Banned Books Week is here, and while book lovers everywhere rally against the censorship of our cherished stories, musicians likefame and propelled by moveon.org — boldly declares about book bans that “It’s only a matter of time before they target other forms of art, expression, and entertainment.”FREADOM: Songs Inspired by Banned Picture BooksAs a Manhattanite, I wear many hats: touring musician, recording artist, early childhood music educator and mom to an eight-year-old bookworm.
When I recently visited the PEN America offices, I was shocked to learn about an elementary school in Waukesha, Wis., where they banned afor violating their “controversial content policy.” Over the summer, the school board controversially dismissed first-grade teacher Melissa Tempel for daring to speak out against the musical ban — exercising her First Amendment rights outside of school hours on social media.