“In addition to Durtschi and another Escambia County parent, the plaintiffs include the free expression organization PEN America, Penguin Random House and a group of authors of children’s and young adult books. The suit seeks to have Escambia’s book restrictions declared unconstitutional for targeting specific viewpoints and for infringing on the rights of students to receive information. Given the frenzy of book bans we’re now seeing nationwide — The Washington Post reported that in several states, librarians can be sent to prison for giving kids the wrong books — the outcome will have national implications.” Michelle Goldberg in the NYT (Gift Article): If You Care About Book Bans, You Should Be Following This Lawsuit.

+ Related: PEN America gala honors Salman Rushdie, his first in-person appearance since stabbing. “It’s nice to be back — as opposed to not being back, which was also a possibility. I’m glad the dice rolled this way.”