In Pursuit of Equity: Book Banning and Censorship Book bans in schools and libraries are on the rise. Last school year, more than 850 individual titles were impacted by censorship efforts of local groups and state decision-makers. How can educators and students navigate censorship in their communities? NCHE and NCSS united for a fourth virtual Equity Summit in October 2023 in support of our history and social studies educators and students, with a focus on book-banning and censorship. These are the session recordings from the Summit. 

Social studies narratives that portray individuals as either heroes or villains not only stifle students’ feelings of civic agency, but they minimize the role of community in creating social change  

A high school history teacher describes her experience on a humanitarian mission in Ukraine and offers a lesson plan for teaching about the war and the experiences of refugees.

Investigating heritage symbols in the classroom can ignite constructive discussions on the kinds of values a statue communicated at the time of its creation.

Encouraging students to investigate competing perspectives on societal issues helps them deepen the skills of working through disagreements.

Teaching media literacy helps students interpret media messages accurately and supports their informed civic participation.