Illinois Public Radio

Statewide: The culture war moves to libraries

NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS | By Sean Crawford

Published September 29, 2022 at 1:27 PM CDT

The number of challenges being filed against certain books has grown in the past few years. Schools and libraries are becoming a battleground in these cultural and political battles. That story and more on this episode of Statewide.

This week:

* A group of Chicago teens have been learning the non violent strategies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Their goal is to make their community safer.

* Peter Medlin visits with the first Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for DeKalb schools.

* Side Effects Public Media's Darian Benson reports on clinics looking at new ways to engage with those struggling with addition who are in need of prenatal care.

* Eric Schmid tells us about the Space Force's fitness assessment plan.

* Katie Peikes brings us the story of farmers fighting against new pipelines and how they are using the experience of others who opposed the Dakota Access Pipeline.

* Kendall Crawford reports about outreach for farmers will mental health concerns.

* Yvonne Boose has the story of a poet who performs spoken word and how, despite performing across the country, still makes time to bring the art form to her community.

* WVIK's Michelle O'Neill has details on a group that was the Rock Island County Board to reconsider the decision to tear down the old courthouse.

* Kate Grumke brings us more on a Missouri school where law enforcement got involved in a book challenge.

* Maureen McKinney speaks with Associate Professor Emily Knox about her research into book bans and challenges.