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Explain It to Me

The Republican plot to defund public libraries

Explain It to Me

Vox Media Podcast Network

Education, Politics, News, Society & Culture

4.47.9K Ratings

🗓️ 28 June 2023

⏱️ 49 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

A popular saying is that public libraries are the last bastion of true democracy. But in recent months, Republican state lawmakers and local elected boards in states including Texas and Missouri have threatened libraries as a way to control what materials patrons can and cannot access. But these funding threats didn’t come out of nowhere. They often start with book bans in public schools. In today’s episode of The Weeds, we dig into threats to defund public libraries and the growing movement to ban books at schools and libraries across the country. Cody Croan, an administrative librarian in Missouri, talks about what he’s seen on the ground, and Kasey Meehan, the program director for Freedom to Read at PEN America, tells us what this new level of censorship means for American democracy. Read More: Why Republicans want to defund public libraries and ban books | Vox The “anti-intellectual attack” on higher ed will take years to undo | Vox Submit your policy questions! We want to know what you’re curious about Credits: Fabiola Cineas, host Sofi LaLonde, producer Cristian Ayala, engineer A.M. Hall, editorial director of talk podcasts Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a donation to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

On criminal, we bring you true crime stories, told by people who know them best.

0:07.0

We didn't believe in setting fires because that was too dangerous.

0:10.0

We were, you know, kind of gentle, a kind of crooks, so to speak.

0:14.0

So the best plan you had was that you'd glass owe it.

0:17.0

Yeah, never imagined I'd use it for a camel.

0:20.0

I'm Phoebe Judge, and this is criminal.

0:25.0

Did you have to say what was in the box?

0:27.0

Phoebe, we told lies.

0:29.0

Listen to criminal every week, wherever you get your podcasts.

0:40.0

Why does it feel like everyone is on tour this summer?

0:43.0

And why are tickets so expensive?

0:46.0

So the first show I am on the onstage risers.

0:49.0

You can do that?

0:50.0

Yes.

0:51.0

I thought I was just friends of Beyoncé.

0:52.0

No, no, no, no. Those tickets are out.

0:53.0

What are they called?

0:54.0

They're called the onstage VIP risers.

0:57.0

How much that got?

0:58.0

$4,000.

0:59.0

For one.

1:00.0

For one ticket.

...

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