LOS ANGELES — Started in 1982, Banned Books Week — from Sept. 22—28 — is an annual campaign promoted by the American Library Association and Amnesty International that celebrates the freedom to read and draws attention to banned and challenged books. 

Under the artistic direction of Cedering Fox, “Banned Books Read ALOUD” kicked off Banned Books Week at the Central Library in downtown Los Angeles with celebrity readings exploring the history and current state of book bans. 

Parents’ Rights in Education, under executive director Suzanne Gallagher, is one of several parents’ rights advocacy organizations promoting the rights of parents and fights for the removal of some books from public schools, which they feel adds to the “politicization” of education.