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1. Prickl+(OP)[view] [source] 2023-05-29 02:02:48
I have never met an American, or anyone of any nationality that understands "book bans" refer exclusively to school libraries.

You are the first.

Book bans are bans on books, at a national or state/local government level.

Bans on books within a school have been a thing for a relatively long time where I am. Usually managed by the local school council for various different reasons.

replies(2): >>woodru+n >>blowsk+Hm
2. woodru+n[view] [source] 2023-05-29 02:07:03
>>Prickl+(OP)
There are two operative phrases that you skipped over: "if not exclusively," and "in American politics."

I'm aware that there are ample other ways to (and entities that) ban books. Their severity is not meaningfully diminished by this conversation, and introducing them is a distraction.

replies(2): >>Prickl+82 >>george+Jy
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3. Prickl+82[view] [source] [discussion] 2023-05-29 02:27:53
>>woodru+n
> refer widely, if not exclusively,

usually means

1. is usually exclusive 2. if not exclusive, then is the case in the majority of cases

The proposed case that "Book Bans" refer almost exclusively to school libraries is obviously false if you just take a look at a dictionary. It is evidently not "widely known to mean X" if common definitions do not explicitly state that.

All definitions state that it is an act of banning a book. But do not explicitly state that it is exclusive to some arbitrary bureaucratic level.

Either way, it is strange to just decide that a "Book Ban" must refer almost exclusively to a school.

And yes, this is semantics.

4. blowsk+Hm[view] [source] 2023-05-29 06:05:30
>>Prickl+(OP)
I’m British though quite an avid follower of US news. I have listened to podcasts discussing book bans (e.g. Jon Ronson) and much of the discussion was around removing books from school libraries.

Additionally, I searched “fox news book bans” and “nbc book bans” and these were the first links that came up.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/choice-lies-parent-texas-dad-supp...

> Maia Kobabe’s book "Gender Queer" became one of the most banned books in the country in 2022. The book has been at the center of the debate over what books should be banned in schools.

https://www.nbcnews.com/data-graphics/map-book-bans-rise-rcn...

> School districts in 26 states have banned more than 1,000 books in the past nine months

Additionally, the Wikipedia article “ 2021–2022 book banning in the United States” discusses various cases of books being withdrawn from school libraries.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021%E2%80%932022_book_banning...

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5. george+Jy[view] [source] [discussion] 2023-05-29 08:25:35
>>woodru+n
You are the one who claimed every American to understand this to be a ban on books in schools. Which is complete nonsense as evidenced just by this thread.

I think there is a reason to point this out. Twisting language to drive, in this case a political point, is called propaganda. Calling it a ban implies something more severe than what is happening. Which is content regulation.

replies(1): >>woodru+Xp1
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6. woodru+Xp1[view] [source] [discussion] 2023-05-29 16:07:34
>>george+Jy
"Content regulation" is a pretty painful euphemism from "you, librarian, are forbidden from placing this book on your shelves."
replies(1): >>george+W4e
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7. george+W4e[view] [source] [discussion] 2023-06-02 11:50:31
>>woodru+Xp1
At least the students or their parents can buy it if they so choose because it's not banned from being sold.
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