On June 30th, People For launched Grandparents For Truth to challenge Moms for Liberty during their annual summit and to counter censorship and book banning. We rallied with grandparents, local activists, elected officials, and our national and local partners to stand up for the freedom to learn. Hundreds showed up in person and online to send a clear message: We won’t stand for book bans and bigotry.

People For the American Way applauded children’s book publisher Scholastic’s reversal of its decision to remove or segregate books at school book fairs. Scholastic had said it would banish books about race, gender or sexuality to a separate section at school book fairs or eliminate the books entirely. Following intense public pressure from groups including People For, Scholastic has apologized and now says it will not put these books in a separate catalog or section. People For had launched a petition against the Scholastic policy, which received nearly 8,000 signatures in its first week.

Politically extreme school board members are waging an anti-education campaign against civil rights and equality in education in Temecula, California, and People For the American Way’s Grandparents For Truth campaign traveled to California to help One Temecula Valley PAC recall them. In addition to firing a well-respected and award-winning superintendent and hiring a consultant to teach teachers how to avoid teaching Critical Race Theory (which wasn’t being taught in the schools in the first place), these school board members have denied Temecula students access to social studies textbooks simply because they contain references to LGBTQ icon Harvey Milk. They have also instituted a harmful “parental notification law” and banned the flying of pride flags on school campuses. In response, Grandparents For Truth held a rally in Temecula in August in partnership with folks on the ground to kick off door-knocking campaigns and signature-gathering events throughout the next months as outraged parents and grandparents, civil rights activists, and community leaders band together to oppose the bad school district governance playing out in Temecula and to demand the recall of extremist school board members.

We marked this year’s Banned Books Week, an annual recognition of the threat of censorship and book banning nationwide, with strong statements and stronger action. “This year’s Banned Books Week comes as we are seeing some of the worst examples of censorship and book banning in decades,” said People For President Svante Myrick. “We will always fight for the freedom to learn, this week and every week.”

Book banning is on the rise, and authoritarian attacks on the freedom to learn seem to be coming from all around us. This year, we’re offering you the opportunity to show just how much honest education means to you—and get some cool swag in the process—with People For’s Banned Books Challenge. As you read some of the most banned and attacked books this year, you can take pictures or videos of your reading to yourself, your kids, your grandkids, your friends, or even your pets. Get creative and show the Far Right that we won’t sit idly by while education is on the line.

On National Coming Out Day, we reflected on the terrible impact banning books has on queer kids and their ability to feel safe coming out. At a time when attacks on the freedom to learn, often directly targeting queer content, are rising, it’s important to understand why these books matter and how banning them harms all students.

Coming Soon: Grandparents For Truth Clubs!

Are you concerned about the growing presence of censorship-oriented groups in your school district? Are you fed up with the authoritarian rhetoric you’re hearing or reading in your community? Are you interested in becoming a first-time activist and don’t know where to turn? Consider starting a local Grandparents For Truth Club!

G4T Clubs are locally organized groups of grandparents and their allies who mobilize to push back against censorship and authoritarianism, and for the freedom to learn and read for the next generation of learners. Member groups receive swag including t-shirts, rally signs, bumper stickers, and a banner, as well as critical guidance in taking action - including guidebooks, trainings, the latest research, and one-on-one consultation from our national office. Starting a group is easy and you’ll be free to mold the actions of your group to your local issues. Contact Alana Byrd at [email protected] and we’ll get you started!

Want to get your hands on the latest G4T t-shirts, bookmarks, water bottles, backpacks, and more? Our swag shop has it all! Don’t see what you want? Reply to this email with your idea and we’ll try to make it happen!

Want to be featured in our next newsletter wearing your Grandparents For Truth swag? Send an email with your picture to [email protected] for a chance to be featured in our next newsletter!

See our featured Grandparent Marge Baker explain why she’s a Grandparent For Truth! >>