Amanda Azad is the policy director at the ACLU of New Hampshire.

Book bans and academic censorship are in clear opposition to our state’s proud Live Free or Die spirit. Despite this, New Hampshire lawmakers are considering two book banning bills right now — and they have already passed one legislative chamber.

Across the country, attempts to ban books are making their way through state houses and the courts. In Concord, lawmakers are on the verge of passing school censorship bills that pose a serious threat to free speech, public education and the rights of students, educators and families.

If one of the bills, HB 324, is passed by the state senate and signed into law by Gov. Kelly Ayotte, it would give the state government unprecedented power to impose civil penalties on schools and educators for making certain books and materials available in classrooms and libraries.

It’s a sweeping, vague and dangerous piece of legislation — and it’s unconstitutional.

The right to free expression includes the freedom to read whatever we choose. When a book is removed because of its perspective or viewpoint, that act does not protect children — it silences them.

That’s censorship, plain and simple.

The U.S. Supreme Court has long held that students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate,” as stated in the famous 1969 case, Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District. That includes the right to receive information and ideas.

To put it clearly: Book bans are unconstitutional. They don’t keep kids safe. They don’t improve education. And they don’t reflect the values of a state that prides itself on independence, critical thinking and freedom.

Instead, HB 324 would censor constitutionally protected materials and suppress ideas some may disagree with. First, the bill uses vague terms to classify what types of material could be banned, meaning that what might be considered as “inappropriate material” under this bill is left dangerously open to interpretation. This invites viewpoint discrimination and political manipulation.

Second, and perhaps most worrying, the bill narrows legal protections for K-12 educators and librarians, potentially exposing them to professional disciplinary action and, more shockingly, even criminal liability, including both misdemeanor and felony level charges. Combined with the vagueness of what is or is not allowed, that will discourage librarians and educators from offering legitimate materials out of fear of punishment or lawsuits.

Lastly, this bill would create a troubling centralization of power. A handful of political appointees in Concord could decide what every student in the Granite State is allowed to read. This is because a statewide board could be able to override local school decisions without clear standards for review. It even opens the door for parents to file complaints directly, bypassing the checks in place under current law.

Every student, regardless of their background, deserves to feel seen, respected and valued. Banning books because they touch on issues of race, gender identity or sexual orientation doesn’t make schools safer or stronger — it makes them less inclusive, less honest and less capable of preparing young people for life in a diverse world.

Many of the books targeted by bans are written by people from marginalized communities. These stories matter. They reflect the lived experiences of students who deserve to see themselves in the materials they read. Silencing these voices sends a clear message: your identity, your story, your truth — none of it belongs here.

Public schools are for everyone. The right to read is fundamental. The right to learn from diverse perspectives is essential. And the right to speak, write and think freely is protected by the Constitution.

New Hampshire lawmakers must stand up for these rights. That means voting against both HB 324 and SB 33, a similar bill with equally harmful implications.

Tell your legislators: Censorship has no place in our schools. Our students, teachers and communities deserve better. They deserve the freedom to read, to learn and to grow without fear or limitation.