Dear John,
Florida has passed a law that lets schools more easily ban, restrict, and censor books.1 Amanda Gorman—the first National Youth Poet Laureate who made history as the youngest inaugural poet when she read "The Hill We Climb" during President Joe Biden's inauguration in 2021—faced the consequences of the law firsthand when her book of poetry was shockingly challenged by a parent in the Miami-Dade County school district.2
The complaining parent claimed that the book of poetry was "not educational" and contained indirect hate speech.3 After a cursory review, the school restricted access to the book for younger audiences, determining it inappropriate for elementary students. This is outrageous, and we won't stand for it.
Fight back against censorship. Sign the petition calling for Amanda Gorman's "The Hill We Climb" to be added to recommended reading lists across the country.
Our freedom to read—and to make choices about what our students and children can read—is being chipped away by coordinated attacks from right-wing parents and Republican legislators set on politicizing our schools. But we can make sure every student has the opportunity to be captivated by Gorman's powerful words and experience the beauty of diverse literature.
With Governor Ron DeSantis publicly leading the charge, a small but loud group of conservative parents have been galvanized under the new law and begun challenging books in schools across the state—disproportionately censoring LGBTQ+ books and books about race and racial diversity.4 It's the right wing's latest strategy to wipe out important conversations that students have in the classroom around genocide, white supremacy, gender, and sexuality.
There are many "recommended reading lists" put out by schools, local libraries, youth-oriented nonprofits, newspapers, websites, TV hosts, and more. These lists often inform students and their families about what books to read. While Republican leaders may want to strip away Amanda Gorman's poetry, we are calling upon thousands of individuals and institutions to recommend it.
Together, we can protect the freedom to read and ensure that important works like "The Hill We Climb" aren't hidden away or dismissed.
Sign Now
Thanks for all you do.
–MoveOn
Sources:
1. "Florida at center of debate as school book bans surge nationally," The New York Times, April 23, 2023 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/22/books/book-ban-florida.html
2. "1 complaint led a Florida school to restrict access to Amanda Gorman's famous poem," NPR, May 25, 2023 https://www.npr.org/2023/05/24/1177877340/amanda-gorman-poem-restricted-miami-school
3. "Florida elementary school removes Amanda Gorman's poem from Biden's inauguration," ABC7, May 24, 2023 https://abc7.com/florida-miami-lakes-miami-dade-county-amanda-gorman/13292154/
4. "Who's Behind the Escalating Push to Ban Books? A New Report Has Answers," Education Week, September 28, 2022 https://www.edweek.org/leadership/whos-behind-the-escalating-push-to-ban-books-a-new-report-has-answers/2022/09
PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
