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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Entertainment
Martin Pengelly in Washington

Obama speaks out against ‘profoundly misguided’ book bans in school libraries

Barack Obama Michelle Obama Libraries TikTok Ala America United States
Barack Obama: ‘It’s no coincidence that these ‘banned books’ are often written by or feature people of colour, Indigenous people, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.’
Barack Obama: ‘The impulse seems to be to silence, rather than engage, rebut, learn from or seek to understand views that don’t fit our own.’ Photograph: Thanassis Stavrakis/AP

In an open letter to American librarians, Barack Obama has criticised “profoundly misguided” rightwing efforts to ban books from libraries in public schools.

“Some of the books that shaped my life – and the lives of so many others – are being challenged by people who disagree with certain ideas or perspectives,” the former president wrote.

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