Educators and Publishers Push Back Against Proposed Book Restrictions

A broad coalition of educators, publishers, and literary organizations is calling on U.S. lawmakers to defend students’ access to books by rejecting legislation they say could lead to widespread censorship in schools.

The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) has joined forces with major publishing houses and advocacy groups—including Penguin Random House, Macmillan Publishers, the American Library Association, the National Coalition Against Censorship, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal—to oppose the proposed bill.

In a joint statement released on April 13, 2026, the coalition urged members of the U.S. House of Representatives to vote against the measure, stating: “We strongly encourage lawmakers to reject H.R. 7661—or refrain from bringing it to a vote altogether.”

The bill seeks to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Under its provisions, federal funding could not be used for programs or materials made available to minors that include content deemed sexually oriented.

Critics argue that the language of the proposal is overly broad and could result in the removal of a wide range of books from classrooms and libraries, potentially limiting students’ exposure to diverse ideas and perspectives.