Friend,

Reading is a foundational skill that is critical to our kids’ future learning and to exercising our democratic freedoms. In a democratic society, banning books is wrong. And it’s also dangerous, especially when governments, including local school boards, censor what public schools and public libraries can offer on their shelves. Parents make decisions for their own kids, but particularly in our public schools and libraries, we need to protect the ability of young people to have universal access to books from which they can learn about and understand different perspectives; this will help them grow into adults who can think for themselves.

This week is Banned Books Week, and we’re using it to push back. We know that most people don’t want book bans, especially in our public spaces. We can’t let a small group of right-wing extremists decide what other people’s children can and can’t read.

We need your help in making this week a success.

In recognition of Banned Books Week, we are collecting testimonials from members and activists about why they oppose book bans. How are the increasing number of book bans affecting you and your students? Why is it important that we commit to freedom of expression and celebrate books that can help students learn and grow? You can submit your own video here.

And with our partners at Unite Against Book Bans, we are offering this toolkit with graphics and resources. Please feel free to use these resources to talk to your members and communities about how dangerous book bans are.

The rich tapestry of the written word must be celebrated and protected. Books unite us, and censorship divides us.

In unity,
Randi Weingarten
AFT President