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.

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.

***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

*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. [5] 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. [6] 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. 

*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". 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: https://www.momsrising.org/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-book-bans-in-florida

References: 

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

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