Hi Friend,

It’s April Fools Day and I wanted to make sure you saw our message asking
for support to stop foolish book bans and censorship in my home state of
Florida.

As a mom raising a child in Florida, I’m deeply concerned about the
attacks from Governor DeSantis and our Republican leaders on education.
Families and educators are seeing book bans, lessons suddenly canceled,
teachers leaving in droves, LGBTQ+ materials removed, and even history
textbooks being revised.

There is so much at stake. Students' freedom to read, learn, and be safe
in schools is at stake.

[ [link removed] ]Please chip in to support MomsRising’s “Banned Book Bash” events in
Florida to help get banned book about diverse communities back into the
hands of our students and families and to fight the tide of censorship.

Thanks for all you do,

– Nina

---------- Forwarded message ---------
Date: Thursday, March 30, 2023
From: Nina, MomsRising ([email protected])
To: Friend
Subject: Stop foolish book bans!

Hi Friend,

This April Fool’s Day the foolishness is out of control in my home state
of Florida. But instead of playing harmless pranks, our Republican elected
leaders are doing real harm by banning books and trying to fool us about
their role in it.

[ [link removed] ]***Help stop the tide of foolish censorship in Florida by donating
today to help us buy banned books to give out to the community and build
the movement to fight censorship.

That’s right. This isn’t a prank or joke. Books bans are happening in
America right now. Help us stop the bans now. 

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been using political tricks to lead the
charge in our state on a series of censorship laws that were passed in
Florida in 2022. One of his biggest tricks is talking out of both sides of
his mouth on this. Fact: He passed and signed the laws. Fact: He now also
claims the bans are a “hoax.” [1] 

But moms know what's going on here and we won’t let Governor DeSantis and
Florida Republicans fool us. Here locally we are seeing it with our own
eyes. These laws, and the culture of fear around them, have led to public
school leaders pulling thousands of books from library shelves in schools
and classrooms. 

The movement to protect the freedom to learn and read is growing, but we
can’t keep it growing without your help! Here is what your donation can
help fund:

* $80.00 will buy snacks for Banned Book Bash volunteers for one event
* $100.00 will help with gas mileage to distribute books across
communities 
* $300.00 will buy four hundred QR code stickers for books 
* $2,000.00 will buy about two hundred books from the banned book lists

[ [link removed] ][IMG]

[ [link removed] ]*DONATE TODAY to help MomsRising protect the FREEDOM to read and learn!

In my own hometown, a video went viral of empty shelves (the educator has
since been fired for posting the video) and students as young as nine have
been speaking out. [2]

What books are being pulled? Plain and simple, books about diverse
communities, history, and LGBTQ+ families and communities. Books like the
biography of Celia Cruz, Black Boy Joy, When Aiden Became a Brother, and
the Diary of Anne Frank. [3,4] Yes. This isn’t an April fools joke. You
read those titles right. Just last week in Pinellas County, a school age
book about the story of the famous civil right activist Ruby Bridges who
helped integrate schools in New Orleans when she was 6-years-old was
challenged and the iconic Disney film about Ruby Bridges was banned
outright due to one single complaint. [ [link removed] ] Just one parent complaint meant
none of the kids could learn about Ruby Bridges. 

This is NOT okay. A small, radical fringe minority is trying to play
dangerous tricks to erase our American history and more. It’s important
that our kids learn our country’s truths, good and bad, and the values
that got us to where we are today. 

**With your donation we can hold “Banned Book Bashes” across the state of
Florida to help get these amazing books in the hands of families and help
stop the tide of censorship. 

We held our first “Banned Book Bash” in Duval County on March 4th with
close to fifty volunteers and families showed up to help put QR codes into
books being challenged in our county that directs readers to information
on how to fight book bans. [ [link removed] ] These almost two hundred books were
distributed across the county in free libraries, community centers, and
even local Buy Nothing circles.

Parents, grandparents, teachers, and kids are all fighting to protect the
freedom to read in Florida, but we can’t keep doing it without your help. 

[5]*DONATE NOW: You can help us hold more events and distribute additional
books throughout Florida. 

Thank you for helping protect our kids freedom to read and learn, 

- Nina, and the whole MomsRising.org & MamásConPoder Team

 

P.S. We're hosting a #KeepMarching call next week Thursday, April 6th at
7:30pm ET / 4:30pm PT to debunk the "Parent Bill of Rights". [6]RSVP to
learn more about how you can fight this harmful bill in your community 
P.P.S. Confused about how book bans in Florida are happening or even
possible? Read our blog post about it here and share with any family and
friends in Florida:
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

References: 

[1] [ [link removed] ]What you need to know about book bans in Florida, MomsRising
[2] [ [link removed] ]WATCH: Florida 4th-graders react to battle over school libraries,
media centers, News4Jax, Mar 23, 2023
[3] [ [link removed] ]THESE 176 BOOKS WERE BANNED IN DUVAL COUNTY, FLORIDA, Pen America,
December 2022
[4] [ [link removed] ]Which books are allowed? Varied interpretations of Florida law
lead to confusion at schools, Tallahassee Democrat
[5] [ [link removed] ]Removal of ‘Ruby Bridges’ film from Pinellas school sparks
outrage, Tampa Bay Times, March 27, 2023
[6] [ [link removed] ]2 organizations offer children books banned at schools, News4Jax,
Mar 4, 2023

 

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