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April 24, 2024
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A r u b a ’ s O N L Y E n g l i s h n e w s p a p e r
Aruba’s ONLY English newspaper
Minnesota and other Democratic-led states lead pushback on censorship

By STEVE KARNOWSKI and MIKE CATALINI
Associated Press
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A movement
to ban book bans is gaining steam in
Minnesota and several other states,
in contrast to the trend playing out in
more conservative states where book
challenges have soared to their high-
est levels in decades.
The move to quash book bans is wel-
come to people like Shae Ross, a queer
and out Minnesota high school senior
who has fought on the local level against
bans on books dealing with sexuality,
gender and race. Ross, 18, said she is
encouraged to see her governor and
leaders of other states are taking the
fight statewide. “For a lot of teenagers,
LGBT teenagers and teenagers who
maybe just don’t feel like they have
a ton of friends, or a ton of popularity
in middle or high school ... literature
becomes sort of an escape.” Ross
said. “Especially when I was like sixth,
seventh grade, I’d say reading books,
especially books with gay characters
... was a way that I could feel seen
and represented.” Minnesota is one
of several Democratic-leaning states Bloomington Jefferson senior Shae Ross, center, joined Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, left, at an event promoting
proposed legislation to prevent books bans based on ideology at Como Park High School in St. Paul, Minn., on March
where lawmakers are now pursuing 21, 2024.
bans on book bans. Associated Press
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