ACLU Supporter,

Millions of students are returning to classrooms right now facing censorship –restrictions on campus protests, books removed from shelves, curriculums overhauled to remove discussions of race and sexual orientation, and entire course offerings eliminated.

The ACLU has been successfully challenging classroom censorship across the country and will continue to: We blocked Florida's "Stop WOKE Act" in higher education, a classroom censorship law that severely restricts learning and talking about race and gender. We also struck down a similar law in New Hampshire and partially blocked one in Oklahoma. We're still fighting back against these states' appeals – and they're just a few of the nearly 20 states that have passed similar bans on inclusive education. Meanwhile, some politicians continue the effort to dictate what all students are allowed to read and learn:

'How are we supposed to help bring
about a better world for all when we are no longer supposed to learn about
and talk about other people and their life experiences?' - Kathy, free
speech
advocate. 'As a woman of color, I haven't fully felt that I identify with much of the history taught in my classrooms.'
- Ayesha, high school
student. 'I have to work harder to find information and, because it is harder, I sometimes just decide not to look for it.'
- Ana Sofia, high school
student. 'If I can't read authors who look like me, who look like my Black and brown friends, [who look like] my friends of AAPI descent, then what am I really learning?'
- Sasha, high school student.'

Protect the right to learn.

ACLU Supporter, as a senior staff attorney with the ACLU Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, I'm working every day to stop censorship in classrooms and ensure every student's First Amendment rights are protected. This work is vast, and it is urgent: Last year we saw a record number of books banned, breaking the record set the year before!

With our nationwide network of attorneys and advocates, the ACLU is the best-equipped organization to stop such large-scale censorship – but our work hinges on grassroots support from people like you. That's why we have launched a $75,000 rapid-response goal to stop censorship as students return to school, and a donor is matching all gifts up to our goal.

Will you please rush a contribution of $35 that will go TWICE as far – with every dollar doubled by a matching gift – to stop censorship in schools and protect all our rights?

Thank you,

Emerson Sykes
Pronouns: He, him, his
Senior Staff Attorney, ACLU Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project

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