National Coalition Against Censorship Inc

NCAC PROMOTES FREEDOM OF THOUGHT, INQUIRY AND EXPRESSION AND OPPOSES CENSORSHIP IN ALL ITS FORMS.

NCAC'S ACTIVITIES ARE DEDICATED TO PROTECTING THE RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH AND ACCESS TO INFORMATION BY:" ASSISTING STUDENTS, TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS, PARENTS AND OTHERS OPPOSING CENSORSHIP IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES" HELPING ARTISTS, CURATORS AND MUSEUM DIRECTORS RESIST ART CENSORSHIP" INFORMING PUBLIC OFFICIALS, THE MEDIA AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS" ADVOCATING FOR PUBLIC POLICIES AND LAWS THAT RESPECT FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND PRINCIPLES" EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE WIDER PUBLIC ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF FREE EXPRESSION, CLAIMING THEIR RIGHTS AND RESPECTING THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS" ENGAGING WITH A NATIONWIDE NETWORK OF ACTIVISTS AND SUPPORTING LOCAL ACTIVISM" ANALYZING CENSORSHIP TRENDS, PUBLISHING ANALYSIS AND DEVELOPING NEW STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE FREE SPEECH RIGHTSAS PART OF CORE PROGRAM, NCAC IS AN ALLIANCE OF 59 NATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING LITERARY, ARTISTIC, RELIGIOUS, EDUCATIONAL, PROFESSIONAL, LABOR, AND CIVIL LIBERTIES GROUPS. FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS, WE HAVE ENGAGED IN DIRECT ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION TO SUPPORT FIRST AMENDMENT PRINCIPLES. NCAC IS UNIQUE IN THAT WE ARE NATIONAL IN SCOPE BUT OFTEN LOCAL IN OUR APPROACH. WE WORK WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND MEMBERS TO RESOLVE CENSORSHIP CONTROVERSIES WITHOUT LITIGATION.NCAC SPONSORS THE FREE EXPRESSION NETWORK (FEN), A GROUP OF MORE THAN 50 ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK ON FREE EXPRESSION ISSUES. DURING ZOOM MEETINGS THAT OCCUR EVERY OTHER MONTH, FEN MEMBERS SHARE INFORMATION AND STRATEGY ABOUT NEW ISSUES. THE FEN LISTSERV FACILITATES EFFORTS TO COLLABORATE ON ADVOCACY LETTERS, JOINT STATEMENTS AND AMICUS BRIEFS.EVERY YEAR NCAC RECEIVES HUNDREDS OF REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE FROM TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS, ARTISTS, THE MEDIA, RESEARCHERS, STUDENTS, AND OTHERS. IT PROVIDES A WEALTH OF RESOURCES THROUGH ITS WEBSITE AS WELL AS PRIVATE COUNSELING. NCAC IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING ALL CONCERNED CITIZENS WITH THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO DEFEND THEIR RIGHTS.

THE YOUTH FREE EXPRESSION PROGRAM (YFEP) IS DEDICATED TO THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE, HELPING THEM ASSERT AND DEFEND THEIR RIGHT TO FREE EXPRESSION. ANY ATTEMPT TO RESTRICT THE CREATIVE AND INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM OF YOUNG PEOPLE IS HARMFUL. THE PROGRAM WORKS WITH STUDENTS, TEACHERS, PARENTS, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO OPPOSE REMOVAL OF BOOKS FROM SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND CLASSROOMS, CENSORSHIP OF STUDENT-CREATED VISUAL ART, EFFORTS TO SILENCE STUDENT JOURNALISTS, CANCELLATION OF STUDENT-LED PLAYS AND MUSICALS, RESTRICTIONS ON STUDENT SPEECH ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND EFFORTS TO CENSOR HEALTH, HISTORY, AND SCIENCE CURRICULA.

THE ARTS AND CULTURE ADVOCACY PROGRAM (ACAP) HELPS ARTISTS AND CURATORS INVOLVED IN CENSORSHIP DISPUTES. OUR GOAL IS TO RESOLVE CONTROVERSIES AND DEVELOP STRATEGIC EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES THAT EQUIP ARTISTS AND INSTITUTIONS WITH THE NECESSARY TOOLS TO PROMOTE ARTISTIC FREEDOM. NCAC IS THE ONLY FREE SPEECH ORGANIZATION WITH A PROGRAM DEDICATED TO THE RIGHTS OF ARTISTS.