坦率的；显然的

参考例句：

• She was quite explicit about why she left.她对自己离去的原因直言不讳。
• He avoids the explicit answer to us.他避免给我们明确的回答。

5 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 censor   

n./vt.审查，审查员；删改

参考例句：

• The film has not been viewed by the censor.这部影片还未经审查人员审查。
• The play was banned by the censor.该剧本被查禁了。

7 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

8 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

9 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

10 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

11 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

12 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

13 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

14 prosecutions   

起诉( prosecution的名词复数 )； 原告； 实施； 从事

参考例句：

• It is the duty of the Attorney-General to institute prosecutions. 检察总长负责提起公诉。
• Since World War II, the government has been active in its antitrust prosecutions. 第二次世界大战以来，政府积极地进行着反对托拉斯的检举活动。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

15 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

16 minors   

n.未成年人( minor的名词复数 )；副修科目；小公司；[逻辑学]小前提v.[主美国英语]副修，选修，兼修( minor的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The law forbids shops to sell alcohol to minors. 法律禁止商店向未成年者出售含酒精的饮料。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had three minors this semester. 这学期他有三门副修科目。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

18 immoral   

adj.不道德的，淫荡的，荒淫的，有伤风化的

参考例句：

• She was questioned about his immoral conduct toward her.她被询问过有关他对她的不道德行为的情况。
• It is my belief that nuclear weapons are immoral.我相信使核武器是不邪恶的。